SPINAL TAPS and Lyme - As one of my many misdiagnoses, I was evaluated for a suspected CSF leak 1 year ago, and ended up having 4 back to back spinal taps to test for fluid pressures within the same week (and another spinal tap a month later), and 8 blood patches. needless to say, CSF leak, was NOT my correct diagnosis. I notice that my symptoms have progressed even further (and I was extremely disabled prior) since these spinal taps. anyone know if there is a link between spinal taps and lyme progression. I know that any stress on the body can aggravate Lyme, but any info beyond that? thanks.
Posted by lax mom (Member # 38743) on :
Oh my gosh. My neurologist mentioned doing a Lumbar puncture. At first I said no, but I was beginning to lean toward having it done to see if any bugs were living in there. Now, I'm not sure.
Posted by OtterJ (Member # 30701) on :
Do not have lumbar punctures/spinal taps. It is nearly impossible to culture borrelia from spinal fluid. Lax mom, is your doc llmd? These procedures are dangerous. An llmd wouldn't have to do the puncture, they could tell by your symptoms if you lyme was on the move. This is so invasive, please do not do it and google lyme and lumbar punctures. You will see that puncture free is the best way to go.
Posted by lymelisa (Member # 39743) on :
I believe spinal taps are 10% accurate in detecting Lyme. definitely not a good diagnostic tool. I did this for a different reason prior to learning about Lyme
Posted by lpkayak (Member # 5230) on :
ditto...so mad when i hear about this stuff
Posted by lostlyme (Member # 38561) on :
I had 2 spinal taps done . I did not want them but i could not speak , move due to meningitis at 45 years old.
They both came back negative . Were done by a idsa doctor who suspected lyme .
maybe the reason you you progressed further it was an easy travel route for the disease to move
Posted by desertwind (Member # 25256) on :
Don't really have an answer for you but I had 2 spinal taps. One was due to meningitis and the other was a follow up for culture and to r/o a post op CSF leak. Did not have them for purposes of Lyme DX.
I too had to have a blood patch. Wonder if that could have caused problems for you. If you had ketes in your blood and then they injected that blood into your spinal canal.....?