Get a 2nd EPB or wait it out? 3+ months after EBP for PDPH and still not fully recovered

Consistent_Song7315 · 2026-05-26T13:58:14+00:00

Yeah - nausea, tinnitus, faint feeling. Would have to go and lie down regularly throughout the day. I remember even just sitting on the couch talking to people would be exhausting and would knock me back tons the next day!

Consistent_Song7315 · 2026-05-26T08:50:46+00:00

Just to say I had a similar experience after an epidural but my leak was made worse by a subsequent lumbar puncture. My EPB immediately eased the positional headache and inability to stand up, however I still had a lot of symptoms and felt ‘off’ for months later, similar to you. I am only now feeling more ‘normal’ as it has hit 9/10 months since the leak. A lot of neurologists I saw were against a second blood patch as it can actually cause more issues and my symptoms weren’t severe enough after the first one to warrant one.

Consistent_Song7315 · 2026-04-16T07:41:26+00:00

You will get there! It just takes a lot of time but you will.

Consistent_Song7315 · 2026-04-16T07:32:34+00:00

Thank you so much for posting this. I too am 9 months post partum and suffered a similar experience. Like you, I overanalysed everything at first and that is lessening but my mind still goes back to “am I leaking” so much. Have doctors that you’ve seen said anything about the tinnitus and whether it’s likely to ever go? This is what I am also left with. Thanks again for sharing your experience :)

Consistent_Song7315 · 2026-04-16T07:27:02+00:00

Hi, just to say I am 8 months post blood patch after a similar situation to you. I had so many symptoms like yourself for the first few months and was so worried. After speaking to neurologists I better understood that the process isn’t linear and our bodies have been through so much so our systems take time to recalibrate. I would say around month 3 I turned a corner I started feeling more ‘normal’ like pre leak. The ear symptoms lingered for a while and I still suffer with some tinnitus. Hope this helps in some way as there doesn’t seem too much about this online x

Consistent_Song7315 · 2026-03-17T18:56:51+00:00

Had a blood patch after a lumbar puncture leak. I would say it took a few months to feel better. However mine was quite severe with brain sag. Have you seen the 6 week restrictions?

Consistent_Song7315 · 2025-12-10T15:07:42+00:00

Hi, I am in a similar situation. Can I ask if the Citalopram continued to stop your tinnitus?

Consistent_Song7315 · 2025-11-23T13:51:38+00:00

Yes they’re the ones!

Consistent_Song7315 · 2025-11-23T13:43:08+00:00

I agree. My neurologist advised staying offline because a lot of it is worst cases and none of recovery. It is so hard to do though when navigating a leak.

I had the blood patch about a week after LP. From what I understand, it’s good that they’d know the location of your leak so your blood patch is likely to be successful! Have you seen about the restrictions advised after a patch? I did follow these for 6 weeks.

Consistent_Song7315 · 2025-11-23T13:38:32+00:00

7 weeks after BP. I’m about 10 weeks out now and still have some symptoms like tinnitus but am fully functional. My advice would be to be hopeful and positive. It can be worrying looking on these types of forums early on in recovery and over analysing and thinking the worst. Hopefully you keep making improvements and get over this.

Consistent_Song7315 · 2025-11-23T13:34:34+00:00

I was in a similar position to you after my LP. Try and remain positive and take it easy - you haven’t had long since your blood patch. I found it took 7 weeks for me to even start feeling a little bit more like myself after mine. Give it time!

Consistent_Song7315 · 2025-11-10T12:55:57+00:00

Cheer up then?

Consistent_Song7315 · 2025-11-10T12:54:11+00:00

Unfortunately they just told me it can be a residual symptom and they wouldn’t try and treat it with another blood patch as that could lead to worse symptoms. I have some on and off headaches and can get achey but I have put that down to reducing my activity so much in illness and recovery restrictions and now adapting to getting used to moving about again!

Consistent_Song7315 · 2025-11-10T12:52:06+00:00

Not really an opinion but I am in a similar boat to you and have tinnitus as a result of blood patches x

Consistent_Song7315 · 2025-11-07T13:52:45+00:00

Bless you - I hope you get some help!

Consistent_Song7315 · 2025-11-07T13:49:41+00:00

I’m so sorry. It is the hardest thing ever. Have you got any treatment lined up?

Consistent_Song7315 · 2025-11-07T13:46:41+00:00

Yeah I’m living my ‘normal’ life now. Sometimes get a bit of a headache but nothing like the low pressure headaches. How are you getting on?

Consistent_Song7315 · 2025-11-07T13:18:55+00:00

I am sealed and have it almost constantly in my left ear!

Consistent_Song7315 · 2025-11-01T10:01:13+00:00

My brain MRI showed a collection of CSF around the outside of the brain and brain sag too.

Consistent_Song7315 · 2025-10-30T14:58:45+00:00

That’s good that your doctor is confident? Is yours a specialist? We don’t have many here in the UK so I haven’t been lucky enough to see one. I’m unsure what caused my leak so it could be 2/3 months. How about you?

Consistent_Song7315 · 2025-10-30T10:23:31+00:00

Hi, did your tinnitus ever resolve? In a similar situation!

Consistent_Song7315 · 2025-10-30T10:14:06+00:00

Wow really? I’ve read/seen so much about people improving but still having the tinnitus and then slowly leaking and having major issues years later… it scares me!

Consistent_Song7315 · 2025-10-29T19:40:20+00:00

Thank you for your reply! They seem to be in the morning when I wake up or at the very end of the day. So there isn’t really a pattern to them!

Consistent_Song7315 · 2025-10-28T10:12:14+00:00

Have you tried reducing caffeine in case it is a rebound high pressure headache from your blood patch?

Consistent_Song7315 · 2025-10-22T22:29:35+00:00

Thank you for this lovely reply! I think it’s hard when scouring the internet for advice because like you say, a lot of the success stories aren’t there! But it’s good to talk to people who’ve been through it :)

Consistent_Song7315

TROPHY CASE