C Section With General Anesthesia? - lovenox girls

i am feeling so not at ease today. i am 13w4days, just had my ob apt. everything looks good so far, but he mentioned that due to blood clottiing issues and lovenox that i am on, i might need C Section With General Anesthesia. and that made me panicky who knows about it? anyone had it?thanks

Message edited 6/6/2011 11:58:11 AM.

Re: C Section With General Anesthesia?

I'm nervous wreck over this.

I would love to know too, because I most likely willl have to have General Anesthesia too, due to Lovenox.

Re: C Section With General Anesthesia?

you see this is the issue: generally obs will switch you to heparin at 36 weeks, but my ob thinks that heparin often causes drop in platelets, that is HELLP syndrom, so he does not want to switch me. So he told me: either deliver w/o epidural or the option above. Vaginal delivery is tricky for me, since i have a pretty large fibroid outside uterus, which might cuase issues.

i am scared

Message edited 6/6/2011 11:30:24 AM.

Re: C Section With General Anesthesia?

I'm going to be delivering via c-section under general anesthesia. I have rods in my back and severe back issues where my spine is not fused, so I'm not a candidate for a vaginal birth and they don't want to even attempt maneuvering an epi around the metal in my back. I've had general before for 2 surgeries, so I'm not really concerned. From what I understand you're out for 30-45 minutes. And your DH can be in the OR with you. Just stinks that I won't be awake for the birth and to hear that first cry. And the other thing is we're team so DH will find out the gender before me and I won't get to see his reaction.

Re: C Section With General Anesthesia?

I was on Lovenox my entire pregnancy. I stopped taking the injection on a Thursday and went in for my C/S that Sunday.

I did not have to have general anesthesia and was never told that I would. The only point at which I was concerned about having general anesthesia was when the anesthesiologist was having a difficult time doing the spinal but he was finally able to get it and I was so relieved.

Re: C Section With General Anesthesia?

Re: C Section With General Anesthesia?

Re: C Section With General Anesthesia? - lovenox girls

I had to have a crash c with my last pregnancy, which meant... no time for epi so they put me under. It was more of a scary experience only b/c we didn't expect it at all. Had to get the baby out ASAP.
Everything went fine. BTW... your DH is not allowed in the room if you are under. They allow DH in there if you are awake for you and you only. If asleep then the DH is not allowed b/c it's still a major surgery.

Waking up was weird and we were on team green so the nurse told me "congrats, it's a boy"
Also, I had a lot of shaking. they said it's totally normal. They just put one of those warm blanket things or heaters over me and I was fine. Took some time to come to realize WTH was going on, but like I said... mainly b/c everything happened so fast. Baby was out within 5 minutes of putting me under then anouter 30 - 40 minutes to stitch me up. DH was holding the baby was I was still under.
THe worst is the gas pains and my throat and arms were soar. That was it. By the time I got home I was doing a bit better.
Walk around when they allow you to. Makes it easier and better recovery.
You'll be fine!
This time I have a sched c so actually excited to be up when I first hear LO

Re: C Section With General Anesthesia? - lovenox girls

I have ITP, which is a low platelet blood disorder.

I was under general anesthesia during my csection with DD. It was the safest option for me. However , and I hate to say this, I missed out on the entire first day and most of the second. I don't remember holding DD , I don't even rememeber who was at the hospital to visit. I was really, really out of it.

I know with this pregnancy I will probably need anesthesia again, but at least I know what to expect so I am okay with it.

Again, it was the safest option for me, I really had no other choice. And other than the lack of memories from the first 2 days, I was perfectly fine.

ETA - they let Dh is the room with me. I am so thankful for that!

Message edited 6/6/2011 12:27:55 PM.

Re: C Section With General Anesthesia? - lovenox girls

did you have to have an empty stomach before operation? i am not looking forward to that, since i have acid reflux and i HAVE to eat in the morning.

Re: C Section With General Anesthesia? - lovenox girls

With both pregnancies, I switched to heparin at the end. You take it two times a day. My first was a scheduled c-section and I stopped taking it two days before. My second pregnancy was an more of an emergency c-section. I was at the dr. monday night and they told me I'd have to either go into labor or have a c-section the next morning, so they said not to take the second dose of heparin that day.

Re: C Section With General Anesthesia? - lovenox girls

Re: C Section With General Anesthesia? - lovenox girls

Re: C Section With General Anesthesia? - lovenox girls

Did he say why? I am on Lovenox for a blood clotting issue and my dr never said this and I have never heard of that before.

I would find out WHY that would be needed because of Lovenox..Makes no sense to me.

The only thing with Lovenox is you cant have an epidural, so they switch you to Heparin at the end because with Heparin you can have an epi.

**Sorry just read what your dr said about Heparin. I would look into that option more, esp if you dont want the c-section.

I'm planning on having a natural birth and dont want an epi, so I'm hoping none of this will affect me. I really, really, really dont want a c-section being completely under. :(

Message edited 6/6/2011 1:29:39 PM.

Re: C Section With General Anesthesia? - lovenox girls

I have fibroids too and one grew to 10cm and was blocking my cervix, at 20 weeks the drs said it could move out of the way as the uterus grows and by 32 weeks sure enough it did. Turns out I need a c section anyway because the baby is breech. Try to stay positive and not worry too much this soon because things could change as your pregnancy progresses.

Re: C Section With General Anesthesia? - lovenox girls

hmmm, my OB never mentioned that!

i had my son via csetion at 40w2d with a spinal. i was on lovenox until 36w then heparin 2x a day until the night before delivery. i went back to lovenox 12 hours after delivery for 2 weeks.

i have not ever heard of any reason for general with lovenox

Re: C Section With General Anesthesia? - lovenox girls

Re: C Section With General Anesthesia? - lovenox girls

Posted by curiousO

you see this is the issue: generally obs will switch you to heparin at 36 weeks, but my ob thinks that heparin often causes drop in platelets, that is HELLP syndrom, so he does not want to switch me. So he told me: either deliver w/o epidural or the option above. Vaginal delivery is tricky for me, since i have a pretty large fibroid outside uterus, which might cuase issues.

i am scared

Re: C Section With General Anesthesia? - lovenox girls

one day at a time it is

Re: C Section With General Anesthesia? - lovenox girls

Hmm..this is really interesting to me. I was on Lovenox with my last pregnancy and went into labor early at 34 weeks and ended up with an emergency c-section after 3 hours of pushing. I had taken my last shot of lovenox only hours before my labor started because of course I was not expecting it. I had an epidural during my labor and then was awake for the c-section so the fact that I was on lovenox did not seem to alter anything for me. Best of luck!

Re: C Section With General Anesthesia? - lovenox girls

I was knocked out with general anesthesia for my emergency C. If there's a way you can avoid this (and I mean anything possible), do it.