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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

Has anybody had an epidural with a needle Phobia?

30 replies

chloemegjess · 21/12/2008 01:47

I am talking a proper needle phobia, not just a dislike to needles.

I had an injection the other day, I knew I needed it as I was very ill and did it for the sake of my baby. But cried, paniked, shouted, refused to have it etc which is quite usual for me when there is a needle involved.

I feel very worried about this birth as when I had DD is was so painful (although she was back to back, very long labour and I was il at the same time). I am starting to think that I would be better off having an epidural.

BUT I don't know how they would give it to me. I remember being close to asking for one last time (for need of sleep more than anything) but I hadn't looked a thing up because I had previously decided I didn't want one. I was talked out of it because of the dangers of if I moved when they were trying to do it. To be honest, I so much as see a needle and I dive the other side of the room.

Please don't say "it doesn't hurt, it only takes a min, don't look at the needle etc etc etc" everybody says this to me every time I have anything done and all it does is make me feel stupid.

OP posts:

SantasNuttySTaff · 21/12/2008 01:55

fwiw i didnt see the needle/equipment or anything when they gave me mine, and you wouldnt really get a chance to see it anyway as they lie you on your side to put it into your back so you cant see unless you try to look (which you would be discouraged from doing anywat cos you need to be as still as possible)

could you not stipulate in your notes that under no circumstances do you want them to mention the needle/ sharp prick etc & to cover up the needle when they bring it in. and for them only to tell you when you need to keep still

twinsetiscrapatflouncing · 21/12/2008 01:57

Yes, I have a serious fear of needles, all my bloods had to be taken in hospital as my fear was so great they could not get anything from me as mu veins would retract.

I was terrified of my epidural, did not have one on my birth plan for that very reason. But husband at the time asked for one as I was not coping with the pain. I can just remember being terrified and keeping it hard to keep still as I was so scared. This was not helped by the aneathatist [sp but I am too drunk tired to correct it] shouting at ne for gods sake keep still if I do this wrong you will be crippled for life

Sp have no advice but wanted you to know you are not alone

SantasNuttySTaff · 21/12/2008 02:02

you also have to concentrate very hard on your contractions to tell them when they are happening so maybe this would take your mind off it a little?

before i was able to have my epidural they did have to explain what they were going to do, dangers, poss side effects etc and get you to sign a form and the nurse asked me about a million times if i still wanted to have it. so be prepared, if you can handle that and them not showing you/ mentioning what they are doing then go for it or look into other methods of pain relief that does not involve needles (but i guess that only leaves g&a)

Hope this helps, this is just my exp of course, i may be talking tosh, and i'm sure more experienced MNers will be able to help you more

good luck x

SantasNuttySTaff · 21/12/2008 02:05

twinset at your anethesetist!! (sp?)

twinsetiscrapatflouncing · 21/12/2008 02:06

I think he was pissed off as he had been called in to do my epidural, I can remember having to wait for him to come in.

SantasNuttySTaff · 21/12/2008 02:08

but still ..... what a knob

twinsetiscrapatflouncing · 21/12/2008 02:10

totally I was a complete bitch when givinh birth though

SantasNuttySTaff · 21/12/2008 02:12

tis a womans right to be a bitch when giving birth though surely lol

Original poster

chloemegjess · 21/12/2008 02:12

Oh no, what a horrible aneathatist (I too have no idea how to spell it). The only time i have been able to have blood tests without a big fuss is when I had a midwife who was sooo lovely. She said not to worry and to take as much time as I needed etc. I still had to get my mum to hold my arm down (I have to take her with me everywhere for this!) but it was over with in mins with no tears and little fuss. But unfortunatly most of the time MWs are too busy and are rushing and get in a mood if you take a while which just adds to my worries about it and it takes a lot longer.

What made things worse is that when in labour with DD, the MW got fed up with me and gave me a Pethadine injection without my permission. I SCREAMED as it shocked me on top of everything else. This has also meant that I have no trust in people that say "I won't do anything unless you want me to" etc.

Nutty - it won't make a difference to me if I am not shown the needle, honest. The thing is, when you are so scared of something, you are so much more aware of it. And to be honest, I do look for it. Otherwise it is like saying "There is a huge spider in the room, and it is going to crawl over you but it is ok if you don't look at it". Thanks for your message though

OP posts:

TeenyTinyTorya · 21/12/2008 07:54

I have a terrible needle phobia - start crying whenever I have blood tests, etc. I didn't notice the epidural at all, I was in so much pain that nothing could have added to it. I think if it comes to it and you really need one, you should be fine.

stillenacht · 21/12/2008 07:59

I also fear needles big time. However when i was in labour after about 6 hours i wasn't fussed by it at all.

idontlikesundays · 21/12/2008 08:05

I didn't see any of the epidural equipment or feel anything, that bit was fine. But often when you have an epidural you have to have a canular fitted into your hand, and that totally freaked me out, to be honest - especially once the epidural had kicked in and I didn't have the pain of the contractions to distract me from it. Just thought that was worth bearing in mind - epidurals usually mean canulars, which for a needle-phobe are grim.

TeenyTinyTorya · 21/12/2008 08:08

Canulas - I had three attempts at the first one, then a fourth one when that came out. Ask for the anaesthetist to do your canula, you don't notice it happening. Again, speaking as a needle phobice.

I did spend the day after wanting that thing out of my vein, but at the time you don't notice.

Original poster

chloemegjess · 21/12/2008 13:44

When I was in labour with DD, dispite being in loads of pain, the needles still bothered me a lot.

I did have Canulas too as I was on antibiotice drip as well as induced to speed up the long labour.

The Canulas going in were a complete nightmare and probably made my Phonbia worse. The first attempt took forever and was awful. Thought it was finally over when she said I could look but when I turned round, she said she hadn't managed to get it in and there was blood everywhere, all over the bed, floor, me, her etc. I hadn't moved or anything but she just couldn't get in in a vien. The doctor then had a couple of attempts and they then had to call the aneathatist to try as nobody was having any sucsess.

I had 2 pethadine injections but didn't want either of them to be honest. The first was given without me giving my consent and although I gave me consent for the second one, they knew I didn't want one but everybody just went on and on at me so much that I ended up doing it for a bit of peace.

OP posts:

littleboyblue · 21/12/2008 13:50

I have a huge and I mean huge fear of needles, kind of decided at 8 week booking in appointment with ds that maybe pregnancy wasn't such a good idea.......
I cry, I yell, I properly scream, I try deep breathing, I shield my eyes and I hate it. It really does hurt me (normal blood test type stuff)
When I was in labour, I was in so much pain, I really didn't care about the needle. I had 2 shots of pethedine (crap) and had a spinal block in the end as needed forceps. This time I really wanted an epidural, but have decided I am not brave enough so plan to do G&A again, I will wait until pain from labour is so bad that I won't care about the needle.....as long as I don't see it.

tristaleejac · 21/12/2008 14:35

Is there any way you can try for a birth without epidural? Could you try some kind of hypnotherapy/breathing techniques or something to try to manage the pain and reduce your anxiety? I'm not trying to be all airy fairy or anything, but surely if you have increased anxiety it won't do you any good.
If you're going through contractions which are gradually getting worse, thinking oh christ they're getting worse I'll need my epidural soon, what about the needle, how will I cope etc etc, then you're anxiety levels are going to be soaring, which in turn will worsen the pain.
Just thought maybe if you focus on other methods of pain relief and keeping positive, it may be that you don't even need an epidural.
You managed well before and it sounds like you went through an awful time, what with baby being back to back, the bastards giving you pethidine without your consent. Hopefully this baby will be in a better position, you'd get better MW's etc?

Original poster

chloemegjess · 21/12/2008 14:37

The more I think about it the more I think I won't be able to go through with it (the epidural).

BUT then when I think about the agony of childbirth it makes me cringe. I still have fashback backs from pushing DD out and don't know how to do that again.

I was planning to go to a birthing centre so can't have an epidural if I go there (Get get transfered to labour ward in same building for one though). If I get my water birth this time, then I might be ok without one. But that didn't happen last time and I was stuck on a bed the whole time, lying on my back which didn't help at all.

OP posts:

sorkycake · 21/12/2008 15:04

Don't have one!

Even if they spray your back with the cold stuff and you're obviously facing the wrong way so can't see it, you are restricted in the positions you can birth in.

You can manage to give birth without one, they come with risks that aren't worth it, lead to more interventions which you really won't want, you risk being augmented if you 'fail to progress' and that then means Cannula's (something I have an irrational fear of). I'll be really honest and say if I had your level of fear I wouldn't risk going into hospital to be perfectly honest with you.

Second births are very often different affairs to first ones imo. I honestly believe the only way to avoid the trauma of a first birth is to go nowhere near a hospital and take charge of all your options at home.
Water births are fab. Why not consider a home water birth?
You won't even have the option of G&A or Pethidine so no needles to worry about.

Coldtits · 21/12/2008 15:18

Oh God yes I did this

Insist on having gas and air while they do it IF you need one. The epidural, if it works, is very very effective at taking the pain away BUT it will slow your labour down, adn with a second birth it will usually all go a LOT faster.

It DOES hurt, it MIGHT take a deal longer than a minutes and honest to got, if my labour with ds1 hadn't been 42 hours I wuld never have had it. If you can possibly do without it don't do it, it's the worst needle I've ever had in my life and they put you on a drip too.

I hate to say all this, I'd locve to say I was fine but actually I wasn't. This was 5.8 years ago and the worst but of the labour for me was while they were putting that needle in.

Saying that, if you feel you cannot go on with the pain, have it. It's very very effective.

NotQuiteCockney · 21/12/2008 15:29

Epidurals are horrid. I am needlephobic (well, I'm getting better now, but I was still v bad when I had my DSes). Anaesthetic needles are the kind that bother me most - having blood taken has never been that bad for me. And I'm generally pretty nervous about spinal damage.

I've had two CSes, so couldn't opt out of the epidurals. They were pretty bad. DH was with me both times, though, holding my hand, getting me to look in his eyes and breathe deep, which helped.

Original poster

chloemegjess · 21/12/2008 15:41

DO you HAVE To lie down? When I have any needles I can't lie down or it makes me a thousand times worse, I think like I am not in as much control or something.

As for the home water births, this is what I had planned the first time round, bought a pool etc and I have been trying to sell the dam thing ever since! Didn't go to plan though as labour was far too long to stay at home. . This is what has made me go for a birth centre which is a mid way point for me.

OP posts:

expatinscotland · 21/12/2008 15:43

i had two births with epi and one without and i'd go for the epi everytime.

i had no lasting effects from either the epis or the birth.

i used to be needle phobic, but i've been stuck all over with so many needles of the course of my adulthood - jabs to go to developing nations, 4 knee surgeries, ERPC, childbirths and pregnancy, donating blood, etc - that i've sort of gotten over it.

FWIW, each time i had an epi in childbirth i was in so much pain from the contractions whatever pain there was from the procedure to get the epi in was overshadowed.

i just wanted relief from it all.

NotQuiteCockney · 21/12/2008 15:45

When I had my epidurals, I was sat on the operation table, with my back hunched. I wasn't lying down.

expatinscotland · 21/12/2008 15:47

i was hunched over, too, and sitting up.

the only time i've had one lying down was for a knee surgery, i wasn't pregnant.

fluffles · 21/12/2008 15:51

You can get CBH for needle phobia and i'd seriously reccommend it. I had a mild phobia of needles but enough to break me out in a sweat and have my heart racing and i used CBH techniques to be able to give blood

If you can get the phobia a bit under control then it wont be a distraction during the birth.

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