Expert: Ronald Levy, M.D. - 5/6/2011

Question
I am scheduled to have my 3rd c section next week. The 1st was 7 years ago, i was given epidural anasthetic.I had no serious side effects. the 2nd was 2 years ago, i was given spinal, i had full feeling back less than a hour after surgery,2 days later i had the most severe migraine like headache, it lasted a full 3 days. i also had backpain , and sometimes numbness in my right leg. But in South Africa you hear so many horror stories of woman not waking up after giving birth under general anaesthetic that i am scared 2 ask 4 it this time. could you please advise me? I am 35 years old, and i smoke.

Answer
What you had was called a spinal headache and it is very uncommon when a primary spinal anesthetic is performed. It is actually more common in an epidural. I would recommend having a spinal again but make sure to point out to your anesthesiologist that you had a spinal headache with your previous spinal. Hopefully they will use a smaller needle and you won't have the same problem. A general anesthetic ismore a problem for the baby than for you but even if you have a general, that is OK also.

Ronald Levy, MD
Professor of Anesthesiology
UTMB-Galveston