I have this crazy fear of needles!! I always tense up or flinch when recieving shots and I am scared that I will do the same for the epidural. I've heard you must be still or you could be paralyzed. Scary!! My OBGYN said the guys who administer the epidural can hit a moving target...but what if I tense up or flinch?
2006-11-20 13:08:58 · 19 answers · asked by aquari-kat 2 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Pregnancy
i have the same problem.. i am horribly terrified of needles... (even the tiny ones they prick your fingers with) i had an epidural with my first child and intend on having one with my upcoming delivery.. the doc barely touched me with the needle and i started having a contraction.. so i tensed up and he stopped.. my mom was there to help me calm down and through tears and fears... the doctor worked patiently with me until he got it in... even though i was tense and flinching and freaking out horribly... my best tip for you is to be sure they know you are scared of needles... and tell them to not let you see the needle at any cost.. (i did this too) have someone with you who can help attempt to keep you calm and just do everything in your power to convince yourself that it's for the best... and when they are putting it into you.. find a "happy place" for lack of a better way to put it.... just focus on anything besides the shot... like holding your baby for the first time... it's hard i know, i'm right there with you on this... but really try... it's not as bad as it seems... and think... after the shot... the pain will go away!!! and that kinda outways the fears... good luck honey.. i hope you have a great delivery... and try to not think about it, the more you do, the more you will freak out.
added.. hold on to a pillow and bury your head and everything else in it and have someone help hold you... this is what the docs had me do....
2006-11-20 13:48:22 · answer #1 · answered by gizmo_chik04 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
nobody can say anything that will calm your fears until you have the first epidural, and then you'll know what it is like and not worry if you ever decide to have another. It's not as bad as you think, and only the initial poke is what you feel, which is when they're numbing the site anyway - so they're not really in your spinal cord at that point where you could become paralyzed.
I had 3 of my kids naturally - without medication. Not because I'm against it, not because I didn't want it - but because I didn't make it to the hospital in time to get it. I then had the twins - and ended up having to have a c-section, so I received a spinal (sort of like an epidural but you're not able to feel ANYTHING from your chest down) and really - it was only that first poke that I felt and it wasn't even that bad - and I'm a huge baby when it comes to needles!
2006-11-20 21:52:26 · answer #2 · answered by playing_shy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the pain of the contractions will do that for you. in all seriousness, it's not all that bad. i flinched serveral times with my previous epidurals and i wasn't paralyzed. the only thing that will happen is the epidural will not work and you will still feel the pain. also to help your fear of needles, when the anesthesiologist comes to administer the medication, do not look at the needle as it is very long.
2006-11-20 21:16:08 · answer #3 · answered by Bubbles 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
well let me say this as a guy they do this all the time I just had my arm operated on and they do the same thing to me they kill my arm the sameway well they call it a block and they put the needle Into my neck but is you do it before the pain gets really bad they have other ways to make it so nice and you will not even feel it. Enjoy it and do it so you will not be so scared and you will be okay. You can have problem with everything but they only tell you this because it is the law but if you go to the dentist it is the same warning. You be fine
2006-11-20 21:22:07 · answer #4 · answered by isitreal1963 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When I had my child I had an epidural. I HATE needles myself so I understand where you're coming from. Well, you can't see when they are going to stick it in so that actually helps a lot. Have someone to hold on to that way instead of jerking you just squeeze the crap out of them. LOL I actually jerked and my body went forward. He had to stick me again. I'm not going to lie and say it didn't hurt because it did. Just not as much as I had built up in mind. You have to remember that once you get through that 30 seconds you won't feel anything at all. So, from my own experience I jerked and I'm not paralyzed. I'm not saying that's not true but it did happen to me and I'm fine. That's their job and I'm sure they are use to people moving around a lot. Good Luck!!!!!
2006-11-20 21:22:03 · answer #5 · answered by hotredblnd788 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You'll be fine! My daughter who is now 21 and just had her first baby (with an epidural) used to be scared to death of needles. In her junior year of high school they thought she had meningitis & they had to do a spinal tap. She was a TROOPER & the dr told her she could no longer legitimately tell people she was terrified of needles after going thru that. When it came time for her epidural (which she hadnt planned to have but had to because she was not dilating) she did just fine. She said "It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be". Good luck to you!
2006-11-20 23:56:43 · answer #6 · answered by dmommab@sbcglobal.net 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have 2 of them and I also have a crazy fear of needles, but when your in labor and in all that awful horrible pain, you'll be begging for one. With my son I had back labor and I didnt even feel the needle go in. Its not the needle that hurts is the med that stings a little, but take it from me. its worth it..lol..Your gonna tense up b/c your going to be having contractions. Its not as bad as people say. I moved with my first one and it just tingle down my leg and an headache after wards..nothing serious.
2006-11-20 21:20:23 · answer #7 · answered by kittykat 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well...I can tell you that the guys who do it are usually very good! I was pregnant with twins and I doubt I held very still in the bent forward position your supposed to stay in. can I ask why your opting for an epidural right away? I had to have one with the twins ...no options in case there was an emergency. I then went on to have a single baby and didn't have one. I personally would not have one again if I was to ever have more children. It DOES hurt to get one. I wont lie...and you don't feel the urge to push and have to be told when your having a contraction. I guess my second birth experience wasn't painful enough to me to want to not feel it. But it is entirely a personal choice. Talk to the anesthesiologist and ask how long they have been doing it ....talk ...make jokes...it'll make it quicker for you. Make sure to have a loved one there to hold on to also!
2006-11-20 21:19:11 · answer #8 · answered by MrsA 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am not afraid of nor do I pass out at the sight of needles, but I don't like them just the same. I had my left knee scoped and the doctors didn't want to totally knock me out so the gave me something in my IV to relax me. Then they rolled me over and I don't remember even feeling a stick. I don't know what your situation is as far as if you can have something or not to help relax you. But I do know that normally it's someone that has done it before, I always tell the docs that I do not want a student or amateur. And usually once they see just how serious I am about not liking needles they honor my request.
2006-11-20 21:21:59 · answer #9 · answered by divorced 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Trust me, you'll be so overcome by contractions that you won't care. I went in to hospital telling the midwife that unde no circumstances did I want one, 9 hours into labour I changed my mind and would have agreed to anything. The anethatists(?) are incredibly skilled at this! Once its in effect, it's a breeze. I Could only feel slight pressure every contraction. I even had visitors while contracting. People will advise you go all natural, and I was going to but sometimes you need the help.
2006-11-20 21:14:02 · answer #10 · answered by Karen B 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋