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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

Epidural headache

21 replies

MarmiteMagic · 15/12/2010 15:59

Just curious really to know if any of you MN's had one and if so what your experience was.

I had one after DD but I've never come across anyone in RL that got one.

Marmite

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mspotatochip · 15/12/2010 21:25

I had one after first child, flat on back in bed in dark room in hospital for ten days, not really right for another two weeks or so. Had a blood patch didn't work. Quite horrific.

It happened a friend of mine twice

Hopalongcassidy · 16/12/2010 14:03

I had one after birth of DS, affected me worse at the time than the abruption/haemorrhage or 4th degree tear. I had a blood patch which was unsuccessful too, though I kept being told how unusual that was. It took weeks for me to be able to lookafter the baby on my own. I've never met anyone in real life who had one either.

On a positive note, I had a spinal for csection with DD's birth 2 weeks ago, with anaesthetist who was very patient with my angst about it happening again, and no problems, fantastic experience all round.

Original poster

MarmiteMagic · 16/12/2010 14:21

Blimey thought my experience was bad enough!

Your poor friend mspotatochip having it happen twice. And you too - no way I'd have managed spending 10 days in hospital let alone flat on my back!

I was on loads of painkillers for the first week and could only sit upright for an hour or so after each dose.But on a positive note it gave DP a really good chance to bond with DD as I'm sure he looked after her loads more than he would have done otherwise. Also meant I never felt so much as a twinge from my extensive episiotomy stitches!

I feel very lucky now that my blood patch worked first time. Although my (wonderful) anesthetist who did the patch told me that there was only a 25% chance of it working and it was very likely I'd have to have another. Did they not offer you another one Hopalongcassidy?

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Original poster

MarmiteMagic · 16/12/2010 14:22

Oh and a big congratulation on the birth of your DD!!

I'm so glad it was a more positive experience

OP posts:

Westers · 10/02/2011 14:43

Yep, I had one too and had two blood patches and neither worked. Was flat on my back for 11 days.

It not knowing when it would get better and the fear that it could be months that was the worst thing.

Thank god for all the help we had from family to cope.

Horrible, horrible.

And the bloody epidural didn't work so gave birth with just gas and air anyway, grrrr.

Hopalongcassidy · 12/02/2011 15:28

I was offered a second blood patch, but told pessimistically by the anaesthetist that there was no guarantee of that one working either. I was really nervous of another op as well. In the end I just went home (to continue to lie flat!) as while in hospital they had to keep DS in Special Care since i couldn't look after him, and at home at least I had some help so as a team we could manage, with my contribution being breastfeeding lying down.

I also was advised that drinking lots of caffeine would speed up healing. Anaesthetist said I was fine to drink red bull while breastfeeding. I thought this sounded peculiar so compromised with some coke.

Phlebas · 12/02/2011 17:39

my SIL did the blood patch didn't work but she went home (this was after baby #3) & it took nearly 2 weeks before she was able to do much baby care.

cardamomginger · 13/02/2011 00:50

I was fine. So sorry that others had a horrid time .

jabberwocky · 13/02/2011 01:03

Dh had one after an epidural for a prostate biopsy. He was in misery until my brother (who is a dr) told him to drink 10 large glasses of water in 30 minutes. It worked! His regular dr. had told him he would just have to "wait it out"

Ushy · 13/02/2011 13:13

Dural taps that cause the headache are more common if the epidural is given later in labour and the woman is in too much pain to keep still. Lack of skill of the anaesthetist and high BMI of the woman also make it more lightly. About 1 in a hundred women get dural taps although it varies from country to country. About half dural taps get headache.

A lot of midwives encourage women to 'hang on ' as long as they can before getting an epidural. I tis EXACTLY the opposite of what they should do because it makes it harder to keep still.
Don't know if that helps:)

Mahraih · 13/02/2011 14:58

I had an epidural and was completely unaware that the headaches could be so bad!

The aneasthetist mentioned them as a possible side effect and I said, "Oh, and is it a bad headache?" He said, "Occasionally it can be". And that was it.

My sympathy to anyone who has had one - they don't sound like a barrel of laughs!

Fourleaf · 04/03/2011 14:16

I had one after DS. I was lucky (ha!) that it only lasted about 5 days, but it was by far the worst thing about the birth/aftermath. Horrible horrible headache. I went home after 3 days though and then also breastfed lying down but couldn't do much else. :( Like Marmite said, the silver lining was that DH did loads with DS and they are still v v close.
I had an epidural at 9cm and couldn't stay still because my contractions were constant. The midwife hadn't examined me to see how dilated I was - as they said they were avoiding examinations as my waters had gone. Don't think I would have had an epidural if I'd known I was 9cm. My epidural also fell out so I had to push DS out without pain relief.
The whole thing still bothers me and I think I will go to an 'afterthoughts' consultation at the hospital before I have another baby as I am terrified of a similar thing happening again.
So sorry to hear others had this - and for even longer :(

Cleofartra · 04/03/2011 17:12

"A lot of midwives encourage women to 'hang on ' as long as they can before getting an epidural"

Do you have evidence of this?

SarahScot · 04/03/2011 17:24

Cleofarta, there will be LOTS of anecdotal evidence of this on here. I was 'encouraged' to 'hang on' until - oops! - too late, what a shame. I know a lot of people who tell the same story.

Cleofartra · 04/03/2011 18:05

I'm just wondering if there's any evidence that bad practice by midwives is responsible for most or a large proportion of dural taps experienced by labouring mothers, or whether most can be put down to poor anaesthetic technique, or simply the fact that administering an epidural is a complex and delicate procedure which is bound sometimes to go wrong?

Alimat1 · 04/03/2011 18:19

As a midwife - the 3 dural taps I have witnessed have all happened when epidural was given in early labour, prior to inductions
It doesnt happen often, but when it does its horrible for those suffering.

They are horrific - breast fedding is very hard as you basically cannot life your head form the pillow.

Alimat1 · 04/03/2011 18:22

oops - sorry fast fingers -
breast feeding.
lift head

MissBax · 05/09/2017 16:44

I know this is an old post but just wondering whether any of the posters are still active and can give me some ray of hope.
I gave birth to DD last Monday and the epidural resulted in spinal tap and subsequently in post dural puncture headache. I have had 2 blood patches. Both worked initially but pdph returned within 28 and 36 hours. I am having an MRI scan tonight to see whether there is any reason the blood patches aren't taking, with the possibility of a 3rd blood patch! I am at my wits end, I cannot bare the thought that I could be like this for months. I am feeling so down and depressed that I cannot even sit up to see to DD.
For those who had the headache and waited it out at home, did it gradually get better? Did you wake up one day and it was gone?? I need some hope that it will heal soon! Please help.

sprite25 · 06/09/2017 09:51

I had an epidural with DD and couldn't keep still cos of the pain as was near to the end which meant they had to try and do it a few times...if never even heard of this problem before makes me scared to consider an epidural when due with DS in a couple of weeks

MissBax · 06/09/2017 13:05

sprite - I'd never heard of it either, until they ran through the risks before giving it me. Obviously at the time I just said sure sure to everything, not anticipating the impact it would actually have.
If I have another child I don't know what I'll.do as I couldn't tolerate the gas and air, which is why I opted for epidural. I might have to ask for an EMCS

bakewelltarte · 14/09/2017 16:44

Hi Miss, this happened to me last year. It was absolutely horrific. I could do nothing for my newborn son apart from breastfeeding laying down and it was the darkest time of my life. I feel so deeply for anyone who this has happened to. I had 2 blood patches and was in hospital for 6 days lying flat unable to move without feeling my head would explode. The first blood patch was unsuccessful and the second worked thankfully. Although I felt much better, I still had horrendous headaches and it turns out I had a blood clot in my brain which showed up on the MRI.
I do hope that you are feeling better and have had some treatment that worked - it's something I had never heard of and ruined the first week with my baby xx

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