lumbar puncture

shazba

Hi folks, New Boards member here, wondering if anyone out there has any experience of lumbar puncture, have to have one tomorrow they think i've M.S Many thanks:)

leef23

A friend of a friend had one done. The doc said after it’s done what ever you do don’t sit up for about 4hrs just lie down & you’ll be fine. Because if you sit up the fluids from your head will drain down into your spine and you’ll have the worst headache ever that’ll last for days and you’ll need morphine for the pain it’ll be that bad.

The reason I’m telling you this is because the friend of a friend that got it done was told by a Pilipino nurse to sit up that what the doc had told her about lying down was only textbook stuff that she’d be grand. But as soon as she sat up she got the headache and had it for 4 days she was in bits.

Don’t mean to scare you just want to let you know in case anyone tries to convince you to sit up.

Hope everything goes well for you and the test come back clear.

aria-bella

Hey Shazba

I had one done a few yrs ago with suspected meningitis and ill not lie it wasnt my nicest experience..

Constructively there are things you can do that make it a lot quicker and easier for yourself..

I know you are prob nervous about it and lets face it who likes needles eh? But really the more relaxed you are the easier it will be on you.. Listen to an ipod, do some relaxation/breathing exercises right the way up..

Do NOT let them have a student doctor do it.
With the greatest respect to med students and nurses , Personally i would only allow a registrar minimum to do this procedure as done correctly - it is over fairly quickly.
Done by someone who is inexperienced it makes the whole thing a lot more stressful.
It is your body and as stretched as the HSE are.. Id rather wait for someone experienced for something like this..

Best of luck tmw and im sure you will be fine

aria

Miss Fluff

Hey OP, I had one a few years ago, also with suspected meningitis. It is definitley not the most pleasant experience. As much as is possible under such circumstances, please try and relax, make sure to bring your knees right up to your chin and if possible, have someone with you who can hold your hand, it does help. Good luck tomorrow, I hope it turns out it is nothing serious

DeVore

OP do what your doctor tells you and not people from the internet. Hope it goes well for you.

Everyone else, no medical advice please.

DeV.

aria-bella

Sorry deV

Didnt think that was medical advice. No prob

OP deV is right you do need to listen to your doc of course but IMO its a procedure that needs to be done by someone with experience

Best of luck

_Whimsical_

I know someone who had one done recently and said that it wasn't at all as traumatic as she'd heard. She had no pain during it and got no headache afterwards.It seems some doctors have the touch and are better at it than others.Do as you are told and try not to be too nervous. The more stressed and tense you are the more difficult things you need to be still for are. Get a straw so you can sip a drink lying down afterwards and the 4 hours won't seem so long.Good luck.

BanzaiBk

I've had a few. Just think positive and it will be fine. The more relaxed you are the "quicker" you will get over the initial shock. Rest lots afterwards and you'll be grand. Best of luck:)

mazdafarl

aria-bella wrote:

Do NOT let them have a student doctor do it.
With the greatest respect to med students and nurses , Personally i would only allow a registrar minimum to do this procedure as done correctly - it is over fairly quickly.
Done by someone who is inexperienced it makes the whole thing a lot more stressful.
It is your body and as stretched as the HSE are.. Id rather wait for someone experienced for something like this..

Best of luck tmw and im sure you will be fine

aria

The point of student doctors trying is so they GET experienced, In your world we would of ran out of doctors years ago because 'Im not letting you learn on my precious loved ones'

Peyton Manning

Im sorry, but I agree with the comment about not allowing student doctors to do this particular procedure.

Last year, my girlfriend had to get a lumbar puncture and it was a student doctor performing. He was so incompetent. Basically, he did not administer (correct term?) the anaestesia properly and when he went to actually insert the needle, she said it was the most painful experience of her life. She screamed and was in tears. He was not even apologetic, he told her to just put up with it and that it wasnt a painfree procedure anyway. He was a cold b*stard altogether. A more experienced doctor (who came in when she heard the scream) took the other idiots place and said that he basically made a balls of it and shouldnt have been there in the first place.