Epidural experiences

amroke · November 2012

I had an epidural when I was at 4 cm and while it worked at first, my husband and I are pretty convinced that it stopped working by the time I was about 8 cm dilated. I was in extreme pain for the rest of labor and delivery. I would push that button to self-administer pain medication and I know something was going in because I felt a funny feeling on one side of my back for a few seconds after I'd push it... But no pain relief. The contractions at the end were definitely a lot worse than the ones I was having before the epidural was administered. Anyone else have this experience? How is it possible for it to have stopped working? I am wondering if it WAS working, and that it would have been worse without it! But I hear all these stories of women saying they just felt pressure and not pain, or didn't even feel the pressure and didn't know when to push... And that certainly wasn't my experience! We want to have another baby and I am wondering if I can expect awful pain again even with an epidural next time, too. (For what it's worth, I think I have a pretty decent tolerance for pain.)

IEtoLA · November 2012

When I was fully dilated, I felt the contractions. They hurt but not unbearable with both pregnancies. I was told by my nurse that if I started feeling the contractions and I tried self administering and it didn't help to call her. She said there were two reasons for this. Either the epidural needed to be readjusted or I was ready to go. Sure enough I was ready to go.

maryhauth · November 2012

I had my epidural when I was 6 cm, just shortly after my water broke. The pain at that point was starting to get pretty bad and the doctor said I better do it then before it gets too late and I can't sit for an epidural. 3 hrs later I was 10 cm and I started to push, I started to get a burning pain in my right side and then it spread and I could feel everything, my son was not coming out and I was in way too much pain to prolong it so I asked for a c-section. Then we had some issues with his heart rate dropping so they put me to sleep and took him by emergency c-section. It was absolutely the worst pain I have ever felt, it had to have worn off completly, so is it worth it again absolutely I wouldn't trade my son for anything. But those 3 hrs of pain releif I'm not sure if it was worth the dangers that can happen during an epidural.

wesleycrusher · November 2012

IEtoLA:
When I was fully dilated, I felt the contractions. They hurt but not unbearable with both pregnancies. I was told by my nurse that if I started feeling the contractions and I tried self administering and it didn't help to call her. She said there were two reasons for this. Either the epidural needed to be readjusted or I was ready to go. Sure enough I was ready to go.

This. When I felt the contractions and the selfadminister button didn't work, they checked and I was 9 cms. Had the baby less than an hour later.

dmhrn13 · November 2012

This. I'm a midwife & this is true. I think you felt it because you were 8. Sometimes women don't feel anything & others do. Its your body, your labor, the particular medicine & the anesthesiologist that put it in- there are many factors.

linzeek44 · November 2012

My experience is like yours. The anesthesiologist said he gave me twice the regular amount for someone my size. My left leg was dead. My right hip/groin area didn't take the epi, and I felt every contraction really badly down my right side. It was definitely painful, not just pressure. They did my first cervical check after administering the epi and I was at 8 cm. had I known I was at 8 and it wasn't going to work right, I would have just skipped it. I was hoping to get relief to rest and instead I think it slowed my progress.

hilsy85 · November 2012

My epi was awesome. I could still move my legs, hold them to push, etc. but felt no pain whatsoever. I felt pressure in my bottom when I had a contraction, but it didn't hurt--it just helped me figure out when to push.

hcbrowne · November 2012

Mine was such a relief (I was in back labor) that I started crying tears of joy-ha. I could still feel things, pressure, etc. Theennn I went in for an unplanned c-section. They then did a spinal block on me and it was not working--due to the emergent situation they told me they had to put me under. I begged them not to, so I ended up having the c-section awake & felt a lot of it--obviously it would have been much worse if I hadn't had an epidural earlier. Not going to lie...the pain was really horrific. I'm glad I did it that way though b/c I was able to see my baby after they pulled him out (and will always remember the feeling of them pulling him out).

Long story short every person/body reacts differently to different drugs. My guess is that if it worked that way for you once it will likely be similar next time. I'm nervous just thinking abt the next time I have a baby and get another spinal block--I'm not expecting it to work=

lisastro · November 2012

I had a really weird experience. I got an epi at 8+ cm. At first, only the left side of my body went numb. Then they fidgeted with the epi & both sides went numb. But later, they rolled me onto my back & it must have slipped out of the space it's supposed to be in because it wore off completely. They had to go though some protocol & keep upping the dosage before they finally took it out & redid it. Then I was completely numb. 100%. I coudn't move my legs or even wiggle my toes. I could barely tell when I had a contraction & I had no pain at all during te actual birth. I think they gave me enough for a c section though. And maybe it was both an epi & a spinal. My son was sunny side up so I had really painful back labor before getting it. I'm not 100% sure what they did.

MississippiCatfish · November 2012

I had three epidurals placed...and trust me, you know when they stop working!! Trust your insticts - it sounds like you're pretty sure yours stopped. My first one worked on my right side only for about an hour, second one didn't work at all, third one made my left leg numb from the thigh down...so they weren't much help!

The anatomy of your spinal column can affect the epidural. I've heard any previous diagnosis of scoliosis or other spinal abnormalities can be detrimental.

Kissty · November 2012

I have scoliosis so I was VERY worried. Got the epi with no problems. It worked to knock the edge off. I wasn't given a self administer Sad

. When I started pushing the contractions were still painful (not like before but). By the end I was in pain. They had to give me some local to put in the stitches so...Still glad i got the epi!

KatieKim0815 · November 2012

I waited until I was 4 cm to get the epi. It took a while to get it in and hve the anesthesiologist available to do it. It allowed me to sleep and rest (thank god) and because of that I dilated 6 cm in about 2 hours or so. It was amazing. But I definitely administered the maximum amount per hour so I almost felt woozy. It helped with the pain but it did not help with the pressure (not supposed to) so there was a huge amount of discomfort when i felt him move down and get lodged.

Newsie96 · November 2012

I'm jealous of thise thread because I didn't have time for my epidural. I went from 4 cm to fully dialated in two hours! It was he-- but she was worth all the pain. LOL (I WILL request an epi with the next one!)

SBmomma · November 2012

Epi was great until it ran out & I felt the last hour until LO was born. It was horrible having the back labor...I even threw up! But I must say it helped me use every bit of strength I could muster up to PUSH!!!

kateraid · November 2012

It could have been the position you were in. They're supposed to monitor the way you're laying to make sure the medication is going to the right spot. I've heard of it working from the waist up on some women. I felt pressure and pain in the end. My nurse wouldn't give me the option to turn it up. She said she did and DH checked and it was still the same amount. I had an episiotomy and they used forceps and I felt it all.

eringrapejuice · December 2012

I had the same sort of experience. I was so afraid to have the epidural at first- honestly. I felt no pain with contractions up to 6 cm dilation (I was told that they were 55-65%.... I couldn't see the monitor from where I was at.) My son kicked me so much in the womb that they didn't hurt at all. He started kicking me and moving around loads by the time I was dilated to 7. Then I got the epidural. I could feel the rippling of the contraction at the top of my uterus to know when to push. I never gave myself the extra push on the button they set up. I didn't need it. (I guess I have a high pain threshold- cut part of my finger off on accident once and cut my face open to the bone as a kid....) I even felt it before it showed on the monitor to tell the doctor I was ready to go! I pushed for an hour before my son got stuck and had to have an emergency C-section

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