u/Forget_reset_repeat

two Thursdays ago I got a cervical steroid injection. As soon as I was getting off the table, it didn’t feel great and in the recovery room I felt terrible fast forward sunday, Woke up Mother’s Day not feeling great but my kids and husband had worked so hard so I was trying to engage. By the evening, a migraine set in, by Tuesday It was still present. I dropped my youngest off at school and driving back I feel myself about to pass out. I have to stop two times and lie down and after the second time, I decided to drive myself to urgent care. They go to EKG on me to make sure everything was OK, but I was starting to feel worse, they have my husband come and get me to bring me to the ER. By the time my husband got there I was having trouble walking and the brain fog was setting in hard. I could not find my words, by the time I got to the emergency room I was struggling signing my name because I could not connect my thought to the action of what I needed to write. the shakes started to set in. I was checked for having a stroke, another EKG. nothing was suspected with there being a leak. After being in the ER for most of the day I was sent home feeling not terrible. The next morning was déjà vu as I was feeling terrible again after drop off and drove myself to physical therapy thinking that something was wrong with my neck.While I was in physical therapy, everything came on again and immediately the physical therapists clocked it and said this is probably CSF leak and you need a blood patch. I go back to the ER and they have no idea what’s happening. i Discovered that laying down for a bit, made everything go away. As soon as I sat up all the symptoms came back within mins. The teeth chattering and shakes were uncontrollable. (I was asked by every new interaction, dr, nurse etc if I was anxious 🤬). They kept me in observation all night and eventually sent me to have MRIs done with and without contrast., They didn’t see anything so there was no physical confirmation, but I later learned that that’s actually typical. The next morning they’re telling me they have no idea what’s going on, I bring up the steroid shot again and said I could probably use a blood patch. The radiology team came in a little bit later and let me know how they think anything I was experiencing was not associated with a CSF leak. I’m even psyched out of doing the blood patch that day or even the next day because the DR was telling me just how terrible it is. I am told that if I wanted to do it on Monday that I could call and they would schedule me that day. After the weekend and lying down the whole time and not feeling great, decided to go through with it. I go to the hospital this past Monday and the DR spends 30 minutes with me on the procedure table, trying to convince me that he thinks that this was not going to help. He strictly only thinks, as well as his partner that I met in the previous week, that CSF symptoms are strictly only positional headaches, nothing else. I explain the research that I had looked up, he really didn’t have an answer and then I told him I guess both him and myself would learn something after this. We go through with it.(wasnt terrible but wasn’t fun FYI) It’s been four days and I can say that I am upright and moving around more often, but I do not feel like myself yet. I’m still walking slowly. I do not trust myself to drive anytime soon. I’m so scared that I will blow the blood patch and I still feel kind of like a space cadet. My neck is still hurting and sleeping is uncomfortable. I also have this icy hot feeling on the top of my head that makes me concerned about passing out. And for the cherry on top the spine doctor that gave me the injection is away in another country for a family emergency until June 1st and his office has zero protocol for this particular situation and his absence. Praise be for my PCP validating my experience and frustrations.

I have 3 kids and our village is super small. my husband and myself are the only ones here to fill the gaps. I missed so much for my kids these past couple weeks and truly hope things will improve further. Now I’m anxious😂😑