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Original poster

What happened during my csection? Anyone with medical knowledge able to offer insight?

34 replies

Silversun83 · 16/07/2020 21:27

I had an elective csection with my second DC two years ago.

I'd had the spinal block and I was laying down whilst the HCPs were doing all the final prep bits. Then suddenly I started to feel really sick and really faint - I wanted to say something but I physically couldn't. The anaesthetist must have noticed something because he then started calling my name and asking if I was okay, but again I couldn't say anything. He then said he was going to do something and that I would have a bad headache for a few minutes. And I could then feel my heart beating really fast and massive pounding in my head. But was then fine after a few minutes and then everything went as normal.

Nothing was said about this afterwards and I just didn't really think to ask but I do wonder about it from time to time. I guess my heart rate/blood pressure dropped? What would have caused that/what did they do to resolve it and is it common?

Just curious! Grin

OP posts:
skylarkdescending · 16/07/2020 21:50

I had similar in both my csections OP. I think when blood pressure drops it makes you feel sick and dizzy. I actually was sick during my first delivery. From what I gather, it's to do with the actual surgery altering your blood pressure. The anaesthetist controls the flow of each drug during the surgery and they have to get the balance right for each patient.

After throwing up for 24hrs following my first CS, I warned the anaesthetist before my second CS and she gave me an anti-emetic to reduce the nausea.

VeggieSausageRoll · 16/07/2020 21:51

Blood pressure drop

StillCounting123 · 16/07/2020 22:01

Yes, happened during mine too.

I'd had previous vaginal births and had got dizzy and nauseous during those too.

I agree with the above posters about the drugs and blood pressure. Also I think it's to do with some sort of survival mechanism in the brain. It knows something is happening, and also the exciting and nerves of baby coming!

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Iliketeaagain · 16/07/2020 22:13

Yep, probably BP changes - I think it's common with anaesthetic. The anaesthetist probably altered the meds they were giving you to adjust it and that's what gave you the headache.

It doesn't "feel normal" when it's happening to you, but as far as I'm aware, it's normal process for the anaesthetist.

WinniePig · 16/07/2020 22:23

Yes! Same thing happened to me. I had an epidural and they topped it up before my emergency c-section. I had this creeping sensation of a headache shooting up my neck and into the back of my head. I mentioned it to anaesthetist and she said it was to do with blood pressure. She did something and headache immediately went away. Bizarre!

weareyoung · 16/07/2020 22:26

Happened to me too. I managed to tell them I was going to pass out, even though I was lying down. Horrible feeling. The anaesthetist dumped a load of fluid into me and I was better in a couple of minutes.

loutypips · 16/07/2020 22:32

Happened to me too. The anaesthetist stayed by me at all times, he was lovely. He said if I felt funny to let him know. I did, he injected something into the cannula and I felt immediately better. He did explain what it was, but I can't remember now.

WTFrigg · 16/07/2020 22:39

I had this, thankfully my anaesthetist was brilliant and he was a lightning bolt adding things all over the place. I felt really sick and dizzy (but managed to hold it in until I got into my bed in private ward room and poor ladies had to clean everything 😳) anyway, I was told I had lost a lot of blood, so much so I was told to make sure that if I had another csection I let the medical staff know.

imaflutteringkite · 16/07/2020 22:43

I had this with the second of my three csections. It felt so traumatic that I was worried about it for my third one and told the anaesthetist. He gave me something to stop my blood pressure dropping and I was fine for that one. It was a really strange and scary feeling when it happened though

imaflutteringkite · 16/07/2020 22:43

I had this with the second of my three csections. It felt so traumatic that I was worried about it for my third one and told the anaesthetist. He gave me something to stop my blood pressure dropping and I was fine for that one. It was a really strange and scary feeling when it happened though

BirdIsland · 16/07/2020 22:43

Same happened to me too, lost a lot of blood and blood pressure dropped way down. Anesthetist fixed it and I felt better within a few minutes. Unfortunately it happened just as they laid my tiny newborn on me and I had to ask them to take her away because I thought I was going to pass out ☹️

MrsBlue4 · 16/07/2020 22:43

Definitely blood pressure dropping. Happened to me last month, managed to tell them I felt really faint and was about to pass out. The anaesthesist topped me up with something and I immediately felt so much better.

slavetothenhs · 16/07/2020 22:58

Hi, I work in theatres so can answer this - spinals very commonly cause a big drop in blood pressure, but they can give you medication to reverse it quickly.

sproutsandparsnips · 16/07/2020 23:00

Yes I had the same - they twiddled a few knobs and all was well - I was drenched in sweat and I could see the figures. My heart rate was high and BP low, secondary to the sp8mal anaesthetic.

sproutsandparsnips · 16/07/2020 23:01

Spinal

hippoherostandinghere · 16/07/2020 23:01

I'm so glad you've asked this because now I know the answer! This happen to me too! I felt a wave come over me from my stomach moved right up like a heaviness over my chest up to my head and I was so dizzy, told the anaesthetist straight away who put something in my drip and then I was fine! Didn't realise it happened to so many people.

Original poster
Silversun83 · 16/07/2020 23:03

Ah, thanks, that clears it up a bit! Didn't happen during the EMCS I had with DC1.

Though after a four-day labour I have many more unresolved queries about that!

OP posts:
Original poster
Silversun83 · 16/07/2020 23:07

@slavetothenhs - Thank you, that's really interesting. I also didn't realise it was so common.. I wonder why they don't warn people it could happen? (Or maybe it is on the consent form!)

@hippoherostandinghere - I'm glad it's cleared it up for you as well!

OP posts:
AnnieCartwright · 16/07/2020 23:07

The spinal anaesthetic will drop your blood pressure into your boots if it's working well. This will also make you feel sick.

They gave you medication to raise your BP and counteract the nausea. It's an extremely common occurrence after a spinal anaesthetic.

mrwalkensir · 16/07/2020 23:13

had that with my two ECS - mentioned it as soon as started feeling queasy - useful feedback to the anaesthetist as they can react straightaway. Yep - completely normal - anaesthesia is a much more skilled juggle than people realise.

Bearfrills · 16/07/2020 23:22

I had this with my second CS. My blood pressure dropped to 70/40, they gave me an infusion(?) then tilted the bed back and to the left so my head was lower. It was very weird, felt like my blood was whizzing around and I thought I was going to slide off because the angle of the tilt felt much greater to me than it actually was. The surgeons were all standing waiting for it to take effect before the continued, I'm presuming they clamped everything off first! I was in recovery for a good few hours afterwards and they kept me on fluids overnight.

Monkey500 · 16/07/2020 23:33

Me too, was starting to feel very odd, the anaesthetist noticed before I had said anything and was fixed within seconds, hadn't had any problem with my first spinal at all.

QueenCT · 16/07/2020 23:43

Not a section but I had that with my last coil fitting. Felt ok, sat up and couldn't decide whether to throw up or pass out and was really sweaty. They said my blood pressure had dropped massively so upended the bed (head down) and put a fan on me. Felt like a right idiot lay there half naked upside down GrinGrin
Very strange feeling!

BlingLoving · 16/07/2020 23:54

Yup me too. She did warn me in advance though and said to let her know if I started feeling anything at all. Happened twice and both times with a few seconds of her sticking something into the cannula I was feeling better.

ShyTown · 16/07/2020 23:56

Me too. Blood pressure drop. Was fine after I’d been tipped upside down. If they put anything in the IV I didn’t realise but who knows!

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