Has anyone else experienced failed epidurals?

[elm26]

Hi, I’m posting for traffic as I’m becoming increasingly anxious about this.

I gave birth to DD 2 years ago, it was an induction at 38 weeks due to IUGR and my placenta starting to fail.

I was in for week, having dilation rods, pessaries and sweeps then finally on day 6 I was dilated enough for them to break my waters, she was born 39 weeks on the dot weighting 5lb 15oz.

I had an epidural as recommended when they started the drip to medically induce me, it didn’t work so they re-sited it a few hours later, it still didn’t work.

DD was back to back and I gave birth with only gas and air and I was not coping with the pain, it was horrific.

I’m now almost 29 weeks with number 2 and have had a letter to meet with the anaesthetist at 32 weeks. Would this to be discuss my failed epidurals? If anyone has had one and it’s failed, have any of you gone on to have a successful epidural for another birth?

Thanks for reading x

My epidural was successful but they made me stop clicking it at the end so I would “know when to push” 😕- I had a stuck back to back baby and the pain flooded back. I ended up in theatre with a spinal, massive episiotomy and forceps.

I’m now living elsewhere and due again in October. I’ve been told I can have a c section if I want one. I’m undecided but think if I get to my due date or over and baby is seemingly back to back again then I’ll go for the section. I’d prefer a vaginal delivery but I can’t risk forceps etc again.

My mother did when my brother was born. And he was huge and caused damage (this was in the 70s, unlikely that it would have been a vaginal birth these days).

She did meet with the anesthetist before my birth (about a year and a half later) and she had a very success epidural when I was born (the story is that she (and my dad) fell asleep and had to be shaken awake to know if they actually planned to, you know, push out the baby). As I said, totally success (and strong) epidural.

I always tell me brother that there was no way I wasn't the favourite child after that :)

I did with my first. Didn't have any effect at all. The anaesthetist also had a sprained hand and had to try about 6 times to get it in. I was left black and blue. Stupid thing was I didn't even ask for one in the first place. 16 years later I had one booked for a cesarean birth and was very anxious it wouldn't work, but it did perfectly. Had my 1st in 1986 and think they were quite new then, so that could have been a factor.

My first was for a normal birth, just induced, not cesarean

Mine, but it’s because it had been put in the wrong place. Ended up in forceps under spinal instead.

It was my first and hell, they couldn't find the place to site it. Maybe somebody on work experience! after a lot of prodding they abandoned it and C section full anaesthetic. Baby D and I did well.

Would you consider going straight to a c section?

I would like to avoid if possible, I had a difficult labour but I healed so well and was sat outdoors at our local village pub 3 days after giving birth celebrating my 30th with a medium-rare steak 😂

Thank you for sharing. Two different anaesthetist's placed the epidurals so I’m wondering whether I just don’t react well to them.

Thank you for sharing. I really applaud all of you that go through the forceps procedure because it looks awful 😖

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.

Thanks for sharing, so sorry you went through that it sounds awful! I’m glad your second worked for your c-section.

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.

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!)

Oh my goodness, your poor Mum! You are definitely the favourite in this case 😂

Thank you for sharing, that sounds awful. I think this might be my plan too although I’m trying to avoid c-section.

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.

This is so helpful thank you so much, will definitely take a look at the website!

Thank you so much, I’m really worried about the recovery with a 2 year old who’s not going to nursery until January. We run our own business so DH could take more time off work than the standard 2 weeks but his employees would have to pick up the slack for him (tradesmen) so we have deadlines for completion of jobs.

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 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

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.

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.

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.

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.