Anonymous wrote:My epidurals for sure had fentanyl in them. I also got fentanyl in a bolus when my epidurals stopped working.

How could it effect the baby? No one discussed that with me.

IV it could have caused the baby not to breathe well if you were close to delivery. In the epidural it isn't a problem.

Look up the doctor...he's been on trial for everything including gross negligence, sexual misconduct, insurance fraud/kickbacks, and more.

I had fentanyl in an epidural and wasn’t even aware until I began to itch like crazy. Like clawing at my skin itch.

I’d seriously avoid fentanyl. Just tell them to pick something other option. Fentanyl kills dogs that get to close to it. Don’t mess with it.

My spinal wore off in the middle of my c-section so they gave me IV fentanyl (after first giving me nitrous which didn’t do anything for the pain.) thankfully the fentanyl worked!

I had a spinal and was told I was given morphine. I was given Dilaudid after the birth (which was amazing, definitely the closest I've ever come to addiction, so, do not recommend?)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:*until this post. Geez apparently I’m still on Fentanyl!

You should have marched in there demanding answers on your healthy baby and healthy mother!

Stop criticizing her for not doing the job of the nurse.

Anonymous wrote:
Good reminder about how risky drugs are.
Sure, take them when you *really* need to,
but otherwise better to stay away from them
because you don’t know how *your* body will react.

Beware of fentanyl, and the doctors who prescribe it unnecessary.

Pp here - just looked at the NPR article. Somewhat off topic but it says that “itchiness” is common when someone has abused fentanyl. I got super itchy and have never abused any substance. The nurses offered me Benadryl but said it might make me too sleepy. Eventually one offered ice packs and that helped a ton! I was still grateful for the epidural which let me meditate for awhile and, after the ice, sleep. So...if anyone chooses an epidural and gets itchy, ice can help!

My first child was born in DC where I requested but never received an epidural. My second was born in CA (only relevant because this woman was in CA). My DH commented at the time that my epidural contained fentanyl. I asked him last night if he knew how much and he said the bag listed half a gram.

A simple google search tells you that fentanyl in epidurals is standard. You can request an epidural without it though. What happened to the woman in the OP article is bizarre. That doctor had already had complaints and should have been suspended. That hospital apparently has had other suspicious deaths so something is very wrong there.

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/11/10/659816998/childbirth-in-the-age-of-addiction-new-mom-worries-about-maintaining-her-sobriet

Good reminder about how risky drugs are.
Sure, take them when you *really* need to,
but otherwise better to stay away from them
because you don’t know how *your* body will react.

Anonymous wrote:When I delivered at Sibley, my epidural dose was so high (anesthesiologist mistake) that my upper chest went completely numb and I was paralyzed from the neck down. If my organs in my chest cavity became paralyzed, I could have died, I believe.

The nurse had an emergency protocol to get my blood to circulate and get the epidural dose to wear off.

Scariest moment of my life.

Paralysis doesn’t usually affect involuntary muscles. They were probably concerned about your lungs because you weren’t intubated.