More stories of failed epidurals at my hospital...

ncjulia12 · April 2012

...make me even more confident that choosing a natural birth is the best decision for me.

In the past week, three women I know who have delivered at the same hospital that I'll be going to have told me stories of epidurals going very badly. (One had three epi attempts and then ended up with a c-section due to not progressing, one's epi didn't "take" and ending up numbing her enough so she couldn't move her legs or feel to push but still felt the pain, and the other ended up with one numb leg and headaches lasting for days.)

I know that the best recommendation is to run as far as possible from this hospital, but I'm committed to my ob and anywhere else would be an hour+ drive which is not possible for my situation.

So, I'm feeling more strongly than ever in my plans to labor at home as long as possible with my doula and then to say NO confidently if the epidural is offered. I hate for others' negative birth experiences to fuel my natural-birth fire, but every time I hear a story like that (especially from the hospital where I'll be birthing), I know avoiding interventions as much as possible is the best thing for me and baby.

tokenhoser · April 2012

I say take your inspiration where ever you find it.

Just don't tell them that's what you took from their terrible experiences. Wink

Tash13 · April 2012

My sister got the headache for days with her second csection and had to go back in to have he air pocket released from her spine. Apparently it's not extremely uncommon. No thank you!

ncjulia12 · April 2012

Tash13:
...had to go back in to have he air pocket released from her spine. Apparently it's not extremely uncommon.

Oh my gosh, that's really creepy/scary sounding to me! From the stories that people have been telling me lately (unprompted! Just those who want to share their birth stories- not even knowing I'm planning for a natural birth), negative epi side-effects are way more common than the conventional books/websites/etc. say.

I just don't understand those who see or hear about these kinds of things and don't see the benefit of natural birth. (Like my L&D nurse friend who insisted on an early induction, then ended up with complications and a c-section!)

Kitttkattt · April 2012

I had a failed epidural as well. I felt everything the last 5 hours of my labor. Anesthesia was busy with c sections and same day surgery. It is possible, especially when you don't have a choice like me lol. Or the millions of years before us when there was nothing else to do but go natural.

lily225 · April 2012

I would make sure the nurses know as soon as you get to the hospital to not offer you drugs. It can make all the difference in the world to not even have the words said in front of you. Then you won't have to worry about having to say no when you might be feeling weak.

AmyRI · April 2012

Not all anesthesiologists are equally as good at their jobs. I'd be asking if they all had the same one, and be reporting the issues to the hospital.

The mother of one of my best friends works in the OR at the hospital where I delivered DS. She told me that if I went into labor and decided I wanted an epi, or needed a c/s, that I should ask for a specific anesthesiologist (assuming it was not an emergency c/s and I had a little time to wait for a good one). She had personally seen too many issues with 2 of the 4 at the hospital, so urged me to make sure I got one of the 2 good ones to avoid issues myself. If all of the troubles you've heard about were at the hand of one poor anesthesiologist, I'd want to know and try to avoid that person if a bad situation comes up.

FyreFlyeRush · April 2012

Take strength where you can find it. If remembering these women helps you make it through the painful times, then go for it. Women set on delivering naturally are far more successful than those with a wait and see. I've been told there's no difference between a woman after an Epi and one who didn't get one, but... I was in a room with 5 other women. 4 of them had epis. Two of us didn't. Within an hour, the two of us who went natural were bouncing off the walls. Te four who had the epis were sluggish, needed pitocin to shrink their uteruses, had catheters...had to be urged to get out of bed. Me, I was like walk? Ok! Yay!! And I had a third degree tear. I plan on remembering them when I deliver this time.

ncjulia12 · April 2012

lily225:
I would make sure the nurses know as soon as you get to the hospital to not offer you drugs. It can make all the difference in the world to not even have the words said in front of you. Then you won't have to worry about having to say no when you might be feeling weak.

AmyRI:
Not all anesthesiologists are equally as good at their jobs. I'd be asking if they all had the same one, and be reporting the issues to the hospital.
... If all of the troubles you've heard about were at the hand of one poor anesthesiologist, I'd want to know and try to avoid that person if a bad situation comes up.

These are both great points.

tessatewks · April 2012

Mine worked just fine, but I still had a terrible headache for days from it, and my blood pressure dropped to dangerously low levels.

In my birth plan it says not to offer drugs, I've printed off and laminted a sign to hang on the door saying "DO NOT OFFER ME DRUGS", etc.

DebateThis · April 2012

This whole post makes me go Indifferent .

I also got an email from BabyCenter yesterday with a video of an epi being placed. I swear, if I had been on the fence at all before, I sure as heck am not now. There's nowayinhell that thing is going near my spine.

SailingGal22 · April 2012

My first birth was a failed epidural - they initially started it too high where I got the shakes, then my heart rate slowed (I don't remember, but DH remembers the alarms going off and a team running into the room with adrenaline and a crash cart - scary stuff) Then they turned it down - I could feel EVERYTHING. After delivering the placenta I swung out of bed to turn to look at DD in the warmer - my OB said I shouldn't have been able to move with a working epi.

Needless to say, I don't think it's worth the risk this time around.

MrsMandaK · April 2012

A friend of mine had surgery on her skull a few weeks ago due to spinal headaches set off from her epidural. That is plenty motivation for me to go natural this time! I know it's rare, but I will take some hours of pain to avoid having brain surgery.

BootsOrHearts · April 2012

My SIL had a 2 day long migraine after her epi that required her to be an a morphine drip and she couldn't bond with her baby. So yeah, I'd take labor pain over a 2-day migraine.

I've also heard from friends who said they got the epi but it 'didn't help'. Now, this could be all in their heads, but even if it is, why would I do something that carries a risk of PARALYSIS (yes, that's correct) when it might not even work??

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