Post op headaches

[pmsmom]

I posted this under Paula's one month check. I really am looking for some suggestions.
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Another concern--headaches post op.

Paula's had several headaches post op. She did have a major one in the hospital on day 2 after PT had her up in a chair then got her back into bed. She also vomited green bile with that one. She said she had some minor ones in the hospital.

Then she had a really bad one the week after she got home. At that time she also had a very bad stomachache as well. After she took a nap she was fine.

Also, once she got home, she was reading and watching dvds and such and said she had some minor headaches, but she was also taking naps twice a day and by the time she'd get up, they'd be gone.

But now they've started up again. She started doing some of her schoolwork on Tues. and after about 2 hrs., she had a headache. She laid down and it went away.

Now yesterday she was doing school for about an hour and same thing. She said that she had pain in her right eye as well. After her nap and lunch, she went back to doing some schoolwork, but the headache didn't come back.

Here it is Friday, and the headache is back again. It started out as minor, but then started to hurt more. So she's napping again after about 2 hours of school.

She's still on the oxycontin 1 10mg tablet 2ce a day.

It's a bit scary b/c she's never had headaches before unless her vision is changing or with a fever. She's just not one to get them.

Any thoughts? Can it be the oxycontin?

I did email the NP and am waiting for an answer, but she won't be back in the office til Tues., and I'm not sure when the surgeon will address my answer.

[debbei]

Has she cut back on the pain meds? I know that when I cut back to a certain point and started getting withdrawl symptoms, I was getting headaches.

I hope the Dr.'s office gets back to you soon.

[Pooka1]

I'm very sorry about the headaches. Sounds terrible. Neither of my kids expereinced that.

I'm going to make a suggestion to you... do NOT deal with the NP on this. Get an answer from the surgeon even if you have to make an appointment.

What follows is very wild lay speculation based on my readings. There is little to no chance this is the explanation. You may or may not want to bring this up specifically with the surgeon. Also, you may want to look up the symptoms.

I recently read of a rare complication where the spinal dura develops a minor tear or is torn slightly during surgery. Now elsewhere, on a medical mystery program, a woman with a persistent leaking of her spinal fluid had persistent really bad headaches. She suffered a long time before they figured it out. It was debilitating for her.

They patch the hole or it heals on its own. That is the fix as far as I can tell.

Again, I can't overemphasize the fact that I have no idea what I'm talking about. But I would at least ask the surgeon about this were it me.

Good luck and good work to Paula on the one month mark.

[debbei]

I'm very sorry about the headaches. Sounds terrible. Neither of my kids expereinced that.

I'm going to make a suggestion to you... do NOT deal with the NP on this. Get an answer from the surgeon even if you have to make an appointment.

What follows is very wild lay speculation based on my readings. There is little to no chance this is the explanation. You may or may not want to bring this up specifically with the surgeon. Also, you may want to look up the symptoms.

I recently read of a rare complication where the spinal dura develops a minor tear or is torn slightly during surgery. Now elsewhere, on a medical mystery program, a woman with a persistent leaking of her spinal fluid had persistent really bad headaches. She suffered a long time before they figured it out. It was debilitating for her.

They patch the hole or it heals on its own. That is the fix as far as I can tell.

Again, I can't overemphasize the fact that I have no idea what I'm talking about. But I would at least ask the surgeon about this were it me.

Good luck and good work to Paula on the one month mark.

Sharon--I love those medical mystery shows too. As a matter of fact, I had a tear happen in my spinal cord during surgery in the thorasic area, and they had to patch it up. When I woke up, the surgeon told me that I had to lay flat on my back for 24 hours to make sure I didn't get a headache, which worked. Just goes to show you that these things do happen.

[Pooka1]

Sharon--I love those medical mystery shows too. As a matter of fact, I had a tear happen in my spinal cord during surgery in the thorasic area, and they had to patch it up. When I woke up, the surgeon told me that I had to lay flat on my back for 24 hours to make sure I didn't get a headache, which worked. Just goes to show you that these things do happen.

Debbe, thanks for mentioning that.

It just seems like there is a pattern that when Paula has been sitting up for a few hours reading/working, the headache comes on. And it goes away if she lays down. I think that might be consistent with the spinal fluid draining from around her brain (or getting too low) and causing the headache. I recall that the reason that woman on the show had the headaches was because there was no lubrication between her brain and her skull when the fluid was low. I think they diagnosed it by measuring the pressure of the fluid and fond it was too low.

It's just a thought and Paula's mother should not feel this is likely to be the case. But if it is, it can be fixed or fix itself over time I think.

[pmsmom]

Debbe, thanks for mentioning that.

It just seems like there is a pattern that when Paula has been sitting up for a few hours reading/working, the headache comes on. And it goes away if she lays down. I think that might be consistent with the spinal fluid draining from around her brain (or getting too low) and causing the headache. I recall that the reason that woman on the show had the headaches was because there was no lubrication between her brain and her skull when the fluid was low. I think they diagnoses it my measuring the pressure of the fluid and fond it was too low.

It's just a thought and Paula's mother should not feel this is likely to be the case. But if it is, it can be fixed or fix itself over time I think.

Thanks, ladies.

That's the question I have put out to the NP to ask the surgeon. I found the term, but I can't remember it now.

But I did ask the NP to ask the surgeon if he thinks that could be the problem and if not, why not.

As I said in another post, the headaches seem to be better, but are definitely worth keeping an eye on.