Hi 👋🏻 this is probably far too late and please excuse the long post but I really need some advice/help please!
I have had 3 c-sections, 1 classical (emergency), 2 x elective. My last epidural (9years ago) I experienced a double dural puncture performed by a trainee anaesthetist. This left me with with an excruciating headache, tinnitus and severe hearing loss. No blood patch was given to repair the fluid leak and I was discharged 2 days later.
I don’t really remember much of anything after the punctures, besides the pain and ringing in my ears, until my son was around 6 weeks old. The anaesthetist called me (my husband told me) but I don’t remember speaking with him either. At around 6 weeks the headache had subsided but the tinnitus was so loud I couldn’t sleep, concentrate etc. This is when I noticed that I couldn’t hear very well either. Went to the GP explained my symptoms etc and about the dural puncture to be told that it was not possible to go deaf and have tinnitus due to epidural. Fast forward 4 years and multiple audiology and ENT appointments I saw a specialist and was told that yes it could happen but was very rare. I had a bone anchored hearing aid fitted which my body has rejected and am now waiting for it to be removed. I now have dual hearing aids but still have trouble sleeping due to the tinnitus.
so that’s my background but what I would like to know is.. would a blood patch work this long after? Would it help with my tinnitus? I’ve read about back and headache relief from blood patches performed years later but nothing regarding hearing loss or tinnitus relief.
Any experience or information would be so greatly appreciated xx