re: Epidural Information: pls read before getting one!

With the epi and IV I retained all the liquid and I swelled up like a whale and had to go to the er. I seriously looked like sponge bob

Quoting Mya&Liam's Mom:" just outta curiosity did you look at the benefits/risks for iv pain medication in contrast with epidural?"

EXACTLY!!!!! & I dont see any in the thread- but way to go in scaring anyone out of getting an epi. I had 4 (one with each) I did fine- baby was happy and healthy... I got a spinal headache with my 4th (No surprise there- since I had 3 prior) Please do include the positive as well - People only focus on what is negative in life.....

SN: My labors were all very fast, no complications, no pain and was up and walking around about 6hrs later-

I got an epidural with my son 5 years ago and it messed up my back to were i had to go to physical therapy and i still can't feel parts of my lower back and have a lot of pain problems with my spine. I felt everything during my labor with him and the delivery. I am still wanting to try getting it again. Different hospital, different doctors. I figured they can't really do anymore damage then they already have.

I've had several epidurals and the last one destroyed my back. It has been a year and I am having terrible TERRIBLE back pain. I had no such pain with my epidurals from my other 3 kids. I agree, look into it before you get one! No two epidurals are the same.

I dont want an epidural at least for my first baby.... Which is due any day.... but I still dont want one... i want it to be 100% natural  

im going to think twice about it

I had no problems with my epidural with my first baby and I am about to give birth to my second and will definately be getting it again! I don't know what I would have done without it! I didn't miss out on anything except the pain! I had no problems pushing or progressing. Yes, I had dull back pain for a while but I am doing it all over again! I will take the back pain over being in excruciating pain!

I had an epidural when I was in labor both times. The first time I had no problems with it. Second time I have had horrible back pain since my epidural which was almost a month ago. I kind of regret having the epidural. Labor pains last for only hours, my back hasn't stopped hurting for 3 and a half weeks..

Oh wow, I was really considering an epidural. Didn't consider all this stuff. I'm going to have to read more.

All three of mine failed. a student did two its a teaching hodpital, madigan. the real anestesiaologist came in the second day and re did it cause he felt bad for me but knew it wouldnt take. first lasted d an hour. second lasted thirty minutes and the lat one not even ten minutes.....it was agony. back labor. no food. barely able to chew ice chips cause i kept passing out from the pain. If we end up at madigan avain jessy says he is going to make sure we wait for the pro to do it. it caused me two days of excruciating pain and exhaustion from morons not placing it right. when the student did it the catheter hurt going in and apparently that shouldnt happen.....thats why it disnt take. cause it was placed wrong.