Myegram headache...Ouch. No patch?

[10sox]

So I had my myelogram yesterday. Yes, it hurt, but it wasn't too bad on the scheme of things. When the dye was injected, it made my bad leg hurt sooo bad. Dr. said it was the added pressure of the dye on the nerves.

Anyway, all was going well until time to go home. After lying down for about 5 hours, they sat my up in bed and gave me lunch. I had a slight headache,but they pushed caffeine in me and said that was normal.

Then when I was sitting in the wheelchair waiting for my husband to come get me, my headache started to get sooo bad. It was so bad that I was very sick to my stomach and started to throw u (sorry if TMI). The discharge nurse was concerned and lied me down on a stretcher. The nauseau and headache diminished.

She brought me back up stairs and had the Dr. come back to look at me. They had me lie down for another hour to make sure I wouldn't get sick. Told me to take it easy the next few days and that if my headache didn't improve by Monday, then they would talk about a patch then.

I don't understand why they would not give one to me NOW! I now have a low-grade headache even when lying down. But when I get up to use the restroom, my head starts to build with pressure and HURTS. Then when I lie down, the headache gets much better. So, I cannot get out of bed without being in a lot of pain.

Is there any chance this will go away on it's own? Is that why they are waiting until Monday to do anything? I have a 2 and 3 yr old at home and my husband has to go back and work on Monday morning! I wish they could have just given me the patch right then and there.

Thanks,
10sox

 

[mznell]

How are you doing by today, 10sox? I hope you are feeling much better.

Let us know when you feel up to it!

xx MM

 

[K1ttykatt]

The patch they are talking about is called a blood patch, they take blood from you, and put it on your back with a patch, they only use it if your migraine lasts longer then 24 hours, if your still having the migraine, call the radiologist that did it, and tell him you've had the migraine for days, and you need them to do the blood patch, they shoulda hooked you up to an IV and given you continous fluiRAB, it helps with the migraine, just giving you a coke, aint gonna do it..

 

[SpineAZ]

Unfortunately a majority of people who have a myelogram get the awful headache. And they can't do the blood patch immediately as they have to give the body time to naturally recover (by self-sealing the hole where they punctured). I had a bad headache for 3 days then a low level headache for 2 more days. My doctor would do the patch only if the high level headache continued beyond 3 days. Even then they said that if I saw improvement to avoid trying the patch as it once again is "invasive" as the myelogram is - so it is not an easy thing either.