WOMENS-HEALTH Messages for November, 1998: Re: Too late for pain med in labor?

Re: Too late for pain med in labor?

From: Jas (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Fri, 13 Nov 1998 21:05:42 -0600 (CST)

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In reply to: AMD: "Too late for pain med in labor?"

I am not a doctor but will take a stab at this question. I have had 3 deliveries and was told they do not give an epidural after 6 centimeters since by then you are at transition and delivery usually occurs soon after that and sometimes no time to place and epidural. Also narcotics like Stadol and Nubain are not given after late dilation because it is too close to delivery and these narcotics can slow respiration in the baby. These drugs are more for earlier in labor so they have a chance to wear off before delivery. You are right the nurses were following hospital procedures and safe ones too that were in the best interest of your baby. Hope this helps. I imagine it was frustrating to be at a point of no return for some pain meds. I usually inform the nurses right at the beginning to give me adequate warning when an epidural would be too late to place. I never had the narcotics because I was always at 4-5 centimeters when I went in and was moving right along so the narcotics would not have a chance to wear off.

Jenn

At Fri, 13 Nov 1998, AMD wrote: >
>Is there ever a point during labor in which it is "too late" to provide
>pain meds or an epidural?
>
>I had a shot of demerol at around 5 cm -- it seemed to provide no
>relief. When I was at 8 cm an hour later and completely miserable, they
>refused to give me an epidural or anything else for pain, saying it was
>too late. What do they mean by "Too late"?
>
>I can kind of understand the reluctance to place an epidural that close
>to delivery (it would have been hard for me to be still long enough to
>do it), but is there ever a point when it is too late to provide
>*something*?
>
>The doctor wasn't there -- I think the nurses were just following some
>sort of policy.
>
>Thanks!

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In reply to: AMD: "Too late for pain med in labor?"

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