If You Had An Epidural...

[kcangel63]

Did you have any problems with it after the birth, or even years later?

I am a mother of six.  My first three were born in the hospital.  I had an epidural with each one.  My last three were home births, with no pain medication. They were 100 times better than the ones with the epidurals.  Yes, I had much more pain for the small time I was labouring (between 4 and 24 hours depending on the baby).  However, when I had my three in the hospital, with the epidural, I had my own complications. 

For the first year after each birth, I could not arch my back... at all. I could stand up straight, or bend over some, but if I tried to arch my back backwards at all I would hurt beyond anything else.   A lot of times, I have to have my 12 year old daughter wash my little one's hair, because it hurts my back so badly.  The biggest problem is when I'm pregnant, and if I'm trying to wash their hair, I get to the point where I can't breathe because of the pain.

To this day, if I am lying on the floor, I cannot lift my right leg because it's like being stabbed in my back. It brings tears to my eyes when it happens. I have to roll over carefully in bed, especially if I've been on my feet a lot during the day, or if I've been helping the kids do something such as wash their hair in the tub. Sometimes I cry out when in bed and I'm trying to get from my left side to my back. :( 

In my honest opinion, I would rather labour naturally 100 times than have any more back problems due to the 'wonderful' epidural.  Years of horrendous pain is not worth a few hours of relief.

[mrsdinsmore]

I had the epi with my daughter. It was blissful and I had no complications.

[Brianav]

No problems whatsoever.

[Zoeysmom09]

I agree. It made my labor very enjoyable. The only down side was i could not feel my legs for 12 hours after labor.

Quoting mrsdinsmore:

I had the epi with my daughter. It was blissful and I had no complications.

[oboe_chik]

I've had 2 and had no complications.

[mommyeast4]

I had an epidural with both my pregnancies.  After by youngest DD was born and they stopped the epi I got a terrible headache.  I have suffered from migraines and daily headaches since.  And that was three years ago.

[lextjmom0709]

i had 2 with no problems

[elly25]

 I had one with each birth. Each time it numbed the back of my throat and after it wore off I had a sore through. Other then that nothing.

 It sounds like they pinched a nerve in your back.

[mlbdolphin]

 I had an epidural for my first son and a student at FAHC in Burlington, VT inserted it and hit my nerve the first time trying to thread it so it made my left leg numb for 7 weeks after birth but it is fine now.. I do have sciatica issues with that leg now but I cannot be certain that is what my issues now are from. I had one for my second son too and had no complications. Plan to have one for this baby also- the benefits far outweigh the issues I had.. lol

[cadeesmommy0120]

 DD is 19 months old and I still have back pain from the epi.  It has lessened, but still hurts like a bitch when it decides to act up.  I've had back problems for a while tho...the epi just made it worse...

[PeaceNLove2U]

Severe back problems, that I do not care to get into on here. PM me if you want to know more.