epidurals?

[NICCI]

as this is my first child i am keeping an open mind to all pain relief but 4 some reason i dont like the thought of an epidural!!

can anyone share experiances, does it hurt, what do u feel like after!!

 

[daftscotslass]

I was one of the 3% of so of people it didn't work for - he couldn't get the needle in. Even though it didn't work I also had the (rare) side effect of a spinal headache.

http://www.pregnancyforum.co.uk/forum/v ... hp?t=72993 for the full story.

As I said above, it's rare for that to happen but I know I won't be asking for one again!

 

[purple13]

mine was the opposite to daftscotslass - it worked brilliantly with no side effects.

i didn't feel the needle going in and i only needed 1 top up after 1/2 hour of the first dose.

i could move my legs throughout but had no pain at all. and the catheter wasn't uncomfortable or even as embarrassing as i'd expected.

i gave birth 5 hours after the 2nd epidural dose and was up out of bed less than an hour after that, albeit a bit wobbly on my feet. i gave birth at 4am and was home by 8pm.

i wouldn't have any qualms about having one again - i just wish i'd asked for it sooner!

 

[Sage]

um i have mixed feelings about epidurals. Mine was a nightmare but a relief at the same time. Id been in labour for about 50hrs and not getting past 4cm dilated. i just couldnt cope with the agonising contractions anymore and it was either the epi or a c-sec. The bad experience was they couldnt get the needle in. It didnt really hurt (nothing compaired to contractions) and i wasnt that bothered because i was so exhausted and totally off it on pethadine. Looking back now, in a sobber state i would of NEVER been able to handle it in a normal situation. When the needle goes in the wrong place its the weirdest sensation ever. It felt like an electric shock, my leg flung out and i got really bad pins and needles, this happened three times until they eventually found out my spine platlets are too close together so they needed to try it higher up. Its also annoying when you get a pushy midwife telling you to sit up straight and not move when your having the mother of all contractions and feel like your on a wobbly ship from the pethadine!

If it goes in fine then the sting would be worth it 100% lol i can remember moaning after id had it that it was uncomfortable to lie on and my back was sore. i dunno why i was moaning coz that was soooo much easier than the contractions.

would i have one again? not by choice depends how bad the contractions are. its something id personally decide on once im in labour and depending on how im coping and how much pethadine ive had!!!

 

[daftscotslass]

When the needle goes in the wrong place its the weirdest sensation ever. It felt like an electric shock, my leg flung out and i got really bad pins and needles

Wow, flashback! Exactly the same thing happened to me. I remember it vividly now because when my leg moved the anaesthetist said "keep still" and I said "that was completely involuntary!". Don't think I've ever used "involuntary" in a sentence in my entire life before that!

I think a lot of it depends on when you have the epidural - they kept persuading me out of it and it was completely impossible to stay totally still when contractions lasting 90 seconds are hitting you at intervals of less than a minute. So, if you decide you want an epidural, ask for it when you feel you need it and insist on it.

 

[badgergirl]

I didn't feel the needle going in, was distracted by my contractions!

I did, however, experience lots of shaking for 4 hours after the birth (but I went through 5 top ups and eventually a full spinal block) and my left leg was numb at the thigh for a few days afterwards.

 

[NICCI]

i really appreciate the replies ladies thank you, i feel better now if i have to have one then it seems clearer now that i will prob want one by that stage!!!!!!!!!

 

[Gem & Leland]

i didnt want one but was screaming for one , they did it , it briefly worked for 5 mins lol and fell out ! i had side effect of shaking legs which was horrible as it was uncontrolable , i didnt get the head ache tho but then it wasnt in long to even start working proper ! so i gave birth with no pain releif in the end

 

[LisaJ1986]

I didn't want one either. But an hour into the labour i was begging for one! Midwife kept saying "It's too late, she's coming!" 52mins later she was here!

 

[xkikix]

I had one after being totally against the idea (I was scared of the idea of a needle in the spine) but it was totally fine, the contractions hurt me more! But you are told to keep really still and its very hard to I was like hunched over hubby and he was keeping me still.

I ended up having full spinal block in the end cus of c section, and I had no after effect. I would have one again, the contractions felt painless which after 48 hours of labour is such a relief!

 

[poppy160]

Only worked on my left side, and completely numbed my legs. It was really awful. It was only after the epi that I was offered Gas and Air, from that point on everything was so calm. I'm NEVER having an Epi again.

 

[happy-chick]

I didnt feel a thing cos was having a contraction and sucking on gas and air at the time lol it was fine after though and i was lucky that it had worn off just enough to be able to feed that i was ready to push and what was happening yet no pain

I didnt like afterwards though as it took a long time for me to be able to walk and even then i felt very wobbly.

 

[Charlie:-)]

When the needle goes in the wrong place its the weirdest sensation ever. It felt like an electric shock, my leg flung out and i got really bad pins and needles

Wow, flashback! Exactly the same thing happened to me. I remember it vividly now because when my leg moved the anaesthetist said "keep still" and I said "that was completely involuntary!". Don't think I've ever used "involuntary" in a sentence in my entire life before that!

Wow same thing happened to me, electric shock and my leg flung out like when someone hits your knee on that certain point and your leg jumps!! Anesthetist went mad, shouting at me for moving. He tried again, I got hubby to hold my legs and the anesthetist hit an artery, 3rd time lucky and he got it in, but had to try a different place higher up my spine. I was ready for throwing in the towel after 2 failed attempts. I didn't have any side affects but I definitely wont be having another epi, was the most frightening experience of my life.

 

[bunnymom1980]

I had one 10 years ago. It worked fine, I didn't need a top up and I pushed Jacob out fine. But since then I've suffered with sciatica and lower back pain.

I would never have another one.

 

[Sage]

ah thanks charlie!! im glad im not the only one who had that!! i thought i might of imagined it from the pethidine. it was horrid thank god i was off my tits........

 

[Happybunny]

My epidural was fantastic. It didn't hurt going in and it was all set up within about 20 minutes.
It worked better on one side initially, but the guy played with it and then it did all of my abdomen - I couldn't feel any pain and I could feel and move my legs.
I was sat just chatting and laughing for the last four hours of labour, waiting to dilate fully.
I could move about on the bed and did my pushing on all fours. They lowered the dose so I could feel the urge to push, but when I needed a help from the ventouse in the end, they topped it back up - I couldn't feel a thing.
I have amazingly positive memories about my labour because of the epidural. I had no after effects and was up about an hour after. I would definately have one again.

 

[Teej]

I had said i wanted to avoid one but had it in the end as Sam was back to back and i wasn't progressing or coping too well. It was bloody magic, i could have hugged the anaesthetist if i wasn't so knackered! Hardly felt a thing, worked well and had no after effects, i was really lucky in that respect. (Ended up having an emergency section, but that was nothing to do with the epidural, was much easier having it already in place though)

 

[hayley]

I'd rather have an epi than pethadine. I had my epi because after 2 days after ebing inducted i was still only 1cm.. i'd had a sweep, 2 pesaries, the max drip, they managed to break my water too,,, but nothing was going to work! it was difficult to put in but mean't afterwards i could just relax. I ended up having a c section anyway. Didn't hurt going in althou i had terrible shakes and had to keep dead still which was hard. Took about half an hour to get in... even thou your numb from under chest down you still get a dead bum from sitting... but can't move to ease it!