Hi Soccergirl, I have been a member here for several years now I don't post often but i knew the answer to your question right off also i included a link to the IIH Research page they have a lot of info on there.

Intracranial pressure can be measured in millimeters (mm)/water or centimeters (cm)/water. For example, a reading of 200mm/H2O is equal to 20cm/H2O.

For adults:
Normal pressure readings are generally below 200mm/H2O.
Borderline high pressure readings are between 200-250mm/H2O.
Anything above 250mm/H2O is considered a high pressure reading.


For young children:
Anything above 200 mm/H2O is considered a high pressure reading.


Many find that the headache and pulse synchronous tinnitus associated with IH disappears during a spinal tap. While spinal taps can provide important diagnostic information, their therapeutic effects are temporary since spinal fluid regenerates quickly.

After the tap
Its important to take it easy after having a spinal tap. If possible, try to remain lying down for at least 30 minutes to an hour immediately after the tap. Some people may experience a low pressure headache after a spinal tap. This headache is usually better when lying completely flat and worse when standing up. If you experience multiple headaches like this, its important to tell your physician. Sometimes these headaches are caused by a small CSF leak at the site where the spinal needle entered the sub-arachnoid space. These leaks can be repaired with a minor procedure known as a blood patch.

http://www.ihrfoundation.org/intracranial/hypertension/info/C72/

I hope that helps you to understand, Caffeine may help with the headache it has me in the past, Please be watchful for the signs of needing a blood patch and low pressure headache.

I hope you feel better soon.

MrsLilly, since the doc pulled 27 off but only said my opening pressure was 19.. That's where I become confused. The math doesn't add up to me not unless I misunderstood the doc. Is my opening pressure 27?

I took it as he said your op was 19, I don't know about the Units he took off.... It kind of sounds like he told you your OP was 19 and then he used a different measurement for the 27 units he took off. So i figured it was done using two different forms of measurement. However the only measurements you really care about are the OP and the Closing Pressure He should have just told you what he closed at.

Thank you so much.

Your very welcome i hope I was helpful and did not confuse you more. :)

Hi Soccergirl: There was a thread back in May discussing OPs, closing pressures and the amount of CSF drawn off.

I THINK that the correlation was made as follows:
1) when CSF is drawn off, it's often measured in cc's or ml's.
2) 1 cc or ml roughly equals 1 mmH20.
3) So if this is true, your OP was 19 cmH20 or 190 mmH20
4) then 27 cc's or 27 mmH20 was drained off.
5) That would leave you with a closing pressure of 163 mmH20 or 16.3 cmH20

I'm not in any way sure this is correct, but thought I'd throw this out there. If it is correct, it's no wonder that you're suffering low-pressure SX. Mrs. Lilly's link to low-pressure compensatory measures lays it all out.

Sure hope you're feeling better and SOON!

Yes, they are talking ccs/mLs that were withdrawn which does is not the same as the units they measure pressure at. So rest assured, the math is more reasonable than one might think offhand. Sure sounds like you may have a low pressure headache though, so perhaps it was still too much for you, or you could have a CSF leak. Lay flat as much as you can, drink plenty of fluids, see if caffeine helps, and hope you feel better soon!

Sorry Soccergirl & RN if I got this all wrong!

Thank you everyone for the info. It's been very helpful :) so has Mountain Dew. My headache seems to be going away. Hopefully stays away. :)

PressureCooker, you are likely correct! I just didn't comment specifically as I was not sure offhand whether mLs of CSF = mmH2O and my severe fatigue these days prevents my brain from wanting to tackle any research/deeper thinking. You are likely right on! Though at the same time, a pressure decrease of 19 to 16 isn't huge, but who's to say where our individual tolerances lie?!

First, I would like to say everyone has there own normal opening pressure. 12-15 is considered for most people to be normal, but not everyone. For instance I know 10 is my normal. I have never had high pressures, but have had 9 spinal taps in 3 years...I know quite abit about them. When they mention 19, 19 is in fact your opening pressure. When they take off fluid you may have a higher or lower normal then what they leave you at. For instance, if you start with an OP of 19 and they take off fluid and leave you at 16, you may have a headache after because they have taken off too much or too little fluid than your normal. If your normal is 12 and they leave you at 16, there is too much fluid still and therefore you will still have a headache..same if your normal was 17 and they lowered it to 16. The cc's they take off are just a means of how fast your fluid replenishes itself. My last tap was OP of 15, closing pressing of 9 and they pulled off 23 cc's. My fluid just came back quickly so they pulled more off. Hope this makes sense. Symptoms of a low pressure headache are feeling better when lying down, headache upon standing or sitting up. Caffeine and bed rest should cure this after a few days. If you have a high pressure headache you will feel better sitting up, worse lying down. This is the same as pre-LP headaches generally. Let. Me know if I can clarify anything.
Mal

Do you recall what your closing pressure was?

1geeen,

This was the first time for this PA to do my spinal tap. I've been on antibiotics for the past few weeks and normally my opening pressure is like 20 to 22 and they close at 12 or 13. Yesterday, the PA did t tell me what he closed at just what he opened at 19and that he drew off 27units.

Every time I stand up I get sick to my stomach but do not throw up. The ocean sound in my ears went away immediately when had the LP done but today I have pain in my ears and in my neck and shoulder blades but not in my back. I also have a dull achy throbbing pulsating feeling across My forehead.. When I lay down but gets worse when I stand up

it sounds to me like 19 is high for you. I think they have no idea what normal is.

Soccergirl: Hat tip to Mountain Dew -- I hope that your current SX resolve soon! Hang in there.

RN: NO worries :) It's just something I read here from a while ago and really, Mal et al explained the individualistic nature of this well. I know I'd like to know what my ideal pressure is! I sure know what are not my ideal pressures; especially my most recent 23.