Can epidural be given to a women giving birth w/cauda equina /herniated discs & can you do Vag birth
Posted , 4 users are following.
Is anyone else going through this or know the answer to my topic questions ????? And is there anything that can be done without surgery ? ... I'm 37 have herniated discs l5-s1 and cauda equina .. I am pregnant and due in a month in a half .. it's actually so painful .. I've had other children before the cauda equina (just milder disc issues) and was fairly normal and both vaginal deliveries. Recently A neurologist said they were surprised I was still holding up w/o surgery yet . I do pt.and chiropractic which only temperarly help then I'm in pain all over again including the shooting nerve pain . No one could ever tell me with both cauda equina and the disc issues if I'd improve or be worse with my pregnancy , from the begining i had asked alot of questions but all that was said is it could go either way there was no definite answer. I fortunalty havent lost any bladder / bowel function but In these last 2 - 2 1/2months of my pregnancy have been the worse with the discs and cauda equina issues especially in bad weather. And last of all Does anyone know how each case is handled, what if any meds are given especially if you haven't had surgery yet and want to do another vaginal birth if its even possible ????
0 likes, 9 replies
Mamanene d50268
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Hi I was 28 weeks pregnant when I was operated on for ce and was on track for a vaginal birth but was told an epidural wouldn't be possible because of scar tissue. In the end I had a c section as my little one went transverse during labour. Hope all goes well for you.
d50268 Mamanene
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maryanne45 d50268
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Hi , good luck with your pregnancy. I don't have any direct answers but wanted to help with research ideas for you. I wasn't sure from your post whether you are someone that has previously had the surgery for CES and are living with the chronic CES or are now experiencing the symptoms - saddle numbness, nuero deficit in one or both legs, bladder etc. Either way I can recomend you might try research a condition called 'arachnoiditis' which is closely linked at times with CES and they share symptoms. This arachnoiditis is to do with inflammation of CES too I think & can make it a bad idea for any foreign material - injections in spine near arachnoid space & surgery due to the nature of the condition & nerve bundling in spinal cord that I think cannot always be observed in MRI.
The foremost dr I know of is Dr Forest Tennant and a google search for him or 'arachnoiditis handbook' can also bring up public information -also a help for managing chronic forms of CES which there is so little information for managing out there . This can be of use to people & mothers trying to live with better quality of life & the chronic CES. It is written in plain english and helped me. It may have some advice about epidural injections in it. Best of luck with it and hope you are having a low pain day on top of all the less enjoyable joys of pregnancy and having older kids too must be a bit tough. Hope your docs can give you some advice too. Take care
d50268 maryanne45
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Hi Mary thanks for info ill look it up . I started with disc issues and cauda equina followed last May into June originally i walked one night and by the next morning i literlly couldnt move pain / nerves went from low back into butt and down both legs and was carried outside to hospital they really didnt do anything i saw a chiropractor like 2 weeks later got MRI. In mid late June and between then and July one of the reports stated I had the herniated discs again in all those spots and had cauda equina. Recently I've done pt. And they recommended trying a pregnancy brace but I literally have 6weeks left of pregancy and obviously have been even more pain. And yes I started with numbness from May on then off and on its stayed semi only on left side near my pinky toe area but with pregnancy lately has been shooting back to back and butt area. I also dnt know if after my.last pregnancy with an epidural if that made the discs weaker and added or started things all over because for a few years the discs were doing fairly good, I walked alot etc and since last May I barely move especially now :-( .. I talked to my ob.and hopefully soon will meet with an anastethiaologist to discuss options for delivery if any or what they might give me ..
d50268
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maryanne45 d50268
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Hi thanks reply. Sounds rough. I am trying to remember if my friend with spinal fracture took a lower risk
medication towards the end, when in the third trimester which was also the roughest time for her in her pregnancy too. It would be very personal to decide but I think she did it towards the end when the baby was mostly growing and developed. It has been a long time since I was pregnant and admire anyone facing that with nerve issues.
The lumbar bracing , heat and tens - which sort of gives small shocks to your back a bit like those spinal stimulators but just applied to skin with gel all help me get through a day living with CES and the nerve pain several years post surgery. I hope you have some help and support around you. I had slow onset CES and sometimes wonder if things would have been better if I had had surgery (laminectomy etc) sooner. But I did not have pregnancy to consider. It sounds very tricky. Stay strong & good luck.
maryanne45
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ps I will give that some context, mine was progressing with daily saddle numbness, losing alot of feeling in one leg then sometimes both & getting too numb to walk, regular urinary retention / bowel switching off over a course of months. If your paying attention to your bladder it sounds like you know how to monitor yourself. I found it too easy to not notice things shutting down but I was not well informed about CES back then and it sounds like you are well informed. bye
d50268 maryanne45
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Thank you I do have a tens unit from knee surgery but with what's going on with my back and the nerves I haven't attempted it since maybe right before pregnant I think .. I'm just not sure what it might do while being pregnant and unfortunately no real support around me that's why I'm hoping for my miracle like I said there would be no one to take care of me and my kids if I really have to do those surgeries so I'm hoping somehow it'll all work itself out . I am glad to still have feedback of things that work for others in case it's something I haven't done ,might help or something to do either now or after the baby so thanks again..
eri57096 d50268
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I would like to know whether you had a vaginal delivery after CES. I'm currently pregnant and opted for a natural birth but doctor wants to schedule a c-section because I'm 8 days overdue.