What's the difference between the two, does anyone know? I had an epidural during labor with my son and they just up'ed the dosage of that before the surgery. So how will the spinal be different from the epi?

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Spina blockerl, all goes in during the one dose (had it during my emerg c-sec), and epi, has it so that more meds can keep coming through the line for pain relief.

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As far as I know a spinal is just a once off injection that lasts a few hours. Theres no tube left coming out of your back like with an epidural. Also the epidural only goes a little way into your spine, and the spinal crosses into the next layer (I'm sorry I don't kno the medical terms! Its like there's a little tube at the very middle of ur spine with fluid in it that the spinal injects into. The epidural doesn't pass through that layer)
With the spinal because it goes through that layer there's a chance fluid can leak out which will cause a bad spinal headache.
Sorry Id never make a doctor! I'm not good at explaining things. Hope I didn't confuse you more!

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Aoife 28
Joe 29
Evan born April 29 2008. 6lb 5oz 19 inches
May 16 2008. 7lb 15oz 20 inches
May 30 2008. 9lb 7oz 21 inches
June 23 2008. 11lb 8oz
June 27 2008. 11lb 14oz 23 inches
Aug 29 2008. 16lb 13oz 25 1/4 inches

In my case I was way more numb with the spinal...Like chest down. With my epi I was only numb waist down.

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The spinal and epi. both go in the same place and space in the back (in the epidural space). The major diffrence is the epi. stays in and the spinal is like a shot. Kinda like the diffrence between an IV (the epi) and a shot (the spinal). With an epi. you can recieve your post-partem pain meds through your epi. line. And with a spinal the just give them through your IV post partem.

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I am so nervous about getting a spinal becuase of the chest numbness, I have never had either med! but I get paniced if I feel like I can not breath, like if someone were to put their hand on my mouth or sit on my chest I would panic and I hear that it feels like you can not breath when you have a spinal

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Carter James

Spinal was much better for me!

I had an epi with my son because I was induced and then turned into a CS. Well the Anthesiologist before the CS asked if I could feel anything when he touched my stomach. I said no. Well in my stooper I failed to mention I had lost sensation in my stomach area several weeks before. So during the surgery I FELT IT! I am like, Uh this is starting to hurt. Which I said several times by my husband and the Anthesiologist were chatting away about PIZZA! GRRRRRRR Finally he is like What?! I said I can feel what Dr. Stoll is doing! He is like Oh ****! and cranks up the meds.

So when I had my daughter (different hospital/state/OB etc) I told them and I got a Spinal. I loved it! It was much better. Faster recovery and everything. All four of us (me, hubby, Gabrielle, and the nurse) were in recovery and Gabrielle was nursing in less than an hour after I had her. I was sitting up and felt great.

With the EPI I was way out of it. I didn't like that at all.

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Anne
Mama to Conner 2/27/04 & Gabrielle 2/6/06 & Delaney 5/12/08

Thanks for posting this....I was wondering about it my self. I actualy thought they were the same thing.

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Amanda, James & Sweet Mackenzie

7/17 -3rd Laparoscopic Surgery for Endometriosis
8/07 femara & ovidrel First Cy..... 8/24/07
(After trying for 6 years on and off)