I'v heard theres a chance, albeit very small, but still. Do I really want to take the chance that I will never walk again? What have you heard about epidurals and paralysis in particular?
2006-10-21 14:43:28 · 27 answers · asked by stripedbook 5 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Other - Pregnancy & Parenting
Only you and you alone can make the proper choice to have an epidural during childbirth!
I am married to an anethsthesiologist. I wish he were here right now but he is away on buisness. Here is the deal with an epidural....I have had three now with two births, and one surgery.
They have to disclose to you that certain things "may" happen upon getting "an" epidural. But, infact, getting your kind of epidural is very normal and actually can aleveate some of the stress the fetus is going through in the process of getting through your birth canal. I have had 206 live birth deliveries, and I can tell you that 98% of them had epidural with no complication. What drives a complication for you my dear, is if your body rejects the medicine in the "cocktail" ...which is slim....or if perhaps only one side is numb for the birth. ...which happens occasionally and is a little more agrevating than permenently damaging!
About 1 out of 5 of my births now are some form of breach or other situation where we need to perform a C-Section. You should be aware of the fact that are you presented with that route during your birth, you will have to have an epidural. And your mind will be so much more at rest having thought about the probability of having an epidural. Here is where you are thinking about epidurals causing permanent damage...and at times they do, but it is rare, and you would not highly qualify for the risk category there. .....In some cases, very large doses of epidural anaesthetic can cause paralysis of the intercostal muscles and diaphragm (which are responsible for breathing), and complete loss of sympathetic function, even to the heart itself, causing a profound drop in heart rate and blood pressure. This requires emergency treatment, and usually general anaesthesia. This happens because the block height is too high ("high block") and the epidural is blocking the heart's own sympathetic nerves, as well as the phrenic nerves, which supply the diaphragm.
You would not be a candidate for an epidural of that nature. your block would be way lower and very hard to miss or fudge...as you are having a epidural to be performed below the waist. These are in situations where you are a bypass patient getting anesthesia...in which there is a totally different method for that type of numbing. It goes into another part of the spine entirely.
It is considered safe practice for all patients with epidurals to be confined to bed to prevent the risk of falls....just in case for some reason later permanent damage occurs due to accident in the hospital bc of lack of feeling in your legs. It's not a great feeling..but it goes away...and that is my message to you!
Im neither here to condone nor give advice, but what I will say is, nine times out of ten, it makes the birthing experience way more peaceful for the mother and child and reduces bp stats in both mother and child during hard labor. You should stay in there as long as you can possibly bear it, but if it becomes a point where you feel you are not freeing yourself up to experience the joys of giving birth by clenching and remaining too " caught up in the pain" you should consider epidural. It also would depend on your health history, your baby's, and how far along you are before the point of no return...lol.
Good luck, I do hope you get some good responses from other mothers. we have all been down that road...I just happen to take most down the road on a daily basis! Lots of luck to you and your little one!
md kiki
2006-10-21 15:21:31 · answer #1 · answered by kiki877 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've had 2 C-sections and 2 epidurals. The first one was perfect!. No problem! Great anesthesiologist! (Although there is back pain for a few days that really stinks)
However my second one was a disaster. I am not saying this to scare you because I am fine now but the anesthesiologist put my epidural in too high and it made my whole body go numb. I couldn't tell I was breathing and couldn't swallow so I felt like I was choking on my own spit. Then, if that wasn't enough, the day after I got home from the hospital I developed an epidural headache. This is where too much fluid had leaked out of your spinal column and it causes headaches. They are so bad you can't even stand up. You have to lay down. Anyway you can have this fixed by outpatient "surgery" where they draw blood from you and insert it back into your spinal column, This was painless.
Anyway, this is not too scare you because truly I think I just had an anesthesiologist who wasn't paying attention to what she was doing. She asked me about 4 times how tall I was yet still put it in too high and she was talking to a nurse about her son's wedding while she did my epidural.
Hope this helps.
It is possible to be paralyzed and you do have to sign a release saying you know the risks, but I've never heard of it actually happening.
2006-10-21 17:00:01 · answer #2 · answered by me 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes there is a posibility of paralisis.. Due to the mechanics of an epidural... An epidural is an anesthetic placed into the fluid and tissue surrounding the spinal cord.. Because the anesthetic is placed into the area using a needle there is a chance that a mistake can occur. the spinal cord can be injured leading to paralasis in many different degrees..
However there are risk factors with any anesthetic and the risk factors with epidural are no higher than the risks with any other.. If you are in labor and need something for pain I always suggest trying a muscle relaxer or pain reliever than can be administered through I.v. or injection before epidural but each woman labors differently and is able to cope with the pain differently.... If you feel a total blocking of all pain is necessary and outweighs the risk go for it.. the chances of a poor outcome are small.. But if you are coping well with muscle relaxers and such stick with them...
2006-10-21 15:40:25 · answer #3 · answered by Diane (PFLAG) 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I had an epidural and the same question was going through my mind, but I came out of it alright - still walking. I DO know of a case where the Mother is now a a Paraplegic. This happened over 20 years ago, medicine has come a long way since then. I'm sure you will be alright. Good luck.
2006-10-21 15:13:26 · answer #4 · answered by jammer 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've never heard of it actually happening in real life, and tons of people get epidurals.
At the point where they inject the medication for the epidural, the spinal cord has branched out and separated into many nerve fibers, unlike higher up in the back where the spine is one large bundle of nerves. Since it's branched out and not very solid, it's difficult for the epidural needle to injure any of the nerves. The needle just pushes them out of the way. That's why it's so hard to accidentally paralyze somebody by giving an epidural.
I had an epidural for a surgery, and it really wasn't too bad at all.
2006-10-21 14:48:06 · answer #5 · answered by farmgirl 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
My first child I had an epidural and I didn't even know what contractions felt like. My second child the epidural didn't work and I felt the most excrusiating pain in my life for 3hrs straight. I swore from that day to never have a kid again!! Now you tell me what you should do?
2006-10-21 15:10:18 · answer #6 · answered by Shena 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Use of epidurals has greatly expanded over the past decade to more than 1.5 million women annually.
A study by Dr. Fogel and colleagues at Washington University analyzed labor and delivery data on 7,000 patients. The researchers compared the cesarean rates among first-time mothers during the 12 monts before and the 16 months after epidural analgesia became available on request at the hospital. They found no significant differences in cesarean section rates before and after the services introduction. "Epidural analgesia did not stop normal labor or cause cesarean deliveriew, because the rate of cesareans did not change," Dr. Fogel said.
Check out this website for LOTS of info....
http://www.healing-arts.org/mehl-madrona/mmepidural.htm#rates
2006-10-21 14:54:50 · answer #7 · answered by missourim43 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
If this was a concern at all, I'm sure the anesthesiologist or my doctor would have mentioned something before I got MY epidural! I am just fine, I had a baby 8 months ago!
*hmm... two thumbs down already...okay, shall I just say this? YES you could be paralyzed! What, is everyone looking for an answer of DOOM? Jeeze! I've never ever heard of that happening. If there was a risk a doctor would HAVE to explain procedures to you and you would have to sign a release form so they could not be sued. Think about it!
2006-10-21 14:54:10 · answer #8 · answered by .*AnNa*. 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Yes, it can. I have had 3 natural births. I got and epidural with the last one, but I progressed too quickly and ended up numb after he was born, sigh. Afterwords, the pain in my back was horrible for a week or more, it was the most painful part of my recovery. The risk is small, but it is there. There are also other significant risks. Make sure you do your research and go in informed. Good luck!
2006-10-21 14:50:13 · answer #9 · answered by Just Me 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Because an epidural is performed by placing a needle in your spine, there is a chance of paralysis. It is a small chance, but it is a chance.
2006-10-21 14:45:40 · answer #10 · answered by tollerx2 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋