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Re: epidural anesthesia for C-sectionFrom: Celeste (anonymous@obgyn.net)Wed, 20 Oct 1999 08:10:36 -0500 (CDT)
At Tue, 19 Oct 1999, Nikki wrote: > >My question is about epidural anesthesia. During my labor, my epidural >had a large "gap" in coverage which did not improve with changes in >position. After 14 hours, the baby began to experience distress and a >C-section was decided upon. > >I do not doubt that it was an emergency situation and the doctor did not >want to take the time to administer a new epidural at a different site. >In spite of the fact that I had significant gaps in coverage, the >anesthesiologist used the existing site to administer the stronger >dosage/different meds for the C-section epidural. > >I felt excruciating pain during my surgery. The anesthesiologist and my >husband had to pin me to the table because I could not help myself; I >was writhing. - Which, I'm sure, didn't help the surgeons any. - Thank >God the most painful part only lasted five minutes. > >I can't help thinking that maybe if it was that much of an emergency, >knowing I had gaps in coverage, general anesthesia should have been >used. Maybe they thought the stronger dose/different meds would take >care of the problem. Maybe they had another reason for avoiding general >anesthesia; it is usually unnecessary in a C-section nowadays. But I >wonder if the docs took me seriously when I kept telling them I could >feel too much. I guess the docs can't really know how much pain you're >in, but all I could do was try to tell them. > >My question is this: statistically, how often does this kind of thing >happen? I mean, I know that many women have incomplete relief from pain >during their labor, but how often does this apply to a C-section? Anyone >ever experience/hear of this before? > >I am scheduled for another C-section in December and am a little >apprehensive, but I am sure things will go differently since this time >it will not be an emergency. > >Thanks for any help anyone can offer. Nikki, Your story is absolutely horrible. If you needed to be held down during the surgery, I can't understand how they couldn't believe that you were in pain. My c-section started out the same but ended quite differently. Mine wasn't an emergency so I'm sure that made some difference. I already had an epidural, they just need to get me completely numb. At some point the catheter in my spine must have slipped or something because no matter how much med. they gave me I wasn't getting completely numb. They would add some more then wait a minute and pinch me with some sort of instrument. I was quite loud when telling them that I could feel it. I also kept wiggling my toes so they knew I wasn't numb. They ended up giving me a spinal which worked almost too well. I became very numb up into my chest which made breathing a little difficult. The surgery went well but I ended up with a horrible "spinal headache" for a week and a half. I'm sure if you tell your story to the anesthesiologist he/she will take special care that it doesn't happen again. With a scheduled surgery or an non-emergency situation, lots of time can be taken to be sure you get completely numb. Just one question though. I don't know your situation but have you considered going for a VBAC. Even though my c-section went fine (and this was my second one)(I've also had 2 vaginal births) I'm trying for a VBAC with all my heart. Just something to think about. I don't mean to open a new can of worms. Good Luck! Celeste
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