[ashley_r310]

If I get the SCS in for good and I go to have a baby can they still give me an epidural or will the SCS effect that? Can someone please give me info. or plz post their story. Again I'm 24 yrs old going in Nov 9 for the trial stimulation. I am nervous and scared but ready b\c I'm hoping for some pain relief! Thanks Everyone I enjoy reading all yalls responses, stories, & posts! Very happy I found this site!!!!!

Ashley

[Mark56]

No, I am not a girl who is able to answer the question with experience. I am able to provide the best recommendation possible for you, and that is to ask your physician straight up and honest because it is a fair and appropriate question for medicine to provide response.

OK, now that we have assured my incompetence, allow me to provide relevant insight to the effect of morphine on me when I recently had cervical fusion of multiple levels. A couple of stories because one is humorous and the other is as close to on point as I can provide.

During the pre-op testing an EKG was ordered. There were three nurses, a tech, and a physician in the tiny exam room with my wife and me. I had forgotten to turn off the SCS which allows me life renewed. Plumb forgot! The med people were about to wheel me off to the cardiac unit because they could not establish a rhythm for my heart. Of all things. Electricity will definitely interfere with electricity. As soon as I remembered my running SCS with a sheepish "do you suppose this might be interfering?" everything was returned to normal. We can laugh now, but the lesson was when having electrical testing performed shut off the stimulus.

Throughout the surgery, my SCS was shut down so as not to interfere with the electronics of any scanning device the team might use. Guess what..... in a status of shut down, the full effect of the morphine administered was really quite effective. Matter of fact, I remember N O T H I N G about even arriving in the Operating Room. Not one pea pickin little thing. First thing that came to me was awakening in my hospital room and my family had ordered something healthy for me to eat, such as soup. Soup.......

For our daughter in law last May when our grandson came, an epi was started, a mixture of morphine and lidocaine or something similar. It is a regional style pain block, and worked for her such that the process was workable for her. She has no SCS, but then, for all intents and purposes if yours is shut down for childbirth, your effect might be similar. The regional pain block may help as well with your chronic pain as baby makes his or her appearance.

For whatever it is worth, these are recent experiences of mine and of our daughter in law. AND Eva????? Samson is growing JUST fine!! I will have to upload photos...

Blessings and prayers pour over you as you approach surgery,
Then again as family life becomes part of your history,
Mark56

[Rrae]

Sorry for the late reply!
Your date is rapidly approaching! I'm excited for you

I would assume you'd be ok to get the epidural, but certainly this is something that must be cleared by your Dr.

Do you have a pre-surgical appt with Dr? If so, make a list of all the questions you can think of. It's always good to have someone go with you. A second set of ears is very helpful, especially if your Dr tends to talk too fast or talk over your head. Alot of em do this, so don't be afraid to ask for clarity or to repeat something if you didn't comprehend fully.
This is a huge decision you've made and you deserve complete and concise information.

Please keep us posted!!

Rae

[tkayewade]

I had to shut mine off several times while in the hospital, too. I think it will be okay, but I would ask. Funny your story, mark. I have one similar. They came in to do an EKG at about 4 AM and didn't really wake me up. Well she's unplugging everything in the room. I'm still half asleep so I don't know why. Finally she says, " I have no idea where all this interference is coming from," I snapped up. I said, " oh, that's me," and turned it off lol. Rule one: wake patient thoroughly before doing a test. Rule two: read the chart. It's listed on page one I was 11 days post scs lead revision lol. Anyway, I hope everything goes smoothly for you and congrats on the baby!! I love babies!!

TK

[ginnie]

Welcome to Neuro Talk. I sure agree with Mark. Be very forward with your doctor and ask him. I know the SCS is planted in back, and I do not know if that would interfer with childbirth, or even normal vaginal delivery. Sometimes these subjects are hard to bring up, but you really should. I hope that the SCS works for you, and that you get great pain relief. Keep us posted here. This site has some of the most remarkable people I have ever met. Lots of love and compassion. Take care Ashley, ginnie

[ger715]

Originally Posted by ashley_r310

If I get the SCS in for good and I go to have a baby can they still give me an epidural or will the SCS effect that? Can someone please give me info. or plz post their story. Again I'm 24 yrs old going in Nov 9 for the trial stimulation. I am nervous and scared but ready b\c I'm hoping for some pain relief! Thanks Everyone I enjoy reading all yalls responses, stories, & posts! Very happy I found this site!!!!!

Ashley

One more question I would suggest asking your doctor is what, if any, affect would an SCS have with being pregnant? This is very important.

Gerry

[Mark56]

Originally Posted by ger715

One more question I would suggest asking your doctor is what, if any, affect would an SCS have with being pregnant? This is very important.

Gerry

You always pose just the right consideration!
Yup,
you surely do,
agape,
Mark56

[pg2005]

Hey Ashley I actually asked that same question yesterday! My doc said, atleast for leg coverage, he generally goes in at T10 or so and feeds upwards to about T1. Epidurals are entered lower in the lumbar region. On me specifically there is about a 4 to 5 inch area they would have to work with for an epidural. Therefore, he doesn't see it interfering.

As for use during pregnancy...they can't outright recommend it because there haven't been studies to prove it's safe. My doc was going to spend a few days to look at all the case studies to see what the general outcomes have been. He did mention that it's essentially not a systemic effect, but of course the fetus sits right near the spinal cord.

I know that pregnancy without an SCS means I'm on a lot of meds known to cause issues. Lesser of two evils for me.

[Mark56]

Originally Posted by tkayewade

I had to shut mine off several times while in the hospital, too. I think it will be okay, but I would ask. Funny your story, mark. I have one similar. They came in to do an EKG at about 4 AM and didn't really wake me up. Well she's unplugging everything in the room. I'm still half asleep so I don't know why. Finally she says, " I have no idea where all this interference is coming from," I snapped up. I said, " oh, that's me," and turned it off lol. Rule one: wake patient thoroughly before doing a test. Rule two: read the chart. It's listed on page one I was 11 days post scs lead revision lol. Anyway, I hope everything goes smoothly for you and congrats on the baby!! I love babies!!

TK

Yep, our Samson is now four months and a growing grandbaby.... pretty soon we will have to call him grandson and abandon that grandbaby talk....

READ the CHART??? What a hoot T!! Why would anyone do that? Your story is the true definition of LOL.

Yup,
Mark56

[Mark56]

Really really good!
Yep,
Mark56