- Pregnancy
- Baby & Toddler
- Parents
- Getting Pregnant
- Baby Names
- Product Reviews
-
Registry
- Community
-
More
Want a personalized experience?
Download the free app
May 2012 Moms
lovetohike
member
Terrified of c-section.... anyone else?
lovetohike
member
I am having major panic attacks over my upcoming c-section. With DS I had a HUGE panic attack on the OR table. I have clausterphobia and PTSD as a result.It just scared the crap out of me to be paralyzed from the chest down, have a sheet in front of me, mask on and arms tied down... all while being awake to be cut open. When I freaked out I took the mask and threw it across the room then tried to get off the OR table with my only working limbs.. my arms. This was nearly 6 years ago, but I am still totally freaked out.
I have tired not to think about it the past several years. I had to go to L&D abot 2 weeks ago for some infections and being in the hospital brought the whole fear back full force. I've been having panic attacks.. waking up crying, not able to breathe.. just awful. The Dr. prescribed me meds to help calm me.
I am unsure how I am going to get through this again. Anyone else feel this way? Anyone have any good csection stories?
Recovery is not an issue for me.. it is the surgery and being cut open that scared the crap out of me. 
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Terrified of c-section.... anyone else?
I'm sorry you're having a hard time. Would it be possible for you to try a VBAC instead? I had a c-section with my first, but it was after over a day of labor, so I seriously don't remember much because I was so out of it.What happened during yours that made it so traumatic?
What would calm you down in the OR? Would you be able to listen to music in there? Sniffing a cotton ball soaked in lavender oil can also help calm, but probably not with PTSD. Could they give you a mild sedative?
Wish I could be of more help.
I am not sure why my mind snapped the first time. I think just the whole OR scene and feeling so out of control. It is just such a powerless feeling to be tied down and paralyzed knowing you are being sliced open. I just felt awful puked and panicked. I ended up having to be knocked out.
A VBAC might not be successful for me so I annoy even going to try. It would be awful to go through labor then have the surgery. My Dr did say he will sedate me before. He said I would be out in the biggest OR ( to help with my Clausterohobia) he is going to move the sheet down, hopefully use nose tubes instead of a mask and I might be able to have my arms free if I don't reach down. Music is a grea idea. I wonder if I would just bring in my iPod or what? Lavender oil is something to look into as well.
I hate that I am so terrified. Thousands of people have this surgey daily. My mind is just so weird and it snapped. Hopefully it snaps back this go round!
Thank you for listening.
Honestly, I think I would have freaked out, too, if I hadn't been so damn tired. I also thought having my arms tied down was the worst. If it makes you feel better, I do remember that I threw up, too. I think a lot of that has to do with all the medication they have to pump into you.
An IPod sounds like a great idea; maybe they also have a sound system in the OP and they can put a CD in for you. And maybe it would help for you to not focus on what they're doing, but what will come of it. And seriously, I swear by lavender oil. They have it at the hospitals here in Germany, and it really does help.
My daughter's birth was also really traumatic for me, and up until about the 20th week of this pregnancy, I was all about having another c-section. But then different doctors here encouraged me to at least consider a VBAC, and after a lot of soul searching, I've decided to try. I've been reading all kinds of books, like things by Ina May Gaskin and the book "Childbirth Without Fear," and helped me some. But ... the other night, I started to have regular contractions that were more intense than the usual Braxton Hicks, and I began to freak out inside. I'll be honest: For me, childbirth is scary, no matter how it's done. Anyway, I put some lavender oil on a cotton pad and put it under my pillow, and it seriously helped me relax enough to go to sleep. And then the contractions were gone by the morning anyway, and then I was just pissed off. My body just can't win either way. :-)
Best of luck to you!
Childbirth truly does suck either way. Just scary.. but the baby has to come out! Good luck with the VBAC. I hope it turns out wonderful for you. I can see where it would be scary since you did labor the first time. I have never been in labor.. so laboring, then a csection, yeah that would be tough. You are a brave mama. You kiddos and hubby should be proud of you!
I am going to go by the health food store and check out lavender oil. I did just take a bath right now with the baby camomile and lavender wash.. makes me happy. Oh yeah, I am going to ask my Dr. about music tomorrow.
RnMom2Be- good luck to you on the 10th! I am hoping to get my date tomorrow at my Dr. appointment!
I just have to keep telling myself it's only like 45 minutes of my life for the surgery.. and only a day of being really out of it, shakey and all. I can do this. ( I hope! haha) I swear my Dr. better have some good sedative for me this go round! I had a different Dr. last time and wasn't given anything to calm my nerves until I freaked out on the table. The Dr. did say I would have something before I even entered the OR.. thank goodness. One Dr. talked about knocking me out.. but FI can't be in the room then and they put a tube down my throat.. yeah scary! I'm going to try to be awake but very sedated.
I'm terrified of a c-section. Terrified of a needle in my back. Terrified of a catheter. The only think I'm not terrified of is natural birth, because I've done it before. The women in my family are somewhat...intuitive...and my mom and I both keep dreaming of a c-sections, so that doesn't help!
I've had two scheduled c/s and freaked out with panic attacks both times. It is very un-nerving to lay on that table knowing what is happening to you. The first time, the anaesthetist added a mild sedative to my IV which took the edge off and I got through it conscious. The second time, was really terrible and I got a stronger sedative which put me to sleep. I'm ok with how things went down, but am a little sad that I don't even remember my second baby being born. So, I hope this time I can get a mild sedative from the start that will allow me to keep calm yet stay awake so I can remember #3 being born.
I totally understand where you are coming from. I think that if you are not required to have a c/s for medical reasons, it is a good idea to re-visit VBAC as an option. Just because your first delivery went awry, doesn't mean this one will.
I'm so sorry you're having a hard time! The weeks leading up to birth are filled with enough crazy emotions.
The only thing I can think of that I didn't see mentioned would be trying some sort of meditation/hypnosis treatment. I don't know how much stock you put in it, but it can't hurt!
Good luck!
I had a c-section with my daughter after 27 hours of labor. It was an emergency c-section that I was put completely out for. I missed her entire birth and first four hours of her life. I have some recollection of the time after that but not much.
This time my doctor said he would allow me to try a VBAC but did not think I would have a good chance at being successful. Ultimately due to the fact that I had such a hard time with missing my daughters birth my husband and I decided that it would be best to have a repeat c-section this time around.
My c-section is scheduled for May 23. 30 days from today. The closer I get to my scheduled section the more scared I get. I worry about how I will react to knowing what is going on while I am a wake, I worry about what would happen if something would go wrong....all of it just freaks me out a little bit.
I have issues with the mask too. It makes me feel like I might suffocate. My bp drops and I dry heave the whole time. I plan to make sure they do something to help me with that this time because it was exactly the same the first 2 times.
One week from today I will be checking in to the hospital.
I was talking to an anethesiologist friend and he said to make sure I talk to the anethesiologist more than anything about my concerns.
I was over-anethesized for my c-section and felt like I couldn't breathe (while the anethesiologist was on his blackberry, GRRR), but that is nothing compared to a panic attack that was so severe you're having PTSD now.
You should talk to your OB about your options. Maybe there is a baby-safe sedative they could give you for the birth (like laughing gas at the dentist's office). Or maybe you want to be put under for the birth like they did for our grandmas. Obviously there are risks and you'd have to find out how long both of these would put you out for, but you might want to weigh these against the risks of having a panic attack and/or PTSD again. Is it better to have a very traumatic experience or to not to experience the birth?
Good luck!
The Dr. was on his BLACKBERRY!!! OMG.. that is AWFUL!!!
My Dr. is so kind at listening to me. I started crying about the operation the day I found out I was pregnant. It just got SO much more real that it is around the pike though. Just being in the hosptial a few weeks ago made the nightmares get awful. The vistorol they gave me does take the edgo off though.
I am 100% going to have some sort of sedative in my IV before I enter the OR. And both my Dr. and Fi will be with me when I get the spinal. Dr. said he can have baby out in about a minute then he will put me under. I am hoping I can handle being awake for the few minutes the spinal takes and for the baby to be pulled out. Jsut so FI can be in the room and it's better for the baby I am not all the way out.
I did end up being put all the way out with DS since I freaked out so bad. Hopefully I can hold on for a few minutes with sedative this time. I don't know that I can, but I am going to try.
Dr. does not know that I would be successful at VBAC and really I don't want to labor then have the trauma of surgery too.
I wish my brain didn't play so many tricks on me. Ugg. I can't wait for this all to be over. I told FI two is my limit.. I just can't handle the anxiety of surgery.
Thank you all for listening. I will post over on the c-section board too. I read a little over there last night when I couldn't sleep.
Good luck to you mamas too!
WOW.. your experince sounds so much better! I am really hoping for just the nose tubes and free arms this time. Having my arms restrained was awful. I felt like I was on an execution table.. my arms were out like I was on a cross.
I talked to my Dr. two weeks ago.. am going to talk to him again today.
Versaid.. I will remember that. I'm going to need some strong doses of whatever! My OB is so good to me and he is calming. His practice is pretty big ( 8 doctors) normally patients see all the doctors for their visits. I have stayed with just him. HE will be delivering my baby. I am scheduled on a day he is at the hospital all day. And if I go into labor early and the csection is early he said he would come and do it. Love that man!
About the arms being tied down.. I think it is just protocol for some hospitals
I had no clue it was going to happen to me when I went in with my first.... and now I know and don't want anything to do with it!