Spinal Headache Help?

[clemsontiger28]

Any advice would be appreciated. 2 months ago I had a L5/S1 Laminectomy/Discectomy and 1 month ago I developed a sudden, severe and dibilitating headache. The symptoms are in my sinus, base of skull and severe pain in forehead. I also feel intense pressure pushing out towards the top of my head. The headache is also very positional. It gets much worse when I am upright but almost completely goes away when I lay down for about 20 min or so. I have had this for about 1 month and 1/2 now and feel like I am at least "coping" w/ the pain better but the pressure is always there. Now I can sit up for an hour or two w/o feeling like I am going to die...so maybe it's healing. My surgeon saw something he thought could be fluid on my post op MRI but he thinks conservative treatment is best and he wants me just "wait it out". So far I have been to the ER for a caffeine drip, steriod IV's, tried bed rest for 72 hrs...I am getting pretty frustrated because I was hoping to get blood patch and my surgeon doesn't think it would work in my situation. I have tried to get a 2nd opinion but no other neurosurgeon will see me b/c I just had back surgery. He also will not give me any more pain med's b/c he wants to wean me off my caffeine pills. I am only taking 2 a day and I don't know if I will be able to function at all because my head hurts so bad.  I have to go back to work or I will lose my job and I have a baby to take care of so any advice is greatly appreciated.

[clemsontiger28]

Thanks for the advice and good luck with the blood patch! I hope it helps. I have read they have a good success rate... so you should be good to go! Not really sure why my doctor won't even try it but there must be a good reason.

[aliny]

I also have a spinal headache with  severe vomiting it was caused by a cortizone epidural I got a blood patch a week ago it didn't help I'm going for my second one tomorrow try to lay completely flat and drink lots of fluid