Yesterday, I had an intrathecal injection. I was expecting this to be quite painful and was a little apprehensive after the bone marrow sample. The main side effect for me (although I’m prone anyway) was a massive headache which knocked me out a bit, hence my tardiness in writing. Feeling a little better now though so here it goes:

What is it?

Due to the nature of my cancer, the treatment needs to get round the whole body including my brain in order to target any rogue cells floating around in my blood. In our neck, we have a protective defence which filters blood and minimises the risk of infection to the brain. This mechanism (the ‘blood brain barrier’) also prevents chemotherapy drugs from accessing the brain also.

In order to bypass this system, the doctor performs this procedure which applies the chemical into the spinal fluid which can then circulate into the brain effectively.

The Chemical and how it’s applied

Apparently, this method can also be used for some anaesthetic and other treatments, but in my case the chemical used was cytarabine.

I was asked to lie on the bench curled into a ball on my side. I had to bring my knees quite high and bunch my shoulders over. Explaining the procedure as she went, the doctor said that she’s aiming for the gap between my Lumber L2 and 3 vertebrae between the disc. The spinal column finishes at L1 and is then followed by a chain of nerve endings (like a horses tail) so the doctor is very careful and slow in order to avoid these. By curling up, the gap between the disc and vertebrae is opened up to make the targeting easier.

Once she had found the location and cleaned the area, the nurse applied the first needle which was an anaesthetic (a gentle scratch). She tested the area and I still had some sensation, so she applied a little more, I couldn’t feel the needle at this point.

The first step is to remove a small sample of fluid for testing. They try not to take too much as the release of pressure can be painful, so they just remove a couple of drops. Once this is done, she then applied the treatment which for me was 70g dissolved into a 3.5ml solution. Although being a small amount, she injected very slowly to minimise discomfort.

Once complete, a dressing was applied and I was slowly sent back to my bed. In order to help the chemical travel through my spinal column, I was asked to lay flat on my back for 30 minutes.

How did it feel?

The procedure was in fact pain free. I felt a bit of pressure as although I’m lean, there is still quite a way for the needle to travel. Otherwise and for the next hour or so, the only sensation I felt was a slight light headedness from lying still. After this, however, I did start to get a headache. I’m fairly prone to headaches and I get migraines so I was expecting a headache in some form, but this was one of the stronger types of headache in the realm of serious hangover or post migraine shock- it lasted for several hours and although I slept through it, it returned the next morning. It’s now gone after a period of about 12 hours.