Recovery time after 2nd patch?

[PainInTheNeck]

Wellllllllllllll............I have to have a 2nd blood patch. I had hoped to "wait it out" until the day or so after Christmas. When I called to schedule it with the only person I trust to do it...I found out he will be out of town that week. So I have to choose Dec. 18 or Dec. 22. I talked to my husband and we decided to get it done on the 18th. Hopefully I will be well before Christmas!!!

I wanted to know how you all did after 2nd patch? I am so much better already that I am hoping I will be at least this good within a couple days of the patch. I am hoping my back will not be nearly as sore or stiff this time. Is that realistic? The reason I say that is because I had had the 3 failed attempts a couple days before. I remember my back was already really sore and bruised before the sucessful patch.

Can you all tell me how your 2nd patches went, especially afterward? I know we are all different but in some things we tend to be much the same.

Take care..................Shell

[Baffled]

Hi Shell,

Both my first and second patch were completed by physicians who had never done a patch for a csf leak, or this high up the spine. Both physicians did things very different.

First, I have learned to stay with those you trust. I had a positive experience the first time, eventhough it did not fix me enough for me to walk out. It was a positive experience! My back was incredibly sore. I used ice and a muscle relaxant to take the edge off. I was on bedrest for 3 days after. I still wasn't right. A few weeks later, a second patch was schedule.

My 2nd patch was performed by a doctor whom my doctor trusted. His process was quite different than that of the first doctor. The 2nd patch was far more painful than any of my previous spinal taps or whatever you want to call them. Personally, I believe it is a direct reflection upon my doctor and the way he did the procedure and not of my bodies response to having the procedure. He did go higher up when he patched. He did feel resistance from the previous patch while completing the procedure. I do not know how that impacted the success of my patch.

With my second patch, my back was incredibly sore as well. I spoke to a nurse who told me that muscle fibers are irritated by csf and hence get very sore. Again, I used ice and a muscle relaxant. I wanted in every way to be "fixed" so I took 7 days of bedrest after the 2nd patch eventhough my doctors office did not think that it was necessary. They tell me I am fixed and I know that I am not. I am however, better than I was. I leak on the anterior side (front side) of my spine. I do not know if this alters results of a blood patch or not.

I believe your second patch will probably be very similar to your first patch, especially if you are comfortable with the doctor and you already know what to expect. Given that the hole in the dura is smaller, I would hope that the procedure will be able to plug it/them so that you will feel better sooner. Statistics are good for people seeing improvement after their 2nd patch. Best Wishes!

Kris