Now a days Epidural is common in use some one said it has side effects like backache, headache etc besdie this it reduces pain. Obviously every medicine has side effects, but most probably women use this infusion. Have you any expericence beside of any side effect of using Epidural is beneficial.
Re: Use of Epidural
Epidural anesthesia is used in many types of surgery but its top use i think is for childbirth. The side effects (headaches, backache etc) occur because spinal fluid leaks out of the injection site.
NEVER NEVER could you ever pay me enough to let someone stick a 6-gauge needle into my spine. There is a risk of permanent paralysis, not to mention that this is the most horrible thing I could imagine (yes I DO have a rather absurd fear of any type of needles but this goes WAY beyond). Does it have its uses? Absolutely. But really for childbirth, just DEAL people. I did it 3 times. It was so bad that there were a few moments here and there that I really wanted to die but you get through it and the end result is SO very worth every second of pain. I brought with me to the hospital a red pen to cross out EVERYTHING on any permission form that talked about spinal anesthesia and i crossed it all out. Then I wrote on each form that I DO NOT under ANY circumstance, agree to spinal anesthesia of ANY sort. If I had turned out to need a c-section, they would have had to put me "under" something thats been done successfully for years before this barbaric practice of piercing the spine gave moms-to-be the option of a "pain-free" delivery.
Re: Use of Epidural
Our experience is different. My wife used Epidural all three times, with no side effects, alhamdollilah. Epidural was used by all my friends (the wives) at child birth, many insisted on it actually, and I have not heard of any real-life serious side-effects.
Ofcourse, theoretically there may be a few side-effects, back-pain is the most common one, but it has more to do with the competence of the doctor/nurse administrating the injection than anything else.
Re: Use of Epidural
My wife used one as well. It is more about the dosage, the timing and expereince of the doctor giving it. We had out OBGYN give it. Thank god for NYC and capable people that live and work here. :halo:
Re: Use of Epidural
I also recieved an epidural and had no side-effects what-so-ever and this was 17 yrs ago. Had no back pain and still could feel the birth with no pain.
It was a welcome joy after 17+ hrs of labor. I think even if I had some back pain, it still would have been worth it, it was a LONG 17 hrs.
Re: Use of Epidural
26 hours of labor and no epidural ? I would rather have been shot. Trust me, I have been through full labor pains and then taken epidural and I can tell you, its god's gift to women folk. Allah has given us the brains and the means, so why put yourself through pain ?
No offence to women who don't take any drugs during labor but those who have taken it are far better off. I have experienced both ways, without and with drugs. I will always ask, if I need it.
Re: Use of Epidural
I had the most bizarre experience with epidural.
I started feeling better after I got it,
but what I felt in a few hours after that I don't have the
words to describe.
I started feeling the pressure again.
I swear it hurt so god damn much.
My experience was very different then what I had heard from
other women who got epidural.
Did I mention my labor lasted 30 hours and it kept hurting even
after she was out.
I still recomend it though.
So far it worked for all the women I know.
Re: Use of Epidural
I wanted an epidural during my 32 hour labour but for various reasons wasn't able to. The whole thought of a needle in my back does make me feel queasy but it can't hurt more than giving birth without it. Everyone I know who has had an epidurals recommend them highly.
Sajal - your experience sounds quite scary.
Re: Use of Epidural
thank god men don't have to go thru this labor pain...
Re: Use of Epidural
I did read once about a woman who suffered paralysis after taking epidural. But I think that was a rare case. My wife had an epidural with no side effects.
Re: Use of Epidural
Epidural is a medican and like all other medican some ppls might be allergic to it or might have side effects on them . I had Epidural before my c section and i did experinced some back pain for few months , but its all gone now . I ve heard that some women do suffer from back pain but its temporarey.
Re: Use of Epidural
^ Its not that rare. It happens more often than you think. Maybe its my luck, but some of my mom's friends who took it had problems. Paralysis is one, but there are many other side-effects.
My mom gave birth to us naturally. I dunno what I will do, but the risk of paralysis, even if minor, does give one cause to stop and think.
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PCG, it is more about the administration of the epidural than anything else. As a future doctor, you should know that. I would never have a nurse or a PA administering it to someone.
Re: Use of Epidural
Trust me girlies it's not that bad. Go Natural. Just make sure that your hubbies are there inside holding your hand and comforting you issuing (huff..... huff..... huff..... push.... stop.. stop..stop). What!!!! did you just call me 'Mother Falluja' it's ok darling I love you too, now hufff.....huffff......hufff......push now stop.
Do I have it down packed or what.
Re: Use of Epidural
Matsui - precisely, and that enforces the fact that there are side effects. You can't possibly expect everyone to administer it right - there are always dummies in the system.
I don't know if I'd like to risk being in that stage of life and having some doctor make a mistake.
Especially if the epidural is not meant to save your life. It relieves pain, that's all. The liklihood of a woman surviving after her birth is not dependent on the epidural.
So, why take the risk? But then, of course, as I said, I haven't really made any solid decision on it myself. Pehle larkey ko tho phasaaloon!
Re: Use of Epidural
PCG, if you run the numbers on the side effects, from paralysis to slight back ache i am sure they will be miniscule in the former, most gravest of outcomes. It is like anything…friggin alka seltzer can give you pancreatic cancer too. Interventional medicine has risks. Shiit all procedures are risky but paralysis is something that doesn;t happen all that often.
Ofcourse, I live in NY where we have the best doctors in the world. So easy for me to say. 
Re: Use of Epidural
^ exactly. Come down to Miami and I'll introduce you to the "doctors" here.
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We live in NYC as well and i had a very long labour with Safia. I half jokingly told my husband that I'll have a natural childbirth and he absolutely rejected that idea. He's a doctor so he didn't want me to go through that 'pain'. I used an epidural, administered by an excellent anaesthesiologist who my husband knows personally. i had absolutely no problems, a relatively easy delivery that i felt I had full awareness and control of. I will have an epidural again with baby #2 due in April.
Re: Use of Epidural
It’s really not so cut and dried. Medical problems have multiple repercussions and every woman should research and read before she makes her decision (and it should be hers, not her husbands) . Epidurals may be necessary in some cases but I really don’t believe that they are necessary for all women in all cases.
I have had four deliveries and one of them was with an epidural. Never again! With other pain controlling techniques labour is not so terrible and when it’s over it’s great to be able to get up and move around and feel like a normal person.
There is a lot of info available on the net about aspects of epidurals that are not often talked about. Here is one link:
http://www.lalecheleague.org/ba/Nov99.html
This is a great book which can give you some info on childbirth
Re: Use of Epidural
another link:
http://www.compleatmother.com/epidural.htm