New Mom Sues After No-Meds C-Section

re: New Mom Sues After No-Meds C-Section

Christine — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 17:15:29 GMT

I had the same thing happen to me. This was my second c-section. The first was scheduled and fine with a spinal.

I tried for a vbac the second time and had an epidural about 9 hours into labor (which did not work). Labor failed to progress and I went into surgery with a doctor that I did not know. They put in a second epidural for the surgery. I was numb too far up. They did not believe me when I said that I could feel the knife. They kept telling me that it was just pressure that I felt. I told them this was the second time and I knew the difference.

They decided to give me laughing gas and continue the operation. Now I just felt excruciating pain and was lightheaded. My husband pleaded for them to do something. They ushered him out of the room and said they would put me under general. I laid for 45 minutes on the table waiting for permission to be given to put me under general. My husband waited wondering what was going on for an hour and half.

I might of been easier if they would have just told me there was nothing they could do until they got permission. In the beginning I kept telling them that I could feel the knife and asking questions. They acted like I was not even speaking and I felt terrified and out of control. My husband was my only comfort.

I have always wanted more children. I keep thinking that maybe I could get though it. But two years later, I am crying writing this. I do not know whether there will ever be any more children for us.

re: New Mom Sues After No-Meds C-Section

Delilah — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 22:24:38 GMT

That is so scary! Last thing I needed to read being scheduled for a c-section at the end of November.

My 20 month old was born c-section and they were very, very attentive throughout the entire procedure. They made a whole ordeal out of making sure I could feel nothing. I'm getting my next section at the same hospital so hopefully it will all be the same.

re: New Mom Sues After No-Meds C-Section

a-traxx — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 02:10:32 GMT

Actually, this happened to me. I gave birth in Shanghai, China and the epidural didn't work. My left leg, however, was completely numb, but I felt pretty much the entire operation. They said they couldn't give me any more and would have to operate regardless. I believe they did do a little local anasthesia though when it wasn't working, but I was so out of it, I don't remember. They held my arms down and it was very quick. My poor husband was more traumatized than me, I was just so emotional, excited and scared, I sort of went numb in my own way. As soon as the baby was out, they gave me some painkiller injection in my arm so they could stitch me up and I was fine. As crazy a story as it is, I was fine and my baby was fine too. I've heard of other women going through this too, as least in China. I'm kinda surprised this woman's story made the news though.

re: New Mom Sues After No-Meds C-Section

bombaygirl — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 17:16:18 GMT

I totally believe her. My docs thought I was lying too when my first epidural didn't take--it numbed my legs but left my torso and pelvic area completely open to the pain. So basically, I went through natural childbirth labor numb in my legs, unable to move my body to compensate or help my self get into different positions to handle the pain. The docs kept upping the epidural, but that didn't help coz it just made my legs more numb! I was climbing the walls in pain before they took the first epi out and put another in. By then it was too late. I delivered my son shortly. Hated the whole process.

re: New Mom Sues After No-Meds C-Section

mommashay — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 15:39:17 GMT

All I can say is "wow." My anesthesiologist asked me over and over again if I could feel anything. Anytime I looked even remotely worried, he upped my dose (obviously still at safe levels.) He also monitored me the whole surgery, talked me through the whole thing, and monitored me after the surgery by sitting next to me and making small talk for over an hour to make sure I was safe. I thought that was normal procedure! Everyone deserves that level of care. Shame on her doctors!

re: New Mom Sues After No-Meds C-Section

karrie — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 23:13:39 GMT

Horrific! I'm really shocked since I remember clearly being screened to make sure mine was working. (I was basically completely numb below my collar bone and only felt as though someone was tugging on my sweater.) One of my sisters had a bad surgical experience though, not completely unlike the woman from the UK. In my sister's case the epidural took, but only partially. They also thought she was "faking it."

re: New Mom Sues After No-Meds C-Section

Larissa — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 21:47:22 GMT

Her doctors didn't believe that she was in pain, that the anesthesia wasn't working. That sort of arrogance and disregard is not the sort of behavior that makes someone want to be put unconscious. I've heard of one other woman going through such an experience. I have another friend who had a c/s who also felt her surgery. They put her under general w/o giving her an opportunity to refuse (to hear her tell it, she was incoherent with the pain anyway) but she feels she passed out from the pain prior to the general taking effect.

It happens, anesthesia doesn't work sometimes, not just for birth but for other surgeries as well. Unfortunately, sometimes a medication is given that keeps the patient from being able to move or react to the pain and they look unconscious but are actually feeling it.

re: New Mom Sues After No-Meds C-Section

Cassie — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 21:22:51 GMT

Why was sh enot given a spinal block? If she was in so much pain why did she refuse the general? This is a fishy story.

re: New Mom Sues After No-Meds C-Section

hand — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 19:13:45 GMT

Am I crazy to think that there must have been some other kind of pain relief available?

How is it that an epidural was the only option? and that there was no back-up? There must be another layer to this story.

re: New Mom Sues After No-Meds C-Section

crysbellis — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 17:31:21 GMT

Ugh, ugh, ugh. That sounds like something out of a horror movie. The attendant doc and nurses should be fired and she should win some serious bank, but it's still not going to make up for what happened. The horrifying bit is that they didn't listen to her when she said she could feel the knife - a person knows whether they're numb from the stomach down or not.

re: New Mom Sues After No-Meds C-Section

feefifoto — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 16:36:36 GMT

I'm surprised the hospital and anesthesiologist haven't already issued her blank checks.

re: New Mom Sues After No-Meds C-Section

diera — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 16:32:10 GMT

There was someone on the Usenet group misc.kids.pregnancy years ago to whom this happened (I think she had partial anesthesia from the epidural, which might be OK for labor but not for a C-section which is what they gave her). Scariest story I ever heard, except maybe for the person whose C-section incision opened up spontaneously... I've had two sections and they both went fine but I'm glad I'm never doing it again.