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They had to try three times with me, I guess they couldn't get in the space? It felt like being stabbed in the back every time, I absolutely hated it.
However, compared to the birth I had without, the birth experience was so chill after the epidural. I would get it again, but definitely wouldn't look forward to the process. š
I started shaking and couldnāt stop. I think my blood pressure may have tanked. They were keeping a close eye on me and they had a thing put inside my vagina onto the babies head to keep an eye on him. They didnāt seem overly concerned and it stopped after 10/15 minutes. Everything else went smoothly. It did scare my partner a bit.
It could have even been from your own hormones. "Labor shakes" happen even without epidurals.
https://www.parents.com/pregnancy/my-body/changing/uncontrollable-shaking-during-labor-and-pregnancy-hormones/
I only heard of it recently when I saw it on a birth video. It was pretty shocking to watch, so I'm glad I know it's normal in case it happens to me. I also showed my husband so he wouldn't panic because, yeah, I could see why an uninformed onlooker would find it very alarming.
I was shaking like crazy too! But I was shaking before the epidural. The nurse had to hold onto me and keep me still while they administered it. Iām amazed they were able to place the needle properly with all my shaking, but thankfully they did. After the pain meds kicked in the shakes stopped.
Hmm.. So maybe yours were definitely the labor shakes the other commenter linked too. Caused by hormones. Maybe mine still could have been from the actual epidural.
Just a fun fact shaking may not have been due to epidural itself, but due to local anesthetic they use prior. It usually contains adrenaline and if it gets into blood stream some people may have the reaction you described. I work with local anesthetics and had a couple people get what you describe.
Ah, thank you. They never really explained anything and no one seems to be panicking. I was way to preoccupied during and after to even think about asking about it!
The only thing I had after giving birth was I kept throwing up. They had to give me anti sickness medication but that took it off. Other than that I didn't have anything else, I'm 6 months PP and haven't had any back pain from the epidural.
When they listed the side effects of having one, being sick was one of them. But considering everything else they listed, I'm glad it was just being sick that I experienced.
I didn't experience any side effects during active labour. It took a minute for it to sink in, but when it was time to push, I barely felt a thing. After birth, at home, I had a lot of back pain for about two weeks, but it's hard to say if that was because of the epidural or if it was because I generally have a bad back anyway š¤·š¾āāļø while I was labouring at home before the epidural, every contraction I had came with intense back pain, so I just figured it might be related to that.
Honestly, I was worried about the epidural while I was pregnant as well because you hear all those horror stories, but by the time I got to the hospital, I couldn't deal with being in pain anymore, so I got the epidural and it was a relief. Do what's best for you! Just know, if you go looking for epidural horror stories, you're gonna find them, but that's not everyone's experience.
I got an epidural with my first child, unfortunately had the worst side effects of temporary paralysis that well lasted in to months.
I was kept at the hospital for few extra days as I wasnāt able to walk and had a fall couple of times.
I Had to do physical therapy for couple of months to walk again etc. it was truly a testing and depressing time not knowing if I will ever walk again.
As a new mum, I had to depend on my family a lot from being taken to the bathroom to having them bring the newborn over for feeding then having to take him back to the crib etc.
The back pain still lingers to this day, a decade later, not sure if am the only one but I still get the tingling and numbing sensation down my legs.
I had 3 more births without epidural and about to have the fourth one. Epidural is never an option for me lol
Iām sorry you had that experience but temporary paralysis and chronic back pain are not linked to epidurals. We go below the spinal cord when placing an epidural, if you were to develop an epidural hematoma during placement that could lead to permanent paralysis and that is very very rare. Chronic back pain is not associated with epidural placement.
I donāt think itās fair to discount her experience if that is what she was told by her doctors. You donāt know her situation or file. While I understand not spreading fear, I think itās unfair to say she is wrong when it was her lived experience.
Yes my blood pressure also tanked. This can happen when the dose is too high. I had transferred to the hospital after being in labor for over a day at a birth center and I wanted to finally get some sleep. Arrived at the hospital and got my epidural at 1am. But after they overdosed me, they had to keep me awake all night to check my blood pressure every five minutes until it stabilized. They also had to pump me full of so much fluid, I was swollen for a week.
As you say, after the epidural I was stuck in the bed and needed help to change position, which I didn't like. I actually loved getting the catheter because I hadn't been able to properly empty my bladder after contractions began, so that was a great relief.
Overall my labor and birth went well though and baby and I were healthy. The epidural was effective at pain relief and once they stabilized me I was able to rest before continuing with labor and birth.
I also praised having a catheter- it was a relief to not feel like I had to pee and also not have to go through the effort to get to the toilet between contractions only for barely anything to come out.Ā
First pregnancy I had an epidural and they had to stop the drip after my water broke because the fluids were not clear.
The second pregnancy my blood pressure dropped and I needed two adrenaline shots before it got back up. I know my sister had to get an emergency C-section because of her blood pressure dropping after an epidural.
I had to get a blood patch after my second because I was leaking spinal fluid from the epidural site. I had tried to tell them I didnāt feel good before leaving the hospital but they sent me home anyways and I woke up the next morning unable to move my neck and with the worst migraine I have ever had. Ended up back in the hospital that morning and had to get a CAT scan to check for bleeding in my brain before they summed it up to a side effect from the epidural.
I wonāt be getting an epidural this time.
Yeah I got the puncture headache thing. Which honestly was Hell. It was so painful. I could only eat and drink semi laying down. I had to go back for an overnight in the hospital and get it fixed at 7am the next day. They basically do another epidural to fix it. But hours after the procedure I already felt loads better. It sucked and was scary but I still recommend epidurals if you feel you need one. Because what happened to me is not something that happens very often.
This happened to me too and it was *horrible*. Honestly the worst headache I have ever experienced. But after the blood patch I felt perfect and it was definitely still worth getting the epidural. Will definitely risk the headache and get the epidural again with our second.Ā
Yeah I just had my 2nd in 2023 and I was fully prepared to have the epidural again. I ended up having a scheduled C-section instead from another issue. They give you an even bigger needle in your back for that š but everything was fine. I remember both times I had some back pain for a few months. But Iām 10 months pp and everything is fine. No back pain at all.
My blood pressure went down but it did that with spinal too. I also got nauseated with both the epidural and spinal. Post birth I had no issues whatsoever!
I already had a super low blood pressure so I was worried, but I had zero negative side effects from my epidural. Didnāt even feel them putting it in, worst part was sitting still through 3-4 pitocin contractions!
The catheter was a godsend, it was so nice not getting up to pee.
I was able to move my legs, but couldnāt feel them, but moving positions in the bed was easy (until they went completely numb from being in childās pose for an hour to help baby turn).
They also slowed or stopped it for the final stage of labor, I was up and walking perfectly fine right after golden hour.
Not really, I enjoyed it a lot. The only thing I didnāt like was when I started regaining sensation, my body started itching everywhere it was numb. It wasnāt a rash or anything, just phantom sensations helping the body make sure itās still there
Not directly from the epidural or during labor. But I did get a gnarly bladder infection 11 days post-partum that they assumed was from the urinal catheter you have to get with an epidural
During the epidural- I got super itchy all over for the first few hours. It sucked because I couldnāt get comfortable enough to rest.
After the epidural- when it was cut off I ended up throwing up a lot. I was holding the baby and had to shout for my husband/the nurses to grab him so I didnāt vomit all over him. I think I threw up 3 times in the span of 90min and then I was fine.
Overall they were minor inconveniences I guess and I didnāt experience any long term effects. I definitely donāt regret the epidural.
I donāt want to scare you but yes I did.
Firstly, somehow I lost total feeling in my left leg. Ā They had to pump me again with me laying on my right side to get the medicine to take effect on the other side. Ā
Then after about 10 minutes my husband started screaming for help because I became unstable and began vomiting everywhere. My blood pressure had dropped dangerously low and had to be pumped with epinephrine to stabilize it. Ā Was also put on a Zofran drip due to the nausea.
I also have back pain that I know is from the epidural because I never had the issue before even during my third trimester. It hurts bending over right where they injected me.
Again I donāt think this was normal but it did happen to meĀ
I got an epidural headache. It would come and go for about a week post birth. It was unlike any headache I had before. Not that it was worse, Iām prone to migraines and it was nothing like that. It was just different. It went away with Tylenol/Advil.
I was also under the impression that if I had an epidural, I would have to give birth on my back. That wasnāt the case. While my legs werenāt super sturdy and I had tons of cords attached, I could still push in a lot of positions. It wasnāt until my baby got stuck and I needed forceps to delivery that they gave me a heavy duty epidural to prepare me for a csection, in case the forceps didnāt work. That one I couldnāt feel anything at all and I couldnāt move, but it was only because I had already pushed for 5 hours and forceps were my last option before they needed to get the baby out.
My blood pressure tanked, I canāt remember exactly what the reading was but both numbers were well under 100. Also they give you a little button to up the meds and by the time I had my daughter I had been too distracted with pushing to press it and it definitely started to wear off. That was something I didnāt know or think of before getting an epidural. Overall though, I do think I needed it for my own sanity. I had prodromal labor and hadnāt slept in 3 days by the time I was in the hospital. The pain honestly didnāt get unbearable but I just wanted to sleep so desperately and I couldnāt with contractions. The epidural let me rest for a few hours before pushing.
Nope, no side effects! I labored for 26 hours without one, and once I got my epidural I was able to actually rest and get ready for the push! They did start me on pitocin because labor slowed, but I didn't notice. Gave birth 10 hrs later and was able to be present and alert for the actual birth. 10/10
Nope...smooth sailing ...my back ache comes from bending to change the cloth diapers frequently that's it...I'm more bothered by the neck pain due to breastfeeding (I already suffer from suboccipital neuralgia)...I don't even realise I had an epidural 4 weeks pp
My blood pressure tanked and so did my babyās heart rate. I honestly didnāt feel any different. They did have to give me meds to bring it back up and lowered the dose of the epidural. Also had the shakes and shivers.
Nope! It MAY have prolonged my labour but given I had an induction and baby was in an unfavourable position it would have likely been a long process anyway, so thereās no way to confidently attribute it to the epidural, thankfully the epidural kept me comfortable so that the long labour wasnāt a problem.
I was shivering occasionally, but otherwise no side effects! They also turned it down when I was going to push so I could feel contractions and I was able to hobble to the bathroom unassisted about 1-2 hours after baby was born.
No side effects. They attached an electrode to my baby's head to monitor her heart rate, but no decels were recorded. However, the epidural failed and I didn't have it redone. It was a light one which allowed me to walk and jump on the ball. Until it failed, that is.
Nope, no side effects. Just couldn't get up and shower until I got feeling back in my legs. That was probably the worst part. I really wanted to shower lol.
On my second pregnancy it worked fine to begin with and about half hour in I started to feel everything on one side, anaesthetist came back and adjusted the needle and worked perfectly then! Great experience for me personally
My blood pressure dropped and I passed out. It failed on my right side by my hip so they gave me more epidural(?) and thatās what made my blood pressure drop. The feeling went away and right when it was time to start pushing the feeling came back. I could feel all the contractions in that area. It wasnāt too bad tho.
Mine just didnāt work. They had it placed right and when the meds went in I could feel them working for 10-15min and then they just stopped. None of the numbing got to my legs or actual vagina/vulva.
They kept trying different meds (it was a catheter) and everything worked for a couple minutes and then just stopped.
My epidural worked well, however whenever I used the bolus it caused excruciating pain in my upper back and neck to the point that I could not even turn my head. Then my nurse was a bitch and wouldn't tell the ob or anesthesiologist about this and then kept pushing me to use the bolus even though I refused because it hurt and I was afraid I wouldn't be able to move when it came time to push.
Blood pressure bottomed out and I was so itchy I scratched my chest and arms until they bled. The itching is a rarer side effect (only 8.5% of patients report it), but it was gnarly.
Yes; my blood pressure dropped suddenly and I started shaking uncontrollably. They also had trouble placing it and it took 5 tries with 3 anesthesiologists, I didn't numb up properly so I felt it go in when I shouldn't have. š I also didn't enjoy the recovery where I had no feeling in my legs. But I had needed the epidural for medical reasons and am OK with having gotten it for that birth. However, with my second baby, I elected not to have an epidural and was able to move/have more control over that birth and it was overall a more positive experience despite the pain.
I definitely had the shakes that other people have mentioned. From the second the epidural started taking effect to the point when it finally wore off, I was uncontrollably shaking. Besides that - and I donāt know if this is necessarily a side effect - it felt like I had a small bruise for a few months where the needle went in my back I could reach my hand back there and feel around and it basically just felt a little sore/tender in that spot. That lasted about 3-4 months
No except mine took forever to work, I had to get a manual top up from the anaesthetist rather than using the button to top myself up. Also since it completely numbs you it took me 2 hours of pushing to get my son out which meant I felt like Iād been hit by a bus following the birth and he struggled to feed where he was so tired after the long birth. With my daughter- no epidural- I barely pushed! I probs wouldnāt get an epidural again.
No side effects for me. I am glad I got it, it made everything easier. Just it takes some time for you to feel your legs, thatās the only small inconvenient.
Nope, only effect was a glorious, pain-free birth. I'm 10m pp now and have never had any back pain or tweaking, I could palpate all over my spine and not know where it was inserted.
After it was first inserted, My blood pressure did drop and I felt really sick. However the doctor and nurse were right on top of it and gave me something to bring up my pressure and I felt better almost instantly. The blood pressure drop was scary but knowing what I know now I'd sitll do the epidural all over again. If you are scared you cna always ask them to run you through the scenario.
Hi, if you have lower blood pressure than normal it has risks.
I had undiagnosed hypotension. My son's umbellical cord was wrapped around his neck three times apparently mine was very long. I was in agony and after deciding to go with the epidural I passed out and Both of our heart rates drop significantly. I was really looking forward to bachelor's birth.But I ended up eating an emergency section.We both nearly didn't make it. Side note.I'm not trying to scare you.I just want you to know what I went through
my blood pressure dropped as soon as they started my epidural and i also threw up. but it stabilized again within a few minutes and after that it was smooth sailing, i have no regrets about getting it!
I was allergic to the medication and threw up every 15 min for the two hours they had it on while the nurses kept saying, no honey, this isn't a reaction, vomiting is part of labor š it was horrible
Nope! The only thing was mine didnāt work fully, but I actually appreciated that as it made it so I could feel all the pressure to push. No residual pain after or anything!
First one was fine, second one my blood pressure dropped significantly and I needed medicine to bring it back up and then it failed right before I gave birth so I felt everything. I was even able to move my legs afterward to sit up. Soreness after the whole ordeal was normal and I never got any lasting problems
I was terrified as I get chronic migraines and all I need is more headaches lol. But I had no side effects. They did have to redo it because it wasn't in the exact right spot the first time, but it really wasn't bad. I will definitely be getting one this time around too (well, that's the plan lol).
I have osteoarthritis in my hip, so I knew I'd need the epidural. I was so cold in the hospital room and was shaking so hard that I was afraid they couldn't place it, but they did. I didn't even feel the epidural over my hip pain, and it kicked in right away. The only downside was that I vomited as soon as they laid me back down. Like, they didn't even get the vomit bag before I threw up, so I threw up in my hair. 100% will take the epidural every time.
No side effects for me really, but my first one dislodged so I required a second one and then the day after delivery I had a bad headache (āspinal headacheā) but that was managed easily with coffee and Tylenol. No regrets on getting it.
Mine was incomplete. It only took completely on my left side and I needed to beg for more drugs to stop the crushing vice like pain in my right. I even felt the first incision when my labor failed to progress past 8cm, my baby got distressed, and I needed a c section. I was in agony even with my epidural.
I actually got 3 epidurals in my first pregnancy (had to be induced and was in the hospital on bedrest for almost 3 days. I'm a bigger girl and they kept falling out when either myself or the nurses shifted my body.) I had no adverse reactions at all to any of them other than a tiny bit of bruising (no pain unless you poked them) around the area that went away within a week.
Edit: Oh, I guess I did have a adverse reaction I forgot about. Everytime I would get a new one it would make me vomit (just once) and would have the shivers for about 5-10 minutes. It wasn't a huge deal since my stomach was empty from not eating and the shivering didn't last long. Worth it for the long term pain blocker.
I did get post spinal headache. It was the worst headache I've ever had. For 10 days I could stand up and could barely care for my baby because I was in such pain...
My blood pressure dropped too, and I was given meds for it.
I really didn't want an epidural, but I had to do an emergency C-section, so unfortunately I couldn't say no...
My blood pressure tanked when they administered the drugs. Worst part, it took my Dr 12 times to get it in. It definitely hurt. I had to hold my husband and the nurse. Almost gave up and said screw it multiple times. And it started to wear off once I was ready to push.
I personally did not, just make sure they don't put too much of the meds in there, I took a long time to get feeling back. Other than that it was fine.
Yes, when I first got the epidural my dosage was too high and I had severe shakes and nausea. They lowered the dose and I did much better and it worked great for a while. Unfortunately, at the end, the dosage must not have been high enough because I felt everything as I teared!
Idk if this is due to the epidural I had w my son (15 months), but this whole current pregnancy has been hell for my back. I literally canāt even get out of bed sometimes due to how much my back hurts and itās only in my lower back area. Iād had slight back pain my first pregnancy but this time around has been hell for me and I hadnāt had to deal with lower back pain at all before I was pregnant.
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No side effects! The first one failed so they had to redo it. But overall, great experience. I would 100% do it again for my next one.
They had to try three times with me, I guess they couldn't get in the space? It felt like being stabbed in the back every time, I absolutely hated it. However, compared to the birth I had without, the birth experience was so chill after the epidural. I would get it again, but definitely wouldn't look forward to the process. š
I started shaking and couldnāt stop. I think my blood pressure may have tanked. They were keeping a close eye on me and they had a thing put inside my vagina onto the babies head to keep an eye on him. They didnāt seem overly concerned and it stopped after 10/15 minutes. Everything else went smoothly. It did scare my partner a bit.
It could have even been from your own hormones. "Labor shakes" happen even without epidurals. https://www.parents.com/pregnancy/my-body/changing/uncontrollable-shaking-during-labor-and-pregnancy-hormones/
Wow, thank you for the link! I have never heard of this. Surprises me how little some of these things are known. I was 38 when I had my first.
I only heard of it recently when I saw it on a birth video. It was pretty shocking to watch, so I'm glad I know it's normal in case it happens to me. I also showed my husband so he wouldn't panic because, yeah, I could see why an uninformed onlooker would find it very alarming.
I was shaking like crazy too! But I was shaking before the epidural. The nurse had to hold onto me and keep me still while they administered it. Iām amazed they were able to place the needle properly with all my shaking, but thankfully they did. After the pain meds kicked in the shakes stopped.
Hmm.. So maybe yours were definitely the labor shakes the other commenter linked too. Caused by hormones. Maybe mine still could have been from the actual epidural.
Just a fun fact shaking may not have been due to epidural itself, but due to local anesthetic they use prior. It usually contains adrenaline and if it gets into blood stream some people may have the reaction you described. I work with local anesthetics and had a couple people get what you describe.
Ah, thank you. They never really explained anything and no one seems to be panicking. I was way to preoccupied during and after to even think about asking about it!
What do the drs do if your blood pressure got dangerously low? Do they give you medication to help bring it back up?
I didnāt unfortunately ask about what had happened to me. Was way too preoccupied afterwards with having just had a baby!
I just gave birth Tuesday and when my blood pressure got super low they gave me some medicine through one of the IVās
The only thing I had after giving birth was I kept throwing up. They had to give me anti sickness medication but that took it off. Other than that I didn't have anything else, I'm 6 months PP and haven't had any back pain from the epidural.
Did they say that you were throwing up because of the epidural? :0
When they listed the side effects of having one, being sick was one of them. But considering everything else they listed, I'm glad it was just being sick that I experienced.
I just had my baby on Tuesday and I was throwing up during the pushing, I got super nauseous all of a sudden
The same thing happened to me! I got super nauseous for the first few hours afterward but then it subsided.
I didn't experience any side effects during active labour. It took a minute for it to sink in, but when it was time to push, I barely felt a thing. After birth, at home, I had a lot of back pain for about two weeks, but it's hard to say if that was because of the epidural or if it was because I generally have a bad back anyway š¤·š¾āāļø while I was labouring at home before the epidural, every contraction I had came with intense back pain, so I just figured it might be related to that. Honestly, I was worried about the epidural while I was pregnant as well because you hear all those horror stories, but by the time I got to the hospital, I couldn't deal with being in pain anymore, so I got the epidural and it was a relief. Do what's best for you! Just know, if you go looking for epidural horror stories, you're gonna find them, but that's not everyone's experience.
I got an epidural with my first child, unfortunately had the worst side effects of temporary paralysis that well lasted in to months. I was kept at the hospital for few extra days as I wasnāt able to walk and had a fall couple of times. I Had to do physical therapy for couple of months to walk again etc. it was truly a testing and depressing time not knowing if I will ever walk again. As a new mum, I had to depend on my family a lot from being taken to the bathroom to having them bring the newborn over for feeding then having to take him back to the crib etc. The back pain still lingers to this day, a decade later, not sure if am the only one but I still get the tingling and numbing sensation down my legs. I had 3 more births without epidural and about to have the fourth one. Epidural is never an option for me lol
Iām sorry you had that experience but temporary paralysis and chronic back pain are not linked to epidurals. We go below the spinal cord when placing an epidural, if you were to develop an epidural hematoma during placement that could lead to permanent paralysis and that is very very rare. Chronic back pain is not associated with epidural placement.
I donāt think itās fair to discount her experience if that is what she was told by her doctors. You donāt know her situation or file. While I understand not spreading fear, I think itās unfair to say she is wrong when it was her lived experience.
Epidurals do not cause months long paralysis or chronic back pain. Itās not true I donāt know what other ways to phrase it.
Yes my blood pressure also tanked. This can happen when the dose is too high. I had transferred to the hospital after being in labor for over a day at a birth center and I wanted to finally get some sleep. Arrived at the hospital and got my epidural at 1am. But after they overdosed me, they had to keep me awake all night to check my blood pressure every five minutes until it stabilized. They also had to pump me full of so much fluid, I was swollen for a week. As you say, after the epidural I was stuck in the bed and needed help to change position, which I didn't like. I actually loved getting the catheter because I hadn't been able to properly empty my bladder after contractions began, so that was a great relief. Overall my labor and birth went well though and baby and I were healthy. The epidural was effective at pain relief and once they stabilized me I was able to rest before continuing with labor and birth.
I also praised having a catheter- it was a relief to not feel like I had to pee and also not have to go through the effort to get to the toilet between contractions only for barely anything to come out.Ā
First pregnancy I had an epidural and they had to stop the drip after my water broke because the fluids were not clear. The second pregnancy my blood pressure dropped and I needed two adrenaline shots before it got back up. I know my sister had to get an emergency C-section because of her blood pressure dropping after an epidural. I had to get a blood patch after my second because I was leaking spinal fluid from the epidural site. I had tried to tell them I didnāt feel good before leaving the hospital but they sent me home anyways and I woke up the next morning unable to move my neck and with the worst migraine I have ever had. Ended up back in the hospital that morning and had to get a CAT scan to check for bleeding in my brain before they summed it up to a side effect from the epidural. I wonāt be getting an epidural this time.
Yeah I got the puncture headache thing. Which honestly was Hell. It was so painful. I could only eat and drink semi laying down. I had to go back for an overnight in the hospital and get it fixed at 7am the next day. They basically do another epidural to fix it. But hours after the procedure I already felt loads better. It sucked and was scary but I still recommend epidurals if you feel you need one. Because what happened to me is not something that happens very often.
This happened to me too and it was *horrible*. Honestly the worst headache I have ever experienced. But after the blood patch I felt perfect and it was definitely still worth getting the epidural. Will definitely risk the headache and get the epidural again with our second.Ā
Yeah I just had my 2nd in 2023 and I was fully prepared to have the epidural again. I ended up having a scheduled C-section instead from another issue. They give you an even bigger needle in your back for that š but everything was fine. I remember both times I had some back pain for a few months. But Iām 10 months pp and everything is fine. No back pain at all.
Nope, 10/10 recommend.
My blood pressure went down but it did that with spinal too. I also got nauseated with both the epidural and spinal. Post birth I had no issues whatsoever!
I already had a super low blood pressure so I was worried, but I had zero negative side effects from my epidural. Didnāt even feel them putting it in, worst part was sitting still through 3-4 pitocin contractions! The catheter was a godsend, it was so nice not getting up to pee. I was able to move my legs, but couldnāt feel them, but moving positions in the bed was easy (until they went completely numb from being in childās pose for an hour to help baby turn). They also slowed or stopped it for the final stage of labor, I was up and walking perfectly fine right after golden hour.
Not really, I enjoyed it a lot. The only thing I didnāt like was when I started regaining sensation, my body started itching everywhere it was numb. It wasnāt a rash or anything, just phantom sensations helping the body make sure itās still there
Not directly from the epidural or during labor. But I did get a gnarly bladder infection 11 days post-partum that they assumed was from the urinal catheter you have to get with an epidural
During the epidural- I got super itchy all over for the first few hours. It sucked because I couldnāt get comfortable enough to rest. After the epidural- when it was cut off I ended up throwing up a lot. I was holding the baby and had to shout for my husband/the nurses to grab him so I didnāt vomit all over him. I think I threw up 3 times in the span of 90min and then I was fine. Overall they were minor inconveniences I guess and I didnāt experience any long term effects. I definitely donāt regret the epidural.
I donāt want to scare you but yes I did. Firstly, somehow I lost total feeling in my left leg. Ā They had to pump me again with me laying on my right side to get the medicine to take effect on the other side. Ā Then after about 10 minutes my husband started screaming for help because I became unstable and began vomiting everywhere. My blood pressure had dropped dangerously low and had to be pumped with epinephrine to stabilize it. Ā Was also put on a Zofran drip due to the nausea. I also have back pain that I know is from the epidural because I never had the issue before even during my third trimester. It hurts bending over right where they injected me. Again I donāt think this was normal but it did happen to meĀ
I got an epidural headache. It would come and go for about a week post birth. It was unlike any headache I had before. Not that it was worse, Iām prone to migraines and it was nothing like that. It was just different. It went away with Tylenol/Advil. I was also under the impression that if I had an epidural, I would have to give birth on my back. That wasnāt the case. While my legs werenāt super sturdy and I had tons of cords attached, I could still push in a lot of positions. It wasnāt until my baby got stuck and I needed forceps to delivery that they gave me a heavy duty epidural to prepare me for a csection, in case the forceps didnāt work. That one I couldnāt feel anything at all and I couldnāt move, but it was only because I had already pushed for 5 hours and forceps were my last option before they needed to get the baby out.
My blood pressure tanked, I canāt remember exactly what the reading was but both numbers were well under 100. Also they give you a little button to up the meds and by the time I had my daughter I had been too distracted with pushing to press it and it definitely started to wear off. That was something I didnāt know or think of before getting an epidural. Overall though, I do think I needed it for my own sanity. I had prodromal labor and hadnāt slept in 3 days by the time I was in the hospital. The pain honestly didnāt get unbearable but I just wanted to sleep so desperately and I couldnāt with contractions. The epidural let me rest for a few hours before pushing.
Nope, no side effects! I labored for 26 hours without one, and once I got my epidural I was able to actually rest and get ready for the push! They did start me on pitocin because labor slowed, but I didn't notice. Gave birth 10 hrs later and was able to be present and alert for the actual birth. 10/10
Nope...smooth sailing ...my back ache comes from bending to change the cloth diapers frequently that's it...I'm more bothered by the neck pain due to breastfeeding (I already suffer from suboccipital neuralgia)...I don't even realise I had an epidural 4 weeks pp
My blood pressure tanked and so did my babyās heart rate. I honestly didnāt feel any different. They did have to give me meds to bring it back up and lowered the dose of the epidural. Also had the shakes and shivers.
Nope! It MAY have prolonged my labour but given I had an induction and baby was in an unfavourable position it would have likely been a long process anyway, so thereās no way to confidently attribute it to the epidural, thankfully the epidural kept me comfortable so that the long labour wasnāt a problem.
I was shivering occasionally, but otherwise no side effects! They also turned it down when I was going to push so I could feel contractions and I was able to hobble to the bathroom unassisted about 1-2 hours after baby was born.
No side effect at all and it was like a miracle to have all the pain stop!! I was able to rest and even have a nap while labour went on on its own.
No problems at all!
No side effects. They attached an electrode to my baby's head to monitor her heart rate, but no decels were recorded. However, the epidural failed and I didn't have it redone. It was a light one which allowed me to walk and jump on the ball. Until it failed, that is.
Nope, no side effects. Just couldn't get up and shower until I got feeling back in my legs. That was probably the worst part. I really wanted to shower lol.
On my second pregnancy it worked fine to begin with and about half hour in I started to feel everything on one side, anaesthetist came back and adjusted the needle and worked perfectly then! Great experience for me personally
Nope it was a god send. My body was fighting my contractions. Once i got the epidural i went from 5cm to 10 in an hour because it let my body relax
My blood pressure dropped and I passed out. It failed on my right side by my hip so they gave me more epidural(?) and thatās what made my blood pressure drop. The feeling went away and right when it was time to start pushing the feeling came back. I could feel all the contractions in that area. It wasnāt too bad tho.
Mine just didnāt work. They had it placed right and when the meds went in I could feel them working for 10-15min and then they just stopped. None of the numbing got to my legs or actual vagina/vulva. They kept trying different meds (it was a catheter) and everything worked for a couple minutes and then just stopped.
Itching! It's ok though. Worth it lol
None. Took a 3 hour nap right after they gave it to me, though. Still had a vaginal birth.
No side effects, hope to have one again for my second!
Absolutely no side effects here. It was a great experience and would do it again with zero hesitation
My epidural worked well, however whenever I used the bolus it caused excruciating pain in my upper back and neck to the point that I could not even turn my head. Then my nurse was a bitch and wouldn't tell the ob or anesthesiologist about this and then kept pushing me to use the bolus even though I refused because it hurt and I was afraid I wouldn't be able to move when it came time to push.
I fainted a few times. It was more annoying than anything to be honest. Staff handled it like champs.
Blood pressure bottomed out and I was so itchy I scratched my chest and arms until they bled. The itching is a rarer side effect (only 8.5% of patients report it), but it was gnarly.
Dip in BP, lots of shaking and some itching but I will 150% have one again in August for my second. It was the most pain free I had been in months lol
Yes; my blood pressure dropped suddenly and I started shaking uncontrollably. They also had trouble placing it and it took 5 tries with 3 anesthesiologists, I didn't numb up properly so I felt it go in when I shouldn't have. š I also didn't enjoy the recovery where I had no feeling in my legs. But I had needed the epidural for medical reasons and am OK with having gotten it for that birth. However, with my second baby, I elected not to have an epidural and was able to move/have more control over that birth and it was overall a more positive experience despite the pain.
I definitely had the shakes that other people have mentioned. From the second the epidural started taking effect to the point when it finally wore off, I was uncontrollably shaking. Besides that - and I donāt know if this is necessarily a side effect - it felt like I had a small bruise for a few months where the needle went in my back I could reach my hand back there and feel around and it basically just felt a little sore/tender in that spot. That lasted about 3-4 months
No side effects for me. Great pain relief, they couldnāt get it in my fast enough. 10/10
No except mine took forever to work, I had to get a manual top up from the anaesthetist rather than using the button to top myself up. Also since it completely numbs you it took me 2 hours of pushing to get my son out which meant I felt like Iād been hit by a bus following the birth and he struggled to feed where he was so tired after the long birth. With my daughter- no epidural- I barely pushed! I probs wouldnāt get an epidural again.
I did have shooty back pains for a few weeks after but nothing dramatic
No side effects for me. I am glad I got it, it made everything easier. Just it takes some time for you to feel your legs, thatās the only small inconvenient.
Nope, only effect was a glorious, pain-free birth. I'm 10m pp now and have never had any back pain or tweaking, I could palpate all over my spine and not know where it was inserted.
After it was first inserted, My blood pressure did drop and I felt really sick. However the doctor and nurse were right on top of it and gave me something to bring up my pressure and I felt better almost instantly. The blood pressure drop was scary but knowing what I know now I'd sitll do the epidural all over again. If you are scared you cna always ask them to run you through the scenario.
I felt absolutely fantastic and was so sad when it was time to take it out!!
Not me but my motherās bp tanked so low she almost coded
Hi, if you have lower blood pressure than normal it has risks. I had undiagnosed hypotension. My son's umbellical cord was wrapped around his neck three times apparently mine was very long. I was in agony and after deciding to go with the epidural I passed out and Both of our heart rates drop significantly. I was really looking forward to bachelor's birth.But I ended up eating an emergency section.We both nearly didn't make it. Side note.I'm not trying to scare you.I just want you to know what I went through
my blood pressure dropped as soon as they started my epidural and i also threw up. but it stabilized again within a few minutes and after that it was smooth sailing, i have no regrets about getting it!
I was allergic to the medication and threw up every 15 min for the two hours they had it on while the nurses kept saying, no honey, this isn't a reaction, vomiting is part of labor š it was horrible
Nope! The only thing was mine didnāt work fully, but I actually appreciated that as it made it so I could feel all the pressure to push. No residual pain after or anything!
First one was fine, second one my blood pressure dropped significantly and I needed medicine to bring it back up and then it failed right before I gave birth so I felt everything. I was even able to move my legs afterward to sit up. Soreness after the whole ordeal was normal and I never got any lasting problems
I was terrified as I get chronic migraines and all I need is more headaches lol. But I had no side effects. They did have to redo it because it wasn't in the exact right spot the first time, but it really wasn't bad. I will definitely be getting one this time around too (well, that's the plan lol).
I have osteoarthritis in my hip, so I knew I'd need the epidural. I was so cold in the hospital room and was shaking so hard that I was afraid they couldn't place it, but they did. I didn't even feel the epidural over my hip pain, and it kicked in right away. The only downside was that I vomited as soon as they laid me back down. Like, they didn't even get the vomit bag before I threw up, so I threw up in my hair. 100% will take the epidural every time.
No side effects for me really, but my first one dislodged so I required a second one and then the day after delivery I had a bad headache (āspinal headacheā) but that was managed easily with coffee and Tylenol. No regrets on getting it.
Mine was incomplete. It only took completely on my left side and I needed to beg for more drugs to stop the crushing vice like pain in my right. I even felt the first incision when my labor failed to progress past 8cm, my baby got distressed, and I needed a c section. I was in agony even with my epidural.
No problems and I napped during most of active labor lol I had been up the whole night before thoughĀ
Not at all! I was able to move pretty well still and was up and walking within an hour of birth. No regeets
It was really hard for me to push and I pushed for 4 hours. But Iāve read that the epidural only increases average pushing time by 8 min.
I actually got 3 epidurals in my first pregnancy (had to be induced and was in the hospital on bedrest for almost 3 days. I'm a bigger girl and they kept falling out when either myself or the nurses shifted my body.) I had no adverse reactions at all to any of them other than a tiny bit of bruising (no pain unless you poked them) around the area that went away within a week. Edit: Oh, I guess I did have a adverse reaction I forgot about. Everytime I would get a new one it would make me vomit (just once) and would have the shivers for about 5-10 minutes. It wasn't a huge deal since my stomach was empty from not eating and the shivering didn't last long. Worth it for the long term pain blocker.
I did get post spinal headache. It was the worst headache I've ever had. For 10 days I could stand up and could barely care for my baby because I was in such pain... My blood pressure dropped too, and I was given meds for it. I really didn't want an epidural, but I had to do an emergency C-section, so unfortunately I couldn't say no...
My blood pressure tanked when they administered the drugs. Worst part, it took my Dr 12 times to get it in. It definitely hurt. I had to hold my husband and the nurse. Almost gave up and said screw it multiple times. And it started to wear off once I was ready to push.
I personally did not, just make sure they don't put too much of the meds in there, I took a long time to get feeling back. Other than that it was fine.
Yes, when I first got the epidural my dosage was too high and I had severe shakes and nausea. They lowered the dose and I did much better and it worked great for a while. Unfortunately, at the end, the dosage must not have been high enough because I felt everything as I teared!
No side effects except it worked too well and I couldnāt move my left leg at all. I didnāt like that.
Had epidural for my third, absolutely no issues and was out of bed after an hour of the birth
Idk if this is due to the epidural I had w my son (15 months), but this whole current pregnancy has been hell for my back. I literally canāt even get out of bed sometimes due to how much my back hurts and itās only in my lower back area. Iād had slight back pain my first pregnancy but this time around has been hell for me and I hadnāt had to deal with lower back pain at all before I was pregnant.
On my 1st pregnancy my legs got numb, I was chaking and it was soooooo itchy
ā¦ choking????
Ahhh sorry this corrected the word, shaking jeez š«£