Epidural Complication

[Mandys76]

Just thought i would post about my experience regarding epidurals for other peoples information.

I asked for an epidural toward the end of my labour (bubs born 25/10/08). The anaesthetist came to administor it and while he was putting it in, I had 3 contractions and moved very slightly.

After he did it, the doctor told me it hadn't worked and that he couldn't get in properly, and there was a chance he'd left a hole in my spinal cord. Plus he could only give me a 10th of the dose. He blamed my weight, saying it was too far to my spine, and that i'd moved a bit.

The next day our suspicions were confirmed with me coming down with a massive headache. The spinal fluid that cushions the brain had drained away, leaving my brain resting on my skull. As a result I couldn't even sit up or move my head for 5 days for the pain.

While i'm ok now, and the headache has reduced to like a normal headache, I thought I would warn people. Especially big people to make sure that if they ask for an epidural they get a decent anaesthetist. Apparently what happened to me could have been avoided had the doctor used a different kind of needle.

To top it off, as a result of not being able to get out of bed, I was catherterised for all 5 days, which led to a massive kidney infection, for which I'm still on several kinds of antibiotics.

Just take care people.

[NibbleCurlynBub]

I'm really sorry for your experience. :no: That is truly awful, especially when you find out later that it could have been avoided by one small thing.

I'm glad you let it out, so other people can be wary of some of the less talked about side-effects of epidurals. :)

[Freya]

I'm so sorry about your experience.:hugs:

[stellarella]

I'm so sorry, that sounds devastating :hugs:
Thanks for sharing.

[Seekrit]

My bosses wife is a skinny woman, 4 years ago she had an epidural, it punctured her dura and due to this caused a spinal-tear so she has a CONSTANT fluid leak which means for the last 4 years she has only known headaches. :(

It's very sad, she's onto her 2nd OS trip to hopefully fix it... fingers crossed. This is one of my main reasons not to have an epidural...

I hope your headaches clear up sooner than 4 years!!

[mandy2007]

after seein what my sis in law went through after havin an epidural with my nephew i didn evan think about it as she got meningitis from it and with your story makes me more determined never to have on

[Issey]

:hugs: sorry for your experience. good on you for telling your story.

i was determined not to have one for the slim chance of something going wrong.

luckily i had a natural birth as you don't have a choice with C's.

[PunkyDiva]

I'm so sorry you went through that:hugs: or that they tried to pass the blame onto you :(

This highlights a very real downside that is not well known, to a commonly used pain relief, so thankyou for sharing.

[kadownie]

oh how awful..

I also have a friend who is recovering from a similar experience- sounds like what seekit explained- I hope it doesn't go on for years- I just feel so awful for poor women that have this experience- I know it's one of the risks of it= but it's not fair!!

I have an epidural injury (I believe) from my first birth- my right leg has this dull ache almost constantly- it is pretty annoying at night. I think it's better with chiro or osteo treatment- but that's hard to do when you have 3 little ones at home..

[MummySharna]

Very sorry to hear about that!

I too had a terrible experience with Epidurals. I was given one half way into the birth of my little girl. It was working for about 30 minutes until the nurses switched over and the new nurse came in to see what my stats were. She said i didnt need a pillow behind my back and pulled it out straight away knocking the needle out a little. Thats when i knew it wasnt working! I told the next doctor who came into the room and they gave me a new one. They blamed me for moving to much saying i knocked it out and it was my fault, they even asked my partner to leave and come back when he had calmed down as he was yelling saying it was the nurse too.

The second one worked for a whole of 2 minutes! The doctor didnt believe me that i was feeling contractions again and basically said i was a sook and too young to be having a child! Thats when i demanded a new doctor. Thankfully there was another one in the ward at that time. He came in took over. He told me they should have taken me in for an emergency c-section over 4 hours ago! So he spoke to us and said we (baby and myself) were lucky to be alive still and took me in straight away. They ended up giving me a spinal which gave me liver and kidney problems still to this day. I am just glad it was nothing more serious.

[stefsmum]

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[AM]

Oh what a truly awful experience for you! I'm so glad I do everything in my power to avoid epidurals...

[Mandys76]

It was truely horrible, and I'm still having pain and headaches as a result. I only had it to keep my blood pressure down. I so wish I hadn't now.