have you ever heard of an epi only working on one side of your body?

MoniqueJW · March 2010

my dh's friend had her second baby not long ago and said the epi only worked on her left side and she could feel everything on the right!! thus she was the loud screaming in pain lady in the ward - eeeeek! gosh I hope that is one of those freak things that rarely happen!!

kg_08 · March 2010

I've heard of it, but I think it's very rarely that it happens.

Blaire1980 · March 2010

It happened to my SIL with her second baby so then she opted not to get one for her third baby. She said it took on one side but that one side didn't even kick in til just before the shoulders came out. Of course, from the time she was induced to the time he was born was just over 30 minutes.

I also have a very close friend who has four kids and her epi didn't work at all the first three times. Yikes!

I think both situations it's got a lot more to do with the anesthesiologist than anything else. I guess we just have to be prepared for whatever gets thrown at us!

KellyG6279 · March 2010

I also have a friend that had the same experience. It would be challenging if you were expecting to get one (that worked) and then had to endure the birthing process feeling everything only on one side. It's really not that bad to go without if you are prepared for it:)

bigbellymagee · March 2010

That happened to me. It was totally the anesthesiologist's fault. After about an hour of me screaming they sent in another anesthesiologist who actually knew what they were doing and he put in a new epidural that worked MUCH better. I could still feel more on one side, but it was bearable. It's fairly common for epidurals to work better on one side, but not so common for them to not work at all on one side.

BlondeBeachBride08 · March 2010

My cousin said it worked everywhere except her lower back on her left side. She was not happy!

jellybelly03 · March 2010

Like pp said, it's pretty common for it to work better on one side than the other, but not so common for it to not work at all on one side. With DS, it worked perfectly on one side and totally made one side weirdly numb (like I couldn't feel/move my leg at all - very strange).

angelnumber8 · March 2010

the nurses are supposed to make sure that you don't stay in one position for to long.thats why the epi seams to make one side more numd then the other,go from side to side to even it out.happened to me and it is weird feeling pain that way but the can try to fix it

mrs.a.butler · March 2010

Happened to me. I could feel everything on my right side and by the time i was 8 cm i could it in my entire back...the left side of my uterus and my left leg were numb. It sucked. And I was induced so I had pitocin contractions and the nurse sucked and kept turning up the pitocin so I couldn't breathe because my contractions were soon close. My mw yelled at her soo muchmuch

angelnumber8 · March 2010

mean mean nurses...lol

slaus2 · March 2010

Happened to me. I had a few issues with my epidural. First it didn't work, then it only worked on one side. After it was all over I developed a spinal headache, which is a leakage of spinal fluid, it happens when the needle goes in too far and makes a hole in the membrane surrounding the spinal cord and brain. Imagine the worst headache of your life x's a million. Not sure what I will do this time, I'm really torn.

Canes26 · March 2010

Happened to me. It only worked on my left side i could feel everything on my right. I ended up having to have a C-section with DS when they wheeled me in the OR I could still feel on my right side I was freaking out but they fixed it and I felt nothing during surgery.

Angela814 · March 2010

It happened to me. The epidural worked on both sides through most of my labor. Then I had to have a c-section, and the epidural wore off on one side halfway through the surgery. That's a big factor in why I'm trying for a vbac this time.

buler23 · March 2010

Happened to me. I was numb on my right side, but had complete feeling on my left. They even propped me up on my side while I was waiting to finish dilating in effort to try and get the epi to work.

naylon511 · March 2010

Happened to my Mom once

jessaug6 · March 2010

mine didn't work at all! they when in to put the cathader, and i felt everything. i told them it felt really uncomfortable, and they said i shouldn't of felt that at all! anyways, it happens and it sucks. so pretty much i felt EVERYTHING of laber especially when i tore, and alot!

stpetegirl · March 2010

Mine worked on one side and my mid-wife was awesome. She was all EFF that and made the anistheologist (sp?) come back and fix it. After that it was fine. If it happens there is no reason to just accept it- they can fix the problem.