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Concerned Procardia isn't working anymore
So my story is kind of a long one, but I am just starting to feel a little worried and hope someone can help me out. First a little background information...So I am 31 weeks pregnant with baby number two and I went into preterm labor just over two weeks ago. This happened with my first pregnancy as well so I have been getting weekly progesteron injections since I was 16 weeks and I've been seeing my OB atleast once every two weeks since I was twenty weeks. This pregnancy has been full of aches and pains and contractions and so on and so I just feel like I am making a big deal over every little thing that happens. Anyway I was at my weekly appointment two weeks ago doing a NST and I started having contractions every 2-3 minutes so my OB sent me to L&D and I spent several hours there getting things calmed down. I have been off work since then and I am taking 20mg of Procardia every 6 hours. My cervix is thinning some, but has not changed in the two weeks I've been on bedrest. I was at my Dr.s appt earlier this week and did another NST and I start contracting again every 2-5 minutes. They we close and then started to space a little to 5 minutes. They didn't send me to the hospital since my cervix wasn't changing and I just go back next week for my weekly appointment. Over the past few days it just seems like to Procardia is less and less effective, but I don't really know if I should worry or not. My body has me so confused and I feel like I am looking for things wrong these days. My husband is going to be out of town for two days and I guess I am just freaking out that something is going to happen while he's gone because he was out of town when I was sent to the hospital the first time. I guess I really don't have a question, but just need to get it all out. I don't even know anymore when I should be concerned about what my body is doing :( Ugh....the joys of being pregnant!!
Please, vent away!!! It's always to good to get these things out and I certainly don't mind. We all have to vent every now and again and what better place to do that than here? ;)
The fact that your cervix is still holding on is a great sign! I would be worried when it softens and begins to dilate. I remember when I was 27 weeks last pregnancy, they said my cervix was very thin, but not open. The next week I was 1cm and the following 2 cm. by 32 weeks I was 4cm. That is so scary! They sent me to L&D thinking I was going to have the baby at 32 weeks, but somehow he hung on longer! I stayed 4-5cm until 36 weeks.
Just take is easy, as best as you can. Toddlers are full of energy and I know it's hard to rest and then with your hubby being out of town, it must be difficult.
I am certainly just hoping my BH are because of previous children, but I now know how many is too many in an hour for me and I haven't been doing anything straining or crazy so far.
How often do you experience contractions?
I will pray you get good news on tuesday from your doctor!
The fact that your cervix is still holding on is a great sign! I would be worried when it softens and begins to dilate. I remember when I was 27 weeks last pregnancy, they said my cervix was very thin, but not open. The next week I was 1cm and the following 2 cm. by 32 weeks I was 4cm. That is so scary! They sent me to L&D thinking I was going to have the baby at 32 weeks, but somehow he hung on longer! I stayed 4-5cm until 36 weeks.
Just take is easy, as best as you can. Toddlers are full of energy and I know it's hard to rest and then with your hubby being out of town, it must be difficult.
I am certainly just hoping my BH are because of previous children, but I now know how many is too many in an hour for me and I haven't been doing anything straining or crazy so far.
How often do you experience contractions?
I will pray you get good news on tuesday from your doctor!
It's nice to know that I'm not the only one that's had this same concern. I guess I'll just take it as a good sign that my cervix is still holding strong and that my doctor isn't getting overly concerned. The mag sulfate doesn't sound like anything I want to deal with, so hopefully it doesn't come to that. I had prepared myself to be away from my daughter when I deliver, but I haven't prepared myself for any kind of extended stay. Chantal - I hate the way it makes me feel too, but it's nothing compared to the terbutaline. They gave it to me in the hospital and it not only didn't stop the contractions, but it raised my heart rate so much they had to stop giving it to me. Also, my BHs started earlier this time, around 14 weeks, but my Dr. assured me it was normal in a 2nd pregnancy. Hopefully you don't have to deal with any preterm issues this time around!!
As for me I guess I'll just keep taking it easy (as easy as I can with a toddler and my hubby out of town) and just see what the u/s and my Dr. have to say on Tuesday. Thanks for letting me vent, sometimes I just have to get it out!
As for me I guess I'll just keep taking it easy (as easy as I can with a toddler and my hubby out of town) and just see what the u/s and my Dr. have to say on Tuesday. Thanks for letting me vent, sometimes I just have to get it out!
I think my docs had talked about Mag. sulfate, but I never got to that point I guess, so I really don't know much about it, but that sounds like it would be the next option. I know when I got the 2 or 3 shots of terbutaline, that actually slowed the contractions big time. But they of course, over time, picked up again.
Joy, yea that's what my midwife was saying. I definitely know the signs to look for this time, so I am just hoping I am having them because I've had 2 kids before.
Joy, yea that's what my midwife was saying. I definitely know the signs to look for this time, so I am just hoping I am having them because I've had 2 kids before.
I was going to say that they'll probably try Mag Sulfate as the other commenter said.
Chantal- I felt more BH my third pregnancy and earlier on than my other pregnancies. I think it has more to do with having had babies already than being a preterm issue. You know what true labor feels like already so you'll know warning signs. Also BH can actually begin as early as 6 weeks!
Chantal- I felt more BH my third pregnancy and earlier on than my other pregnancies. I think it has more to do with having had babies already than being a preterm issue. You know what true labor feels like already so you'll know warning signs. Also BH can actually begin as early as 6 weeks!
I'm sorry you have to go through all of this worry again! I was on that too last pregnancy and all I remember thinking was the first 2 days I took it I was super flushed, my heart would race and the contractions were not AS bad. Then, I truly think it stopped working. I always had between 4-6 contractions every hour even while I was taking the pills every 4 hours. I never understood it. My OB wanted me to keep taking the pills no matter what, just spaced out the doses. I think strict bedrest kept me until 36 weeks. I hope I never have to go on them again because of the way it made me feel. It never stopped contractions and my heart felt like it was going to beat out of my chest. I'm 17 weeks now and have already been feeling some BH contractions. This is the earliest I have ever felt them before, so I am hoping it's not a sign of anything!
I really hope baby stays put for you! I was 4cm for an entire month. It is nerve wracking, I know. I was on bedrest from week 28-36. It gets boring, but try to hang in there!! Being 31 weeks is good...just a few more weeks to go! (((hugs)))
I really hope baby stays put for you! I was 4cm for an entire month. It is nerve wracking, I know. I was on bedrest from week 28-36. It gets boring, but try to hang in there!! Being 31 weeks is good...just a few more weeks to go! (((hugs)))
I was also on Procardia from 33-36 weeks. I understand completely what you're saying--I haven't come even close to forgetting the stress I went through during pre-term labor, always wondering if I was about to go into labor because I was experiencing the same issues you describe.
I don't think I can offer much help or advice because every pregnancy is different; what you're experiencing could be much more severe than what I went through, or maybe the same. I was fortunate enough to stay pregnant until 38 weeks, but I didn't think I'd make it that far! I went into labor at 33 weeks and was hospitalized in L&D three times between then and 35 weeks. I wondered as well if the Procardia was losing its effectiveness.
Between 36 and 38 weeks, things seemed to settle down with my body (once I was off the Procardia, oddly) and the contractions weren't as frequent or intense anymore. But oh, the discomfort, aches and pains were torture. I didn't have the preterm labor issue with my first pregnancy, and the aches and pains were nothing compared to what I had with five miserable weeks of preterm labor because it was like my body was in a fight with itself as to whether or not to labor hard enough to get the baby out. Everything hurt all the time. Every joint, every muscle, and even breathing hurt on occasion.
Have you had to be on Magnesium Sulfate? If you do end up in labor before 36 weeks and have not been on Mag Sulfate yet, the doctors may put you on that (horrible stuff in an IV which will hospitalize you for as long as you're on it--I was on it for two days), which is like the last ditch effort to stop preterm labor. If the Mag Sulfate doesn't work, then you're basically prepped to deliver. If you've never had to be on that stuff and you won't ever need to be, then I am SO happy for you--but I'm so sorry if you have to go through it. That stuff is horrible, nasty, awful, internal torment. I don't know how some women tolerate being on it for days.
At least the good news is that, although you are most likely going to deliver your baby earlier than 38 weeks, the survival rate at the point you are is practically 100%, along with a very low risk of health issues later in life. I'm sure you've had steroid shots to help develop your baby's lungs by now, and if your baby is born before you reach 36 weeks, the NICU stay won't be as intense as it would be if you were less than 30 weeks. And of course, every day you're pregnant is critical for the baby to develop just that much more...so just do the best you can to try to relax and enjoy the bed rest (if that's possible, lol). Drink lots and lots of water, too--hydrated muscles don't contract as tightly.
I hope things start getting a little easier for you. I know exactly how you feel. I am so sorry you have to go through this.
I don't think I can offer much help or advice because every pregnancy is different; what you're experiencing could be much more severe than what I went through, or maybe the same. I was fortunate enough to stay pregnant until 38 weeks, but I didn't think I'd make it that far! I went into labor at 33 weeks and was hospitalized in L&D three times between then and 35 weeks. I wondered as well if the Procardia was losing its effectiveness.
Between 36 and 38 weeks, things seemed to settle down with my body (once I was off the Procardia, oddly) and the contractions weren't as frequent or intense anymore. But oh, the discomfort, aches and pains were torture. I didn't have the preterm labor issue with my first pregnancy, and the aches and pains were nothing compared to what I had with five miserable weeks of preterm labor because it was like my body was in a fight with itself as to whether or not to labor hard enough to get the baby out. Everything hurt all the time. Every joint, every muscle, and even breathing hurt on occasion.
Have you had to be on Magnesium Sulfate? If you do end up in labor before 36 weeks and have not been on Mag Sulfate yet, the doctors may put you on that (horrible stuff in an IV which will hospitalize you for as long as you're on it--I was on it for two days), which is like the last ditch effort to stop preterm labor. If the Mag Sulfate doesn't work, then you're basically prepped to deliver. If you've never had to be on that stuff and you won't ever need to be, then I am SO happy for you--but I'm so sorry if you have to go through it. That stuff is horrible, nasty, awful, internal torment. I don't know how some women tolerate being on it for days.
At least the good news is that, although you are most likely going to deliver your baby earlier than 38 weeks, the survival rate at the point you are is practically 100%, along with a very low risk of health issues later in life. I'm sure you've had steroid shots to help develop your baby's lungs by now, and if your baby is born before you reach 36 weeks, the NICU stay won't be as intense as it would be if you were less than 30 weeks. And of course, every day you're pregnant is critical for the baby to develop just that much more...so just do the best you can to try to relax and enjoy the bed rest (if that's possible, lol). Drink lots and lots of water, too--hydrated muscles don't contract as tightly.
I hope things start getting a little easier for you. I know exactly how you feel. I am so sorry you have to go through this.
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