Spinal Tap / Slow drip fluid

[Guest guest]

Hey, I meant to ask this before. (I can't remember if I told you or

asked you ...sorry!)

WHAT CAUSES SPINAL TAP FLUID TO NOT COME OUT GOOD> SLOW DRIP>VERY LONG

TIME to get samples because of no force of flow?

My husband brought me to ER that day, because this " spell " that I get

every few months of lack of muscle control and walking & weakness

effected my LEFT leg and arm this time. It scared us. As, this was my

" good side " . Ha! These " spells " take weeks to a couple of months to

recover from, and then before I know it, happens again. It is really

getting more frequent and often.

But my husband did not tell me until later this week, that the Dr. in

the ER who did the Spinal Tap told him that he was very shocked that,

" she seemed to have little to no sensation. Was very insensitive to

pain. " and also that " her spinal fluid came only in drips, taking much

longer than any patient he had performed spinal tap on. "

He told my husband that was highly unusual and that he did NOTE it in

the Spinal Tap sample notes he sent off. He was specialist in doing

this, and could not remember a slower time/drip than mine. He has done

this for years they said.

Well, I do remember them brining in other doctors in the ER room I was

in, when he was doing the Spinal Tap and having them " observe " this.

They were all talking about it. (And probably scratching their heads!)

Even some extra nurses came in to see. They were saying, " Well, that is

just a drip every now and then! " or things like this.

He also said that the amount of the pre numbing shot he gave me was when

he first noticed it. Because I did not even " feel " when he did this. So

he said (to my husband) that he normally gives MORE of the numbing shot,

but decided not with me since I showed no feeling. Well, he said that he

knew if it was painful to me that he would have known when he started to

put in the Spinal Tap. He said that I did not even flinch or make any

move and did not even " know " when he did this. He told that this

did " worry him " . And that when you do the Spinal Tap that it does " tend "

to have an initial spurt of some sorts. But mine never did. And when it

did start, only a drip...then another. That is why it took so long to

get even close to the amount of fluid he needed, he said.

So...does anyone know what could cause this?

The funny thing is, the BAD Dr. for RA I use to go to... he was always

telling me that my lower back pain and numb legs, and lack of cold/hot

sensation was in my head. This Dr. even sent me to a Neuro Friend of his

(who did NO exam), and then told me that my additional " LOSS OF SMELL

AND TASTE " , was the results of what he considered to be " PTSS " (Post

tramatic stress syndrome)... and would not even call for the MRI I had

done to review it! I was irate that day, to say the least! And that

was why he told me I needed the Antidepressants, and would NOT give me a

" real " pain med. for what I CALLED " the excruciating pain " .

I remember once, when I went to my RA dr. I showed him my face with

injury. He just said, " Hummm... " and dismissed it! I told him that I

did " wood work/carving " of canes, etc. and was making a cane from a huge

piece of Cedar, and that it was about 10 ft. long and I had to put in

piece by piece into my band saw to reduce the length. When I did this,

the wood " flipped back " on me and smacked me full force in the face

under my nose knocking me down. I felt " no pain " so got up and finished.

(this was 2 years ago). Well, awhile later, (I kept " sweating " and

wiping my face on the shoulder of my shirt)...well, my husband came

home. He went out to see what I was doing and had a horrified look on

his face, " My God! What did you do to your face! You are bleeding! " I

said, " WHAT???! " He took me in house, I had blood all over my face

(which I THOUGHT was sweat!) and a huge gaping gash across between my

nose and upper lip, and below my chin. We washed it. It looked terrible.

It NEVER hurt! I never even " felt " anything but the way the wood knocked

me down! It did " ache " somewhat, later that evening!

Now, ya'll, don't get me wrong... I have TERRIBLE joint pain from the

arthritis. And my lower back is in such bad shape now, I can hardly

stand for more than 5 mins. at a time. But anything else " painful " that

is introduced to me does not hurt. That goes for burns and cuts also.

If I hit and Cut my leg? I never know it until later when I see the

bruise and blood.

Same in cooking. If I " forget " and pick up the huge old iron skillet I

am frying in, it does NOT hurts!... When I hear the sizzle of the burn

it is making on my hand/skin, I then realize it is burned. is

amazed at this. And so am I.

I have never told another doctor about this since the Horrible RA Dr. I

use to go to, for fear they would also say I was crazy!

Yesterday when they did the EMG the Neuro Dr. kept saying, " You mean you

don't FEEL me putting these in? " He even remarked how I never flinched

or seemed to " know " when he did this. (until the shocks were made.)

So now, all this lately, with the spinal tap and now this...has me

wondering!

And here it is the weekend... and NO TESTS are ready yet! And the Neuro

I had in the Savannah Hosp. is not " getting back to me " until " sometime

next week.! "

So back to my question: The ER doctor who did the Spinal at another

Hosp, & had me sent to Savannah Hospital for admit that day. He said,

that " has a significant disease or illness going on, I don't know

for sure but there is some sort of neurologica/muscular degeneration

going on. " And that was why he sent me to a facility that could better

handle it. (Hey, by the way, the Hosp. I went to was the one in the

Movie/book, " Garden of Good & Evil " .)

So, does anyone know why my SPINAL TAP went the way it did, and I do NOT

" feel pain " or have little to no sensation to pain? What does this mean

when the SPINAL FLUID TAP just comes in a few drips at a time & takes so

long? What causes this? And could this be WHY I have so much low back

pain, and no sensation to other parts of my body?

Whew! LONG one I know! Hope I didn't put you all to sleep!

Susie