Question:
What was the cause of you needing a spinal tap? Submit Your Comment
I suddenly fell ill and had to get a spinal tap to rule out bacterial meningitis. I got the spinal tap and it came back negative, and the doctor did hit a nerve which set my leg in fire but it was ok other than that. However, 1 day later I am in severe pain upon sitting up or standing. I'm essentially bed-ridden and getting up to eat or do anything is mind-blowingly painful. My eyes feel like they're going to pop out and my head is full of pressure. I feel like vomiting and passing out whenever I stand.
I went to the eye doctor because I lost vision in the upper peripheral region in my right eye. They requested I get some blood tests done, and it came back that I have syphilis. However, when I went to go get my penicillin shots for treatment, they turned me down because they couldn't treat neurosyphilis. They told me that the only way to tell if it was neurosyphilis was if I got a lumbar puncture, a spinal tap. I just had my lumbar puncture done today, and am waiting for the results.
My sister has had Bell's palsy 3 times over the years. The third time she had more facial drooping lasting indefinitely, so she had a spinal tap.
I had a spinal tap 15 years ago for pseudotumor cerebri. I couldn't believe all the colors I could see afterwards. It took them 3 times to get into my spine and it really hurt but it got the pressure down in my brain. My doctor thinks my pressure is up again so in 2 days I need another spinal tap. I'm scared because 10 years ago I had a tumor taken out of my lumbar region and I'm afraid they are going to mess it up.
My doctor ordered a spinal tap to check for multiple sclerosis. I had it done yesterday. I read online to drink lots of caffeine, so I drank pop before and been drinking coffee. I woke up this morning feeling good, no headaches. Just a little bit of pain where the needle was put in. But feeling great. No pain medicines.
I have currently been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. They may want me to do a spinal tap. I just want to know the risk because my specialist told me it was a bad idea and now may want to do the spinal tap.
I was found unconscious in my apartment. I lost my primary care doctor and I was on a lot of medications, a doctor here only gives you 30 days to find a new doctor. That was impossible for me since it takes 60 days to get a new one. It is my feeling he put my life in grave danger since I could not get the medicine. I was 8 hours from certain death so a spinal tap was necessary.
I had a spinal tap 5 days ago. I've been having severe headaches and nausea, so they did a spinal tap to see if there was any bleeding on the brain. I still don't know what's wrong or why I'm having these headaches. I was discharged the next day with Panadol, a very mild painkiller, with a letter for my work to say I'll be fit for work in 3 days. It is day 5 and I feel worse than before I went to hospital, no one explained the side effects of a spinal tap. I'm still in bed, can't move from the pain, and headaches are worse; feels like somebody is trying to tear my head from my shoulders. Wishing I never had the spinal tap at all.
I was diagnosed with pseudotumor cerebri, which means I have symptoms of a brain tumor without the tumor to take out. I received a spinal tap to relieve the swelling in my head. During the procedure, it felt like my eyes were going to pop out and my head was on fire, not to mention the needle in my back. I was released from the hospital 24 hours after the tap, but still had major headaches. It is now two days after the tap and I cannot even go take a quick bath without my head burning. I have to stay lying down. The Motrin I was given doesn't touch this pain. I guess I'll wait until I can get up without pain.
I have a spinal cord injury that showed up between two MRIs. I had an MRI in 2011 with no cord injury, then again in 2012, which then showed spinal cord Injury. My doctor wants a spinal tap done to rule out MS.
I had a spinal tap for my hip replacement. I have lung problems and this was used to avoid anesthesia for the surgery. I have a fungal disease and micro-bacterial disease in my lungs. The micro-bacterial disease requires three strong meds for one year to clear up. It is in the tuberculosis family but not contagious.
A pituitary tumor removal was the cause of me needing a spinal tap.
I have had nine previous spinal taps because of severe headaches that never stop. We were trying and still are, to figure out what it is from. I had slightly elevated pressure in my head. I lost 35 lbs in 3 months. Now I don't need the medicine anymore, my pressure on the today's spinal tap was normal. Spinal taps can be a useful diagnostic tool. They are painful though, and not something to look forward to.
It was used to diagnose me with multiple sclerosis.
I needed a spinal tap to check for hydroencephalitis.
My doctor thinks I may be suffering from MS.
I've had three mini strokes within a month. I've been tested for anything and everything. Everything has checked out fine. The next step is a spinal tap. All the doctors are baffled because I have no underlying symptoms.
I am having constant migraine headaches and chronic neck pain.
My granddaughter has unexplained seizures and they did a spinal tap on her last night.
I went to the ER for a severe headache and nausea. The doctor performed a spinal tap to test for meningitis.
My neurologist suspects I have MS and wants to do a spinal tap to be sure.
I have Sjogren's syndrome and am having frequent headaches behind right eye as well as feeling of bugs crawling up legs, and a disturbance with my speech. My MRI came back okay, but my doctor is covering all bases to rule out MS.
I am being tested to see if I have Guillain Barre Syndrome.
I had a spinal tap after I had had double vision along with headaches and eye pain. I had swollen optic nerves caused by pressure in my spinal fluid they are currently testing for a tumor caused by fluid buildup and weight now the tumor can go away with weight loss and water pills.
I needed a lumbar puncture as the doctors believed I had intracranial hypertension.
I have all the classic signs of having MS. My doctor is just covering all the bases and being thorough.
Doctors are combining a spinal tap with an MRI to see if there is a cancer in my body that is causing a retinal inflammation.
I went to my eye doctor for eye exam because I had slight pain in my right eye when looking side to side. The doctor said, “Your right optical nerve is swollen. You need to go to the hospital right away.” The neurologist had orders waiting for CT scan and later an MRI. Still wanting answers, they said to come in next day for a spinal tap. My doctor suspects MS.
I needed a spinal tap because the doctor suspected meningitis.
Three years ago I went to the hospital due to a severe headache. After the CT scan showed nothing the ER felt a spinal tap was necessary ASAP. No anesthesia was administered, as it needed to be performed immediately (so I was told). I don't recall actual testing as my head hurt so badly. I woke up a week later in ICU. Then spent the next 27 days on the stroke floor, followed by another 300 days of rehab. Learning to walk, talk, speak, write, and drive all over. Shouldn't happen at age 45, but that's life. When you least expect it, expect it! Bottom line was a 3.6 cm x 3.6 cm clot (DVT) to my brain. I still suffer from headaches, memory loss, mood swings, and seizures. I had another stroke a few months ago. The whole left side was paralyzed for ten days.
Medically reviewed by Joseph Carcione, DO; American board of Psychiatry and Neurology
REFERENCE:
Euerle, B.D., Roberts JR, Hedges JR. "Spinal puncture and cerebrospinal fluid examination." In: Clinical Procedures in Emergency Medicine. 5th
ed. 2009: 1107-1127.