Hi all!
doing this on my phone and am having a bout of optic neuritis so apologies for the typos!!
so I’m not officially diagnosed with MS yet but my MRI showed a couple of lesions on me brain and one was enhanced. Neurologist has recommended me having a lumbar puncture but from what I’ve heard they’re not the most pleasant procedures to have!
is it as really bad as the rest of the Internet make it out to be?
it won’t put me off having one btw but I want to be prepared mentally if it is bad!
Mine was far from horrendous just odd, it was quick and painless, i had also read all the horror stories, do what they advise and i am sure you will be fine
Mine wasn’t exactly fun but it wasn’t horrendous! It took quite a while as they had to make multiple attempts (probably about an hour) The doctor however was lovely and I felt no pain from the actual procedure- she kept making sure of that! I was more of a feeling of pressure and a ‘strange feeling’ It was however uncomfortable trying to keep still and in a curved position for that period of time and for me that was the worse bit along with thinking that they were never going to get a good sample and i would have to go through it again! I was so relieved when she finally got it! Afterwards my back was sore and stiff for several days (not debilitating) but I think that was because they were messing with it for so long. I did take it easy for the rest of the day but didn’t lie totally flat and didn’t have a headache at all! I was glad that I had it done though as I feel that without it my diagnosis would have taken longer.
Mine was performed by a doctor who looked like he had just got in from a night on the tiles. Despite being very scared, I actually only felt a bit of pressure.For me no pain what so ever and no headache afterwards.
Good luck
Mick
Mine was the same experience as Belle above. Make sure you drink plenty of water and cola.
Take a look at the excellent Barts Guide and make sure you ask for the right needle. Your Lumbar Puncture at The Royal London Hospital
ask for a wedge under your knees because i cannot lie flat and keep still. i ask for a wedge when having an mri too. the coke is for caffeine (i’d much rather have an espresso) take a bendy straw or you’ll end up soaked in coke.
Mine was the same experience as Belle69 only I had headache after, Drink plenty of fluids. . It was bearable but I would not take another unless I really needed to and id request it under xray. Good luck hope yours is quick and easy as for me it was the time he took that made it sore lying so long. The girl who was in same day said she was in and out in 2o min no problems (maybe it was because i was older not so good at lying curled up !)
More than anything it seems that the best advice is to stay laying down for as long as possible after the LP and drink caffeinated drinks to avoid a very nasty headache.
Not everyone gets this. I didn’t even know it was a possibility and didn’t have the benefit of this advice.
The worst thing I found was the peculiarity of the sensation. I had mine back in pre internet days, so I had no idea what they were doing or why. And the sensation (I don’t think I had any anaesthetic so I could completely feel it) was deeply unpleasant. It just felt sort of ‘wrong’. Like, this is a place a needle really shouldn’t be.
Sue
Mine was sorry to say but incredibly painfull!
Doctor managed to hit the main nerve going in to my right leg which happens to be the one that’s knackered from cis 4 month ago, the only way I can describe the pain.
was like a shotgun just went off in my trouser pocket. I ordered the poor doctor to get the needle out me ASAP lucky he was almost done anyway.
I think the whole issue was with me being very tense about the procedure as I really don’t like needles in me, Big scaredy cat lol.
the aftermath however was perfectly fine felt great no nasty side effects at all. Doctor did say that was very rare hitting the nerve like usually just a little tremor feeling. just unlucky if it wasn’t for that I wouldn’t have felt a thing and no side effects.
just my story I’m sure you’ll be fine
Mine was ok, I had junior trainees perform mine which I gave permission for. They were very good & the head nurse was comforting, had to put a fan on me as I did feel all faint/hot, but that may have been just my dislike of needles.
The only thing I would say is that My back felt numb for a few days afterwards.