spinal blocks?

[Eternal]

Hi everyone, just looking for those with experince of having a spinal block rather than an epi?

I had a failed epi with my son, and they said if i wanted i could have a spinal block, but i didnt push for it, i was close by that point and just went with it.

However Im having twins, so might need a section anyway, or even of I do delivery them (like i want) Ill need one incase the second twin becomes distressed and they need him out quick.

Anyway, just looking for experinces? anyone had both? how did they compare? I heard spinals are more likely to work? anyone had a failed spinal? Any experinces of spinals would be nice, you only really hear about epis.

 

[kmumtobe]

I had a spinal but not epi so I can't compare but if you have any questions bout the spinal I'll be happy to try help or offer my experiences x

 

[tristansmum]

i had spinal for emergency c section. i was completely numb and felt nothing. no issues afterwards although i was shaky for a few hours. no experience of epi

 

[Eternal]

thanks ladies! So Im guessing you cant move or feel anything? Is that scary?

Kmumtobe - did you have a section? if not how was pushing with one?

 

[kmumtobe]

No i had ventouse as he was stuck with the cord round his neck. Once I was good to go they told me we had to do three big pushes, they'd do three big pulls and hopefully he'd be out if not it'd have to be a section.. They told me when to push and I did, tho you can't feel sensation I was aware I was pushing and didn't have a problem, i guess as id been pushing for 4 hours prior i knew how to but they did remind me push like you're going to the toilet. It just felt ineffective to me but obviously wasn't as I was still pushing when I realised Charlie was being held up infront of me, 'oh he's out' I thought, I didn't feel a thing!

 

[Eternal]

Ok thanks. Thinking Ill have to go down that road, def if i need a section. did you feel the stitches etc? (im assuming with an assisted delivery you needed stitches)

 

[x Alanna x]

i had a spinal when i had a c section.. i couldnt feel anything from my feet to my boobs..

never had any bad experiences from it.. was just shaking really bad for a few hours.. but yeah.. other than that.. it was fine =] xx

 

[kmumtobe]

Didn't feel a thing, infact I was so not with it (due to 28 hours of labour, double pethadine and gas and air not the spinal, that was heaven and brought me more back to me than I'd been for hours) that I didn't even think about it and wondered what on earth she was still doing down there for what felt like ages. It was only saying this after to oh whilst reflecting he pointed out 'well she did have to repair you and deliver the placenta' I completely forgot about that at the time! Your legs are up infront of you like a pair of false ones you can't comprehend they're yours, you just feel really heavy and slightly tingly. There's no way for a good 8 hours I could of moved if I tried, once sensation came back I still couldnt feel much as she'd given some sort of long lasting pessary drug relief up the bum. Was only next morning I started to feel half normal sensation x

 

[Tulip]

I had a spinal in order to get repaired after delivery. VERY bizarre watching a team of people manipulate your legs for you Didn't feel a thing though, it was ace x

 

[AlwaysPraying]

I had an Epi for a few hours then a spinal for my section. I couldn't tell the difference personally. It was weird not being able to move. The worst was having people touch me and not feeling it. I bled after in recovery and remember two nurses between my legs wiping me and moving my butt up to get under my cheeks! Haha! It was a little surreal! Because I could move my arms I felt in control and fine with mobility. It's like lying still on a bed no worse.

 

[Tulip]

Oh but just to pre-warn you, it's very common to get the shakes afterwards. I was shaking bad in recovery x

 

[bky]

I had a spinal. No idea on the epidural for comparison though. Within a few hours afterward I got the shakes, vomited and had really low blood pressure which caused them to pump me so full of fluids my IV's kept falling out and I got edema in my breasts.

 

[clarsair]

I had a spinal and all the gubbins for an epidural put in at the same time so when the spinal started to wear off (which it did after 2 hours) they just had to switch the epidural on.

The spinal worked soooo quickly, was great!

 

[1982emmac]

i had a spinal as LO was back to back and needed ventouse/forceps delivery. It was great. The feeling i had when it went in knowing i wouldnt feel another contraction again was total relief.

My question is though, why don't people get them more commonly? What i mean is people seem to be able to opt for an epidural but I've heard the needle for an epi is HUGE whereas with a spinal it was relatively small. It seems spinal blocks are used in theatre situations or in emergency deliveries.

 

[Eternal]

i had a spinal as LO was back to back and needed ventouse/forceps delivery. It was great. The feeling i had when it went in knowing i wouldnt feel another contraction again was total relief.

My question is though, why don't people get them more commonly? What i mean is people seem to be able to opt for an epidural but I've heard the needle for an epi is HUGE whereas with a spinal it was relatively small. It seems spinal blocks are used in theatre situations or in emergency deliveries.

maybe there is a slight more risk or perhaps its more costly??? or perhaps its because you feel less its more likely you will end up instrumental and or tearing

 

[AlwaysPraying]

The spinal goes further into your spinal chord. The epi doesn't go as deep. We had a picture in our class of how far each needle goes. Surprisingly, neither go as deep into the back as I would have imagined!

 

[bky]

There is a higher risk of permanent paralysis and other serious side effects with the spinal. They told me that when I was signing the consent form.

 

[Nimbus]

I had a spinal, no experience of an epi. Didn't feel a thing. Reason was for an assisted delivery. I too had shakes, no vomiting etc for me, and did ok with the feeding afterwards. Worked well in my case

 

[soybeangirl]

I had a spinal for emergency C. No issues except the standard shaking after. I also had some serious itchiness. I asked my hubby to take a wet wash cloth and scrub my legs with it. Sooo much better!

 

[shinona]

Spinal for me too for a foreceps delivery. I had an epidural but when they tried to top it up it stopped working. I loved the spinal. I wasn't sick and don't remember having the shakes at all. It was odd not even being able to feel the pressure of a contraction but my midwife had her hand on my bump and told me when to push.
xx