Lets Talk Epidurals

[Guest guest]

Hi kids - Epidural Queen here to talk about them.

FIRST- they use plenty of anesthetic when inserting the cannula. If

they dont, say STOP and administer more local before you proceed.

Of course things differ in hospital to hospital but I have had them at 3

different facilities and know that the nurse or tech who is putting the

epi in will give you more pain meds if you ask..if not make them stop

and ask for a head nurse. It's that simple.

SECOND-they are going in place to help with pain. Not to torment you!

Remember, they will help with post op pain.

THIRD - consider buying the Surgery Meditation book- drat brain fart

here-I can't remember the name, but it's a book and tape about surgeries

and helps one become calm during the procedures.

FORTH - they are not the same thing as the poke you got with labor -

thats called something else. Damm - another brain fart - I have CRS today.

I get spinal steroid epidurals **every 4 months** for sciatica pain. I

get them willingly! I call and ask for them!

If you aren't tense and can get a valium or two before try and do it

without sedative. I personally think getting the iv in is worse than

the epidural itself! If you do need an IV line - ASK for a local pain

killer before.

All one had to do is ask. It's simple. If you are hurting and in pain,

it's harder for the nurse/techs to do their job.

I just found out my Dr. does not do epi for Lap surgery, I wanted to

know because I would rather have one than not, but I wanted my pain

clinic doc to put it in!

Take care elle in oregon (plantcrone)/// pre-op Lap/DS, Dr. Emma

BMI 37, 255#, 5'9 " , 58 Y0, hypertension, insulin using type ll diabetic,

high cholesterol and

chronic back pain - vegetarian

[Guest guest]

Hi Elle,

As a nurse who deals with these all the time I feel I need to make a

couple of corrections to what you have said here:

> Of course things differ in hospital to hospital but I have had them

at 3

> different facilities and know that the nurse or tech who is putting

the

> epi in will give you more pain meds if you ask..if not make them

stop

> and ask for a head nurse.

The ONLY personnel that can place an epidural catheter are

Anesthesiologists (MD's) and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists

(CRNA's). Placing anythin in your back, anywhere near your spinal

column carries with it potential significant risk.

> FORTH - they are not the same thing as the poke you got with labor -

> thats called something else.

They are exactly the same thing in terms of placement, the only thing

that differs is the medication that is given through the epidural

catheter. In your case it is steriods, in labor it is a local type

anesthetic and a narcotic, for pain after surgery it's usually a

narcotic.

Dr. Anthone

Surgery 7/6

BMI 44