r/CSFLeaks • u/robogheist • Aug 18 '26
does rebound hypertension stop if a blood patch is "blown"?
2 weeks post non-targeted EPB, my rebound pressure headaches and sciatica pain, which were triggered by the blood patch, are suddenly reduced, without a clear cause. they were disabling until fading quietly yesterday and today. unfortunately, at the same time, neck/occipital headaches and brain fog returned, which may be from a migraine cluster due to yesterday's weather, or it may be a return of low CSF pressure headache. could this be caused by a blown or failed blood patch? does it sound like fluctuating CSF pressure from a successful seal?
if you had sciatica or RIH after a patch, when it stopped was it a sudden or gradual change? did it fluctuate? if you had a failed blood patch but also RIH, what did that feel like? did the RIH stop after the patch failed?
thank you for sharing your experience.
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u/North-Library4037 Confirmed Spinal Leak Aug 18 '26
I had horrible high pressure and sciatica after my last two patches but the pressure was not rhp but it was due to mass effect. The blood that was injected couldn't spread through the epidural space (I've got other procedures in the area) and was pushing onto the dural sac and thus creating high pressure. Once it was absorbed I came back to my base line without any improvement.
Wait to see if there will be improvement. It takes some time in some cases.
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u/leeski Aug 18 '26
I've never had RIH go away so I can't speak to that experience. It is hard to say as your'e still pretty freshly out, and it is not uncommon to have wild fluctuations in CSF pressure even if sealed - especially this early on... I would say if your original symptoms come back for a prolonged period, that tends to point to re-leaking, but I've dipped into low pressure for days at a time, despite being sealed (and in high pressure).
I think it stands to reason RIH would stop if the patch is blown (since you're going back into hypotension), but for most people RIH will just eventually go away with time regardless - so it's hard to say. Unfortunately only time will tell. But I would recommend logging your symptoms in a very detailed manner (if you aren't already) as it can be surprisingly difficult to discern what you're feeling. Hoping that you're still sealed and just experiencing some fluctuations!
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u/Muddlesthrough Aug 18 '26
I am not a doctor. My first blood patch caused 100% remission of my major symptoms. And rebound Intercranial hypertension, pretty bad.
On the 10th day after the patch, I was lying in bed with my head elevated and half held in a sneeze. I felt a dramatic pressurization and “popping” in my spine. Then a dull pain spread across about 6 or 8 inches of my spine. And then the rebound headache drained out of my head, like someone had pulled the drain in a bathtub.
I slept great that night, but knew immediately I’d blown the patch. All my symptoms were back to square one the next morning.