Comments on: Spinal Tap – Bonnie’s http://scamparoo.wordpress.com All About MS Sat, 12 Dec 2009 16:50:29 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Andy Newman http://scamparoo.wordpress.com/spinal-tap-bonnies/#comment-882 Andy Newman Wed, 09 Dec 2009 08:38:06 +0000 http://scamparoo.wordpress.com/?page_id=214#comment-882 I think it's more a "caffein" thing, as in the Czech hospital I was in (Motol) they provided me with a very large pot of cold coffee to drink. I think it’s more a “caffein” thing, as in the Czech hospital I was in (Motol) they provided me with a very large pot of cold coffee to drink.

]]> By: scamperoo http://scamparoo.wordpress.com/spinal-tap-bonnies/#comment-881 scamperoo Tue, 08 Dec 2009 21:28:45 +0000 http://scamparoo.wordpress.com/?page_id=214#comment-881 Coke dilates the vessels. Coke dilates the vessels.

]]> By: incostress http://scamparoo.wordpress.com/spinal-tap-bonnies/#comment-871 incostress Sat, 28 Nov 2009 14:55:53 +0000 http://scamparoo.wordpress.com/?page_id=214#comment-871 Wow this doctor seems to know what hes doing. I am from a nursing background and had a lumber puncture 15 years ago. If I even mention it I can still feel a phantom pain. I wonder what coke has to do with it though? Did he ever tell you why you had to drink coke? Thanks for sharing. Wow this doctor seems to know what hes doing. I am from a nursing background and had a lumber puncture 15 years ago. If I even mention it I can still feel a phantom pain.
I wonder what coke has to do with it though? Did he ever tell you why you had to drink coke? Thanks for sharing.

]]> By: Andy Newman http://scamparoo.wordpress.com/spinal-tap-bonnies/#comment-845 Andy Newman Thu, 08 Oct 2009 14:55:16 +0000 http://scamparoo.wordpress.com/?page_id=214#comment-845 I had to undergo a lumbar puncture around 18 months ago, and to make things worse it was in a foriegn country (the Czech Republic) where I now live, having moved here in 2001 and married a Czech girl in 2007. Luckily I didn't know much about the process, but i must admit that the doctor who performed the proceedure was excellent - they got me into the correct position (sitting Christine Keeler style on a chair, with a pillow for me to arch my body over). They gave me a local anaethetic and then they inserted the "big boy" - and thankfully it was all over in around 30 seconds, such was the skill of the doctor. On the downside, the aftercare wasn't quite so good and so despite drinking copious amounts of coke, they only recommended I lie flat for 30 minutes - and so whilst i felt okay for the next 24 hours, I ended up suffering with a terrible headache/neck pain for around 10 days So the "totally flat" suggestion is definitely one I would go for if this treatment ever had to repeated. Suffice to say, I was diagnosed with MS - and the treatment I have received thus far (weekly Avonex injections of Interferon-B) seems to be working Fingers crossed.... I had to undergo a lumbar puncture around 18 months ago, and to make things worse it was in a foriegn country (the Czech Republic) where I now live, having moved here in 2001 and married a Czech girl in 2007.

Luckily I didn’t know much about the process, but i must admit that the doctor who performed the proceedure was excellent – they got me into the correct position (sitting Christine Keeler style on a chair, with a pillow for me to arch my body over).

They gave me a local anaethetic and then they inserted the “big boy” – and thankfully it was all over in around 30 seconds, such was the skill of the doctor.

On the downside, the aftercare wasn’t quite so good and so despite drinking copious amounts of coke, they only recommended I lie flat for 30 minutes – and so whilst i felt okay for the next 24 hours, I ended up suffering with a terrible headache/neck pain for around 10 days

So the “totally flat” suggestion is definitely one I would go for if this treatment ever had to repeated.

Suffice to say, I was diagnosed with MS – and the treatment I have received thus far (weekly Avonex injections of Interferon-B) seems to be working

Fingers crossed….

]]> By: monica http://scamparoo.wordpress.com/spinal-tap-bonnies/#comment-825 monica Sat, 29 Aug 2009 18:31:25 +0000 http://scamparoo.wordpress.com/?page_id=214#comment-825 I had a LP done by a resident who was just finishing up. She rocked it. Two observers, nurses who'd never seen it done before. No pain thanks to the local. No aftermath. Nice clear fluid and no positive result - I was three weeks into my symptoms by then, attack over. I got bored about an hour after the puncture and because I wasn't eating the horrid hospital food, my partner and I went for a 'walk'. There was a great Thai place not far from the hospital so we snuck out and had dinner. I guess I was one of the lucky ones. I had a LP done by a resident who was just finishing up. She rocked it. Two observers, nurses who’d never seen it done before. No pain thanks to the local. No aftermath. Nice clear fluid and no positive result – I was three weeks into my symptoms by then, attack over. I got bored about an hour after the puncture and because I wasn’t eating the horrid hospital food, my partner and I went for a ‘walk’. There was a great Thai place not far from the hospital so we snuck out and had dinner. I guess I was one of the lucky ones.

]]> By: kimberly http://scamparoo.wordpress.com/spinal-tap-bonnies/#comment-816 kimberly Tue, 04 Aug 2009 14:10:46 +0000 http://scamparoo.wordpress.com/?page_id=214#comment-816 A few years back i also had a lumbar puncture as one of the first test for MS and i had a bad experience after it was done i didn;t have alot of pain during but within 4 hrs of being home i became very ill.. i went to outpatients 3 times in the period of 3 days with doctors giving me pain meds but no answers .. the 3rd day i was soo ill i could stand without being physically ill and the headache brought me to my knees,the nurse was unable to get my vitals.. thank goodness for dr danny who actually knew what i was going through he had to preform a blood patch.. which worked wonderfully.. he said the doctors that sometime preform lumbar punctures use too big of a guage of needle when someone is petite.. i will never get another A few years back i also had a lumbar puncture as one of the first test for MS and i had a bad experience after it was done i didn;t have alot of pain during but within 4 hrs of being home i became very ill.. i went to outpatients 3 times in the period of 3 days with doctors giving me pain meds but no answers .. the 3rd day i was soo ill i could stand without being physically ill and the headache brought me to my knees,the nurse was unable to get my vitals.. thank goodness for dr danny who actually knew what i was going through he had to preform a blood patch.. which worked wonderfully.. he said the doctors that sometime preform lumbar punctures use too big of a guage of needle when someone is petite..

i will never get another

]]> By: jim gregory http://scamparoo.wordpress.com/spinal-tap-bonnies/#comment-776 jim gregory Sun, 31 May 2009 10:16:51 +0000 http://scamparoo.wordpress.com/?page_id=214#comment-776 hi Bonnie never heard of the Coke ritual before. Had my spinal tap in July 2008 at King's College Hosp London, neuro wing, as an afternoon patient. After slipping into an open-back gown, I was told by 2 newish male doctors to lay on my side on cubicle bed. First came the lumbar area cleansing, then a local anaesthetic, followed by careful insertion of syphoning syringe. Extract 20mls sample. small dressing over puncture, job done. Was advised to "relax on your side for 20mins". Only felt the local jab. The secret is to NOT know/see what kit is being used behind you. My wife drove me home. no aftermath. Results took about 6 weeks.... disgustingly slow... jargon about some 'bars' showing up - but no hint of MS, yet 3 MRIs followed. The last one in Feb was the clincher. so sorry your own LP ordeal was lengthy hi Bonnie
never heard of the Coke ritual before. Had my spinal tap in July 2008 at King’s College Hosp London, neuro wing, as an afternoon patient. After slipping into an open-back gown, I was told by 2 newish male doctors to lay on my side on cubicle bed.
First came the lumbar area cleansing, then a local anaesthetic, followed by careful insertion of syphoning syringe. Extract 20mls sample. small dressing over puncture, job done. Was advised to “relax on your side for 20mins”. Only felt the local jab. The secret is to NOT know/see what kit is being used behind you.
My wife drove me home. no aftermath.
Results took about 6 weeks…. disgustingly slow… jargon about some ‘bars’ showing up – but no hint of MS, yet 3 MRIs followed. The last one in Feb was the clincher.
so sorry your own LP ordeal was lengthy

]]> By: Bonnie http://scamparoo.wordpress.com/spinal-tap-bonnies/#comment-759 Bonnie Sun, 19 Apr 2009 19:47:28 +0000 http://scamparoo.wordpress.com/?page_id=214#comment-759 A lumbar puncture is performed to check for special proteins in the CSF called immunoglobulins. These proteins are produced by something called ‘B lymphocytes’. B lymphocytes are overactive in the central nervous system of a person with Multiple Sclerosis; therefore a high level of immunoglobulins in the spinal fluid is an indicator of MS. I have another blog that I have been posting to for the last three years. It has much more information on it. I am sorry but it has become a chore to attempt to post information to both blogs. Therefore, I have decided to quit posting to this blog and post exclusively to my older blog. The URL for my other blog is: http://multiplesclerosis.blogharbor.comPlease enter this new blog into your favourites. A lumbar puncture is performed to check for special proteins in the CSF called immunoglobulins. These proteins are produced by something called ‘B lymphocytes’. B lymphocytes are overactive in the central nervous system of a person with Multiple Sclerosis; therefore a high level of immunoglobulins in the spinal fluid is an indicator of MS.

I have another blog that I have been posting to for the last three years. It has much more information on it. I am sorry but it has become a chore to attempt to post information to both blogs. Therefore, I have decided to quit posting to this blog and post exclusively to my older blog. The URL for my other blog is:
http://multiplesclerosis.blogharbor.comPlease enter this new blog into your favourites.

]]> By: Bonnie http://scamparoo.wordpress.com/spinal-tap-bonnies/#comment-722 Bonnie Fri, 20 Mar 2009 17:21:26 +0000 http://scamparoo.wordpress.com/?page_id=214#comment-722 Thank you for that detailed discription of your experiences. I would really like to hear from you again. Thank you for that detailed discription of your experiences. I would really like to hear from you again.

]]> By: Bonnie http://scamparoo.wordpress.com/spinal-tap-bonnies/#comment-721 Bonnie Fri, 20 Mar 2009 17:18:07 +0000 http://scamparoo.wordpress.com/?page_id=214#comment-721 The results of my spinal tap were very conclusive that I have MS. The treatment wasn't available for less than $16,000 a year and the Canadian medicare was not covering that kind of treatment at that time. Therefore, I did not start on any treatment. A few years later the Canadian Medicare Association covered all treatment therapies for MS patients. I started on Copaxone at that time, and only had to pay 10% of the cost. The results of my spinal tap were very conclusive that I have MS. The treatment wasn’t available for less than $16,000 a year and the Canadian medicare was not covering that kind of treatment at that time. Therefore, I did not start on any treatment. A few years later the Canadian Medicare Association covered all treatment therapies for MS patients. I started on Copaxone at that time, and only had to pay 10% of the cost.

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