I had an epidural for my pain management and it worked great. My only complaint is that it gave me bad headaches - also called spinal headaches. The epidural was removed at 5 or 6 days post op and then my pain was managed with a morphine drip. The drip worked fine for me too, and I actually appreciated the drowsiness as it helped me sleep and relax more than I may have without it.
I was amazed that I didn't have the surgical pain I expected, and found I didn't hit my morphine button nearly as often as I anticipated I would have. Here's hoping your pain is kept at a minimum regardless of the management option you choose!
Regards, Angela