Vertigo/dizziness after spinal tap

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Last month I went to the hospital with a continuous headache and fever for a couple days, they wanted to check for meningitis. So I agreed to do spinal tap (guess what they call blind spinal tap, no xray used).

I didn't have a headache at first from the procedure, but about two days later they came on the back of my head. It lasted about a week or less, I was able to function with Tylenol. Then the headaches went away.

I thought a post spinal tap headache were completely normal? Especially since it stopped. That's why I didn't run back to the hospital.

But now I'm learning I should have went back for a blood at first sign of headaches?

Now a month later I'm left with no headache, but debilitating vertigo and motion sickness And nausea I didn't have before spinal tap.

My gp thinks there's no correlation, and that if I was having a csf leak I would have an excruciating headache which I don't.

From what I researched it's very rare but one can have a leak without headache. And I also read low csf pressure can cause vertigo and nausea.

Am I overreacting, that I want to look into to spinal tap as cause of vertigo?

My worries are CSF leak or aquired chiari.

I got some blood work done Friday and saw my primary and told then about this. I got standard blood work done, results were fine, so i guess isnt something that will kill me anytime soon. Its really debillitating, I can barly stand without cane and when I move my head to fast while standing. I can fall.

Can you have csf leak without headache?

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  • Posted

    i had vertigo for a couple weeks after the lumbar puncture. i think it might pass on its own for you. It did for me, but like i said, it took a couple weeks for it to go away. I also had really bad nausea, but it also has subsided quit a bit with time. My dizziness is barely getting better and its been 2 months since i had my lumbar puncture.

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    • Posted

      they offered a blood patch 2 days after i got the lp. i couldnt stand up at all because the headache was terrible. but since i was traumatized by what i was feeling already, i said no to the blood patch. i still have headaches right now. theyre not as bad as they used to be. they are subsiding a bit, but in my opinion, they still create alot of discomfort. what are you currently feeling?

      i talked to my primary doctor about the headaches and pretty much she said they take time for them to go away on their own. she said since it can take time for the csf fluid to build back up, the headaches may take time to go away. im already two months in and i still have pain. are you feeling like a pressure/numbness type of feeling with your head along with headaches?

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    • Posted

      jenny did you ever get better? i had a lymber puncture 3 weeks ago had the severe headache it subsided after 6 days but neck pain a lightheadness and a preasure feeling in head still the same and am terrified.

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    • Posted

      it has gotten better over time but i still feel the pressure feeling at times. i dont know if its just anxiety over it, but i feel it. do you feel like nerve pain in your neck that branches out into your head? the lightheadedness lasted a while for me. i always felt like a vertigo type of sensation. my ears were always felt that they were clogged.

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    • Posted

      hi there, i see that your post is from 2 years ago and im wondering if you got better? if the diziness and vertigo went away conpletely? im currenttly struggling with the same issue concerned i wont get better or what steps to take.. thank you so much in advance for you answer and i hope you got better 😃

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  • Posted

    hi I had an epidural done for my delivery and a day later I got bad headaches which got worse when I sat up and went away when I laid down. They recommended I do a blood tap..which I did and I was hesitant since they obviously had f****d up my epidural the first time. well I got that spinal tap done in March and I've recently been getting dizzy. like just from getting up or moving around, bending over or turning my head. after reading your post I feel like it could be a correlation. I haven't brought it up to my Dr though cux to be honest I don't even know what dr to bring it up to. my obgyn, the one who did the procedure, or a regular dr from a clinic. how are you feeling now?

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    • Posted

      hi there, i see that your post is from 10 months ago and im wondering if you got better? if the diziness and vertigo went away? im currenttly struggling with tue same issue concerned i wont get better or what steps to take.. thank you so much in advance for you answer and i hope you got better 😃

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    • Posted

      Hi there, i see you posted your experience just recently. i had my lumbar puncture more than 3 weeks ago, i had severe headache, which got better but I have awful vertigo and motion sickness and i am being concerned i wont get better too.

      did you get better over time? thanks a lot!

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  • Posted

    hi there, i see that your post is from 2 years ago and im wondering if you got better? if the diziness and vertigo went away? im currenttly struggling with tue same issue concerned i wont get better or what steps to take.. thank you so much in advance for you answer and i hope you got better 😃

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