Scoliosis

I wasn't sure where to post this, so I posted it in pregnancy issues and free for all. I have had scoliosis since I was born, but it was never severe until like 7th grade andI had to have back surgery and have a metal rod placed in my back. Because of this they are not sure about the birthing plan, and keep telling me that its diff for everyone but that most likely no epi and that I might have to probably be put under anesthesia, especially if they had to do a c-section since they can't do a spinal tap. The dr won't give me any info and says the anesthesiolgist will have to look at my back and see what I can an cant do, but thats not for a while now and I want to have some kind of idea as to what my birth plan is, so just curious is there any other people on here who have had the same thing and have a stainless steel (me) or herring rod in your back? And how your labor went?

wow mama. Not me, but i wanted to at least reply and say im sorry things arent probably gonna go "normal" for your delivery. I pray it all works out and you can be awake for it. bless you

I have Scoliosis, but I wasnt born with it. We knew about it when I was 13.

I havent had any surgery because it not severe. The curve is 21 degrees, but have no idea how much it is now.

About getting the epidural, I have asked this question a lot, and got quite good responses. Some ladies have scoliosis and got the epi with no problem. No one ever had any thought about this issue.

I have been thinking about it and will mention it on the right time. But since you had a surgery maybe its different. Dont worry much about it now, enjoy ur pregnancy and when the time comes bring it up again with ur doctor.

I hope everything turns out ok for you.. and me of course!  

Good luck!!!!!!!!!!!

Quoting susana:“ I have Scoliosis, but I wasnt born with it. We knew about it when I was 13. I havent had any surgery ... [snip!] ... comes bring it up again with ur doctor. I hope everything turns out ok for you.. and me of course!   Good luck!!!!!!!!!!!”

Yeah it's diff cuz I have a metal rod that goes from top to bottom so they might be able to do the epi or a spinal tap for a c-section if the rod is in the way

Quoting ILubABubba:“ wow mama. Not me, but i wanted to at least reply and say im sorry things arent probably gonna go "normal" for your delivery. I pray it all works out and you can be awake for it. bless you”

Thank you so much, I really don't want to be asleep when he comes out  

I actually went to get an anesthetic consult today! I, unfortunately in regards to your question, only have a curve but no rods/surgery. I just wanted to drop you a note that the anesthesiolgist appointment did take a little while to set up, but you should still have your last few months to gather all of your labor options. Just keep pressing your Dr. to help you get a consultation together, and that it's really important to you! Good Luck!  

Quoting LoveforJRB:“ I actually went to get an anesthetic consult today! I, unfortunately in regards to your question, only ... [snip!] ... Just keep pressing your Dr. to help you get a consultation together, and that it's really important to you! Good Luck!  ”

Thanks how did it go?? And do you know if you have to be a certain ammount of weeks before they do one?

You're welcome, and it went just like I wanted it to! The anesthesiolgist just checked my back for about 1 minute total, and said "though I can't tell you anything is 100%, I am going to pretty much guarantee that there won't be a problem with giving you an epidural." I just wanted as much of a guarantee as possible, and I got it. I can imagine you do too!- especially being that yours is more complicated. I have read on here about people who have had back surgery and rods, and still been able to get it though. I think you are able to get it at any point in your pregnancy?? I'm not completely sure though, because I don't know what we aren't allowed in regards x-rays and such?? I didn't need x-rays, but you may?

Quoting LoveforJRB:“ You're welcome, and it went just like I wanted it to! The anesthesiolgist just checked my back for about ... [snip!] ... sure though, because I don't know what we aren't allowed in regards x-rays and such?? I didn't need x-rays, but you may?”

Hopefully they can just look at my x-rays that i had to have monthly and then yearly for a while, cuz it hasnt changed since then and it was at the same hospital. But thats good to hear that some people were able to still do everything normal! My rod goes so low is why i'm worried but i'm just going to pray and trust that everything will be fine! All that realy matters to me is being awake when he comes out so thats what im praying for! THanks for your help though 

Randomly ended up finding this post, although i know im just a lil late lol. I can honestly say i have never met a single person in my life who also has scoliosis!! i hear you have screening programmes and awareness in schools over there? in the uk we have nothing! i was fine before the surgery, but ive been in constant pain since i had it 6.5 years ago. Only yesterday i saw a live movie of the surgery on youtube (super freaky!), it was done in the usa and completely differently to how i had mine done. The guy was talking about how they did it back in the early 1980's ...... well thats how they did mine in fuckin 2001!! I was in a hard body cast and bedbound for months, i cant believe they got away with that sht! Now i cant sit up without being in pain, and it got sooo much worse when i was pregnant. Im really not looking forward to having to go through that again. How have you found things pain wise before and during the pregnancy?

Do you know what bones you have fused? Ive got an S curve, im guessing it started at about 12 but it wasnt diagnosed till i was 14. By the time i had surgery the worst bit of my curve was 68 degrees   Since having the babies my pelvis has rotated/tilted so my hip keeps lockingand im in pain allllll the time. It sucks cos i feel like an old woman lol. I was told it totally depends on where the metal work/fusion is so its a really individual thing. Seeing the difference between uk and us healthcare, you guys are much more advanced, im pretty sure you will be able to have an epi (and they just looked at my x-rays from 2 years ago). Good luck!

I am sorry that you have to go through all that!

I have scoliosis but I wasn't born with it and I never had the money to have the surgery to fix it so I don't have the rod in my back! My Dr. told my that I would have to go to see a specialist anesthesiologist before I go into labor to see if I can have an epi or they won't even consider one! I am not going to one b/c I want to do it all natural!
I would stay on my Dr. if I was you or just go to a specialist and get their opinion!
I hope everything works out, good luck!

Quoting twinmami:“ Randomly ended up finding this post, although i know im just a lil late lol. I can honestly say i have ... [snip!] ... more advanced, im pretty sure you will be able to have an epi (and they just looked at my x-rays from 2 years ago). Good luck!”

Heyy! thanks for the reply...Yeah I was born with scoliosis, and they told my family just watch it and that it shouldn't progress any worse..then in the matter of like less than a year in 7th grade (I think it's when I started to have my growth spurt) I went from having a perfectly straight back to where you could SEE my spine sticking out on one side and hunch back on one side and not on the other because I had an S curve as well. I can't remember the exact numbers but I know that my dr said he sees people everyday and mine was one of the worst and that if I didn't have the surgery i'd probably die by the age of 18 because my spine would crush my organs. So for my surgery they put a stainless steel rod in my back which straightened it out and I look almost like i have a normal back now, it's still a tiny bit crooked but compared to what it was it looks really good...most people don't notice until I tell them or until they see my scar. I feel you though..I watched it on tv afterward on " the 10 worst surgeries" ( ours was way up there at the top of the list above heart surgery lol) and it was so so gross and scary and they said there was a 50 percent chance of being paralyzed which my family left out cuz they knew i'db e too scared. I didn't have the full body cast but I had to wear a back brace that was hard as a rock 24 hours a day for 6 months ( i only wore it for 4 and a half cuz i believed i was better and wanted to play basketball lol) but I was the same thing...wasn't allowed to get out of bed for a while, had to learn to walk again, and then could do nothing more than walk for what was suposed to be 6 months but i healead fast and was fine in 4 1/2..all that good stuff..not lol. I have so much pain now since then. It's insane..and the pregnancy has already taken a toll on my back so my dr had to prescribe me vicodin. I only take 1/2 of one at night and she said I could take up to 2 day, but i still worry about it so much and how its affecting the baby, but I would never be able to sleep w/out them and the 1/2 really doesn't do much anyways...I finally got a number to make a consultation to have them look at my back an see what can and can't be done, so I have to call today, because my doc has scared me into thinking that I have to be asleep the whole time and I really want to be awake when he comes out!

Quoting Amanda ;]~:“ Heyy! thanks for the reply...Yeah I was born with scoliosis, and they told my family just watch it and ... [snip!] ... my doc has scared me into thinking that I have to be asleep the whole time and I really want to be awake when he comes out!”

wow so im like 4 weeks late on replying to this lol, jus flickin through my old topics, not sure how i missed this one! Your story sounds exactly like mine! i took the cast off early too and have pain ever since, maybe that was why lol!

Did you find out whats happening about the birth? are you able to get an epi?

Quoting twinmami:“ wow so im like 4 weeks late on replying to this lol, jus flickin through my old topics, not sure how ... [snip!] ... have pain ever since, maybe that was why lol! Did you find out whats happening about the birth? are you able to get an epi?”

i have my back consultation with the anesthesiologist on tuesday so I will see then. I'm not worried about the epi as much as I just want to be awake and a lot of people have said i might have to be asleep...o that is all i'm hoping for. I will go through all the pain in the world as long as I get to hold him first lol. Some people disagree but I have carried him for 10 months by then and I think I should get to have that moment where I hold him first!!!

Quoting Amanda ;]~:“ i have my back consultation with the anesthesiologist on tuesday so I will see then. I'm not worried ... [snip!] ... disagree but I have carried him for 10 months by then and I think I should get to have that moment where I hold him first!!!”

Totally! thats what i wanted more than anything, to snuggle n bf straight away, im hoping il get to next time. Let me know how it goes, hopefullythey will give you the ok for everything