Botched Epidurals and Permanent Nerve Damage

I'm so sorry this has happened to you! I had a problem with my Epi also, but luckily it didn't last more than a week or two. In my life I have dealt with other tough and scary medical issues. I just want to tell you what has gotten me through........

Don't ever believe when a doctor uses the term "permanent." I believe that in most cases alternative therapies can improve things. Keep looking for alternatives, work hard, try to think positively, and learn some visualizing techniques. I wish you the best with hopes of relief very soon.

Medical Malpractice

The thing is... you cannot SIGN AWAY YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS. It's actually illegal. You can sign "I cannot sue" as many times, in your own blood, as you like... but when someone out of negligence or incompetence HURTS you, you have recourse. In fact, if you read very carefully you will probably see the loophole. They do NOT usually state "through our negligence or incompetence". Because they can't. Either of those things happen, and it's open season. Every med professional knows it. You screw up, and your butt is on the line. Those papers protect when NO ONE SCREWS UP (frivolous lawsuits), NOT WHEN SOMEONE DOES.

I'm not someone who sues lightly, and I have doctors in my family. TRUST ME no matter how many forms you sign (especially when you are 'altered' by medication or pain...which means you're not legally allowed to sign - duress or legal incompetance) you can still sue. Especially when ignorant admin employees say things like "You HAVE to sign in order to leave with your baby." Lawyers have field days with those kinds of statements and intimidation.

So, do, absolutely... speak with an attorney.

One thing that many people don't "get" with medical malpractice is that it's NOT about a payday. At least half of it is making sure it doesn't happen to others, and the actual 'payday' means that you can fly to the mayo clinic, or UofM, or Johns Hopkins, or wherever the BEST specialists are, and actually get treated. It means you CAN pay for babysitting, and maids, and get the services you NEED in order to either get well again, or to lead a relatively normal life.

Hi Martha J

I'm sorry about your experience and pain.... yuck!

Have you tried acupuncture? That can sometimes work wonders.

Meditation can also help. Or a chiropractor.... he can align your spine and it will adjust the nerves as well.

I'm confused as to why insurance wouldn't pay for the extra days in the hospital... if it was medically necessary for you to be hospitalized and a dr says that's where you need to be then insurance should pay.

Good luck

Talk to an attorney- I am one but not plaintiff med mal and not licensed in MN. Waivers are not ironclad- they still need to keep with the standard of care. Attorneys do the initial consult for free on this stuff and generally work on contingency basis too- they get paid out of the recovery, if any, not hourly rate. Keep a journal with all of the pain, changes to your schedule, how your life is changed, when you have to take meds, etc. I had 2 botched epidurals. No lasting nerve damage. Sorry :( did you say your insurance didn't pay for the specialist consult? That should NOT be either :( well you definitely have money damages for a case in addition to your lasting pain/suffering. Good luck.

I would also try a chiropractor or acupuncture. I have had nerve pain in the past due to an injury resulting in a slipped/herniated disc in my spine and a chiropractor helps (along with periodic traction).

Did you have a nerve conduction test showing damage? Nerves can take a long time to heal so I wouldn't give up hope yet.

I would still talk to an attorney. Just because they have that form doesn't mean anything, if she made a mistake she has medical insurance to pay for lawsuits. Everyone signs those and look how many mal-practice lawsuits there are.

I ruptured a disk in my neck and took a couple of medrol packs and by the 3rd day the nerve pain was gone. It stayed gone a long long time too.

I would suggest going to see a neurologist.

I ruptured my discs at L3/L4...and my pain management doctor asked if I had had epidurals with my deliveries. When I told him yes, two...he went, "yes, I see this all the time with multiple epidurals"...woah, hello??!!

This was four years after my last delivery.

Anyways, a neurologist can hopefully test and see which nerves have been damaged and then refer you to a pain management doctor who can start you on the road to getting some pain relief.

The person who helped me more than even my pain management doc was my massage therapist. She would get me up and moving pain free for a few days at a time...then it would come back and I would go she her again and get a few more days of relief. It really helped that she had had a ruptured disc at the same place as mine and really knew which nerves to work on.

Good luck!!

Oh, nerves regenerate very very slowly about 1mm a month...so you can be healing it is just going to take a while for it to heal from your spine to your toe.

I don't think you need an attorney - the consent form that you signed covers an awful lot of risks and side effects. This serious a case of longterm damage is rare. Have you visited a pain specialist or other specialist besides your OB/GYN? This is really past his or her scope of practice. I hope that you will be able to find some relief soon, I am sorry for your suffering.

Oh, I so understand. With my epidural, the doctor put it too high. I remember when I told the doctor that it wasn't working because I could feel my fingers touch my leg. He actually was arguing with me that I couldn't possibly feel it. However, my face felt funny, and arms. When I told the nurse that, she went into overdrive. I was wisked to the OR, and had my son Via a C-section. To this day I have back problems, sciatica, and some nerve damage. It was a terrible thing to go through. Their are always risks, especially in your circumstance. I hope you get some relief from all this.

I'd see a nuerologist, preferably one with no affiliation to the other docs/hospital. Have you tried neurontin? It's specifically FOR nervepain....