Suspected spinal leak - waiting 7 hours and counting

Thank you, I've been quite unwell with it been in hospital 5 weeks. My MRI was clear so I've now been offered a myleogram. They thought my c section went well it was just one attempt, but then they did a blood patch with 3 attempts and it seems they've made a mess of me. Did you have any treatment at all or did it eventually heal by itself?

Hi did you ever get this resolved? I'm in hospital almost 4 months after my c section and have all the classic CSF leak symptoms

I have gone on to have a second but I had to have a csection and I had to be knocked out for it. No question.
Get yourself sorted and never say never.
I did look at private MRIs but they were about £500 and I just couldn't stretch to that at the start of maternity leave.
Fingers crossed you get pushed through quickly. It's funny but once I had the first, they couldn't stop giving me the bloody things! Seemed to spend my life in those horrible whirling tunnels.

They have MRI machines in the same building. It's about accessing the right imaging to diagnose the problem.
A&E fobbed me off with an XRay which showed nothing.
They may say they still won't offer to transfer to radiology. I'd like to think that with the severity of symptoms they would. It's worth a try.
I really wouldn't sit back and wait like I did for someone to do the right thing. I went to the GP so many times and begged and cried. My husband went with me and pleaded. Nothing happened.
I received appalling care. The pain I swear has left me with some ptsd issues and I'm a shell of my previous self.
After my surgery, I did actually wet myself and call 111 and got blue lighted to hospital. They do take it that seriously. I really wish I'd said it happened at the early stages so I could have got some help!

Don’t think an mri will help for a spinal leak? I’ve never known one be done…..they just do the blood patch. It’s cheaper and quicker. But needs an anaesthetist to be free. Spinal leaks will normally resolve by themselves after a few weeks so they may try and fob you off.

If they suspect Cauda Equina she will get an MRI that day (not saying that's the right thing to do)

All that will do is get OP back to A&E!

I'm going to save you the 3-4 years of agonising pain, missing out on my son, being fobbed off, left with life long mobility issues (nearly paralysed) and bring told I had 'anxiety'... call 111 and tell them you've wet yourself. That's cause for serious concern and will be investigated.
I know it's not right but neither is being left like this. You need an mri and to be put on a pathway of the right care. How will you function to look after your son? Trust me, I was in the same position. I cried every day for years because of the pain it was so bad.
Just say somethings changed, you've now wet yourself and had no urge to go. Good luck and I hope you get some relief and better care soon.

Much less frequently than women AND when they happen they are much more likely to be taken seriously and investigated. Noone ever tells a man a headache is hormonal, particularly new onset ones. They are much more likely to be referred to neurology and offered imaging despite the fact women's headaches are more likely to be caused by raised or lowered intracranial pressure than men's

Similar to gallbladder issues, women wait much longer to be referred, assessed and treated than men do. They're more likely to be doubted on pain severity and spend longer being just offered pain relief.

Although Definitely better to be a white woman with these symptoms than a woman of colour statistically! Or a white woman with pre eclampsia or other pregnancy complication if you want to be investigated and survive.

Medical bias is well documented, let's not pretend it doesn't exist

men do get dural puncture headaches too.

I'm so pleased for you that your GP was so helpful and I hope the MRI gives you some answers
Did the GP give you a prescription for pain relief too?

I had the same a few years back. They never got to the bottom of it and I’m still affected by pain at the epidural site, muscle spasms and excruciating pain and numbness intermittently. Was told just to live with it and it can’t be anything to do with the epidural.

Do not let this happen to you. Your GP sounds more on it. Good luck.

I'm sorry you're in this position
They've treated you terribly
Could you ask your GP to speak to the on call Neurologist at the hospital
( I know they used to do this) and also request strong pain relief
You shouldn't be just left to struggle

Unfortunately they can’t really give you any drugs to take home without having fully assessed you. Hospitals have really clamped down on this to prevent people presenting just to gain access to strong prescription drugs. That said, you would think they would find the time to actually check you with your symptoms!

Definitely call your GP and see if they will provide an urgent referral. We did this recently for a family member after they sat in a&e for 13 hours only to be sent home and told to contact GP because as we were told “a&e is for accident and emergency only”, once they decide you’re not an emergency they send you back to GP. It’s not that they don’t think you still need medical attention, it’s just that they are not the ones able to provide it. Contact GP ASAP, as I say we did this for a family member and within 3 hours they were at the same hospital for an appointment the GP had organised x

Sorry but that's not necessarily true, I have patients for whom there have been recurrent leaks.

Sorry you’re having a shit time. It won’t be related to your spinal 5months ago, a Dural leak caused by that without treatment will heal within 2weeks typically. Onset of symptoms will be within 72hrs typically also.

Also your GP needs to call neurology and ask for an urgent neurology referral, not appropriate to send you via a and e, or it wouldn't be in Scotland.