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Epidural complications?

eliseandbabyeliseandbaby member
in Babies: 3 - 6 Months
Hi moms, I am due next week and thinking I Want to get an epidural but people keep telling me that it can go so bad (spinal headaches, high fever, blood pressure) but I'm wondering for those ego had epidurals done what was your experience like? Thanks :)
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Re: Epidural complications?

  • SmrBrd2012SmrBrd2012 member
    I don't know if I would've have gotten through my son's birth without an epidural since I had horrible back labor and was going on no sleep for the 3 days prior. These complications are fairly rare. My only complication is that I still have back pain (7 months later) where the epi was inserted. It only hurts if I push on that area though. I've heard that this goes away eventually.
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  • Mack2342Mack2342 member
    I didn't have any complications with epidural. I'm 16 weeks pp and not experiencing any side effects.
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  • BigboobsmcgeeBigboobsmcgee member
    I had an epidural with my first kid and it was great. No lasting side effects or complications. Try not to listen to all of the bad stories people tell you. There's a chance something will go wrong with everything relating to birth so don't take too much of it to heart.
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  • nininou19nininou19 member
    I will not be reassuring here but I wish I did not have one. They punctured my dura and I had a spinal headache. They performed a blood patch three days after because I was not able to take care of my baby due to crippling headaches. I failed to breastfeed because I could not get up. I suffered head pressure after that for three months. Nausea and vomiting and dizziness for a month after birth. Now it is 4months post partum and I am finally better. I still have pain at the injection site. I still have mild head pressure from time to time.

    I am so sorry to be telling you this but it does happen. And it happened to me. I never thought it would but it did. And I would have chosen the pain of the contractions a milion times compared to what I endured afterwards. I am even scared to have another baby and if it happens and someone even utters the word epidural I will get very mad. Anyways think about it a lot because as any medical intervention it can go wrong and when it does it is not pretty. I wish someone would have told me so I am telling you. Also please know that it is a rare complication (1 out of 200 epi) so many of them actually go very well.
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  • SmrBrd2012SmrBrd2012 member
    nininou19 said:

    I will not be reassuring here but I wish I did not have one. They punctured my dura and I had a spinal headache. They performed a blood patch three days after because I was not able to take care of my baby due to crippling headaches. I failed to breastfeed because I could not get up. I suffered head pressure after that for three months. Nausea and vomiting and dizziness for a month after birth. Now it is 4months post partum and I am finally better. I still have pain at the injection site. I still have mild head pressure from time to time.

    I am so sorry to be telling you this but it does happen. And it happened to me. I never thought it would but it did. And I would have chosen the pain of the contractions a milion times compared to what I endured afterwards. I am even scared to have another baby and if it happens and someone even utters the word epidural I will get very mad. Anyways think about it a lot because as any medical intervention it can go wrong and when it does it is not pretty. I wish someone would have told me so I am telling you. Also please know that it is a rare complication (1 out of 200 epi) so many of them actually go very well.

    I just want to say I'm so sorry! That sounds horrible. I can't imagine having to deal with that, along with generally postpartum symptoms as well as caring for your new baby. Glad you are feeling better.
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  • valerie1132valerie1132 member
    I had an epidural that was one-sided. So my left side was completely good and numb, and I could feel everything (!!!!!) on my right. The anesthesiologist manipulated the catheter and it was still one-sided, so he had to take it out and do a second one.

    First of all, yes it totally sucked. But it does happen. The worst part was actually just waiting for him to come back to redo it. I had no lasting issues except that it took longer for it to wear off on the left. Second, I ended up needing an emergency c-section in the end so I would have had anesthetic regardless.

    Would I have an epidural again, hell yes! I was so scared of getting one, and when he finally arrived I was like, "please! Stick anything you need to into my spine!!!!" As the poor woman with headaches said, there are definitely complication risks, but those who have no problems are the norm. And you are in a hospital with folks whose job it is to take care of those complications when they do arise. I'll tell you, anyone who can get through labor without one is a freaking hero in my book!
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  • mrsb30mrsb30 member
    The only complication I had with my epi was it took three tries to get one to work. Like the pp only one side for numb for me on the first two tries. I have a bulging disc in my back so they think that is why. I didn't have any pain in the injection sight or lasting side effects. Once it worked it was amazing and I would do it over in a heartbeat. It was scary at the time because I was afraid of if it didn't work the 3rd time and was induced and going on 40 hours into my induction, I was ready to not be in pain anymore. My delivery was amazing with the epi. I didn't feel any pain at all, but I felt pressure during contractions that helped me to push and I only pushed for 15 min. Good luck!
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  • PaisleyCPaisleyC member
    My epi went great. A warmth washed over my lower body and no more pain. Until it came time to push, then I felt the pressure VERY well. I had no side effects and though I had some back soreness the following days, it was more the workout of pushing for 2 hours than the injection site. I actually hope to go longer or without one at all next time though. It slowed down my progress a bit and staying in that position for so long was really uncomfortable and frustrating!
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  • NurseRiegerNurseRieger member
    I had my son on a very busy understaffed hospital day and I got there at 0640 and finally got an epidural at 1300. Immediately after the nurse checked my cervix and I was 9cm dilated. It was the most intense pain imaginable and at that time I didn't care about any potential side effects or complications. Our only problem was my son being so groggy for the 1st 2 days but I actually should not have had it done so late. It made breastfeeding more of a challenge because he couldn't latch and I had to pump and drop in the colostrum and he had lazy latch and I almost gave up after a week but he did figure it out. Complications are rare and I would do it again personally. Don't worry about blood pressure dropping because the anesthesiologist can fix that quickly. The nurse will give a bag of IV fluids before to keep up the pressure.
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  • nininou19nininou19 member
    SmrBrd2012 said:

    nininou19 said:



    I just want to say I'm so sorry! That sounds horrible. I can't imagine having to deal with that, along with generally postpartum symptoms as well as caring for your new baby. Glad you are feeling better.

    Thanks I am feeling better but it was very hard and depressing because my baby boy needed me and I was not here for him. I couldn't. But I am trying to look at the future now because I am a little better however those precious moments that I missed I will never get them back :( .
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  • delujm0delujm0 member
    The chance if complications from epidural is relatively low. I had one and it was the best thing ever. I had horrible back labor for nearly 7 hours before I was admitted and could get it (at 6cm). I was able to nap afterwards. I felt nothing until I was about 9cm, and then I felt pressure when contractions started but no pain...which was perfect bc I knew when to push. I walked myself to the bathroom less than 2 hours after the birth. I wanted to be my anesthesiologist's best friend.

    I do know a woman who had a bad spinal headache that required two procedures to correct it...and she still says if she had another kid she'd get an epidural. I went into it figuring if I could handle it I'd skip it but I wouldn't feel bad if I wanted one. I wound up wanting one at least 2 hours before I was able to get it. Do what you have to do to get through labor and be present for your baby once it is born.
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  • momma2charmomma2char member
    edited January 2016
    I'm 13 weeks PP and when I was pregnant I swore I would never get an epidural (because I'm terrified of needles- typically even pass out when I get blood work or shots!). 8 hours into having heavy back labor and no other pain option working for me, and at only 3cm dilated, I was begging for the epidural. I had to wait another hour before I was at 4cm and I got the epidural. I could only feel a stinging feeling when getting the freezing (hurt less than getting blood work) and couldn't feel the epidural go in at all. Once I had it, the pain was completely gone within about 15 minutes, but could even tell there was way less pain within like 2 minutes. Once I had the epidural at 4cm dilation, I progressed to 10cm within just a couple of hours so I think the relaxation from having it really helped progress my labor.. Whereas having the pain stalled it. You just feel the pressure when the baby is coming down with contractions! My husband and I also got to have a good sleep, and I was able to emotionally and mentally prepare to bring my sweet little girl into the world. I did feel tearing and the crowning when baby was on her way out but it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be- the nurses were surprised that I was smiling while I was pushing her out :P as for complications- absolutely nothing!! Even the day of and days after, not even a bit of back pain :) I think the relaxation through labor allowed me to have a really positive birth experience. I did have swelling in my feet but that went down within about 2 weeks after delivery
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  • Bailey1823ABailey1823A member
    nininou19 said:

    I will not be reassuring here but I wish I did not have one. They punctured my dura and I had a spinal headache. They performed a blood patch three days after because I was not able to take care of my baby due to crippling headaches Also please know that it is a rare complication (1 out of 200 epi) so many of them actually go very well.

    I'm a l&d RN and this stat is a little misleading. It's more like 1/1000 epidural can lead to a spinal headache. Also I have been a l&d RN for over 4 years and I have helped in over 1500 deliveres (probably closer to 2000) and I know of 1 patient of my own that had one. The risk is much lower if you sit perfectly still during placement.
    NurseRieger said:

    I had my son on a very busy understaffed hospital day and I got there at 0640 and finally got an epidural at 1300. Immediately after the nurse checked my cervix and I was 9cm dilated. It was the most intense pain imaginable and at that time I didn't care about any potential side effects or complications. Our only problem was my son being so groggy for the 1st 2 days but I actually should not have had it done so late. It made breastfeeding more of a challenge because he couldn't latch and I had to pump and drop in the colostrum and he had lazy latch and I almost gave up after a week but he did figure it out. Complications are rare and I would do it again personally. Don't worry about blood pressure dropping because the anesthesiologist can fix that quickly. The nurse will give a bag of IV fluids before to keep up the pressure.


    Also just an FYI the medication in the epidural does not cross through the placenta so it does not cause grogginess on the newborn contrary to some belief. And it does not matter how dilated you are when you get it there are very few risks to the baby. The only time it really affects baby is if your blood pressure drops which is a common side effect and the baby may drop his or her heart rate until this is fixed with medication. Other wise it really does not directly go to the baby at all the way other medications that cross through the placenta.
    As far at the fever goes: if you have one in place for a really long time you can develop a fever but this is not the norm either. Good luck and you can always pm me with any extra questions.
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  • nininou19nininou19 member
    I am just quoting 1 out of 200 because that is what they told me at the hospital.aube it was their own statistic I have no idea. And I did sit still but they had to poke me twice and the first time I heard the doc say "it is not right." Guess it wasn't
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  • BabyWishingBabyWishing member
    I didn't have much luck with my epi. It worked for a few hours and then stopped. When they tried to do it again I couldn't move from the shoulder down. It then completely wore off by the time I had to push so I felt everything! I kind of wish I had not gotten one so that I would have been able to move around during the contractions to deal with the pain. Hurting and not being able to move was not fun.
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  • trishee13trishee13 member
    I went in knowing I wanted an epidural and I got it very early and I had the smoothest most pain free delivery. My anesthesiologist did an amazing amazing job and I seriously think my labor went so well because of her.

    That being said, when I got my epidural, my BP plummeted and I passed out briefly. Apparently this is relatively common (I didn't know?) but they called her back up and she adjusted it and I was fine. And even with that happening I would do the same thing again. Good luck!
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