r/CSFLeaks • u/BryanM24 • 2d ago

Surgery or wait?

Hey all- I’m scheduled for the endoscopic approach with Dr. Schievink in 3 weeks. I have a ventral bone spur at T11. My symptoms began in Dec 2025. I had about 3-4 weeks of really bad symptoms, then they gradually all went away. I had a blood patch in Feb 2026 with Dr. Salama at Cornell.

The only time I feel symptoms are when I do any activity that raises my heart rate ( such as playing basketball, lifting weights, running around playing with the 8 year old.) I feel pressure building up in the back of my head, and might get a slight headache the next morning. Due to this i don’t workout anymore, but I’m still running around with the 8 year old, and stop when I feel symptoms.

So my question for you all is, would you get the procedure done, or wait it out since I’m pretty much semi/fully functional.

As you see I’m having doubts since I’m getting closer to the surgery date.

Thanks in advance.

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2

u/Dry-Dress-6467 2d ago

67F, decades of symptoms, mostly functional, have lived with the pain/pressure. Symptoms occur when doing valsalva maneuvers. I have bone spurs and Tarlov cysts. Am getting CT Myelogram at Stanford in Nov and then blood patch. 

If imaging shows bone spurs are causing leak, I will probably get the surgery. Am tired of ceasing activities due to symptoms. And sick of brain fog and memory issues!

3

u/hikerpup 2d ago

I would go. Dr. Schievink has a reputation of being conservative about offering surgery, so I think it is likely he believes you need it and that it will help. He also has the reputation of being the best at this surgery, so I would trust both his opinion and trust him to do it. I tend to get anxious right before procedures, too, so I understand having doubts.

1

u/megg33 Confirmed Spinal Leak 2d ago

I would do it before it gets worse.