Has anyone else experienced failed epidurals?

Yes I did. It turns out I have a slight twist or bend in my spine at the place where they were trying to go in. They took multiple attempts, it was incredibly stressful and in the end they got the head anaesthetist to come and do it. Same thing happened to me second time around, because they didn’t listen to me and were incredibly confident that they would get it right, and what did I know as a layperson. There is a very easy answer which is an ultrasound of your spine to see it’s in the right place, which is what they did in the end. Ask in your meeting with the anaesthetist if they can scan you before the day of delivery so that you have a good chance of avoiding a repeat event.

That's why im afraid of epidurals. I gave birth to both of mine standing up, can't think of anything worse than being stuck on the bed and after all that the pain being the same anyway!!

God yes! Paralysed my legs but absolutely no effect on the pain! Baby had to be yanked out with forceps in the end. Went with just gas and air for my second.

Very good point. What would you recommend then?
The only alternative i can think of is potentially swinging completely the other way and attempting to go without an epidural, but of course how well alternative pain relief will work or be allowed will very much depend on how much intervention is required and on what type of labour it is ie back to back is meant to be really painful, they dont allow you to use the pool for loads of things, some labours are extremely long.
Mine are short but very intense.
Dreading doing it all over again in a few weeks, there really isn't an easy option is there!!!

i had a failed epidural with my firstborn, but they were trying to site it at 8cm dilated as no one believed I was far enough along.

it worked first time for number two, and I had a really lovely second birth.

I had 2 epidurals when I was in labour, both didn’t work. The midwife didn’t believe me when I said i could feel everything still. Took hours to get someone to come back and check me who agreed within seconds that it hadn’t worked. Did a 2nd one and that also didn’t work. I only had gas and air and baby was also big and back to back. Ended up with stitches.

Had a planned c-section when I was 36 with my 3rd and recovered well, hardly a scar, no painkillers after second day. Think there is a difference between planned and emergency, and, of course, all surgeons and women are different. Bonus, my surgeon cut along an ugly scar left from an ectopic pregnancy and tidied it up for me. Now it's almost invisible.

Sounds like my first one. Think you could be right about different ones for Caesarians. Had one for my fourth, natural delivery, and that worked well too. Only thing was they had to tell me when to push because I couldn't feel contractions which was a bit weird.

For my planned C, I think it was a different kind of anaesthetic, not an epidural. The lady was amazing and as I was so anxious she kind of gave me a cocktail elixir of whatever that just mellowed me out! Came with a comedown though!

For my induction, the anaesthetist took half an hour to get the epidural needle in my spine. I then shook uncontrollably for one hour, he kind of quietly slunk out the door, because I guess there wasn't much more he could do! He did check up on me later. The epidural didnt work completely - but it worked enough.

Maybe everyone's different with how effective it is and how well it's been administered?

My 3rd baby planned c section and I was in town with all 3 boys 8 days after youngest was born by myself. My oldest was 6 that day, middle one was 3 1/2 in the buggy and baby was in the sling and off we went. I think I was proving a point as I had been very unwell mentally whilst pregnant so I was showing them I could do stuff by myself. My only downside was it was August very warm and I had my own personal hot water bottle strapped to my chest lol.

My first failed and it was re-sited and still failed.
With my 2nd it worked immediately first time, though I ended up with an EMCS

3rd was born about 6 years after DS2, they refused my requests and I had a VBAC, but needed surgery to repair a 3rd degree tear and had a spinal that worked perfectly. I was also readmitted when DS3 was 6 days old for a blood transfusion and his was the toughest recovery

4th was a planned Csection, but I went into labour the day before. I don't know whether it was an epidural or a spinal block, but whatever it was worked fine.

DS1 was a little under 2 when DS2 was born. I recovered quickly from the EMCS. I think DH had a week, maybe 2 off, then my dad came to stay for a few days whilst DH was abroad for a wedding.

Ds3 was 18 months when DS4 was born and again I recovered quickly from the semi-elective CS.

I do remember the anesthetist came and saw me after DS1 and basically said it was one of those things.

Mine half worked but not fully. Ended up with emergency c section & spinal. Can't remember most of it. Had an elective second time around, spinal must have started to wear off or something as it was so uncomfortable at the end, they offered me G&A. But elective was so much better than the emergency.

Yes, with my 1st in 2000.

I've also had subsequent surgeries requiring nerve blocks, (ankles)both of which failed and I had to have GA. Local anaesthetic wears off very fast from me also. Not ideal.

My first DC was 30+ years ago, baby was 9lb 1oz born so 4.3kg. Had an epidural after a long labour going nowhere. It failed, even after being relocated. Had ventouse followed by forceps, had to be cut.

Horrific. But, but but but, my second baby was born after a short labour (4 hours start to finish). Waters went as I walked into hospital, was too late for epidural, only had gas and air. Was such an easy birth, I was absolutely fine after it.

So while I don't know why you've been called in to meet the anaesthetist, I'd say don't stress yourself (if that's possible). The old wives tale that the first birth is the worst was so true in my case. Best of luck OP.

I live in France where epidurals are standard (no gas and air). Everyone has an appointment with the anaesthetist a few weeks beforehand as part of the standard process.

Mine worked with Ds1 but for some unknown reason didn't with DS2. As there was no gas and air I delivered with no pain killer and it was agony. The epidural then kicked in AFTER the birth so I was unable to walk etc. It was awful

for the casual 'just have a section' crew.... while spinals and epidurals are quite different techniques, if someone's had a completely failed epidural then there's a higher chance that a spinal may fail too, depending a bit on the reason for the naff epidural, and that would commit you to a GA section.... which is a very different beast. It really isn't always quite such an easy decision as some people make it sound.

I second a c-section. I have had both a c-section (spinal) and a vaginal. As a nurse, I have always thought the mother needs to choose what is best for her mental and physical health, especially if the mother had a difficult, traumatic vaginal birth, which you definitely had. An elective caesarean will give you more of a sense of control and will help remove the fear and stress of anticipating another failed epidural.

Of course, a caesarean is not the only option, but well worth talking to your gynecologist/midwife about it.

All the very best, OP.

obs anaesthetist PoV.... it's quite likely that the appointment with an anaesthetist would be to discuss this. There is a well recognised failure rate with epidurals that would normally have been mentioned as part of the consent process. It's not common to get absolutely no pain relief though (the commonly quoted number is that 1:8 don't give perfect pain relief....the absolute failure rate is lower than that). What the anaesthetist may be able to discuss is a) whether there's anything unusual/predictable about you that might make an epidural difficult again, b) what other pain relief options are available if epidural either isn't an option or doesn't work again, c) how they might provide an anaesthetic if you needed to come to theatre. Epidurals are a bit like witchcraft - having had a bad time once doesn't mean it would definitely be difficult again, but they'll be able to advise based on your exact medical history. In the meantime it may be worth looking at the labourpains.org website - it's run by the Obstetric Anaesthetists Association and has loads of info about different pain relief/anaesthetic techniques and may help you to think of questions you can ask to get the best out of your appointment.
(edited to correct typo!)

My first epidural worked when delivering my first born, for my second labour it didn’t work, I managed on gas and air…just! The delivery suite was madness that day and thankfully the anaesthetist was able to e called back after an hour and reposition it and it worked just in time to push.

Well that certainly is a silver lining! Ive personally got a fear of epidurals so had my two without but if i knew I was going to be in labour for a long time with alot of intervention id probably ask for one! But the women i know who had planned CS seemed to have a calm pain free experience.