# Q about epidural



## waiting4allie

So this probably isnt the question that most would ask about getting an epidural? But I was wondering how loopy it makes you? I have heard that some people act pretty silly after they get their epidural. Anyone have any input on this? I really do not want to act goofy! Also, I have heard of it making people sick, like throwing up and dizzy? How likely would any of you say this is? I hate throwing up more than anything. But I know the downsides of the epidural will definalty be better than feeling the pain of labor the entire time!


----------



## Samantha675

I didn't have any of those side effects. 

Be sure to research all the side effects of an epidual in you and the baby. Vomiting & dizziness are the least worry some.


----------



## clarsair

I didn't have any side effects whatsoever.


----------



## BetsyRN

The epidural shouldn't make you "loopy" at all. The medicine goes into your epidural space, not your bloodstream, so you won't feel wierd or drugged up as you would with IV pain meds, etc. (I suppose a very tiny amount of epidural medication can enter your bloodstream through the tiny capillaries in the epidural tissue, but it wouldn't noticeably affect you or make the baby sleepy.) The biggest side effect from an epidural is that your blood pressure can drop, but you should be given a large amount of IV fluid beforehand to prevent this from happening. If it did drop too much, then you would probably feel dizzy or nauseated, but medications to increase your BP and extra IV fluid can be given at that time. I think most ladies that feel sleepy after an epidural went into labor in the middle of the night (interrupted sleep) or haven't slept in a while, so once they're comfortable, of course they doze off! By the way, nausea and vomiting are unfortunately a normal part of labor for some, regardless of whether you have an epidural or not.


----------



## Mypreciouskid

BetsyRN said:


> The epidural shouldn't make you "loopy" at all. The medicine goes into your epidural space, not your bloodstream, so you won't feel wierd or drugged up as you would with IV pain meds, etc. (I suppose a very tiny amount of epidural medication can enter your bloodstream through the tiny capillaries in the epidural tissue, but it wouldn't noticeably affect you or make the baby sleepy.) The biggest side effect from an epidural is that your blood pressure can drop, but you should be given a large amount of IV fluid beforehand to prevent this from happening. If it did drop too much, then you would probably feel dizzy or nauseated, but medications to increase your BP and extra IV fluid can be given at that time. I think most ladies that feel sleepy after an epidural went into labor in the middle of the night (interrupted sleep) or haven't slept in a while, so once they're comfortable, of course they doze off! By the way, nausea and vomiting are unfortunately a normal part of labor for some, regardless of whether you have an epidural or not.


Exactly. The epidural does not make you loopy at all. It does not have any effect on your mental status or level of consciousness.


----------



## JeepGirl

I didn't have any of those side effects. Just a wonderful feeling of relief:thumbup:


----------



## gills8752

It doesn't make you loopy but by the time I had my epidural I'd been awake for a few days and blooming knackered so when the pain stopped I was loopy from tiredness and relief that it had stopped lol


----------



## GingerNut

I slept a lot when I had mine but it was because I hadn't slept at all the previous night. 

I was no more loopy than usual : )


----------



## GingerNut

I slept a lot when I had mine but it was because I hadn't slept at all the previous night. 

I was no more loopy than usual : )


----------



## madasa

It shouldn't make you "loopy". Nausea, vomiting and going a bit loopy are normal parts of labour for lots of women. Vomiting can help you dilate. :thumbup: LOTS of women become irrational during labour. Especially during transition. "I can't do this." "Kill me now." "I'm dying/I want to die." "Oh shit, I'm on a bouncy castle." "I want a caeasrean." :wacko:

There are other risks/side effects. It can disrupt labour, especially if given at the wrong time (too early or too late). It increases the risk of a section by about 50%. It also increases the risk of instrumental delivery (forceps or ventouse). If it is poorly placed, it can be ineffective (for ex. not providing any relief, or only providing relief down one side). You can get blinding headaches afterwards. There are other risks too, but it's after midnight and my brain has turned to fluff!!


----------



## cherryglitter

no side effects for me at all. 
pethidine had the worst side effects. 
i was sick, dizzy, in and out of sleep for hours. was awful!


----------



## Kittifer

.


----------



## BetsyRN

madasa said:


> It shouldn't make you "loopy". Nausea, vomiting and going a bit loopy are normal parts of labour for lots of women. Vomiting can help you dilate. :thumbup: LOTS of women become irrational during labour. Especially during transition. "I can't do this." "Kill me now." "I'm dying/I want to die." "Oh shit, I'm on a bouncy castle." "I want a caeasrean." :wacko:
> 
> There are other risks/side effects. It can disrupt labour, especially if given at the wrong time (too early or too late). It increases the risk of a section by about 50%. It also increases the risk of instrumental delivery (forceps or ventouse). If it is poorly placed, it can be ineffective (for ex. not providing any relief, or only providing relief down one side). You can get blinding headaches afterwards. There are other risks too, but it's after midnight and my brain has turned to fluff!!

The risk that it will work only on one side is about 1/100 (definitely don't see that happen that much where I work.) A "blinding" spinal headache is rare, and its a very treatable headache with something called a "blood patch" (not a blood transfusion.) The chance of injuring an individual nerve is like the chance of getting hit by lightening. I'm curious to see your research that says it increases your c-section risk by 50%; where I work we have have an 85% epidural rate but only have the typical US 25-30% c-section rate so that doesn't really correlate. Frankly, most of the risk of having a c-section comes from being induced with an unfavorable cervix (50% for a first-time mom)! As for timing, research has shown that you don't need to be a certain cm dialated to receive an epidural; your labor can still progress. I do think that you shouldn't get it unless you're in active labor (ie 4 cm+ and contracting regularly) but everyone has a different pain tolerance. As for getting it too late, it doesn't really disrupt labor -- it just usually doesn't take away the pain but relaxes your pelvis enough so that you're 10 cm...then we push and deliver fixing the pain/problem anyway! (Not saying you're wrong -- just saying we have different sources of info)


----------



## blessedmomma

I have had 5, so far. have never had any side effects whatsoever and no c-sections either. unless you consider a beautiful birth with lots of energy left to cuddle my babies all night a side effect :thumbup:


----------



## mommyof3boyz

waiting4allie said:


> So this probably isnt the question that most would ask about getting an epidural? But I was wondering how loopy it makes you? I have heard that some people act pretty silly after they get their epidural. Anyone have any input on this? I really do not want to act goofy! Also, I have heard of it making people sick, like throwing up and dizzy? How likely would any of you say this is? I hate throwing up more than anything. But I know the downsides of the epidural will definalty be better than feeling the pain of labor the entire time!

I think most people are misinformed about the epidural.It definitely does not make u loopy lol that is what ur body experiences during the late active and transitional phase of labour.Ur body creates endorphins to block out the pain u are experiencing...whether u get an epi or not ur body will still create these endorphins as it doesnt know the difference. As for being sick or dizzy..I think that has alot to do with bloodpressure.They warn u that getting an epi may cause ur bloodpressure to drop which is why once u get an epi u will be constantly monitored.I've experienced both labour with an epi and labour without...and I was loopy for all of em lol I remember just staring at a spot of dirt on the wall and I kept arguing with hubby that it was moving lmao gotta love the transition phase!!


----------



## Cazza89

JeepGirl said:


> I didn't have any of those side effects. Just a wonderful feeling of relief:thumbup:

I felt exactly the same!! 

Although for days afterwards I did have horrendous headaches, so much so much so that I couldn't open my eyes because of the pain...apparently that was a side effect of it getting into my bloodstream! Eek!


----------



## Amarna

I didn't have any side effects. But I would advise against letting a trainee or medical student do yours if they ask. I did and they did it incorrectly and it only numbed the left half of my body so I had to get two which took hours of sitting there not being able to feel one half of my lower body and pain in the other half while I waited for approval.


----------



## rachaelb2009

i didnt have any side affects what so ever just had problems getting it in 6 times they tried so thar was not good
i would say if u do feel any pain tell them i had a second degree tear and felt them do the stitches which was very painful


----------



## BetsyRN

Amarna said:


> I didn't have any side effects. But I would advise against letting a trainee or medical student do yours if they ask. I did and they did it incorrectly and it only numbed the left half of my body so I had to get two which took hours of sitting there not being able to feel one half of my lower body and pain in the other half while I waited for approval.

Defnitely! We don't have resident anesthesiologists at my hospital -- just experienced ones that know exactly what they're doing. I know everyone has to learn, but it sucks when they're learning on you...


----------



## xJG30

Epi's didn't make me 'loopy' but then made me feel like I was floating .. left me with everlasting back pains though.


----------



## lolomom

I had no problems/side effects from the epidural at all. I too, absolutely despise vomiting, and was actually more worried about vomiting during labor then the actually pain itself...as ridiculous as that sounds. I had absolutely no nausea or vomiting at all. In fact, I was talking/laughing/joking throughout labor and when I was pushing I was carrying on normal conversations. It was a completely relaxed experience. If you are worried about nausea, just tell the nurses and they can give you some meds through the IV to counteract that, which are safe as well.

As far as the epidural increasing your risk of c-section, thats actually not thought to be true anymore. In fact, some studies show that epidurals speed up labor and allow progression as the mom is much more relaxed. There are obviously many variables in any labor, but in general the rate of c-section in natural births vs epidural births is the same. 

Regardless, when I go into labor in a few weeks, I will certainly be requesting an epidural. Good luck! :)


----------



## VieraSky

I wasn't loopy at all with my epidural. I was VERY relieved after it kicked in, but I wasn't loopy.


----------



## Clareabell

I didnt have any of those symptoms at all. The only side effect I had from it was that it made me a little shivery. I then had it increased for an emergency c section and the higher dose really made me shake, so much so that they gave me medication to control the shaking. 

I didnt feel sick or vomit thank god, I would of hated that.


----------



## kmumtobe

It'd be the gas and air/pethadine that make you loopy, sick and generally 'drugged up'. An epidural will just give you a wash of calm, probably the best you've felt since your first contraction began! x


----------

