I had a spinal tap my 4th day in the hospital at onset. It was easy and
totally painless. The neuro came into my room and told me to sit across the
bed, bend forward, and hold my ankles. Having heard so many stories about
these things, I was concerned that I wouldn't be able to hold that position
if if became painful. Not to worry! While he was working, he was also
teaching a med student that was with him, so I could hear the steps in the
procedure. I couldn't believe how painless it was. Beyond the slight "stick"
of the initial anesthesia injection at the site, I felt nothing but the
touch of his hands. He took 3 vials of fluid, put a band-aid on it, and told
me to keep my head on the pillow for 8 hours.
It was the easiest of all the tests I had while I was there. I hope it goes
as well for you, too.
Wishing you well,
Don from Maryland
-----Original Message-----
From: Marsden51(AT)aol.com <Marsden51(AT)aol.com>
To: tmic-list(AT)eskimo.com <tmic-list(AT)eskimo.com>
Date: Saturday, January 02, 1999 12:33 AM
Subject: Spinal Taps and MRIs
><<I am curious about your response to the spinal tap and MRI. I must be
nuts,
>because I actually find an MRI relaxing! I am terrified to get a spinal
tap,
>but I understand it is one of the tests to diagnose MS. Aren't they really
>painful?
>
>Nancy, back from my Christmas holiday trip to DC>>
>
>Hi Nancy:
>
>Yes, you must be nuts! I did NOT find the MRIs to be relaxing.....LOL...
I
>had two on my back and then finally one of my brain. I was scared to death
to
>have a spinal tap, too. I whined and delayed for 7 months. Finally the
neuro
>said we were at a point where I really needed to do it. I had TM in
September
>of 1997 and had 75% recovery within 2 months, but then started having
>recurring problems. Anyway, my neuro was suspecting MS. I started having
>attacks that would only last 3 or 4 days but they were coming every few
weeks.
>It is important to get the spinal tap during, or coming out of, an attack
for
>MS diagnosis. We were lucky to get some results from it. ANYWAY, the
spinal
>tap was not nearly as bad as I expected. I had it with fluoroscopy (real
time
>xray) at the hospital and I felt okay afterwards. I did come straight
home,
>took tylenol and staying in bed until evening. Some people say that if you
>don't stay flat you'll get a killer headache, but I was fine. If you have
any
>further questions I am always willing to try to give you answers or tell
you
>my experiences. By the way, I do have MS , but I did have TM first. I
don't
>know how I would have survived without all the support from this list.
>
>Love to you all....
>
>Sharon M. from Arizona.....where I just came inside and closed the windows
at
>9:30 p.m. from an outside, evening get-together with my family for New
Year's
>Day. (but I will admit I got cold....I heard on the 10:00 p.m. news that
it
>was 65 degrees out. BRRRRR....)
>