Epidural Injection

[carmi]

My daughter in law has had two epidural with in two years for labor. Now she is having numbness in her right arm and headaches and has had temorpary blindness. Could this be a side effect of having an epidural?

[candice123]

i also had an epidural in Feb. for my Son. Since then i have had back pain throughout my spine. started at the bottom and has worked its way to my neck. I have numbness in the center of my back and my right arm and leg are getting weaker and numb. Also, i have a headache on the right side only.I currently am waiting the results of an MRI. I havent seen any reports of this anywhere but i am attributing it to the epidural. Hope your daughter in law ends up OK.

[carmi]

please keep me posted on the results of you MRI.

[candice123]

I will. I should know the results hopefully by tommorrow.I am thinking its an epidural abcess or some sort of nerve damage.

[kts]

No it should not be, even if you wanted to imagine the needle and epidural catheter were put directly into the nerve instead of the epidural space then only functions and feeling below her waist would be effected not her upper extremities or head. Assuming she is in her 20's to 40's the diagnosis of MS, multiple sclerosis might be a possibility, you can read more about it on this website, good luck.

[lovieborie]

My daughter who is 19 years old and 4 1/2 months pregnant, had an epidural for a procedure done in the hospital and less then a week later suffer a stroke. Stroke left her left arm weak and she is on anticougalants. According to the doctor, the epi did not cause the stroke. He said she has a blockage in a vein leading to her brain. I have been told by other doctors that there is a chance the epi caused the stroke. Anyone out there ever had this happen to them or someone they know?

[candice123]

I am pretty sure that the epidural could cause a blood clot . Lots of side effects of the epidural, even though most of them are rare. I wouldnt rule out the epidural as the underlying cause, mainly because it happened just a week after the procedure and she is so young.I am having issues after my epidural 7 1/2 months ago. Still taking MRI's and acupunture awaiting my diagnosis.

[jthomasene]

stroke? I have had three epidural injections for lumbar disc buldging disease caused by an automobile accident. I developed hypertension within months with elevated blood pressure of 206/102 bp. I was threatening a stroke or heart attack. my doctor did not want to claim stroke from epidurals but I know that I did not have high blood pressure until epidurals were administered. My attorney is looking into the matter.

[Ruthillia]

I want to thank each of you for posting. In 1994 I resisted a doctor's pushing of an epi for my lower lumbar injury/surgery/constant pain in both lower back and down my left leg. Thankfully at that time I had two friends who were MDs in the same city and when I thoughtfully talked to them about what this doctor was proposing they BOTH said stay away, stay away! One reason was that this MD was a quack and had a poor record and the other was both MD friends were experienced, one personally, in the area of spinal injuries and said it's just NOT worth the risk.

Now I am once again possibly facing a doctor who will push the epi injections on me. I see him this coming Thursday for the first time. He's at a pain center my MD referred me to, he is an anethesiologist who specializes in chronic pain management, and the office asked me, after querying me about my insurance coverage of course, if I was on blood thinners and/or high dose aspirin. Thus I'm arming myself with current information and stories like you all are posting here. I will not do the epi injections, period. I do not relish dealing with a MD who will push this but if I must, I must. All this is part of the game and dance I must play with the MD I'm seeing here in OH. Since moving here two years ago I've had the worst pain management care in the 18 years of dealing with this.

Thanks again everyone and I wish each of you the best of luck with your situation. I'm sorry you had to go through these things but I'm thankful that you chose to share them. It WILL help others.

[mshoneyc]

My husband ruptured 2 disks was in extreme pain we were finally sent to pain center for flouroglide epidural injections he had 2 they did help a litle but my husband started having extremes twitches all over like someone was pinching him you could look at his skin and see them,extreme sweating,insomnia,malaise went to neurosurgeon to talk about back surgery but he witnessed my husbands illness and said to go to a neurologist he didnt say but he was thinking als. been to dr after dr but cant find out problem. 2 years go by no diagnosis back pain is bad again back to injections supposedly 3 total 1st one not to bad back to work after 2 days 2nd injection has not been back to work and that was 8/06. All of his life he has always worked 6-7 days a week in our own business he was an excavating contractor local hometown boy known for perfect work now practically bedridden.Went to family dr blood tests looking like a adrenal tumor but they cant find it. low grade fever at time of injection. and off and on to present time , high bp , high resting heart rate weight gain , gray complexxion weakness malaise,etc does anyone know if the injections might be the cause. i love my husband so much and it hurts to see him in this situation and it makes him want to give up because no one knows what is wrong. Thanks Trish