Epidurals:My Personal Experience

Epidurals:My Personal Experience

November 17, 2006 by
Heather Shockney  
Heather Shockney
Heather Shockney
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Personal Experience  |  Epidural  |  Chiropractor

My Experience of Having an Epidural and the Effects Years Later

Whenever a woman finds out she is pregnant it seems to start her and everyone else to think about the labor and delivery.I bet I was asked a thousand times about my plans for delivery and would I choose to have an epidural. I was afraid of the epidural so I strongly stated my answer of
 No!! I was going to tough out the pain of labor and childbirth. After all our mothers did it and never had any type pain relief so why couldn’t I? Through out my pregnancy I heard how great the epidural could be, how it made all the pain go away. I did my research on the epidural and what it entailed, but I was still committed to having a natural birth. This was until I found myself in labor for three days straight. On the third day I finally gave in, I remember how scared I was. I asked the nurse if it would be that bad and she said no it would be fine. So I agreed to have the epidural ,I would of agreed to chopping off my legs if it made the pain go away at that time. 

The anesthesiologist came in and prepped me for the epidural. I remember him saying for me to sit as still as I could. Obviously this was a man who had never felt any type of pain near to what I was experiencing. I did my best and he got the epidural in place. I had never felt anything more uncomfortable then when he inserted the needle into my back. Once he had finished with the epidural he told me I should begin to feel relief from the pain within a few minutes. I waited and waited but the pain was getting worse. When they came back to see if the epidural had worked I made them aware it hadn’t helped at all .So the anesthesiologist came in again and said he must of not hit the exact spot he needed to and he would try again. Great now I had to sit still and have him poke me in the back some more. I agreed to this torture once more and hoped for the great pain relief they kept promising me. This time once the epidural was in place my right leg begin to feel numb, I thought Hallelujah it was going to work. 

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WOW...ok so I am a stay home mom of 5. I had natural births with 4. I dont know if its just the being over 30, or that I was just a baby with this last child. But I opted for an epidural with my now 5 week old son after 4 hours pitocin and nothing happening for labor to begin. Now I have a radiating pain in my back around the site where my epidural was done. Also during labor my right leg was completely numb and it took nearly 5 hours after birth for me to regain enough feeling in my leg to be able to walk to use the restroom or get into a wheelchair to be moved out of my birthing room! All I can say is THANK YOU for posting your story I will be bringing this to the attention of my doctor at my next appointment!
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Posted on 06/12/2009 at 5:06:52 AM

This comment is for Heather B. Your comment for this post:- Let me explain something to you firstly about: 1.Women need to know this. ?? come on i have had 2 epidurals please read my comment i posted before.. Doctors do explain all about the epidural before you have it. 2. Epidurals can have long-lasting side effects on the mother, and they increase the chances of a child having breathing problems at birth. Doctors also axplain what it does to your baby... 3.I don't know why doctors still consider them safe to use at any woman's request, regardless of medical history. They are safe... you and your baby are still here arnt you? you should be PROUD and NOT COMPLAINING. if it was not SAFE, DOCTORS WOULD NOT USE IT. 4. I personally feel women should be fully informed of the risks and encouraged to labor without one if possible, but not denied one if they truly want it. The doctors where i come from try to make you have your baby natural, with some pain reli
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Posted on 03/22/2009 at 8:03:44 AM

I had my 2nd son via c-section and epidural 2 years ago. after leaving the hospital and arriving home, I was experiencing a 'stabbing/grabbing sensation in my left leg. It would cramp and make me nearly cry from the pain i was experiencing. Also where the cathater was inserted i was having a great deal of pain. I suggested to go back and make a doctors appointment, they told me that it was all natural, when i know for certain its not meant to be... So i just walked away and knew something had to be wrong , but left it at that.. Now two years later i still get horrid backpain, my leg is still numb and i mean really numb you can pinch me or hit me in that spot and i cannot feel a thing.. i still get the cramps and so on.... I think something should be done, its not natural.
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Posted on 03/22/2009 at 7:03:57 AM

I had my Daughter in 1990, I also opted for an epidural for the pain, as a result I had to have a c, section, now 19 years later, I am suffering the awful after effects, I was diagnosed with restless leg syndrome quite a few years ago, and have been on all sorts of medication from my G.P.all to no prevail, nothing helps, I was so glad when I read your article about what the side effects are of the epidural, I also suffered with panic attacks and depression after mine,Im glad at last to find I am not alone in this.
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Posted on 03/14/2009 at 5:03:43 PM

Thank you for writing this. Women need to know this. Epidurals can have long-lasting side effects on the mother, and they increase the chances of a child having breathing problems at birth. I don't know why doctors still consider them safe to use at any woman's request, regardless of medical history. I personally feel women should be fully informed of the risks and encouraged to labor without one if possible, but not denied one if they truly want it.
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Posted on 01/31/2007 at 8:01:00 PM

i have had 4 epidurals in a fifthteen years. i now and for the last several years have had the back pain. and also have the severe pain and cramping in my legs. the doctors are calling it restless leg sydrome but all the medicine they give does not work. i will bring this to my doctors attention. and see if this is what is causing my problems. thank you for sharing your story
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Posted on 01/30/2007 at 9:01:00 PM

just read this and it sounds a lot like what happened to me. They never reinserted mine, but kept giving me more and more of it because it was not working. My legs were numb but I could feel everything in my stomach. It finally did kick it after I threw up a bunch and at least I didn't feel the pushing part. If I have another child I will go natural. I had to feel all the pain anyway, so why have an epidural that I am still paying for financially and with back pain.
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Posted on 01/28/2007 at 11:01:00 AM

Thanks for sharing this with us. As for me, yes I did have an epidural with my daughter. Although it worked right away and lasted forever (hours after her birth), I am suffering from it now. I chose not to have an epidural with my boys, and thank God I didn't. Who knows what pain I would have to endure now by having the epidural.
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Posted on 01/02/2007 at 1:01:00 PM

Wanted to let you know that this article made my Top Ten Childbirth Articles list! Congrats!! http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/105601/associated_contents_top_ten_childbirth.html
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Posted on 12/22/2006 at 2:12:00 PM

I'm SO glad you shared your story. Unfortunately women often don't prepare for labor WITHOUT an epidural and aren't fully informed of the potential risks and potential long-term effects. When I teach my childbirth classes we talk a lot about pain management techniques becuase women aren't getting that information from their OB's at all. Blessings, Angela <>< P.S. I have several childbirth education related articles published and more on the way. Nice to see you on here!!
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Posted on 11/20/2006 at 8:11:00 AM

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