Hi - I have! With my first birth I had a "dural tap" which is when the cerebro spinal fluid leaks and thus causes the most horrendous headache imaginable...

I had a blood patch more than a week later - they thought I should have been in more pain than I was...

The blood patch should not have been painful - it wasn't for me. About an hour later I could sit upright for the first time and hold my baby properly...

Do you have to have an epidural this time? There are alternatives for pain control/relief that do not have this nasty side effects.

I would strongly suggest exploring the alternatives. I had 3 active and natural vaginal births after my first birth... I used water, heat packs, meditation and chose to be supported through my labour by like minded woman. Maybe these could help reduce your need for more invasive pain control?