Spinal Tap

[AmandaS1985]

I was seen in the emergency room for migraine headaches, During that visit it was suggested that I have a lumbar puncture to see if I has spinal meningitis. So reluctantly I agree because I wanted to find out what was wrong with me and why i was having such severe headaches. At that visit to that emergency room it was determined that I had viral spinal meningitis, So I was given some medication and sent home. The next day I had the worst headache of my life
It was like a ton of pressure pushing down on my head, neck, and back right at my spine. So I was seen by my family doctor and she sent me back to the emergency room. Once I got there the doctor that was seeing me wanted to do another  lumbar puncture to make sure that the results that the other emergency-room get was correct. So once again reluctantly I agree to get that done. To make a long story short they told me that I did not have spinal meningitis and they could not figure out where my headaches were coming from. So now it's been over a month and I have a continuous headache that does not go away, I have to take some kind of medication for it to Subside, but once the medication wears off the headache comes right back. Sometimes I seem to have like a pulling sensation in my neck and shoulders that contribute to the headaches could this be from the spinal tap? I'm constantly in pain I feel like my life will never be the same if I don't get some kind of relief.... Somebody please if you can give me some answers or suggestions!!!!

[Ball123]

Do you get relief from lying down? You can even try to lye with your head slightly lower than your feet to see if that helps.

If the headache is still there in a month you could do a MRI with gadolinium contrast to see if you have the typical radiological signs of low intracranial pressure.

If you do the MRI too soon after the leak started it might not yet show on the MRI.

Visit csfleak.org if you are interested, it is very informative.

[AmandaS1985]

Honestly I don't get relief from the pulling sensation, and the medicine that I take doesn't really make the headache go away it kind of just lightens it by putting me to sleep! All the doctors that I've seen seem not to have a clue of What could be causing these symptoms....

[Ball123]

The pulling sensation you describe is common among spinal leakers but spinal leakers don't respond to any meds. So the fact that your meds are helping you temporarily speaks against it.

Any other symptoms?