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Over the last 8 years I received many emails from ladies who claimed to
have had follow-up problems with their epidurals. These were mainly from not only new
mothers but also from their husbands and their mothers around the world as well as
here in the U.S. Most complained of some form of pain, both at the injection site and
radiating down into the legs. Some expressed alarm that the problem was still there after
months and some even after a period of years. Neurological follow-up didn't seem to help
in some cases. Occasionally chiropractic manipulation helped a little. The sad thing is
that I had a bad "hacker-hit" on my webpage in December, 2003 followed by some
web host instability in January '04. This all occurred at a time that I was between
computers and the combination of all these factors led to a loss of some of my back-up
material. This feed-back section was good in that it contained the content of about 20
emails from the above mentioned persons-- This was real feed-back info that I wish you
could have read. I'm still looking for some of the feedback emails and if a find them, I
will display them below--
Now I know that childbirth, anesthesia and surgery all have a list of possible
complications to include diminished functioning and even death-- but it does seem that
living in the "2000's" has taught us to expect a certain amount of perfection
from the medical community-- even if we do weigh 300 pounds and have a steel bar in our
back from a previous surgery. Still-- we're sensitive beings with feelings and
expectations like every one else--" someone please, have mercy on us and don't
discard is like a pair of used surgical gloves!" Now on top of everything else,
we have a little new-born baby to care for---HELP!
I will say, though that for everyone who had a residual problem with their epidural,
there were MANY who have had no problem at all! These are the ladies who are telling
their friends that whatever you do, "DO HAVE AN EPIDURAL!"
I also want to add that I retired several years ago and no longer have a finger on the
pulse of the "anesthesia-state-of-the-art" so to speak. I will have to say that
one of my career high-lights was the "minute of delivery" when the core of the
family members present, exploded into the cheers of excitement accompanied with the crying
of a new little bundle of their love! Whatta Life! Whatta career! Whatta rush!
Thanks-- Sam Blomberg, CRNA Ret |
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Here are some of the emails I have received:
Dear Mr. B
I have recently visited your website in reference to Epidural
Anesthesia. It is so very informative. I had a very traumatic childbirth
experience that I partially contribute to the epidural.
I received an epidural after I was 2-3 cm's dilated. Until I received the epidural I
was doing great. As soon as I received the epidural my blood pressure dropped to
60/p. I was given a medication to increase it and the
anesthesiologist then administered more of the anesthetic. I then began
to vomit almost every 30 minutes for the next 8 hours. Coincidentally,
so he said, I vomited about 2-3 minutes after he would give me a bolus
of the medication. I was entirely numb from my neck down, unable to
move anything. I also experienced "hearing loss". I was able to hear
but
everything was very muffled. This hearing loss persisted for almost 3
weeks.
My husband and the nurses had to literally shout so that I could hear them.
Maintaining my blood pressure was a constant battle throughout the day. I was given
oxygen and the medicine to increase my blood pressure several times throughout the
day. My son was finally delivered 8 hours after the epidural was given to me.
The OB attempted forceps but then removed them. Someone pushing on the top of my
uterus to keep the
baby down and the OB literally pulling the baby out is the only reason he was
finally delivered.
After the delivery I experienced urinary retention that has persisted. My
son is now 16 months old. He also suffered from the traumatic delivery and
had to stay in the NICU for a few days.
I have several questions that I desperately need answered. I have tried to
do the research on my own. I am just unable to find what I am looking for. I
need to bring some closure to this. I am terrified of having another child
because of this.
Some of my main questions are:
Why was I numb from the neck down?
Why did I vomit constantly?
Why did my blood pressure stay so low?
Why did I lose my hearing for 3 weeks?
Why did I experience urinary retention?
I realize I just gave a brief overview of my experience. I would be more
than happy to answer any questions you may have for me. If you could lead
me to any resources so I can answer my questions I would be so appreciative.
Thanks So Very Much,
K-
Subject: epidural nightmare
My daughter was delivered last week of a baby boy, 7#13oz 20"... induced labor,
involving cream suppository to weaken the cervix, pitocin, and a nine hour epidural. The
result is that the baby is "mellow", cannot suck, took a week to learn to latch
on to the breast, and has to have breast milk pumped and fed to him via a medicine cup
placed on his mouth and pouring the milk in.
Our concern is (of course) long terms effects. They are telling her it may
take up to two more weeks for him to shake off the epidural effects.
You really should deliver the facts about epidural complications without
your little comments meant to minimize them. The complications are real
and you should let the people reading them decide how important they are tothem.
L- CO
| Epidural gone wrong... : My wife and I just Experienced the birth of our third
child on August 2,1999. Only to have the joy of this birth jaded by an epidural gone
wrong... After the birth process was complete the catheter was removed thru normal
procedures as I imagined, but, not all of the catheter came out! The tip remained lodged
between the L1 and L2 vertebra. The RN noticed that it did not feel right when she removed
it. The anesthesiologists reviewed the catheter and reported it was entirely intact. The
following morning my wife reported she could feel something pinching in her lower back.
After an xray was taken, the broken catheter was discovered. She was taken to the
operating room to remove the broken catheter by a nero-surgeon. About a 3-1/2 hour
procedure. The procedure to remove this turned out to be the exact procedure required by a
person may have ruptured a disk or had to have bone fragments removed from the spinal
area!!! The result has been 2-3 additional days in the hospital. no lifting, bending
twisting etc. so, that means we will need some care giver to be available for possibly a
week or more to help out when I go back to work. I we really do not Know at this time why
this broke off in the first place and what long term Ill affects this will have on her
back. Not to mention that there has not been any mother/child bonding experience due to
these complications, along with much more pain and suffering. Has any one else every had
this happen? Is it common for a catheter to break? Is there any information on the Web
about this procedure and the failure of catheters?
T- IL |
Mother of two
I've had two children, both with epidurals. Both babies came
about one week early and in both my water broke before I came to the hospital. My labor
was slow to get started so pitocin was used in both. The first baby took about 12 hrs of
labor, the second about 8 hrs. Both epidurals were great yet different (the first one was
better then the second)!
I am curious how it would be without the epidural and am tempted to do
the next one without it (if there is a next one).
S- NC
Never again!!
I'm not really sure what the connection between you and epidurals is but I
do have a story to share with you! I only have one child (19 months old) and I had an
epidural when I was having him. Never again!! I mean never! That was an experience that I
will never forget! They said that while they were giving it to me the needle went through
a cluster of nerves or something like that and I thought I was dying! It started hurting
in my leg and they argued with me and said that it wasn't hurting my leg that it only felt
like it was. Believe me--it was hurting!!! My leg hurt for like 2 months afterwards and I
had the most horrific headaches! I still get headaches sometimes but not as bad. I don't
care if I have 50 more kids- that was the last epidural I will ever have! What an
experience! They couldn't do the catheter for some reason and I still don't understand all
of that and how they ended up doing it. They did finally get it all straightened out and I
felt fine...eventually! Anyway- I saw where you were interested in epidural stories so I
thought I would share mine with you!
~D~
Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2004
I had an epideral ( with some influence from my husband) with my fourth child and it was
placed wrong and did not work. They tried fixing it but that did not work .They could of
taken that one out and put another in and I decided to go without like I was planning on
in the first place. No I would never have another nor would I recommend it to anyone. My
whole experience was awful. I think everyone should experience real child birth at least
once ya you feel like your going to die but lets face it its the safest way to go. We just
had a cousin pass away 3 weeks after giving birth to her first child because the epideral
she had caused her to get some kind of blood desease and her kidneys failed. Ya it might
not happen everyday but it happens and its not worth the risk. Besides when I had mine
they had me sign a paper but did not tell me of any risk even though I knew there were
some. Women need to be more informed and aware that they can die yes die.
~A.S.~
Date: Fri, 7 May 2004
I would like to say thank you for taking the time to put so much info up on your web page.
I am a mom of 5 living and 1 still birth children, I have had natural labors, as well as
epidurals. I am also a birth doula (supporting women in childbirth) so I have not only
expierenced, but also have seen epidurals work/not work. I would like to first say that I
do have pain in my back years later. Every so often I feel where they put the needle in my
back. And I have unexplained numbness in my back from time to time around that area. I
also get back spasms. Now for some of the moms I have supported.
1 mom had the epidural that did not work, and this ment that she still had ALL the pain,
and we worked threw it. It was really hard on this mom. Alot of women think that the
epidural will bring full relief. It does not always do this, and most moms are not awear
of this. A mom I just got done supporting during birth now has no feeling in her knees and
calves. The is unable to walk. This mom's life has been changed drasticaly. During the
labor just after getting the epidural she said " No wonder women swear by these,
there is no pain." But now she is wishing she had not had the epidural. They are
saying she might be able to walk again in about 6 months. There was a mom about 10 years
ago that was paralized after her epidural. It took her 8 years to be able to walk again.
She could not lift her baby, or take care of her baby.
What needs to happen is that women need to relize that this is something that should not
be intered into lightly. To many woman have no problems, and so everyone thinks "well
they say that, but it never really happens." But if you are 1 of 6000, then what?
Anyway, I just wanted to share with you, and hope that you can share with others, that yes
epidurals are nice, and they help alot of woman that need it. But you should be carefull
when you make that choice, that you are willing to live with the outcome..... that could
be anything from pain in the back to death. Thank you,
~B.Y.R.~
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