Epidural didn't work last time - bad luck or likely to happen again?

[ASecretLemonadeDrinker]

Since I have 17 days until my due date I have started to really think about the labour. Last time I wanted an epidural, I had one the time before and it was heaven. MW did break my waters before it was 'ordered' at 4cm despite going strong, and by the time the person came I guess I was pretty far gone but they tried about 2 or 3 times and it only numbed a small patch on my thigh. I was offerd a spinal tap then but ran out of time. Was this bad luck, because maybe I was too far gone (pain wise, I'd say it was a good hour between attempt one and baby arriving) or something 'wrong' with me? I am very large, bigger than time no.1 at 16/18. I am wondering how likely it is to not work again THanks

Similar thing happened to me and I'm due in 5 days. I will be trying to avoid an epidural at all costs - my back hurt more than my stitches!

If size makes any difference I was a 22 with DS and am about an 18 now...

Watching this with interest

Hmm,

This is a difficult question to answer. If you have had an epidural in the past which worked well it would suggest that there is no big anatomical reason why an epidural can't work. It is postulated that some people may have septations in their epidural space which preven the drugs from moving around properly giving a patchy block.

However - increased BMI and a very mobile patient both make putting an epidural into the correct place difficult. Sometimes it can be hard to be sure you are in the right place and you only know you aren't when the epidural doesn't work (fortunately not often).

About 20% of epidurals in the place I work need fiddled with to get good analgesia. It is, however, pretty rare to need to totally replace them to get good pain relief.

Sorry if this hasn't really answered your question.

It is good news that one has worked on you before. I have had two children and both times the epidural hasn't worked (only kind of on the left side of my body). They said it was a one off after baby number one (ended up having emergency c-section under general anaesthetic). Then I had a natural birth with number two and boy, was it natural. I screamed through 4 hours of agony and the stitches after.

Well, I am 32 weeks with number three and terrified. The consultant anaesthetist has said there are no answers. I have a normal BMI and no back injury and so she said you'll just have to try again and see what happens.

The only thing she did suggest was having one as soon as you go in so you can be as still as you can when they put the needle in and make sure it has been successful. Make sure it is in your notes.

If it has worked before, a skilled anaesthetist should be able to do it again - although the doctor did tell me that high BMI can sometimes make it difficult to do successfully. But your size doesn't seem that overly high to me. She said you have to be classed as obese.

I know I haven't answered your question, but I feel your pain and worry !

I had an epidural with my first labour wehich didn't work and needed a spinal block instead. Consultant at the time said it was just a matter of the drugs not being placed into exactly the right spot in my spine and that the spinal was needed as there wasn't time to do another epidural. It's just one of those things that can sometimes happen afaik and I doubt it has anything to do with you or your size and that it will be fine this time if needed. Have a google and see what it brings up, or chat with your MW if it is causing you some concern.

I had an epidural with DD that didn't work, I'm a size 10. The anaesthetist said it was because I wasn't lying flat on my back for half an hour to let it work Likely at that stage of labour...
This time I've put in my notes that I don't want one, spinal if I need anything.

My first epidural with DS didn't work at first three attempts - anaesthetist said my back was swollen as was the rest of me as I had pre-eclampsia so that may have been why - the fourth and final attempt did work though, about an hour before he was born-though it almost numbed me too much to push!

With second baby, it worked first time and was bliss, and I could still feel enough to push, but that time I wasn't swollen up as no pre-eclampsia.

Good luck!!

I guess it's hard to predict then if it'll work or not this time I will make sure they know as soon as I go in that I will want one, so they have more time to fiddle THanks