Today my doctor told me I have brain fluid leaking into my mouth. How am I suppose to sleep over thi

I'm frightened. First off, I'm 24, healthy, work outside, no drug use (except herbs occasionally) and I'm never sick. For the past 5-6 months I've started to feel some liquid coming into my sinuses down my nose. It feels like your nose is always leaking and there's no way to stop it. It's only the left nostril up in the sinus. Anyways, I also feel weaker, my neck feels stiff even though my throat feels fine. I have for the past couple weeks very strong headache and its a general one, I can't point where it hurts, the whole inside of my head.

Went to the clinic today for the 3rd time, they told me at first I had a depression ! Then I did test for meningitis, wasn't it. So finally we did test on 'spit" samples of that liquid. They found it was coming from inside my brain, its tasteless but simply writing about it horrifies me. What the heck. I'm going to the doc again tomorrow to see how we can proceed about patching the hole or something. The brain I'm using to write this thread is leaking liquid into my nose / mouth. I cannot sleep just thinking about it. Everytime I get the reflex to go for a kleenex I get scared that I'm gonna empty my brain liquid or whatnot.

At least chances of this CFZ liquid leakage killing me are near zero.

Don't worry. It's probably not as bad as it sounds. i totally understand how that sounds really bad though. But they let you go home. It shouldn't be that bad.

reply to post by MrMaybeNot


Will this make you into a smart mouth?

Really though, I can see why you'd be freaked out. Just realize that if the average person had any idea what goes on in their sinuses, they'd panic too. It goes up into your eyebrows and all kinds of craziness. There are specialists that do nothing all day, every day but play with sinuses so be at ease. It's going to be an awesome story to tell the grand-kids.

Better that than building up inside your brain. Yucky, I know, but as has been pointed out, nothing the medical world is getting excited about.

Originally posted by Ghost375
Don't worry. It's probably not as bad as it sounds. i totally understand how that sounds really bad though. But they let you go home. It shouldn't be that bad.

I still think whatever is inside my skull has no business out of it. Maybe this liquid is holding all my memories and I'm losing memories as it's leaking. Who knows what its for. I mean with the amount that came out of my nose for the past couple months it must be quite dry inside there. OK time to stop thinking about it. Thanks for the comments guys sorry if my english is not perfect, I'm french

reply to post by MrMaybeNot

Please fogive me for sounding so flip, but I can't help myself, an alien has taken control of my fingers.

If you're worried about your brain drying out, you could go soak your head. (Sometimes I just crack myself up)

Originally posted by charles1952
reply to post by MrMaybeNot

 

Please fogive me for sounding so flip, but I can't help myself, an alien has taken control of my fingers.

If you're worried about your brain drying out, you could go soak your head.

(Sometimes I just crack myself up)

That made me smile. Better laugh about it!

reply to post by MrMaybeNot


could it be a bursted cyst? in the nasal cavity?
i have one,,,

i have also squeezed a bursted, egg sized bakers cyst from the back of my knee,,,,,
its day four now,,, just keeps oozing blood and puss,

i have almost fainted a couple of times already because this feels like a nightmare,, not fun at all...

hope you get better man..

argh, it started to drip again!

reply to post by MrMaybeNot


Dear MrMaybeNot,

I am glad to hear that it is not life threatening and that you are going to see the Doctor again tomorrow. It is perfectly reasonable to be concerned, I would be scared if it were me; but, if you trust your doctor then worrying won't help. Sleep well and be rested when you see your doctor if you can. Let us know what your doctor does.

reply to post by solve


Could've been but the lab test showed the liquid is from the brain. Would a cyst do that? Thanks, really hope you get better too.

Originally posted by AQuestion
reply to post by MrMaybeNot

 

Dear MrMaybeNot,

I am glad to hear that it is not life threatening and that you are going to see the Doctor again tomorrow. It is perfectly reasonable to be concerned, I would be scared if it were me; but, if you trust your doctor then worrying won't help. Sleep well and be rested when you see your doctor if you can. Let us know what your doctor does.

Thanks for the reassuring words, I'll do my best to post updates tomorrow. Will try to sleep now!

Originally posted by MrMaybeNot

Originally posted by Ghost375
Don't worry. It's probably not as bad as it sounds. i totally understand how that sounds really bad though. But they let you go home. It shouldn't be that bad.

I still think whatever is inside my skull has no business out of it. Maybe this liquid is holding all my memories and I'm losing memories as it's leaking. Who knows what its for. I mean with the amount that came out of my nose for the past couple months it must be quite dry inside there. OK time to stop thinking about it. Thanks for the comments guys sorry if my english is not perfect, I'm french

edit on 2-6-2013 by MrMaybeNot because: (no reason given)

Calm yourself OP ...

What is leaking from your nasal cavity is CSF - cerebrospinal fluid - it is NOT mater or brain tissue. You're not losing neurons, glial cells, memories, etc. Probably a small hole in your dura which can be fixed with an epidural blood patch. Many things go wrong in the human body, just so happens this happened in your cranium. Not trying to diminish your experience, I know I would be weirded out - just trying to ease your mind a little.

They will fix it

P.S. Your brain is constantly producing and absorbing CSF according to need. It's not "dry" up there. Give that brain of yours a little credit! It will do it's thing and the docs will take it from there. Keep us updated!

Originally posted by MrMaybeNot

Originally posted by Ghost375
Don't worry. It's probably not as bad as it sounds. i totally understand how that sounds really bad though. But they let you go home. It shouldn't be that bad.

I still think whatever is inside my skull has no business out of it. Maybe this liquid is holding all my memories and I'm losing memories as it's leaking. Who knows what its for. I mean with the amount that came out of my nose for the past couple months it must be quite dry inside there. OK time to stop thinking about it. Thanks for the comments guys sorry if my english is not perfect, I'm french

edit on 2-6-2013 by MrMaybeNot because: (no reason given)

It's a shame you didn't question the doctor more thoroughly. Could this liquid be an overproduction and your body is disposing of it? If so, this would be a natural state for your body. Is this brain fluid continuously reproduced, and, therefore, not a serious issue merely an annoyance?

How worrisome. I literally just heard of another case,just like this ,only it came from the patients nose.
It's not fatal or anything ,but its obviously not a great thing
Hold on ....let me find it .

...leaking fluid ,long term,can cause complications that can be serious .
They usual do patches over the holes where the leaks originate in the dura.
Coming from the mouth ,is much more uncommon than the nose.

I would get a second opinion ,and go from there..
Definately get the holes patched .

reply to post by InTheLight


Yes, your body constantly produces cerebrospinal fluids as it needs them. Excess is typically absorbed by the brain and nerves in your spinal cord. It is constantly pumped from your brain down your spine and back up to the brain through ventricles. If the ventricles become blocked the excess builds up in the cranial vault causing hydrocephalus. As an adult your cranium can no longer expand the way it does as a child so the excess fluids need somewhere to go, sometimes the body will create it's own opening to release the fluid and relieve the pressure. More commonly medical intervention is required and a shunt need to be surgically implanted in the ventricles and/or a hole needs to be drilled into the skull depending on the severity of the fluid build up. In adults it's commonly caused by head trauma or an infection, either bacterial or viral. In mild cases most people never even know it occurs since it just seems like a runny nose. In severe cases you'll no pretty quickly since you'll have a severe migraine, equilibrium problems, loss of appetite and sudden unexplained loss of consciousness. In minor cases once the excess fluid has bled off the swelling in the ventricles will subside and things will go back to normal, with the exception of possibly needing the hole in your sinus closed surgically, either via an intranasal cauterization or an epidural patch inserted via a hypodermic needle into the spinal cord. An extremely high percentage of minor cases are never reported by patients or overlooked by doctors entirely as being a runny nose, migraines, etc.

Source: My oldest son had hydrocephalus when he was born and I have a cousin who is a neurosurgeon who explained all the different types and treatments for them to me.

reply to post by PtolemyII


Your nose and mouth are connected. Coming from the mouth just means the person is allowing it to drain down the throat instead of through the nostrils or the leak is farther back in the dura causing it to drain directly via the throat.

reply to post by PtolemyII


OP- one thing you want to do is request a cranial/spinal MRI to make sure your ventricles aren't blocked causing the excess build up and it's just an overproduction of CSF. Overproduction is commonly caused by a chemical imbalance which is treated with diet and medications.

Originally posted by EViLKoNCEPTz
reply to post by InTheLight

 

Yes, your body constantly produces cerebrospinal fluids as it needs them. Excess is typically absorbed by the brain and nerves in your spinal cord. It is constantly pumped from your brain down your spine and back up to the brain through ventricles. If the ventricles become blocked the excess builds up in the cranial vault causing hydrocephalus. As an adult your cranium can no longer expand the way it does as a child so the excess fluids need somewhere to go, sometimes the body will create it's own opening to release the fluid and relieve the pressure. More commonly medical intervention is required and a shunt need to be surgically implanted in the ventricles and/or a hole needs to be drilled into the skull depending on the severity of the fluid build up. In adults it's commonly caused by head trauma or an infection, either bacterial or viral. In mild cases most people never even know it occurs since it just seems like a runny nose. In severe cases you'll no pretty quickly since you'll have a severe migraine, equilibrium problems, loss of appetite and sudden unexplained loss of consciousness. In minor cases once the excess fluid has bled off the swelling in the ventricles will subside and things will go back to normal, with the exception of possibly needing the hole in your sinus closed surgically, either via an intranasal cauterization or an epidural patch inserted via a hypodermic needle into the spinal cord. An extremely high percentage of minor cases are never reported by patients or overlooked by doctors entirely as being a runny nose, migraines, etc.

Source: My oldest son had hydrocephalus when he was born and I have a cousin who is a neurosurgeon who explained all the different types and treatments for them to me.

I am sorry your son had to suffer through hydrocephalus. How is he now?

Thank you for that response. This is the type of response I expect to hear from my doctor when I ask pertinent questions.

reply to post by MrMaybeNot


My boss on my job had this. They put in a shunt to the stomach, and it just drains from the brain into the stomach now. He did have terrible headaches and occasional loss of consciousness before going to the doctor. I think he's had the shunt since about 2005 now, so I guess they intend to leave it in permanently.

It must have been a pretty serious case. He still gets headaches, and sometimes difficulty concentrating. Yours doesn't sound that bad--I really hope it's not that bad. Anyway, just so you know, it turned out OK.

Good luck--and get better soon, man.