Completely avoiding pain of amnio - advice needed?

[Boymaker]

Hello
I'm writing to you in a real state of desperation. I am having an amnio next Monday and have been very traumatised by the thought of this procedure. The psy that I have been seeing has been helping accompany me with my feelings of being terrified of the anticipated pain and being violently angry towards any doctors I am coming in contact with.
She has helped me see that these feelings are coming from two issues (actually she thinks its 3 but I'm highly skeptical of the third)

1. I had an exceptionally difficult birth with my first which ended in an emergency caesarean which I felt the scalpel cutting my stomach at the beginning of the process. This was surrounded on both sides by trauma: 12 hours of contractions without rest (enduced birth)because the 9 epidurals I went through were all administered in the wrong place and my ds having to be resussitated and thus I did not see him except in a photograph for 9 hours after the birth. I was left in the caesarean recovery room on my own all day because no beds were available.
   2)With DS number 2, I had to have an amnio following a 1/46 blood test. Probably because of the previous trauma, I experienced this as extremely painful and the procedure ended with my husband and the midwife holding me physically down while the doctor shouted at me that if I moved the baby might be damaged or die.
   
2. The psy thinks there is a further distress linked to the fact that I was born by caesarean (not sure this one resonates with me at all)
   I am now suffering extreme mental distress with the thought of this amnio for DS 3. I CANNOT HAVE ANY PAIN FOR THIS NEXT PROCEDURE. If I do I am scared that I may attack the doctor or completely lose my mind.
   Today my psy tried to work on concentrating oon comforting the baby rather than thinking aabout myself and it completely changed my relationship with her which has been positive up to now.Now I'm angry at her too. I just felt it was yet another medical person who was trying to put a plaster on an amputation.
   OK so I'm aware I am not in a normal mental state at all. So here's the help I need - does anyone know any method of amniocentesis which GUARANTEES no pain. Can I have a general anaesthetic and if so at what risk to the baby? Anybody know any other more natural methods of complete pain relief - I can't even go through a local anaesthetic with a needle in case it HURTS!!!
   Thanks for any suggestions.

[HeadFairy]

I don't know anything about this but I'm so sorry to hear about the dreadful experiences you've had.

Is hypnotherapy something you've investigated? I know it has been used very successfully in pain reduction, even during fairly painful surgery.

[lisasimpson]

afaik there is no way of getting them to do it without it being at the least uncomfortable. The needle is going through muscle and therefore a very strange sensation. Have you thought about hypnosis -think this might be an option.

[lisasimpson]

Do you really have to have this amnio anyway? can you try the other tests/is wait and see an option?

[linspins]

Boymaker, gosh you've had a tough time, and I really feel for you.I am worried for you too, cos if you think you just can't go through it without attacking someone - or even moving - then you really would be putting the baby at risk. This is a precision procedure, and you do need to be as still as possible. I'm sure you are so aware of this already though.
Pain (or even the anticipation of it) makes us all a bit 'animal' and animals will attack those trying to help them when they are hurting.
Do you REALLY need to have it?
The only thing I can think of is a general anaesthetic, and I don't know if you are allowed/advised not to have these when pregnant. (anyone know?)
Keep us posted - wish I could help!
Best wishes. xx

[Boymaker]

I have to go through with it because although I feel the baby is fine, the test has made me doubt this and my DH and I have decided we would terminate if positive. I think I'm suffering from some sort of Post-traumatic syndrome actually. I'm so very very angry and so terrified, like very very terrified. General anaesthetic seems an option but yes I too have heard that you're not supposed to go this way with pregnancies. I'll explore hypnotherapy perhaps tomorrow - anything, ANYTHING to help.
Thanks for your replies

[HeadFairy]

Hypnotherapy would be my preferred choice.. being very very deeply relaxed you should be able to go through the amnio..

[ScarlettCrossbones]

I'm so sorry you've had such awful experiences before. Do you absolutely have to have the amnio? I believe that the blood tests, combined with the nuchal translucency exam, give a detection rate of something like 98% for DS. (Someone please correct me if I'm wrong there.)

Of course, that may not be a good enough guarantee for you (it isn't for me either, in fact). But a friend who recently had her amnio told me it was painless, and I'm due to have mine next Thurs (I wish it was before yours, then I might be able to reassure you a bit more!). Other people have told me it only feels like a 'popping' sensation, and the actual needle going in should apparently only take about 40 seconds. I know you get a local anaesthetic cream on the skin first ... it's a long shot, but perhaps if this were applied liberally a good while before the procedure, it might 'sink in' a bit deeper? Sorry if that's not very scientific ... I really hope it goes ok anyway, just focus on the monumental relief you'll feel once it's over.

[ssd]

pain is unavoidable I'm afraid

deep breath and all that

I was held down too, awful memory

sorry can't be more positive but can't lie either

both times docs told me they can't put anything on the area of the amnio incase it affects the result, makes sense really

who'd be a woman

[ScarlettCrossbones]

How did you get on, Boymaker?

[linspins]

Been thinking about you, any news Boymaker?