I recently had my third child and have had epidurals with all three. This time though my epidural cath was left in my back for about 14 hours and a week to the day that I delivered my daughter I was back in the hospital and diagnosed with aseptic meningitis. It has been almost a month since I got the meningitis and I am still dealing with headaches and some back pain. It seems like every time I call the Dr. he tells me it can take up to two weeks longer then the last time I spoke to him. My headaches are extremely painful and I can't even function when I get a bad one...they are not always bad I will say. I was just wondering if anyone else has experienced any of the headaches and how long it lasted or if you have had the same problem I have had. Also wondering if anyone has had a spinal tap and wonder how long your back is suppose to bother you as well. Thanks in advance!!!
THANK YOU so much to everyone who responded all of your feedback helps!!! I guess I was just expecting to be perfectly well right away. Thanks again!!
I had the SAME issue. My Dr did many things and nothing helped until on a whim we started doing naproxen 2xs a day and after a week and a half the headaches stopped. My daughter is 12 weeks old in 2 days and its been 2 weeks since I've had a headache.
I also had a spinal fluid leak and spent 5 days laying on my couch at home crying my eyes out due to the pain before we called my ob/gyn and she rushed me back to the hospital for a blood patch. That was over 11 yrs go and I've had no back problems or headaches related to this incident since then, however, the blood patch didn't miraculously heal the pain, it took over a week before I felt fully relieved. The only new bit of advice that I can give you is to know that if you are taking prescription muscle relaxors or pain killers, they can cause your milk supply to dry up. I took the minimum amount and tried to continue nursing, but my baby was losing weight. I finally had to supplement with formula for her sake, and ended up not nursing her as long as I wished I could have. Just be sure you are drinking plenty of fluids if you are nursing and I will pray for you.
Yes, this is one of the many side effect of an epidural. 1-in-4 women have negative effects from an epidural - it's just one of those things no one talks about unless you do your own research in to how risky they actually are:( My mom still has some back pain where she was given an epidural with my brother's c-section 27 years ago.
I hope you feel better soon.
I had spasms in my back for (at least) 1 1/2 yrs after my son was born and I had an epidural. I still have a spot on my back that feels tight and sometimes sore that I think is from the epidural. I am pregnant now with baby #2 and I am looking into hypnobirthing for my next delivery because I had such a bad experience the first time. I don't know if it was caused by the meds or the doctor who administered it. I have read that 20% of women who've had epidurals will have back pain a year later. I hope thats not you. I hope your feel better soon!
I had an epidural in 2000 and a spinal tap in 2003 when I had my kids. Lets see my back will still hurt after all these years. It is not an every day thing but it will. The spinal spot seems to hurt more than the epidural. I got the headaches after my 2nd when I had my tubes tied. Along with hair lose and a long list of other things. In 2008 I had a tubal reversal done and it removed a lot of the pain and problems I was facing. I hope yours gets better.
Check out the internet medical websites (WebMD, Mayo) and see what they say about it. Get a second opinion from another doctor who was trained or had residency in the last 15 years at a very good school/hospital.
Are you sure you don't have a spinal fluid leak from the epidural? I had a problem and had to go back for a blood patch. My headaches were extremely painful to the point that I literally felt so much pressure I thought my head would explode.
I had headaches for about 6 months after the epidural. I didn't have back pain. The headaches lessened when he was about 4 months and didn't stop till he was 6 months. take midol for the headaches and it should also help with the back pain. Midol is better than anything else for headaches.
I agree with Lisa P it's probalby a spinal fluid leak. I had injections in my back to help pain and they hit my spinal cord. Which caused a leak. It did not stop till they did a blood patch. I had them for close to a month before I could find a Dr willing to do it that was not the one that caused the problem cause by then I did not want to see him again. They tired to give me caffeen and for a while that would help a little but not much. You need to see if they will do a blood patch. If you have three kids you don't need the headackes. They said that spinal headackes are as bad as meningitis.
Good luck and God bless!!
I had terrible headaches after the epidural with my first child. Mine were called spinal headaches. I could not function, so I had to have a blood patch done. Now, I had several friends that also had the spinal headaches and none were as severe as mine. I am the only one that had to have the blood patch done. They all had to just wait it out. Their headaches were a little less severe every day and eventually went away.
I had a very painful experience with the epidural, but luckily it only seemed to last from the time of insertion (I screamed so loud, I had never felt such pain in my life!! But the anesthesiologist poo-pooed me, and said I was being ridiculous) to a few hours after my son was born. I could not walk for a few hours, and the nurse also told me I was being silly, but I really could not feel my legs at all!! Also, the pushing did not work, because they gave me so much medication I couldn't feel myself pushing, and the doctor eventually had to vacuum my son out. My back didn't bother me so much after that, but my legs did for a while. Sorry to hear of your experience, and hope you are totally health soon. Best wishes.
