Please post your myelogram experiences

[mmglobal]

I've had many clients with spinal fluid leaks generating the horrible spinal headaches after myelograms. I've had 2 clients with infections following myelograms. (That is spinal meningitis! It's serious.).

When being consented for a myelogram, the doctors are quite mealy-mouthed about complication rates. Infection is cited as as 'Less than 1%', and the severe headaches are, 'Well, we see them once in a while, but they are not very common.'

Please, if you've had a myelogram, please post:

1. did you experience spinal headache?

---- mild headache - how long?

---- moderate headache - how long?

---- severe headache (you went to hospital) - how long?

2. if you were worked up for complications following myelogram

2a. What tests were performed for diagnosis?

2b. What was the diagnosis?

2b. Corrective action? (blood patch or other treatment for CSF leak?)

2c. IV antibiotics or other treatment for infection.

3. When you were consented for myelogram, what were you told about complications, rates, etc...

Thanks in advance for the help.

Mark

PS... If you need a myelogram, it's probably because they cannot identify the source of nerve entrapment without it. It is a useful test and the serious complications do seem to be low. I'm not suggesting that anyone should decline a needed myelogram. I would not for myself and my wife just had one (without complications). I'm just trying to gain some perspective on the quoted complication rates vs. real-world experience. My experience tells me that it's greater than what is quoted. One neurologist I discussed it with suggested that I may see a 'skewed population' and that the risk of complications may be greater for people with prior spine surgery. He may be right, but I don't know anyone with a myelogram before spine surgery... other imaging tells the story and the myelogram is not needed. It was in interesting discussion.