What are the side-effects when getting an epidural while in labor?

Answer 1

My sister got one and they stuck the needle in to far into her back/spine. She had terrible headaches that was dimissed by the doctor.
She went home 2 days after having her baby only to collapse (She went numb/paralyzed). The ambulance came and when they done a cat scan on her she had air pockets in/ on her brain.
She was then taken to a much better hospital by ambulance 2 hours from where we live and they done a blood patch on her and she got alright. She is fine now but that is why i am against epidurals.
She could not sue because she signed the paper getting the epidural.

Answer 2

It depends on what sort of epidural you get. There are a variety of kinds, the majority of which will involve getting a needle inserted into your back which will then insert the medication. If done correctly, you will begin, rather quickly, to notice less pain, and may have some numbness. If the numbness is in the wrong area, alert your doctor, they'll adjust the placement of the needle. You should always be able to feel pressure, though, allowing you to push when the time comes.
Another method is gas, which isn't used nearly so often, and produces a more hazy affect, which most women don't like. It's harder to focus, though the pain is lessened.
Depending on the type you get, it can also slow your labor down, because you may have less feeling, and therefore not feel the need to push quite as much. This can lead to an increased risk for a c-section.
I recommend that you go for a tour of the hospital in which you plan to deliver, and while there ask which epidurals they offer, etc. Going to a birthing class can also be beneficial. They'll tell you all about every kind of epidural, amongst a variety of other helpful things. :)

Answer 3

The only side effect I had was soreness in the middle of my spine a few days after delivery... of course that could have been from all that vigorous pushing!

ADD: My labor only lasted 6 hours total. I don't think there is a risk of "emotional detachment" from the mother with an epidural. Other pain management (such as darvocets or other pain medication given through an IV) would be MUCH more likely to cause drowsiness and those kinds of side effects. All the epidural does is make you numb - it doesn't affect your mental state. They can also adjust the levels of your epidural - I could feel all of the contractions.

Answer 4

liked the answer about the negative side effects - docs rarely let you know that there can be problems with the procedure. I did lots of research and decided not to have one - and it was totally bearable. 24 hours of labor - 9 of which were pushing and never did I feel the need for pain management. I ended up having a c-section because the baby would not turn his head and he was stuck behind my pubic bone. Of course for the c-section they gave me drugs in my spine (not an epidural), but my baby came out so alert and ready to go because I did not have drugs circulating in my system for hours and hours before he came out - it was only about 10 minutes.

To the person who said that there are several different kinds of epidural, that is incorrect. An epidural is a procedure involving injection of drugs through a catheter placed into the epidural space of the spine. The drugs used can vary from hospital to hospital, doctor to doctor, and procedure to procedure. All of the other methods mentioned are not considered epidurals, they are just other methods of pain management.

Answer 5

possible side effects are:
a dramatic drop in blood pressure which could cause the need for an emergency c-section
the epidural also often slows the fetal heartbeat which can cause the need for an emergency c-section.
shivering
numbness on only one half of the body
post delivery headaches.
sometimes it can slow or completely stop the progress of labor which then requires pitocin to be administered to re-start labor which will then make the contractions very strong and fast. labors with an epidural are generally longer than those without .
also many women say that when they have an epidural their baby is very sluggish after delivery and for a few hours afterward and sometimes have difficulty feeding, specifically when being breast fed.

Answer 6

well while in labor you are like numb from the waste down and it feels wierd your entire body feels so heavy. Other than that I had no side effect during actual labor. It can slow labor down also. It effects everyone differently like with me I could still feel contraction with both my kids which was actually good cause I could push but it was no where near the pain of natural childbirth.

Afterward and these were my side effects so they vary person to person. My skin was itchy for about a day, my back was sore for a few days, and it takes a bit to have to sensations back such as leg muscles to walk, and I really couldn't feel if I had to pee for a few hours.

Answer 7

An epidural can slow your labor. There is therefore an increased need for Pitocin. Increased incidence of malpresentation of baby's head. There can be a decrease in ability to push effectively. There is an increased liklihood of forcepts of vacuum delivery and an increased liklihood of needing an episiotomy and a C-section.

In Mom there can be a drop in blood pressure, urinary retention, uncontrollable shivering, itching of the face neck and throat, nausea and vomiting, postpartum backache, spinal headache, uneven, incomplete or NONexistance pain relieft, feeling of emotional detachement to the birth and baby, inability to move about, loss of perneal sensation and sexual function.
Very serious and rare risks: convulsions, cardiac arrest, allergic shock, nerve injury, epidural abscess, maternal death.

Baby side effects: fetal distress, abnormal heart rate, drowsiness at birth, poor sucking reflex, poor muscle strength and tone in first hours.

Answer 8

The epidural shouldn't reason everlasting area outcomes, that is totally uncommon that something is going incorrect to that time. some females could be bothered by a drop in blood stress or from a spinal headache which could be fantastically severe yet resolves quickly afterwards. the issue with scoliosis is that it would intervene with the anesthetists ability to get the tube into your epidural area. If the curving on your backbone is severe, they're going to easily say no. the terrific ingredient to do is ask for a seek for advice from with an anesthetist who does epidurals and spinals in females in labour, they're going to have the flexibility to palpate your backbone and get an theory of the point of curvature and notice in the event that they are able to looking an area ideal for putting the tube. in case you have got the epidural, you could save it as an decision once you flow into labour. despite in case you tell your midwife which you certainly desire one before you flow into labour, you do no longer would desire to take it till you sense you prefer it, and can settle on on the final minute to keep away from it in case you sense as much because it.

Answer 9

it can cause labor to slow down or it can not work at all or can only work on one side. It did not slow it down for me and was a huge help it took away the nausea and pain and the baby came out fine people will tell you it is not safe if it was not they would not do it. All 3 of my kids were fine

Answer 10

I know it can cause labor to progress very slowly. It also may not work altogether. I did experience the slowed down labor with my first but as long as I felt no pain I didn't mind. I wish I could have gotten it with my second but she came to fast for me to get it.