Chest numbing during c section

[ludocris]

When I had my first child I had an EMCS, and experienced a scary sensation when my chest started numbing, and I couldn't feel myself breathe. I panicked that they had accidentally punctured my lungs (!) and that I would suffocate. Of course that didn't happen and the anaesthetist was aware that I was in fact breathing (and of course would have done something about it if I wasn't).

For various reasons I'm almost certainly going to request an ELCS this time but this is the one thing that puts me off. I'm hoping that because I know this can happen, I won't panic if it happens again.

Has anyone else experienced this and then gone on to have a second CS?

[ludocris]

No one experienced this?

[Haggisfish3]

I did actually. I spoke to anaesthetist before my elcs and she was hugely reassuring. They gave me anti anxiety meds and put me first on list to reduce waiting time and my anxiety.

[Haggisfish3]

And I know exactly what you mean about breathing. I kept taking sharp breaths in to reassure myself I could actually breathe.

[Loopytiles]

Hi, I recall something like this with my first section, but didn’t mind as felt high as a kite! suspect it could just be the weird sensations of anaesthesia. It is a lot of drugs to have in your system whilst awake!

2nd time tried for vbac and ended up with unplanned section with some complications relating to the first section, after DC had been born and taken away. not serious, but it went on what felt like forever, felt shivery and frightened, then I think they either knocked me out or I fell asleep! Was fine after.

both times the nurse and doctors were great at explaining things and listening, i was probably babbling nonsense! So if you feel worried and say so, am sure they will respond, or ask your DP to keep an eye on you and speak up if need be.

[mumof1or2]

I had this exact sensation with my EMCS. I thought I was having a heart attack! I had an ELCS last year and whilst I did have in the back of my mind that it might happen again, it didn't. If it had happened again though, I knew this time that it wasn't anything to worry about so wouldn't have panicked in the same way. I think have a word with the anesthetist but also remember that there's is a WORLD of difference between an EMCS and an ELCS. The latter was a very chilled, relaxed experience and couldn't have been more different to what I'd experienced with my first child.

[Loopytiles]

Don’t think it’s a given that a planned section will be ‘relaxed’ - obviously it’s great for those who find that! Eg things can arise, like my thing would’ve been found with a planned section and needed handling.

Similarly, unplanned isn’t always ‘emergency’ in tems of how it feels, my two the experience was OK

[invinovvv]

Also had this. Had googled before and not seen if others had the same. My first words after baby was out during my c section was 'my heart hurts'. Anaesthetist didn't seem bothered, jabbed me in the arm with something and sensation went. My arms were shaking with adrenaline too (they said that was why they were shaking) not sure if that was related.

[Chaiilatte]

I saw a video on YouTube about this the other day it randomly came up on shorts by an anaesthetist. Apparently it's common and although scary is nothing to worry about.

[ludocris]

Thanks all, glad to hear I wasn't alone! I also had quite severe shivering afterwards, and vomited, and was insanely thirsty and drank about two jugs in a row and begged for coke. My son had an infection when he was born and had to be intubated - this wasn't known before he was born, but it was obvious when he came out that something was wrong because he made hardly no noise. So I've never quite been sure whether it was a panic attack I was having or a genuine sensation caused by the anaesthetic (or maybe both).

The other thing that freaks me out - possibly for the same reasons, is the thought of my upper body being completely horizontal. I think that made me feel more vulnerable and probably wouldn't help my concerns about breathing or vomiting again! I guess there's probably a very important reason why you have to be like that though.

I'm hopeful that an ELCS will be more relaxed, as some of you have suggested.

[Haggisfish3]

You aren’t actually completely horizontal. You’re at a slight tilt so any fluid can drain off table (hideous thought I know!).

[Haggisfish3]

I would mention your concerns to midwife and see if you can meet anaesthetist beforehand. I met mine a month before cs date and it was so helpful and reassuring.

[ludocris]

@Haggisfish3

You aren’t actually completely horizontal. You’re at a slight tilt so any fluid can drain off table (hideous thought I know!).

That's good to know, thank you!

[Brandnewskytohangyourstarsupon]

Yes!
for my second C-section (as my first was an emergency and I was given a general anaesthetic and knocked out)

I remember it well but after years and years of infertility and multiple miscarriages I had firmly in mind that I would endure absolutely anything to get my long awaited baby.

The anaethatist was SO calm, unconcerned that I need not worry myself in any shape or form.

I could breath perfectly well, I was safe and being cared for so was completely reassured.

Also had the shivers afterwards, very very common apparently and short lived.

Easy to say as we are all very different, for me it was part and parcel of the procedure and a means to an end.

[ludocris]

I think had I known this would happen, or if anyone had said to me 'you ARE breathing, you just can't feel it because your chest is numb', it would have made a difference. I do remember them reassuring me that my oxygen was fine but I just thought they didn't know that it was running out.

In fairness I suppose they could have said it, but I was just too panicked to hear. In any case, hopefully knowing in advance will help.

[Simd1]

Yeah I had this. I remember insisting to the anaesthetist that I wasn't breathing and he was like err you are talking away fine so of course you are breathing. Then I watched my chest rise and fall and realised he was right. It is a very weird sensation. But I think if I'd known in advance, as you say, it would have been fine - I'd have realised that it was purely because I couldn't feel it. I think that now you know, if it happens again it would not be so scary.

[peppermintcrisp]

Yes I had this. I was uncontrollably shivering too. The anaesthetist gave me something to help. I think it was anxiety.

[ludocris]

It's weird that this side effect isn't more widely known or publicised! Maybe it would make people worry but as we've all acknowledged, if you know about it in advance you're less likely to panic!

[Greybeardy]

This is completely normal. The spinal anaesthetic has to get up to the T4 dermatome (roughly nipple level if you're flat chested) to numb all the bits on the inside that need to be numb for you not to feel pain. There's quite a bit of witchcraft involved in anaesthesia and sometimes the block comes up a bit higher than that. Breathing is controlled by both the diaphragm and the chest wall muscles & so if we numb the chest wall muscles & sensation up to nipple level that makes your chest feel heavy and can make breathing feel like a bit more effort (because it is). However, most of breathing comes from the diaphragm movement though, which is innervated by nerves much much higher up (in the neck) so even though your chest feels heavy and weird your breathing is completely safe (if you think about it, lots of people have thoracic spinal cord injuries, are numb from the chest down and can breathe just fine). Generally if you can move your arms/hands then you can breathe even if it feels weird. Very rarely if the block does come up too high and we're worried that the diaphragm's going to get weaker that would be an indication for converting quickly to a GA to make sure that the breathing is safe - it rarely gets to that point though.

Until the baby is delivered you also have that weight pushing the diaphragm up a bit. After that, for women who want/are able to have skin to skin contact in theatre too, the added 3/4 kg weight plonked on the chest can also make things a bit uncomfortable.

There are some really rare complications of the operation/medical problems specific to pregnancy that can make breathing difficult too, so part of the anaesthetist's job is also to think about those things too, but usually chest heaviness is just due to the spinal/epidural working a treat.

The shaking you describe is pretty normal. Again, it's usually a sign of a good working epidural/spinal! I'm not sure anyone has a really good explanation for it (nerves probably don't help!), but it's just irritating and nothing to worry about.

Tilting the operating table to one side is nothing to do with letting fluids run off the table but is to stop the baby/uterus squashing the big vein that returns blood from the lower body to the heart. If that gets squashed it can make you feel faint/actually faint and is the reason that women are advised not to sleep on their backs in later pregnancy. Once the baby's out we take the tilt off the table.

Nausea/vomiting are common. Often it relates to blood pressure and we do try really hard to stop that being a problem, but sometimes your brain registers that it's changing before the blood pressure cuff does. There are some drugs that we have to use to help the surgeons control bleeding that can make you feel pretty queasy too. If BP is the problem then that is usually easily fixed by drugs/fluids to bring the BP back up again. If it's drug related then bog standard anti-sickness medication may help. HTH.

[Bumdrops]

Goodness this has brought back memories !!!!
I had Emergency section 16 years ago,
I remember saying the numbness is going up my body, it will stop me breathing and my heart will stop I was really freaking out
I had severe head pain that went quickly when they gave me something - no idea what !
the vomiting the shivers, all very scary but means to an end !!

[autumnboys]

I had an incomplete epidural with ds1 and they ended up giving me a general in theatre because I was absolutely unable to tell if the top up had worked. DS2, I hoped would be VBAC but when that didn’t work out the only thing I cared about was being conscious. They got the anaesthetist to come and see me and I found it incredibly reassuring to talk to him. Definitely worth requesting this.