Those that have had spinals and/ or epidurals fail....

krlovell

When I had DS 2 1/2 years ago I was induced and after 15 hrs of labor got an epidural so I could sleep. It lasted maybe 2 hrs and then when I was taken for a c section due to DS getting stuck in my pelvis I could feel everything so I was put to sleep for his delivery. So now that I was told I'd have a RCS with DD due to her size and my dr not believing I could deliver her vaginally since she was larger than DS I figured everything would go smoothly. Well went in for the RCS was given a spinal and again I felt everything!!! So clearly I am not to be awake when my children are born. But my question is how common is that??? Have any of you had problems getting your spinal or epidurals to work??

jpbling

This is what I am terrified of...I had an epidural with my first, and it worked for a while but then wore off. Also, whenever I get dental procedures and they use novacaine I can always still feel everything, and they always say "you shouldn't feel that!". Well I do!

I have a RCS scheduled for a week from today and I am so scared that my spinal will not take, or will wear off and I'll feel it all. I seriously might have a panic attack on the table before they start!

kalette

My epi with DD was great until I hit transition, then it stopped working on one side. They were able to fix it before I delivered by the way.
With DS his labor was too fast and I didn't even get a chance to get the epi... but it was surprisingly easier to handle than the few minutes with DD when the epi wore off.

ckennedy116

I got my epi and only felt it on one side. They told me to lay on the side I didn't feel so hopefully the medicine would seep into that side. It didn't. So at first I only felt half, but then after 3 hours of pushing it wore off and I felt everything. DS wouldn't come out so we had to have a c section and thankfully the spinal did the job and I felt no pain

cowpoly959

My epi failed and only lasted about 40 minutes. They tried giving me another dose and then another but I felt everything. My labor progressed quickly from that point on and I delivered feeling everything. It was scary and painful and makes me wonder about having another baby! The doctor said the lidocaine they used while stitching me up wasn't working either. I have had dental work before and that went fine though.

andoll8

Turned out my epi was placed incorrectly. We figured that out during transition as my body was convulsing involuntarily, and I was screaming like a banshee. They re-did it somehow through all that as I lay on my side. After the second attempt proved successful, they left me in peace.

DH was terrified. It was horrible.

It really makes me angry that this happens. We need to be able to trust the man/woman controlling the drugs.

LabbyLove

My first epi only numbed my legs and it took almost a day to convince the nurses that it wasn't working right and I could feel all my contractions. I had the epi redone and the second one made it so I couldn't feel by contractions but I could feel my legs and when the midwife checked my cervix, I could feel everything. My labor was really long (44 hours) and by the time I went into transition and pushing, I could feel everything. The midwife thinks that the epidural didn't work because I have scoliosis (normally it's really mild but pregnancy really curved my spine even more).

Xath

My first spinal failed and I had to go under general. But my second 2 were fine.

amroke

My epi failed with my son at 8 cm but the spinal for my c section with my daughter worked great. I'm glad I didn't know that spinal blocks could fail before my c section.

SweetTea420

My epidural kind of worked but not really. It took care of the tightening sensation of my contractions higher up in my abdomen but none of the pain and pressure down low. I felt the urinary catheter go in and from that moment I knew I was screwed. Transition was really uncomfortable and the pressure and urge to push was intense. I also was not numb when they stitched me up and was able to hop out of bed shortly after birth.

LDQAM516

My first two babies were inductions and 9 pounders...my epidurals DID NOT WORK and both deliveries were horrible experiences...I blame it for having such large babies and being on pitocin all day.    Now with my 3rd I went into labor naturally with eventual epidural and she was barely 7 pounds...picture perfect 5 hour labor and delivery...to the point where I was laughing and smiling with my mom and husband waiting to push spread eagle waiting for the doc to arrive...amazing.  I think that it worked so well with my 3rd because I went naturally and she was much smaller.

Lunatygercat

They failed to get a spinal in me after 13 tries. I was a failed induction who thanks to all the fluids and stress they caused me to have high pb and tachycardia. I was put under for the c section and was in recovery for over two hours. Two units of blood and more fluids, but I was told my DD was perfect and screamed as soon as her lungs were clear. I just hated that I missed her birth because my anatomy would allow a spinal.

runningyogimama

I progressed too quickly for the epi to catch up with! I told the nurse that as soon as they broke my water with DD, I progressed super quickly, so she put in a request for orders for the fluids they have to give before the epi, but the anesthesiologist didn't get back in time for me to get it before they broke my water. My nurse was awesome, though, and gave me some IV meds while we waited for him to come back and give me more, and then I basically just waited the half hour for the IV meds to wear off so I could start pushing. I felt NOTHING after the second dose!

My epidural with DD1 worked just fine.