Another Epidural Question

bustysinclare · August 2014

I want to build on the epidural question from earlier. When I had my daughter, I got an epidural and it made me tingly all over and it felt skin crawly weird, kinda the numb head tingly feeling I get when I take a decongestant ( which I hate so I usually avoid). I hated the feeling and was miserable. WIth this pregnancy, I am totally up in the air - I dont want to be in excruiating pain but I am nervous about that skin crawly feeling. Is that normal? DD birth wound up with crazy complications so I am curious if that was the result of teh complications or juts my body's reaction. I'm nervous it'll be the same thing again and not sure if being horribly uncomfortable is worse that pain

nah82 · August 2014

My torso felt itchy after it started to wear off with my first, but not extremely. It would not have changed my decision to get it. I didn't have time to get the epi with my second, and it wasn't a horrible experience either (because it was over so quick, I was just lucky!)

NatureLovers · August 2014

I think that feeling is due to the narcotic they give in the epidural, usually morphine. Maybe ask if you can have a different drug?

NatureLovers · August 2014

Also a dose of phenergan might help.

bustysinclare · August 2014

What is phenergan though? Would I do that instead of the epideral?

Eyefrog · August 2014

just like in the transition part of labour where some women get the chills(my teeth chatter) or some vomit, some have reactions to the epidural like itching. I had that once or twice and got a dose of benedryl and it helped a lot. I would bring it up to your doctor prior and they may be able to do a bit different concoction or it may have been fluke with all that was happening with your body at the same time.

NatureLovers · August 2014

bustysinclare said:
What is phenergan though? Would I do that instead of the epideral?

You would get a dose of phenergan in addition to the epi, the phenergan would go in your IV. It's an anti nausea drug that also helps eliminate the itching feeling from the morphine in the epi. Benadryl would serve that purpose too.

shannjohnston · August 2014

I don't remember feeling tingly. I do remember feeling heaviness in my limbs, and eventual numbness, but then they backed it off and I had more mobility again.

LuckyPenny1231 · August 2014

They told me I might feel tingling or get itchy. Neither happened to me (at least not enough to remember it)

BackseatDriver · August 2014

My legs felt wobbly when I tried to transfer from the bed to my wheelchair when I was moving to the recovery room. It didn't last too long and it wasn't very bothersome because I was in bed anyway. I could feel my legs and move them just fine. I know there are different "cocktails" that are used so perhaps mention the concerns and symptoms to the anesthesiologist. Maybe they will be able to try something different.

BackseatDriver · August 2014

You can get an epidural with no narcotics at all, but I would talk to the nurse anesthetist or anesthesiologist about he pros and cons.

ETA Based on my notes I think my epi had fentanyl which I believe has less itching as a side effect generally

longcat07 · August 2014

i didn't get a tingly/skin crawly feeling when i had the intrathecal, but my face (mostly cheeks and chin) and hands itched like mad starting a few hours after. it's the morphine. i had the same thing both times i was in the hospital on a morphine drip. benedryl took the edge off but didn't really stop it.

NatureLovers · August 2014

Odd, when I was getting IM shots of morphine with phenergan, my OB said it was to help reduce itchiness.

stayhealthy · August 2014

I had an epidural after 17 hours in labor with #1. I believe it slowed down the labor and I still felt a numb pain in my hips the whole time with it. I was unable to walk to the recovery room because I pushed the button too many times and had to pee in a basin with a nurse holding me up. (6lb9oz baby, 21 hr labor)

With #2 I really didn't want one. My labor came on so fast. I got to the hospital and was already at 7cm so they couldn't give me the epidural (even though by then I wanted it so bad because it's so painful) and I was having back labor so it was worse. (9lb4oz baby - no epidural, 5 hour labor)

So, now that I'm doing it a 3rd time I will keep an open mind and hope for no meds again. Recovery was so much better without it. But that's what I'd recommend is for you to keep an open mind.

ellasmama18 · August 2014

Re: Vomiting, I got horribly nauseous the first time. The second time before they wheeled me down to the OR I told them I was NOT interested in feeling that way again. They gave me several different drugs and assured me no nausea and they were right. Seriously. NO reason to be barfing during labor or in surgery.

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