I anyone else absolutly petrified about spinal c-section?

[mummytopebs]

I am having a c-section 20th jan and i am absolutly petrified of having the spinal. I have had a section before but had a general and i found this fine. I have spoken to the anathetist who has went through the pros of the spinal and i know it will prob be best, especially seem as i sufferd from post natal depression with my dd cos didnt see her so didnt get the bond.

Can anyone give me any advice or encouragement cos its already keeping me awake at night worrying about it

I was worried for the same reasons as you OP. I ended up in tears on the way in because i had to tell them that i would probably have a panic attack while on the table numb They just gave me a sedative which calmed me right down and all was well. The numbness and not being able to move did freak me out but i really tried to focus my mind and the midwives talked me through it so i kept telling myself it was almost over etc.

Good luck you will be fine, i felt so calm and relaxed once i saw my little girl

I had one the other week as i had to have a manual removal of a retained placenta. It was absolutely fine, did not feel a thing and even the fitting/administering of it was fine. The only thing was that like defyinggravity, afterwards i had mega shivers and had to have about 3 extra blankets! And also had the comedy fake legs experience. It was really nothing to worry about; far preferable to the alternative IMO.

I giggled my way through my csection, because it all seemed so weird, being able to see my body being shifted about but not feeling it. So amusing rather than scary! A big contrast to natural childbirth where giggling is the last thing you'd be doing!

It really will be fine!

Are you really scared of the spinal itself or is it more the PND threat ?

1st cs, spinal. now I am a diabetic and had over 9,000 injections in my time, but lets be honest here, it really is very very unpleasant. "FUCK ME", I shouted when she did it. "oh I'm sorry. I'm so sorry" . They all laughed.
It really is very nasty. BUT it is only for a second. It is over with very quickly.

2nd - GA. was asleep for ages. but it was fine.

I had 2 very good cs experiences over all. Recovery was good. I was only ever in mild discomfort, rather than PAIN.
I hope you do too.

I had one 6 days ago. Got to feed DD now but will come back and tell you about it later.

Was a piece of cake - no big deal at all

Goldensnitch, congratulations was thinking about you and wondering if it all went well. Glad you're home for Christmas!!!

to add to the conversation (sorry mummytopebs!) I am having ELCS next week and a little nervous, but have had epidural after DC1 was born, to suture a tear, and the ep was fine, I dont recall any pain when it went in, so to speak. I was a little out of it having had a traumatic delivery and losing a lot of blood, and actually passed out while the anaesthetist was trying to do it. But they nonetheless managed to do it ok, and I didnt have any problems after. I got the shakes really bad too afterwards!! what is that about? i felt so cold, thought it was the blood loss but perhaps not. I got quite giggly with the shakes.

are you nervous about the loss of sensation in your lower body? I remember panicking about that just before they did it, but it really, honestly was fine.

Good luck and hope it goes well for you x

I am the biggest wimp in the world and I hate needles.

Was absolutely fine having spinal c-section. The adrenaline and excitement helps, I think. That and the fact that the anaesthetists are brilliant, and I couldn't feel a thing.

The general I had second time around took a lot more getting over, tbh.

Good luck!

Can you really have sedation?

My first cs was emergancy after 12 hours of labour, and still had pethadine in my body and was tired so didnt find it frightening. The second planned one I found terrifying! It was wonderful and didnt hurt, but I had my first ever panic attack and felt really sick. I have never felt so terrified in all my life.

But it was a wonderful birth at the same time, strange!

You will be fine, but understand why you are worried.

I have had 3 spinal blocks - 2 emergencies and 1 planned. As previously said, small needle prick for local and nothing at all with the spinal needle. There is a very warm floating feeling once it takes hold, they help you lay down as I immediately had a numb bum and it was very quickly up to my chest - and they do the spray water test. I do tend to feel sick, and it's a low blood pressure thing - tell them immediately and they can give you something to sort it out - immediately passes. I actually enjoy the spinal bit, I almost fell asleep for my planned section - was so tired from being up early and normal stress of it, and it was so lovely and relaxing.

They have their best working with planned sections, I had the top gyno in the region as it happened. There is nothing rushed or panicked and it can be a very beautiful experience. Plus, morphine and volderol (sp) is given to you post-op, you feel nothing. I was up and feeling reasonably well 24 hours post-op. Home within 48 hours.

Positive thinking will get you very far, and you have those lovely post birth hormones to keep you going for a couple of days, the birth is very quick in comparison. By far my planned section was the best.

Good luck to you with your birth

I would try really really hard not to give you sedation to site a spinal as it can cross the placenta and make the baby sleepy. In 3 years of obstetric practice I've not had to resort to sedation. Most women comment afterwards that it is lots better than they were expecting. Quite a few of my anaesthetic friends have had them and have all said it was weird but not dreadful.

Generally they are pretty straightforward going in.

Standard proceedure (for me anyway)
is into theatre.
Sit on edge of table.
Get monitoring on
Site IV drip (they will use local anaesthetic)
Get into position (I do sitting, occasional colleagues will do lying down) which is a special curled up position to make the spaces between the vertebrae in your back as big as possible. One of the midwives/ theatre nurses orODPs will be there to help you. Normally your partner will be there too.
The anaesthetist will scrub at this point.
Clean the skin (very cold)
Apply drape
Insert local anaesthetic
Wait
Insert spinal needle introducer/ then do spinal (mostly only takes one go, a good position really really helps)
bum feels hot, legs tingly
Lie down
Wait 5 mins
Check block (leg raising, cold spray as above).
Ready to go go.

If you think more info would help you
Both the Royal College of Anaesthetists
www.rcoa.ac.uk/index.asp?PageID=69#ysa

and the Obstetric Anaesthetists Association
www.oaa-anaes.ac.uk/content.asp?ContentID=11

have leaflets for patients.

Hope this helps.
I'll pop back if you ahve more questions.
Gasman

I keep meaning to come back to this as promised but Christmas got in the way!!

what gasman said sounds pretty much how my spinal went (although DH wasn't allowed in until I was in theater so not able to be with me while the spinal was put in)

I walked from the ward to theater, was sat on the edge of the bed and had IV put in with a local to numb the site - Uncomfy but not sore. Then given a pillow and asked to slouch forward as much as I could (not easy with a huge belly!) while I was given a local anesthetic to numb my back. Was a little uncomfortable when he first tried to place the spinal so he stopped and gave me some more local. The only minor drama was caused by me nearly passing out but that's due to me hating needles - they always make me wobbly. That added to the natural excitement and anxiety made me a bit light headed. Didn't feel the spinal go in and then laid myself down as it took affect.

Nurse and Anesthetist were amazing. Took their time and talked me through everything. Anesthetist kept telling me that they weren't taking me anywhere until he was happy that I was numb and OK. Cold spray was used to check I was numb (just like EMCS), asked to see if I could raise my legs - which I couldn't - and I was wheeled through. Feels like that heavy fuzzyness you get when you've been sat or laid funny and you get pins and needles - before the actual pins and needles set in.

Surgery was fine. Like someone above said, I was so chilled out and tired from the morning that I could quite happily have napped while they got on with it! DD came out screaming and healthy and the lovely Anesthetist even offered to take a picture of DD, DH and once she was passed to me.

ELCS was at 12.15 and I was up and in the shower less than 24 hours later! Was home after 48 hours.

My Mum commented yesterday that I was walking around like nothing had happened.

If I were having more children, I would choose another ELCS and spinal definitely.

Hope yours goes/went as well as mine

I've had GAs for other surgery and a spinal for both c/s, the spinal is SOOOO much better IME, you miss the horrid waking up with the worst-hangover-in-the-world feeling & being sick, if you are anything linke me after a GA.

Second what gasman said about position

First one went in first go in spite of me having a contraction in the middle of things (was em c/s)

Second time round (el cs) first anaethetist had six or seven goes (honestly... ) and I was expecting them to say I'd need a GA. Second anethetist came in, adjusted my position slightly & sighted it at the first attempt. It wasn't painful at the time but I had a huge bruise on my back for 2 weeks after! I'm not saying this to worry you, just to say that even a less-than-perfect spinal is WAY better than a GA. I would have hated to have a GA for the birth of my DC & missed their arrival in the world.

Have you learnt any relaxation techniques for the birth? I'd done hypnobirthing (second one was planned to be a VBAC...) which really helped to keep me calm & relaxed.

good luck

Thanks everyone x If possible i do not want sedation as the feeling of not being in control makes my panic attacks worse. So i will try and fcous my mind on something else rather than thinking what is happening x

It might be sooner than expected as have had terrible bh and pains the last couple of days

I've had three spinals - two caesarians and one for major abdominal surgery. The two caesarians were an absolute doddle

You will be fine too. Can I suggest you ask to visit the pre-op room to discuss what will happen if you think it'll help you. Don't do sedation. It's actually quite interesting and exciting because you are about to meet your baby.

I can promise you there is no pain during it - although it is irksome to be able to wriggle your toes but feel nothing from thigh to nipple!

I really hope you come back on here after Baby is born and tell us all that it was fine and you coped ok. I've suffered from PA's too - my first CS was an emergency but epidural didn't take properly so had spinal. Second I elected and had a spinal. I thought too much about being awake for the operation when in fact the reality was that none of it actually "hurt" it was discomfort when the spinal was done (the poster below describes it all really well) - the whole CS thing is a bit weird but it's very very exciting when the baby comes out and you're awake - that's what kept me going. I knew that I had to be ok for the baby.

I was (much better now) very very phobic about needles and hospitals and just having blood taken at the surgery made me pass out but I've got better now I try to almost distance myself from it.

Also - something to be aware of is that my blood pressure dropped several times during surgery meaning that I suddenly felt like I was going to pass out. It's very common but make sure that you tell your anaesthetist if this is happening to you and they inject something else through the needle and it brings you round again.

Good luck and please try to focus on the outcome. I never had any trouble bonding with either of mine and both times I was quite out of it and sick from the anaesthetic (I always react to anaesthesia)...

Gasman When I had my last spinal, I had an awful lot of crunching in my spine/head (could hear it in my head) as he kept hitting bone. As he did this I would get a painful thud down my legs. I was told they would only try 3 times to get it in, but I know they tried alot more than that.

Is it worth bringing this up, when I go for my next spinal in May?