myelogram/lumbar puncture experiences?

[Guest guest]

I'm interested in knowing people's experiences (good and bad) with myelograms or

lumbar punctures

done - please let me know if you had the procedure done prior to decompression

surgery or after.

Anything you can tell me would be greatly appreciated.

I've heard/read that this procedure can induce Chiari or make it worse. Are

there indications for

this?

Thanks,

Eurico

[Guest guest]

Kathleen, I have had 3 myelograms, 2 pre-op and one post-op following a fusion

surgery on my neck.. I

got that really bad headache after each myelogram and the last one, which was

done in December, 2000,

the pressure got so great in my head that I almost passed out before they could

finish injecting the

dye. I told my nsg that I would not have another one ever. The myelogram

itself isn't too bad, but the

headaches after and then having to have a blood patch to get rid of the headache

isn't anything that I

want to experience again. Plus after this last time I had greater difficulty

with my Chiari symptoms

getting under some kind of control. I have Chiari I Malformation haven't ever

been told how many mm the

herniation is. I don't have any any spinal fluid between the back part of my

brain and my skull. I

have all the classic symptoms except I don't have the never ending headaches, I

do have heahaches, but

at least right now they will go away for a few days at a time before returning.

Anyway this was my

experience with myelograms.

Judy in Alabama

Kathleen Grigg wrote:

> > I'm interested in knowing people's experiences (good and bad) with

myelograms or lumbar punctures

> > done - please let me know if you had the procedure done prior to

decompression surgery or after.

> > Anything you can tell me would be greatly appreciated.

>

> I have had spinal taps and a lumbar drain. All of them have been post op from

my chiari surgery in

> 1990.

>

> I have a difficult lumbar spine to maneuver, making these procedures a little

tricky. If I remember

> right, it took the first neurologist around 20 sticks to finally get in for my

tap.

>

> The lumbar drain was done post op from my decompression in 1998. Again the

access was difficult.

>

> I was already off the morphine pump when I had the drain done, and the 4 days

with the drain was

> quite painful. If the pain is managed during this time, it shouldn't be too

bad.

>

> The problem with pain management was I have night terrors when I am given

Demerol. I try to escape

> the hospital and see spiders. LOL

>

> The lumbar drain worked wonders for my dura. Prior to the drain, my dura was

very thin. It is now in

> great shape.

>

> Kathleen

>

> Help section: /help/

>

> NOTE: NCC refers to posts with No Chiari Content

>

> Unsubscribe Yourself: chiari-unsubscribeegroups

>

> WACMA Home: www.pressenter.com/~wacma

>

> WACMA List: www.eGroups.com/group/chiari

[Guest guest]

Hi,

I had a VERY bad experience with the myelogram catscan. I would

rather go through decompression surgery again than do the myelogram.

I had mine done prior to decomp surgery.....and after the myelogram

they immediately moved up my surgery date (from two months away to 9

days after the myelo) because it made my symptoms I already had,

progress rapidly and also added on more symptoms such as breathing

probs, swallowing, apnea, heart arythmias, bp probs etc.

After the myelogram I had no choice NOT to do the surgery. I

felt the needle EVERY step of the way and felt the dye wherever it

went in my body...plus it made my legs/feet writh around the table in

some sort of spasms/spastic movements of which I could not

control....and for which the guy doing the myelogram kept yelling at

me to lay still....but I had NO control over my legs/feet.

And last but not least, the lovely 7 day spinal fluid leak in

which I had to lay prone for 7 days...(they did not want to do a

blood patch) I went down to 83 lbs during this time (I was 93 lbs

prior to myelogram)

So...all in all.....It was NOT an experience I would like to

repeat....EVER !!!! ((((hugs)))) Sam

ACM1-decompressed aug. 20, 99

Tarlov cyst-a form of spina bifida

Klippel Feil Syndrome C5-T2

tethered cord

and a bunch of other " junk "

-- In chiariegroups, Eurico de Sousa <edesousa@b...> wrote:

> I'm interested in knowing people's experiences (good and bad) with

myelograms or lumbar punctures

> done - please let me know if you had the procedure done prior to

decompression surgery or after.

> Anything you can tell me would be greatly appreciated.

>

> I've heard/read that this procedure can induce Chiari or make it

worse. Are there indications for

> this?

>

> Thanks,

>

> Eurico