Post dural headache - healing by itself

[Mumlyf1986]

Hi everyone

i am in a spiral of anxiety depression and trauma since having my dd2 last Monday.

I opted for an elective c as my first daughter had to be an emergency c section due to failed induction and that was traumatic enough.

this time round i thought it would be different, however the anesthetist may have been a trainee I’m not sure, but couldn’t get the needle in the right places and I ended up with a post dural headache after delivery. Means that a small puncture was made by accident and resulted in a leak.

I went back to the hospital who explain what it was when I was in agony and crying on the hospital bed in pain. They said they could do a blood patch which I declined as I had such a phobia now of injections in my back.

I stayed in hospital for 2 nights and the pain started to subside and come down. I’m now at home and it’s 9 days since I delivered my daughter. I’ve not got any headache and only on paracetamol and ibroprofen.

they say it will heal itself but I’m regretting not having the blood patch when I was in pain, as I can’t stop googling it all and it’s so scary. I’m worried something will come back or I’ll get a different complication at some point.

has anyone had similar experiences? Anyone let it heal by itself and things have settled completely or anything further?

would really appreciate your experiences.

x

The dural puncture isn't 'by accident' in a spinal anaesthetic - it has to puncture the dura to get the anaesthetic to the right place (this is different an epidural as an epidural is not supposed to puncture the dura). There is about a 1:250 chance of a spinal causing the headache in obstetric practice that they'll have warned out about. Spinal punctures, by virtue of the fact the needle is much smaller than an epidural needle and the hole is much smaller, are more likely to heal by themselves. If the headache goes by itself with conservative management then that means the leak has stopped. There is always a risk of a further inadvertent dural puncture when doing a blood patch so that's why we don't often do them immediately - if the headache (or any cranial nerve symptoms) settles with conservative management it's not necessary and may cause more harm than good. If a headache persists though or is associated with nerve signs then the balance is in favour of doing a blood patch usually. There are helpful information leaflets on the labourpains website or Royal College of Anaesthetists website.

I had this it was like the worst hangover which was never ending. However I did request the blood patch and that sorted it out straight away. No way could I have left the hospital with my head the way it was. My baby was also in neo natal and I wasn't able to visit him so that was also a factor in getting the blood patch. You poor OP it's absolutely awful.

Hi there

Thanks for your reply!

are you a medical professional? It sounds like you know your stuff. Understand it was not an ‘accident’.

so if the headache is gone would you say the chance of any other symptoms coming up or getting worse or would you say I’m on the right track?

my head feels a bit muffled and so I’m hoping that will ease and clear but I’m so scared.

thanks again

I’m regretting not having had the blood patch when they offered it as I think I’d be back to ‘normal’ by now and less anxious.

I feel like as the headache has subsided I can’t really justify going back it to have it done.

glad your has cleared. How long ago did you have it have you had any symptoms since? X

Sorry OP I just saw that your headache has eased. You will be absolutely fine I had no after affects at all. It does take from the excitement and joy of having just given birth so I understand how you feel

Sounds like your best bet if your still worried/having symptoms is to follow-up with an anaesthetist in real life - they’re the ones that’ll be able to advise you safely. Hopefully they’ll have given you contact details when you initially discussed the blood patch - if not, then your MW/labour ward/post-natal ward will be able make contact.

OP it was eight years ago and not one issue since . You will be fine but it's terrifying when it happens. I was convinced it had damaged me somehow but honest to god zero issues since. I was lucky in that they called the consultant anaesathist to come and chat to me and he put my mind to rest and he did the blood patch procedure then with the anaesathist who had been on duty during my c section( my epidural was done by someone different as I'd initially been trying for a vbac)
Baby had been born Wednesday and headaches started Friday and Blood Patch on the Sunday Morning. I remember the waiting around on the Sunday as the anaesathist on duty was joking saying the big boss had to see me. I know how difficult it is because I remember feeling annoyed that I should be focused on my baby but there was so much drama around me if that makes sense

After my emergency section with my DS i had a terrible headache for about two weeks, it was especially worse when I would sit (TMI) especially on he toilet. I would get this sharp shooting pain all the way from my bottom spine up into my head and it was terrible. I never had it confirmed as a leak. However, with painkillers it subsided after about three weeks, had nothing like it ever since. Try not to worry, I think this is pretty common and usually not a huge issue. I would say give it another week or so and if your symptoms don't worsen and to start to feel better than I would say it will b okay.. I felt like shite, brain fog, tired, exhausted actually for weeks after my c section. It's just your body recovering. Also, I'm so health anxious and I thought I had blood clots and all sorts but obviously I didn't lol. Hope it clears up.

Any update? X

It happened to me too OP, l had the most awful headache for days . However once l had recovered l didn't suffer from a headache again .
Congratulations, l hope this puts your mind at rest 😊

how long did it take to recover ?
and did you go for the blood patch? X

It took at least a week but during that time l was more or less on bed rest because l couldn't raise my head very high .
I didn't go for the patch either but my next door neighbour did and it was an instant cure she told me . I hope you feel much better soon 💐

I’ve had it after spinal tap (diagnostic purposes). Caffeine helps (tip from my German nurse friend) - a can of coke, a coffee or caffeine tablets. It raises overall pressure and equalizes pressure for the lost spinal fluid. Went away by itself within a week.

I had this after an epidural. I had the blood patch, but after 48 hours, it dislodged and the headache came back. After the headache wore off, it never came back, but I did have some pain in my back at the area of the blood patch injection for a few months..