Spinal tap or epidural

[ferrals5]

Just wondering what ladies have preferred when having an elective c section an epidural or a spinal tap i have had an epidural 17 1/2 years ago with the natural birth of my 1st son and after 3 more natural births since i am now faced with having to have a c section due to PP but i have read that spinal taps are better what is the difference? and what are your experiences if you have had both? i am freaking a bit as my friends wife had an epidural that went the wrong way and paralysed her from the waist up she ended up dying from a blood clot in the lung related to the epidural it was a big f#ck up.

[Arimeh]

I've had both (well not the spinal tap cos thats something completely different, but I know what you are referring to) but I have had a spinal and an epidural.

I didn't like the epidural, I felt that it lasted for longer than the spinal did and I wasn't able to hold DD1 for ages because I was just so out of it, had hardly any feeling. Also got really bad muscular pain between my neck and shoulder, which is a side effect of them.

Spinal I had with DS (I thought it was the other way round, but DH assures me that it wasn't) because for some reason I couldn't have the epidural, he couldn't get it in the right spot, so I had the spinal.

Oh, I also had more blood pressure problems during the c-section with DD1 than DS - which I'm told was because of the epidural. Also hated something sticking out of my back and it took the midwives to the next day to take it out.

[Mildez]

They are pretty much the same procedure except with an epidural they leave the catheter in so there is the option for continuous infusion or top ups of the drug where as the spinal is a much heavier block using different drugs they just don't leave the catheter in there most of the time. I haven't heard of them using an epidural for a c/s. Usually if someone already has an epidural (say from labour thats then converted to a c/s) they will top up the epidural using the spinal drugs to make a more dense block thus then making it a spinal anaethetic. Where I work you don't get a choice. Its an epidural for labour and spinal for a c/s. But I know we are weird compaired to other hospitals seeing as we are remote (we don't even have epidurals where you can mobilise) so other places might be different.

[Just Me]

They are pretty much the same procedure except with an epidural they leave the catheter in so there is the option for continuous infusion or top ups of the drug where as the spinal is a much heavier block using different drugs they just don't leave the catheter in there most of the time. I haven't heard of them using an epidural for a c/s. Usually if someone already has an epidural (say from labour thats then converted to a c/s) they will top up the epidural using the spinal drugs to make a more dense block thus then making it a spinal anaethetic. Where I work you don't get a choice. Its an epidural for labour and spinal for a c/s. But I know we are weird compaired to other hospitals seeing as we are remote (we don't even have epidurals where you can mobilise) so other places might be different.

I wasn't given a choice with my c/section either - I had a spinal block. Spinal blocks only last for a limited amount of time (about an hour I think) and then they wear off. When I had an epidural (for my VBs) it was given in doses over a longer period but I was never completely numb from it, it was just a tingly and dull sensation so I still knew when I was having contractions, when my babies were crowning etc. With the spinal I didn't feel pain, but I could feel other stuff. They ran an ice cube down my tummy before the operation to check that it was working - I could feel the wet sensation of the ice cube, but not the cold sensation.

My friend who had a c/s through the private hospital was given a spinal block but the doctor had some issues getting it to go in and on the last attempt told her if it didn't work, they would need to get an epidural for her instead. I don't know why or how that works that if they can't get a spinal in they give an epidural.

That is awful about your friend's wife.

[*Belle*]

Ive had both spinal block and Epidural.

I got to choose with my elective c/s and went with the spinal block.

The reason for this is the anethetist explained a lot less drugs are used in a spinal block than the epidural. Is this the same as a spinal tap? im not sure if its the same thing.

I had the epidural with my first birth, for about nearly 24 hours and I didnt like the side effects of it, the shaking etc. I recovered a lot better from the spinal block and will be having the spinal block again this time.

Remember every birth is different. im so sorry to hear about your friends wife

[beckoes]

I have had both but for a different reason, had an epidural when i was having DD and then i had to go to theatre for internal bleeding after she was born and they topped the epidural up with a spinal block. with the epidural i still had some feeling and could move a bit, with the spinal i had zero feeling. I dont know how long they take to wear off but mine took two days before i could get off the bed and i still had numb toes for weeks after!

[lilmisspositive]

Great thread Ferrals.

I am going to the Anaesthetists tomorrow and will write a rundown of my Apt if you want on the thread tomorrow? I am going in the way of spinal at the moment, I would just ask your doctor to have an appointment with your Anaesthetists. Because of my concerns, my OB suggested it and my Anaesthetists had no problem with it. Let me know if you want me to let you know how tomorrow went. : )

[ferrals5]

Limisspositive-the more info the better i would love to know how you went.