Spinal Tab

Hello.. I've had T for 9 weeks now.. I have a spinal tab scheduled this Friday by my neurologist... Has anyone had one ? Is it worth the risk? My neurologist wants to check the pressure of the brain fluids .. I'm so scare ...

 

Well, I don't care for their music...Haha, just joking. If your neurologist wants to check then I'm sure he or she has a good reason to. I had a pressure test for fluid behind my ears, didn't hurt.

 

I would feel privileged if I had benefited of such medical attention. Although I was diagnosed following an angiography that I have intracranial hypertension, which may give pulsatile T (and I have pulsatile T but also continuous T), for which a spinal tap and extracting some cerebro spinal fluid are recommended, I was not given one, nor I received medication for reducing the cerebro spinal fluid production, which is another way to solve the problem. I wish you that on Friday everything goes well. It sounds like your neurologist cares for you, so chances are when the spinal tap will be done, it will be done with care too, so the risks are minimal, don't worry about it.
I didn't have a spinal tap to check the pressure, only something similar, an injection in my spine to introduce an anesthetic in that fluid that surrounds the marrow (an epidural) and you feel a little prick, that's all, absolutely no big deal. Don't sweat it, and give us un update afterwards.

 

I had a lumbar puncture a few years ago, and it did turn out that I had high CSF pressure which required treatment. Word of advice - lay flat for 24 hrs after, but even after you are mobile again, don't do anything to strain your back for a few days! I bent over the day after my procedure, heard/felt a "pop," and got low pressure headaches (SO BAD). I had to get a blood patch. So take it easy afterwards! The procedure itself was no big deal - no pain, etc. good luck!

 

@Danny Boy
How did that procedure to check if you have fluid behind your ears take place?
I have a horrible feeling of fullness in my ears, like they are exploding, I have increased T whenever I close my eyelids and just a little more pressure is put on the ears, but in vain I told that to the doctors, no action.
So what does a check for fluid behind the ears entail?

 

They did a pressure test when I went to do AM-101...Which I didn't go through with. The pressure test was just to see if there was any fluid behind my ears. I had fluid behind my ear when I first got tinnitus...As you can imagine, I could hear tinnitus very loudly, having like half my hearing in that ear. Very annoying.

 

@Danny Boy Yes, I understand, but how exactly they did the pressure test, do you remember? Doing a tympanogram?

 

I think it was just pressurised air into the ear and then pop. That's all really.

 

@Danny Boy This is an off-topic question, wrong thread, I wanted to ask you what did you do to get rid of that fluid, but i guess i have to do that in PM, unless Rina doesn't mind and you can answer me here.

 

Nothing...It subsided. If it didn't they would perforate the eardrum and drain the fluid.

 

I wouldn't do it. Most likely a useless procedure. Remember, it's often in the interest of the medical institutions to perform all sorts of tests etc, if they get paid for it.

 

High intracranial pressure is a serious issue. I had high intracranial pressure and even dr.. Nagler said to get it fixed.

I got a Lumbar Puncture last year. It helped lower my T and pressure in my head.

Get Lumbar puncture now before csf fluid does more damage. I mean.. asap.. thanks

 

Right. Absolutely.

Unfortunately Danny Boy appears to be of the opinion that intracranial pressure is measured by an audiologist checking middle ear pressures. That is a totally different type of pressure. And Sound Wave seems to feel that doctors order lumbar punctures with impunity in order to make a buck. @Rina, if your neurologist has ordered an LP, you can bet it is for a very good reason.

 

3 questions if anyone could help answer?

1. Is there a difference in work-up from a LP vs Cisternography? (the latter is with CT & more invasive).
2. Why would a Neuro. order Cisternography for CSF leak work-up over a LP?
3. Is there a difference w/ MRI cisternography quality over the CT one? (besides radiation). Which would provide better info. in regards to inner-ear structures/brainstem fluids? (MRI does not require injections & less invasive).