Eleusis, FoxinSocks, other kind and interested people....PPH has found a new nanny! Hoorah!

[MintyDixCharrington]

Sigh, such a weight off my mind. I really think this is going to work out. She is a lovely woman, around 30, has been working for the same family for 11 years (!), for the last few years has also been working in a montessori nursery during the day, and is moving down near here to be with her fiance. She met all the children on the weekend, they all took to her really well, she was great with them all - AND she's agreed to work with us!
I'm so relieved.
She starts in a fortnight.
I love her already

hello issy, cd, eleusis, jura, nappies....

I'm still not right. actually more than that - I'm still feeling crap. My day in hospital was exactly a month ago - I spent 10 full days in bed, then had a week of feeling ropey but much better. Then since last week I've just had constant pain in my head and neck - well the bit of the head that hits the neck. When I lie flat I'm FINE - no pain at all, feel fine - as soon as I get vertical I get these searing bouts of pain that leave me clutching my neck, sometimes feeling nauseous, really horrible. This morning was so bad I had to enlist my MIL to drive a good 40 miles to get the kids from school. Yesterday was uncomfortable but I could function. Monday morning was terrible. Also I'm knackered - have been going to bed between 8 and 9.30 every night (I'm usually incapable of going to bed before midnight) - sleeping until 6.30 or 7 and still feeling tired.

I just don't know what is going on. Went back to my GP last week who said "well if the CAT was clear and the lumbar puncture was clear and you haven't had any fever.... I just don't know. Physiotherapy?"

My mum thinks I should have a consult with a general neurologist

I just want to be able to function again.

Any ideas???

christ issy that sounds awful! bells palsy? god. shouldn't complain then, at least my face is in the right place

Post lumbar puncture headache sounds possible to me with the postural element (worse when vertical etc?) Consult with neurologist sounds like a good idea

issy I'm scared of osteopaths - never having been to one I assume they are bonecrunchers .
Wierdly enough having felt so so awful yesterday I'm feeling basically normal today (god, I can't even type it, keep waiting for the headache to come back and say "ahha! thought I'd gone!"). Can move my head normally for the first time in ages and have no pain. Please please all keep your fingers crossed for me that this has Gone Away. I am going to have a very quiet weekend and hope that whatever it is has gone....

LadyG do you think a post lumbar puncture headache would last SO long? A month?

its that word "manipulation".....!
makes me feel all squeamish. I think if I go down that sort of route I'll try acupuncture first. I'm a wuss, I know..

oooh manipulation so satisfying

used to flatshare with physio friends - free back crunches

god that actually made me shudder

"crunches"

that can't really be good for you can it? ergh!

right off for my nap now that dd2 is down - going to be v v sensible even if my head seems to be behaving today...

nap

(why can't i get my 2 to sleep at the same time?)

Oh Minty, this dreadful. But, yesterday's report sounds promising. How are you today?

Is this helpful:

www.patient.co.uk/showdoc/40000725/

Complications of lumbar puncture4 Commonest is headache lasting 2-8 days in around 25% of patients caused by low CSF pressure due to fluid leakage through hole (so-called dural tap). Typically presents in upright position and quickly relieved by lying down. Neck and low backache are also common; headache aggravated by coughing or straining and can be associated with nausea, vomiting or tinnitus. Can confirm diagnosis by slowly squeezing the waist of the patient from behind when sitting which quickly relieves the headache by compressing the inferior vena cava causing the epidural veins to become engorged and displacing CSF into the head.

It's obviously way more than 2-8 days. But you might try that squeezing round waist and see if it cures it.

Would be unusual but not unheard of to be present a month later. Glad you are better though. If it recurs then I do think a neuro opinion might be useful.

again, much better today. bit of a headache at the witching hour (5.30 children's screechfest at suppertime) but otherwise really pretty good today!
I'm going to have a VERY quiet weekend and keep fingers crossed that the worst of whatever it was is over....

MDC - I have had similar to you (though not as extreme) lately. Have had raging headaches for weeks, feeling ncredibly tired, and a great deal of neck pain.

Am having blood test ATm to see whether am anaemic or any other obvious reasons. Started on penicillin yesterday for tonsillitis (which I think is unrelated to the headaches).

But despite feeling a bit crapppy becuse of the tonsils, today my head feels much better since my third weekly osteopath visit this lunchtime. Now I am pretty sceptical, but I really really trhink it's making a difference. My shoulders feel less hunched and my head feels lighter.
Not all ostepaths crack bones. This one basically gets me to lie down while she just sort of kneads and massages my neck and shoulders. Also a bit like indian head massage on my scalp.

I genuinely think it is making a difference. Plus since have come to the conclusion that much of the problem seems to be tension related (i.e. had worse weekends because it was like the tension built up during the week only to explode at the weekend) have tried to make postive steps about making myself feel less stressed. Not saying that you are stressed, but having disrupton through no nanny, coinciding with school hols? May be related. May not.

My take on it is that anything within my power to improve things, I'll do. And f that includes possibly wastng £30 a week at the osteopath, well at least I've tried.