Has anyone had a blood patch for their migraines?

Hi, @mikaylar - just to be sure I understand what you are asking, I think you are talking about an epidural blood patch used for post-dural puncture headaches, which can occur after a spinal tap?

No, these are for constant headache. They take blood from your arm and put it where they think there is a tiny hole in our spine. If you are lucky, after 5 days of lying flat, the blood will heal the hole. Then, no lifting, twisting, bending for 3 mos.

@mikaylar - interesting. So has this been helpful to you so far as far as the doctor trying to determine if you have a leak in your spinal fluid causing your headaches?

What do you mean? I have to wait for the radiologists to meet and decide if I, in fact, have a leak. It is hard to determine.

@lisalucier That is why I questioned if there was spinal surgery involvement. I'm not sure why there would be a hole to patch if there was not an invasive puncture wound. Are you understanding? Am I missing something? I agree the symptoms (dizziness etc.) fit the prognosis, but where is the possible leakage coming from?

There is no answer for a spinal leakage. Docs don't know why they occur. I think maybe 1 in 100,000.

Wow.... I know why it occurs if you have had a spinal tap or a spinal surgery. My husband had a spinal tap and was deathly ill. They sent us home from the hospital in that condition. They said he had the flu. When my husband told me that let him get out of bed to use the restroom, I knew what was going on. That's how we ended up back in the hospital for the blood patch. Crazy. I'll have to research this. I'm sorry it keeps occurring. Very painful.

Hello Mikayla,
I am sorry to hear you have been experiencing the headaches and dizziness for so long. I have recently had similar issues. I thought it was vertigo, but it never went away. I ended up getting an MRI of my head and there they discovered some issues. That prompted a lumbar puncture which did confirm I was leaking cerebral spinal fluid. what we have not found is from where and why. For now I am diagnosed with intracranial hypotension. After the lumbar puncture and blood work, it was then decided to do the Blood patch which I had about 3 weeks go. I am not thinking that it's working. I had suffered a broken nose in June 2024, which is what I suspected was the potential reason for the CSF leak, but CT scans have yet to find any small crack that would allow the leakage. Either way, the blood patch wouldnt fix the leak if it was from my broken nose, only repairing the crack in my nose would do that. Are you seeing a neurologist at Mayo for this? Have you had increased or worsening headaches or a backache after any of your patches?

No, Sara, I had the blood patches done at Jefferson Hospital in Philadelphia. I treat at their headache center. I did not have any symptoms after. They did not help my constant headache either. I am still waiting for the neurologist team to meet and decide whether I have a leak or not. Will be a month tomorrow since my neuro said they would let me know.

@mikaylar- Keep on them to get seen ! It's amazing how long it takes to get in to see a doctor now days. If someone referred you to a neurologist you could see if they could mark it as urgent since it has been going on so long. That helped for me ! Good luck