Expert: Ronald Levy, M.D. - 7/15/2007

Question
I HOPE THIS MAKES SENSE TO YOU!!.I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH SCOLIOSIS IN 1993 AND SPINA BIFIDA OCULATE IN 2007.I HAVE HAD 2 HERNIA REPAIRS ON THE RIGHT AND LEFT SIDE,I HAVE HAD A LARGE VERICOSE VEIN REMOVED FROM MY RIGHT LEG.I HAVE HAD 3 C-SECTIONS.ALONG W/ THAT CAME THE EPIDURALS.4 IN ALL. MY FIRST C-SECTION WAS EMERGENCY AND I RECIEVED 2 SHOTS TO THE BACK.THE SECOND ONE WAS A SPINAL BLOCK I BELIEVE.WITH THE SECOND C-SECTION I WENT INTO THE DELIVERY ROOM TO GET NUMBED.AS THE DOCTOR WAS GIVING ME MY EPIDURAL I FELT THIS HORRIBLE PAIN IN MY RIGHT BACK/HIP.I SCREAMED OUT LOUD AND WAS IN TEARS.THE DOCTOR QUICKLY ADJUSTED THE NEEDLE AND THE PAIN WAS GONE.IT CAME AND WENT SO FAST BUT IT WAS SO TRAMATIC.I STILL TO THIS DAY CAN REMEBER THE PAIN.SOON AFTER I RECOVERED FROM THE C-SECTION I STARTED GETTING SHARP PAINS IN ALMOST THE SAME SPOT I HAD FELT DURING THAT EPIDURAL.I TALKED W/ MY FAMILY DOCTOR AT THE TIME ABOUT THIS.SHE ASSURED ME IT WASNT FROM THE EPIDURAL BUT MAYBE A PULLED MUSCLE ECT.. THE PAIN IS STILL THERE TO THIS DAY. I HAVE BEEN THROUGH PHYSICAL THERAPY MANY TIMES AND I HAVE TAKEN MANY MUSCLE RELAXERS.NOTHING SEEMS TO FADE THAT SHARP PAIN.I RECENTLY CHANGED DOCTORS AND EXPLAINED TO HIM MY PAIN.THE BEST WAY TO EXPLAIN IT IS LIKE BEING STABBED IN THE BACK.ITS A SHARP PAIN THAT SOMETIMES WILL SHOOT DOWN MY RIGHT LEG.HE HAS ORDERED ME TO P.T AND MUSCLE RELAXER AND TO DROP 40 POUNDS.I AM 5' AND 170 POUNDS.
MY QUESTION IS AFTER THE TRAMATIC EPIDURAL MY PROBLEMS SEEMED TO BEGIN.FROM THE VERICOSE VEIN IN THE  RIGHT LEG TO THE HERNIA.aND THE SHARP PAIN IN THE LOWER BACK/HIP AREA. COULD THIS ALL BE CONNECTED? SHOULD I OF NOT HAD THE EPIDURALS DUE TO THE SCOLIOSIS AND SPINA BIFIDA? I CANT SEEMT O FIND ANY ANSWERS AND DOCTORS DONT SEEM TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IM TRYING TO SAY.
ERICA

Answer
It is possible that during the epidural/spinal that you received (which caused the pain) the needle hit/injured the nerve.  This has nothing to do with the hernias or varicose veins so they are unrelated. As for the spina bifida, it is not a contraindication in your case because obviously you didn't have the usual findings of that. With regard to what to do now, I think you need to see a neurologist and get a full workup and possibly see an anesthesia pain specialist for better pain management. Unfortunately you problem, although rare, is a risk of that type of anesthesia, but I don't think you were wrong to get the epidurals in the first place.

Ronald Levy, MD
Associate Professor of Anesthesiology
UTMB-Galveston