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March 2012 Moms
madelineishmael
member
Epidural Help (low-dose/walking w/high pain tolerance)
madelineishmael
member
Ok, so question for anyone who's been through labor before or who has an anesthetist/anesthesiologist background...
I have a very high pain tolerance (as discovered when I was hospitalized for the first time and morphine didn't work, despite my aversion to even taking Tylenol). That being said, I'm more interested in the walking/low-dose epidural because of some of the benefits. My question is since I have such a high pain tolerance, do you think the low-dose would actually help me? or would I not get relief from it?
I know it's early, but like all first-time moms, I'm just thinking about it.
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Re: Epidural Help (low-dose/walking w/high pain tolerance)
You'll need to check if your hospital will actually let you out of bed once you go with an epidural. Mine had a strict policy saying you had to stay in bed once it was administered. Also, you'll be schlepping around an IV pole and trying to make sure the needle stays in and the whole thing stays hooked up. Mine actually got unplugged (not at the injection site, but farther down the tubing) while I was just lying in bed, and I had no idea until the pain started.
All that said, I asked for a low-dose when they first administered it. The pain was gone but I could still feel my legs. When it became unhooked and they had to replug it, they kind of topped me up for the missing meds and then I was effectively paralyzed from the waist down. I wouldn't recommend that under any circumstances, although I was still able to push and deliver. GL.
This. And if you want to be able to walk around and labor like you want, your best bet is to avoid the epidural as long as possible, if not completely. The natural birth board is pretty active if you have questions on how to prepare or different things. Personally, I went into it thinking "I don't want the epidural, but I have also never had a baby before so let's see how this goes." For me, this worked out - I stayed home as long as possible and ended up only being at the hospital to push. But it is hard, and I definitely hit that wall where it is like, "Man, I don't know how much longer I can keep this up."
Just to share my experience:
I have a high pain tolerance (I have several tattoos, have gotten many piercings, broken my toe and couldn't take anything for it, etc.) and as soon as my water broke and the REAL contractions started I was in tears. I planned on a natural birth with NO epidural at all, but on the way I called my ob to the hospital and asked that he have the epidural ready. Granted, I think I have more nerve endings or something in my uterus than most because I have also always been able to tell when I am ovulating, but let me tell you, THAT was pain.
Anyway, I ended up getting an epidural, which worked, but the nurse thought since I could still feel my contractions that I needed more, and they overdosed me to the point of not being able to move my legs. I had them stop the drip altogether at that point and by the time I had to start pushing I could move my legs and feel the pressure but wasn't in a whole lot of pain, so it ended up working out.
To be honest, your office may "offer" the walking epidural, but sometimes you can't control exactly how it affects you. It may not work at all, or just on half of your body. There is nothing quite like labor, so just stay open and flexible. Have your goals set, but if the pain is overwhelming, get the help!
So how did they know the morphine wasn't working? Or did you still feel an immense amount of pain while on morphine? I am confused by your post.
If you have a really high tolerance for pain, then I would try to go through natural labor.
If you have a really high tolerance for pain meds and they do not help in managing pain, a walking epidural is not going to help you get through labor. Sorry, but I just don't think it will work. Then, I had a full epidural that did not work, so I might be jaded.
Morphine works by imitating endorphins, and works by attaching to mu opioid receptors in the brain. Some people don't have these receptors or have a problem with them, so morphine doesnt work with them (i see this a lot with women who have a history of depression because of their lack of endorphin receptors) while other non opioid pain killers work like a charm. If you have a problem managing pain maybe you should see a pain specialist.
Well, it's not that Tylenol doesn't work on me, but that I choose to not take medicines under most situations. This instance occurred when I was hospitalized for the only fatal strain of malaria and was given 48 hours to live. For three days, no one knew what was wrong with me, so they were unable to give me anything for pain, and it only worsened. When they identified it as malaria (although the wrong strain), they were finally able to administer pain meds, and because of the high level of pain I was in (fevers at 106, chills/sweats within seconds of each other, a spleen so swollen it had moved from under my ribcage and felt like I was being repeatedly stabbed, and several other extremely painful things), they gave me morphine. After about an hour with no relief, I called the nurse back in (no relief at this point) and asked her if they had only given me the saline rinse. She said no and the doctor said that it was because by the time my body realizes that I need pain medicines, I am already beyond the scope of normal medication. So, he put me on the max dosage of dilaudid because it's ten times stronger than morphine--max dosage being every 4 hours. This worked for the pain because it made me sleep, but I woke up every three hours in intense pain and had to suffer through until they gave me the next dose through my IV.
As for the question of why I want an epidural if I have a very high pain tolerance, it's because I have read up on the possible side effects (for both mom and baby) of getting one, and I didn't see anything that made me want to skip this scientific advancement in medicine. However, I realize that it's my first, so it may be more painful than I realize. I am more interested in the walking epidural (which my doctor offers) because it takes less time to work on the average person (5-7 min vs. 30 for the regular one), and it also doesn't slow down labor. I am open and willing to do whatever the situation demands when it gets here, but that would be my preference if it'll work on me. I just fear that the low dose may not affect me in time (i.e. my pain may be beyond that once I realize I need it).
My hospital had a strict no-walking-epidural policy. So there was no port, because that was just not an option.
I'm not sure about your statement that a typical epidural takes 30 minutes - I felt relief instantly and I think most people will tell you the same (assuming it worked for them, which it doesn't for some), but I'll let others chime in on that one as well.
FYI: It is hard to see which poster you are responding to when you don't use the quote button.
Honestly, these are things that you need to talk to your doctor about. If you had previous issues with pain management, I would also try to meet with the anesthesiologist to discuss your previous experiences.
I would also prepare by taking a labor class to deal with your pain without meds. We did Bradley Methods classes and really got a ton out of it.
This!
I wanted to address this. This isn't a matter of the epidural 'working.' It is a matter of time. In a lot of hospitals, the anesthesiologists are not on the premises, but rather on call. Thus, there is a lag between when the woman may decide to get an epidural and when the doc can do one. There was probably not enough time between when your mom was going to deliver and when the epidural could have been administered.
Once an epidural is put in, it is immediate (assuming that it is in the correct place.) I had two epidurals during one L&D. The 1st one did not work. After doing my epidural, the doc had to go into surgery and was monitoring a patient. It took another 4 hours for me to get my 2nd epidural because there was no one to do it. The 2nd epidural began working immediately. At that time, I was 10cm and could have pushed right then. However, at that point, I had been in labor for 28+ hours, so my OB had me sleep for an hour before pushing.
Also, you have to hold very still to get an epidural. Some anesthesiologists refuse to administer one if uterine contractions are strong and consistent.
Somewhat amazed that the doc tried then. LOL. My contractions were back to back and had been for quite some time. I guess being tied to the bed for 4 hours let me concentrate on being very, very, very still. Or he just took pity on me since I had to wait in hell for 4 hours.
Are you an OB or L&D nurse? I've really enjoyed reading your contributions on this thread.
"I am more interested in the walking epidural (which my doctor offers) because it takes less time to work on the average person (5-7 min vs. 30 for the regular one), and it also doesn't slow down labor."
I am pretty sure this isn't true. Not sure where you're getting your info but a SPINAL (what you might be referring to) is where they just give you a shot of the anesthesia and don't usually leave a needle in, that only lasts a certain amount of time, and may or may not be as strong as an epidural. And EPIDURAL is where they leave the needle in and can give you a higher or lower drip of the anesthesia as you ask or require. Both begin to work immediately as they aren't put in to the bloodstream (as IV medicines are.) The accuracy of your anesthesiologist will also determine the way it works. My epidural got rid of my ridiculous pain in about 3 minutes, and was fully effective in about 10.
Also, an epidural DOES NOT slow down labor. It actually may speed it up if you are too stressed and tense from the pain to allow yourself to dilate. That is exactly what happened with me. My labor started on Saturday and I was stuck on 3cm for almost 36 hours. I didn't start dilating past that until I got my epidural. And then I went from 3-10 in about 8 hours. It truly depends on the mother, the anesthesiologist, and the labor itself.
Congratulations! thats so exciting! If you end up doing clinicals in L&D make sure to try your hardest to make a good impression on them. Ask your preceptor if she will be your reference. Someone in my school was hired right after graduation because they liked her so much, when usually you have to work towards it because everyone wants to be a L&D nurse.
Long career path and a couple of degrees later, I am back in school. I was already accepted into the program, so that was huge weight lifted off of my shoulders.
I have stayed in close contact with my L&D nurse. She has said that she will try to help me when the time comes. Plus it doesn't hurt that my MIL worked at the hospital for 20+ years as a nurse and my SFIL is one of 3 radiologists there.