Freaking out! Any btdt?

[boogiemom]

This past Monday I start having trouble with the vision in my right eye. Lower half of my field of vision is blurry. Figured I scratched my eye or something random. Went to the eye doctor on Thursday when things did not improve. Dr. says I have swelling in my brain which is putting pressure on my optic nerve. Both eyes are affected but right is more severe. Dr. wants me to have an MRI same day but no luck with scheduling so it was this morning. Also have to have a spinal tap tomorrow morning. I am scared sh!tless about the spinal tap. Made the mistake of googling the medical term for this issue, papilledema, and I feel physically ill at the possibilities here. Anyone been thru this? Words of wisdom? I am normally very calm, wait and see type attitude when it comes to medical stuff but I am losing it.

[veronica]

No advice but sending big hugs to you.

[DietCokeLover]

No btdt, but sending P&PTs for you.

[mjs64]

I am sorry! All of that together sounds scary. BUT, I have had a spinal tap, and honestly, it was no big deal. I was very freaked out--culturally, I think, we make a big deal out of it, on television, etc.--but it was nothing. I barely remember the procedure. Lots can possibly go wrong with any medical procedure but rarely does. Try to relax (I know it's harder than it sounds), and avoid Dr. Google. Sending hugs.

[wellyes]

Step away from the computer! It is human nature to worry about worst-case scenarios. You are doing everything you can do medically, now take care of yourself emotionally. Could mean calling someone, watching bad old movies, having a glass of wine, reading a big thick book, taking a long hot bubble bath. Good luck!

[brittone2]

Thinking of you and hoping you get some answers :grouphug:

[happymomma]

I have no advice but wanted to send you lots and lots of P&PT.

Stay away from the googling. It always makes me feel worse than before I googled.

[LexyLou]

I'm going to PM you.

Do you have a family history of MS?

[heatherlynn]

No advice, but please keep us posted. :hug:

[LexyLou]

Oh and as for the spinal tap. I had one. It was seriously painless.

The worst part was that my husband freaked out when he saw the fluid come out and passed out on top of me and they had to pull him off so that the needle didn't puncture me where it shouldn't!

I'm in the fetal position and he's on the ground and they are yelling at me, "Don't move. Don't move." and then yelling at him, "Sir, sir, can you hear me?" and I'm crying, "His name's Ricardo. His name's Ricardo."

LOL. My poor DH was so embarrassed and mortified. The Dr. said he doesn't normally let husbands in the room because of this but he thought DH was a Navy Seal??? He's a CPA! Kind of a difference.

It's kind of a joke in our family now. I like to randomly yell out, "Sir, sir, can you hear me?!"

[MamaKath]

Big hugs!!! My niece is having similar problems and has an mri and a spinal tap scheduled for later this week. I am staying away from google in the meantime.

[pinkmomagain]

No advice. Just sending good vibes your way for the best outcome possible!

[BeachBum]

Optical neuritis (inflammation of the optic nerve...typically causing sudden reduced vision) was my first MS symptom. I had it in alternating times/ eyes several times over the first 12-18 months. Every time my vision came totally back to normal. For a couple of years after that if I got really hot (like working out) it would flare up.
It's been 6+ years now and I have no problems what so ever.

It was absolutely terrifying when it happened to me and from what I read online I thought my vision wouldn't come back...but it always did.

In my no so scientific opinion-if there is anything you can do to alleviate stress do it. While it might not be provable I know for me stress was a huge trigger.

HUGS.

[oneplustwo]

HUGS to you. DD had a spinal tap when she was all of 2 days old, because of a meningitis scare. They didn't allow us to be with her for the spinal tap, but she seemed absolutely fine afterwards. It really did seem like a straightforward procedure.

[MommyofAmaya]

So sorry you are experiencing this. :hug: I agree with wellyes. Do whatever you can to get your mind off of this for as long as you can, even if it is only for a moment. I hope you get some positive answers tomorrow.

[ShanaMama]

Hugs & good luck with the tests. I agree with everyone else, try not to google & just take care of yourself.
Keep us posted.

[DrSally]

P&pt coming you way!

[mommy111]

P&PT. A spinal tap, though, is kind-of like getting an epidural, its really not scary like it sounds

[KrisM]

No advice, other than stop googling!

:grouphug: Good luck with the testing.

[chozen]

praying for you.

[jerigirl]

:hug: I will keep you my thoughts.

[lalasmama]

I had a spinal tap 2 years ago. Like you, I was scared to death about it. It wasn't anywhere as bad as I expected though, and I was a hard case.

You will get dressed into a gown. Wear low-rise, full bottom undies... otherwise, you are rolling them down, or showing your cheeks to people. They gave me an ativan before the procedure, and I had an ipod with my favorite music. They had me lay on my belly, arms up under my head. The spot they go for is the middle of the back, just below waist level. Your spinal cord is NOT near this point, so there's no fear of paralysis (that was one of my worries!). They gave me a shot of numbing medicine (this burns). Then they do the "big" poke, down to the spinal area. It feels weird--like a crunch, kind of. (I've been told it's similar to the sound/feeling when getting an amniocentesis.) If they don't get the fluid they need, they will reposition you, and try again, numbing the area again first. I laid on my belly for the first attempt, turned on side for fetal position the second attempt, and laying on my side, belly towards the bed, upper leg over a pillow for the final attempt. They would occasionally take flouroscopy images (kind of a cross between an xray and ultrasound, they said. It's done like an xray, with you laying there, and they push a button to take the picture). They need 30cc's (1oz), but can do testing on less, if you aren't in a "giving" mood. They got 12cc's from me (I can be stingy sometimes!), and could do all the testing they needed.

Some people experience twitching or "zinging" when they are poking. It's normal, but tell them if it happens. It happened on my final attempt, and I told them I didn't care, just keep going :)

Afterwards, I was sore (I'd had 9 pokes in my back to get the sample). They gave me a percocet. My sister drove me home, I slept for a few hours (hadn't slept well for days before this happened), woke up, made dinner, chatted with sister and her mom, and was largely back to normal. I did have a leak, so I had a headache for multiple days. Caffeine helped the headache. I had the option of a blood patch, but I was tired of the hospital, so I just dealt with it.

Attached is a picture immediately afterwards, so that you can see, even with a "tough case", there's nothing incredibly "bad" afterwards. On day 2, I let DD (who was 5.5yo) choose bandaids to put on my back. That way she could see that, though my back hurt, there wasn't any really major owies, just some little things to be careful about.

Like a PP noted, the optical stuff can be a sign of MS. It wasn't my first sign; I had some heat intolerance, incontinence, my legs weren't "working" right, I was falling multiple times a week, etc. MS is most common in women around the general age on this board--from 20s-40s.

You're in our prayers!

[Cam&Clay]

I had a spinal tap a few years ago when I had a fever of 105 with strep. I was one of the difficult cases where everything went wrong, and I survived. They poked me numerous times and couldn't get it to work, so I had to have it done with an ultrasound at the same time so they could pinpoint the exact space. I guess my vertebrae are very, very close together.

Like lalasmama, I had a leak that resulted in a really bad headache that didn't go away. After 4 or 5 days, I went back and they did a blood patch. Instant relief! I truly wanted to kiss the man who did it! In both cases, I was given percocet, which helped a lot!

[larig]

:grouphug: big hugs and PTs for good results and gentle doctors

[MamaMolly]

Oh and as for the spinal tap. I had one. It was seriously painless.

The worst part was that my husband freaked out when he saw the fluid come out and passed out on top of me and they had to pull him off so that the needle didn't puncture me where it shouldn't!

I'm in the fetal position and he's on the ground and they are yelling at me, "Don't move. Don't move." and then yelling at him, "Sir, sir, can you hear me?" and I'm crying, "His name's Ricardo. His name's Ricardo."

LOL. My poor DH was so embarrassed and mortified. The Dr. said he doesn't normally let husbands in the room because of this but he thought DH was a Navy Seal??? He's a CPA! Kind of a difference.

It's kind of a joke in our family now. I like to randomly yell out, "Sir, sir, can you hear me?!"

:ROTFLMAO:

P & PT coming to you, OP. And I hope your tap is less memorable than others ;).

[TwinFoxes]

No btdt, but wanted to add my support. Sending you p&pt.

[mommylamb]

Just :grouphug:.

[Ceepa]

OP, thinking of you today. :hug:



Oh and as for the spinal tap. I had one. It was seriously painless.

The worst part was that my husband freaked out when he saw the fluid come out and passed out on top of me and they had to pull him off so that the needle didn't puncture me where it shouldn't!

I'm in the fetal position and he's on the ground and they are yelling at me, "Don't move. Don't move." and then yelling at him, "Sir, sir, can you hear me?" and I'm crying, "His name's Ricardo. His name's Ricardo."

LOL. My poor DH was so embarrassed and mortified. The Dr. said he doesn't normally let husbands in the room because of this but he thought DH was a Navy Seal??? He's a CPA! Kind of a difference.

It's kind of a joke in our family now. I like to randomly yell out, "Sir, sir, can you hear me?!"

I'm so glad you're OK, but I laughed out loud when I read this. Everything from him passing out on top of you to the doctor confusing Navy Seal for CPA.

[clc053103]

Wishing you p and pt. I also had a spinal tap which was fine. Afterwards, keep an eye out for a terrible headache. Lt someone know if you have one that does not go away. I had a spinal headache which is caused by the spinal fluid continuing to leak out. I needed a blood patch, where they inject your own blood back into te spine to patch where it is leaking. It is not pleasant, but luckily, it is not common! I just wanted to make you aware so if you had the headache you told someone ASAP! I had meningitis so they kept attributing the headache to that, so ihad to suffer for 5 days before they determined it was a spinal headache, not the meningitis.

[JenaW]

No BTDT personally, but just wanted to add my prayers too. I hope the spinal tap is quick and you get some answers soon.

J

[boogiemom]

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU ALL!!! I still am having all the same issues. Unforunately, after a very long and sleepless night I arrived at the hospital for my spinal tap. They took me back, had me change into a gown and wait and wait and wait. Then they came back in and told me they couldn't do it today because the MRI results had not been reviewed. grumble.....grumble... I had been a nervous wreck, had taken off work today all for nothing! I love living in my small town but it makes me crazy dealing with my small town hospital. Re-scheduled for Wed. morning.

Just heard from my Dr.'s office that the MRI has been read and is normal!!! Thrilled with that news! One down, one to go!

[boogiemom]

Oh and as for the spinal tap. I had one. It was seriously painless.

The worst part was that my husband freaked out when he saw the fluid come out and passed out on top of me and they had to pull him off so that the needle didn't puncture me where it shouldn't!

I'm in the fetal position and he's on the ground and they are yelling at me, "Don't move. Don't move." and then yelling at him, "Sir, sir, can you hear me?" and I'm crying, "His name's Ricardo. His name's Ricardo."

LOL. My poor DH was so embarrassed and mortified. The Dr. said he doesn't normally let husbands in the room because of this but he thought DH was a Navy Seal??? He's a CPA! Kind of a difference.

It's kind of a joke in our family now. I like to randomly yell out, "Sir, sir, can you hear me?!"



Oh man! I needed that laugh! My DH will not be in the room. He very nearly passed out when I was in labor with DS1 when I had my epidural. He was taken out of the room pretty much immediately. He is really bad at dealing with anything medical. I bug him about it all the time so I can totally relate. How funny! Yeah, those tough CPA's really have a reputation.... ;)

[MommyofAmaya]

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU ALL!!! I still am having all the same issues. Unforunately, after a very long and sleepless night I arrived at the hospital for my spinal tap. They took me back, had me change into a gown and wait and wait and wait. Then they came back in and told me they couldn't do it today because the MRI results had not been reviewed. grumble.....grumble... I had been a nervous wreck, had taken off work today all for nothing! I love living in my small town but it makes me crazy dealing with my small town hospital. Re-scheduled for Wed. morning.

Just heard from my Dr.'s office that the MRI has been read and is normal!!! Thrilled with that news! One down, one to go!

OH NO. Ugh. I can't believe that happened. Thank goodness for the good MRI results! Stay strong.

[shawnandangel]

Glad to hear about your normal MRI. Praying for good results on Wednesday!

[cono0507]

If you had an epidural or a spinal with your deliveries, a spinal tap is very much the same experience. Hang in there. Waiting so long with all the anxiety of the procedure is hard. Hugs!

[chozen]

Glad to hear about your normal MRI. Praying for good results on Wednesday!

:yeahthat:

[LexyLou]

Any update on the spinal tap?

Yea for the normal MRI!

[Mermanaid]

Oh my gosh, does this post bring back memories! When I was a junior in college I had the same thing happen to me. Except my parents lived out of town and it was a Friday afternoon! I went to the opthomolgist and my optic nerve was swollen. He immediately sent me upstairs to the neurologist and the neurologist sent me over to the hospital that evening for a lumbar punch. Then, on Monday morning I was in the MRI waiting room. It happened so fast!

Luckily, nothing major was wrong. I ended up with something they called Pseduo-tumoris cerebri if I remember correctly. Basically, the brain and nerve was acting as if there was a tumor, and additionally it seems as though my spinal pressure was a bit off.

I had a horrible reaction to the LP that only about 1% get -- a low pressure headache. Basically, the hole the put in my spine to take out fluid did not close and the pressure was pulling my brain down into the spinal column. Talk about pain! They ended up doing a blood patch - taking blood from my arm and using a needle to insert it into my back where they did the LP to let it coagulate and seal the hole. It was an ordeal to say the least!

I am glad your MRI turned out normal ... here's hoping for the LP!