Epidural Blood Patch...

[micrazy]

Please tell me truth about your experience with the epidural blood patch... the web makes it sound like a quick, easy, in and out procedure, rest for a week and your cured... ya'll make it sound something quite diff. I wish to hear each of your stories please!

[35weekheadache]

Hi,
Just wanted to reply to your question, as it seems a bit tough to find leak-related answers sometimes!
I've had 2 bloodpatches, both in the thoracic region. The procedure was pretty quick, about 1/2 hour all up, but then afterwards, depending on your doc's orders you'll have to lay flat and be on bedrest for some time. My 1st bloodpatch was a success, I could stand up the next day with no headache. I spent that night in hospital (2nights total) and then went home, and took it easy.
Then I had a baby, and the leak reoccured. I had the second bloodpatch and stayed in hospital for 4 days. I was headache free for about 5 days and then they slowly creeped back in. I would still say that I have improved upon the condition I was in before the second bloodpatch though, as my headaches are slightly more tolerable.
Just doing some research now to see what my symptoms may indicate, and if I should wait it out or move on to the next step, namely a CT myelogram to see exactly where the leak is and perhaps another bloodpatch.
Hope that helps some!


Please tell me truth about your experience with the epidural blood patch... the web makes it sound like a quick, easy, in and out procedure, rest for a week and your cured... ya'll make it sound something quite diff. I wish to hear each of your stories please!

[LuckyPeter]

Please tell me truth about your experience with the epidural blood patch... the web makes it sound like a quick, easy, in and out procedure, rest for a week and your cured... ya'll make it sound something quite diff. I wish to hear each of your stories please!

OK, well, I'll give you the unvarnished truth. I had five blood patches. None of them worked. In layman's terms, what they are doing is putting a big blood clot on top of your spine... Which is all well in good if your leaks are on the top portion of your spine. My leaks radiated around the Dura (top, sides, bottom, etc. on a cross section). My Dr (Dr Leithe @ Duke) advocates a focused approach - identifying the leak(s) with contrast and a MRI - then going after each leak. I think, please don't quote me, she's now using some sort of fibrin glue. Very high success rate!

[Cooze]

Ive had a blood patch carried out once, after 10 days of being lying flat with a leak. It started working pretty soon after and I went home 2 days later (following day I still wasnt feeling 100%).

Re the above post, PLEASE be cautious about Fibrin glue, I have had this, but there is still research and questions regarding its use and how long term beneficial it is. It is only (again to my knowledge - Im not medically trained) used when an aspiration of the site of the leak - Tarlov Cyst, severe dural ectasia is drained and the Fibrin is used to try seal off the communication with the spine.

I dont think there is harm in going for a bloodpatch. Its not too sore, they give you a light sedative first and its done pretty quickly.

Good luck

[Raye3201]

Hi there - I had two lumbar blood patches. The first one, was a nightmare. The resident had a hard time getting through ( kept hitting bone) and after the procedures, nurses had me up and standing, twisting, bending over to see if it 'took' (hmph! It sure didn't!) and after that experience, I ended up having a second one elsewhere.

The second one worked great and sealed my leak up. I went from having low pressure for over 2 months to a sudden high pressure but my doctor was terrific. He recognized it immediately (he had called me at home to check up on me - who does that these days?)

Anyway the doc made sure that all the staff followed best practices the second time - I laid flat on my back for over 2 hours, no bending or craziness. It was a completely painless, different experience from the first blood patch and I am thankful everyday that it worked.:)