Expert: Ronald Levy, M.D. - 4/1/2008

Question
I had an LESI 3 1/2 weeks ago. Almost immediately I began having pain at the base of my skull on the left side. The next day I had a blood patch. I didn't get much relief. I have since had 2 other blood patches, again with not much relief. I have been staying in bed, drinking lots of caffeine and have now tried nodoze for increased caffeine. The headache has gone from the left to the right and now to all over. I can only get out of bed first thing in the morning for only about 20 minutes before the pain comes back. The rest of the day the pain is fairly constant. What else can I do? I am going out of my mind!

Answer
Have you seen an anesthesia pain specialist? You need to be evaluated to make sure there is nothing else going on. Generally if the first blood patch fails, subsequent attempts are not much better. OTherwise you are doing all the right things but you do need to be seen and evaluated.

Ronald Levy, MD
Associate Professor of Anesthesiology
UTMB-Galveston