For those of you who have been there...

So I know I'm close to giving birth to these babies I'm 34 1/2 weeks now & i went to the doctor today. Both babies are head down which they have never been - so maybe they know it's getting close. But here's my question I've been on procardia (4x a day) since week 19 due to TTTS surgery & I told my doc I was going to run out of it in about 4 days. She said that there was no need to refill the script but I'm convinced that's what has kept these kids in me this long. So if any of you took this medication as well, how soon did you have them after you went off of it? or did you stop taking it at all? I want to make it to 36 weeks!

 

I was never on any medication but just wanted to say way to go on keeping them in for 34.5 weeks! Did you ask your doctor about what the chances are of you going into labor when you stop the procardia?

 

I was on procardia form week 32-36. Way to stick with, because I was miserable! I contracted the whole time I was taking the drug though. I did not stop until the day before I was induced. I can't tell you for sure how soon it will be before you deliver, but I do know if I was even just a little late on my dose, the contractions would increase. I wish I could be more help. If you are on bedrest, and not contracting, I would just continue that after you stop the med. As long as I was flat on my back, the contractions were less severe. Maybe you can swing it another week or so. Good luck. I made it to 36 weeks and we had no NICU time! I truly believe that the procardia and sheer will power held those babies in.

 

This probably isn't what you want to hear...but keep in mind my situation was very different from yours. When I started having odd pains I thought they were just strange gas pains. I ended up going to the birthing center to get monitored and long story short they discovered I was 4cm dialated and my water bag was bulging. Then I was given mag sulfate, steroid injection shots, and transported by ambulance to a bigger hospital. Once I arrived at the big hospital they put me on procardia twice a day to keep the contractions at bay and they planned to stop the procardia 24 hours after the last steroid shot. All that happened on a Saturday. Then a few days later on Tuesday they stopped the procardia. I remember asking the doctors WHY were they stopping the procardia when it seemed to be helping with the contractions. They said that procardia didn't really help keep labor at bay long term....I didn't really buy that because I had done a lot of googling and reading here at TS and it seemed like there were plenty of women that procardia did help postpone labor long term. Anyway, they stopped the procardia and then later that night those "funny gas like pains" returned...and they got stronger and stronger through the night. When a doctor checked me on Wednesday morning I was 6 cm dialated by that point. And there was no stopping labor then. My boys were born later that night.

Again, my situation is different because my initial labor came on very suddenly and I didn't even know I was having labor pains. But the fact that you are 34.5 weeks along now is AWESOME!!! So try not to stress too much about what is going to happen. Just have faith that your doctors will get you through this and that you will have 2 healthy babies very soon! They may need a little NICU time, but probably not much.

GOOD LUCK!!!

 

I was on procardia with my first pregnancy from weeks 28-34. Similar situation to you, only had a weeks supply left and OB said I didn't need a refill. Ended up holding on until 37wks without the medication - don't know if there is a big difference since this was a singleton pregnancy.
Good luck with your twinfants and way to go keeping them cooking for a great amount of time!!!

 

I felt fine going off procardia. No side effects. I was in labor so I din't need to
continue. That was at 35 weeks.

I think your OB feels that you'll go into labor soon. Procardia is a smooth(heart med) muscle beta blocker, it really probably isn't doing much anymore, the babies have dropped, and they are on their way regardless.


Congrats are your soon to be born babies. :birthday:

 

I started Procardia 4x/day at 29 weeks for preterm labor. It seemed to help a lot. My OB wanted me to take it until 37 weeks. But when I made it to 36 weeks, I had a scary feeling about Luke. I just couldn't shake it and I stopped the Procardia then since I knew that 36 is pretty good for twins. When I discussed it with my OB, she was okay with this decision. I delivered at 36 weeks and 1 day. I went into labor on my own. It went perfectly. I delivered them both vaginally, including Noah who was second and breech. They both did wonderfully.

 

I was only on procardia from 31-34.1 weeks, and then I had to have an emergency csection so I didn't really 'stop'. But, my doctor was going to stop the medication at 35 weeks because I was dialating anyways & one baby had already dropped. I just want to say congrats on keeping them in this long like other pp's have said!!

 

This is a bit tangential, but maybe it could help you. The Dr. Luke book recommends a calcium/magnesium supplement which is supposed to help with contractions. I stopped using it at 37 weeks and my water broke at 37w5d- after I 'tried' to force my body to go into labor. I've never had any experience with pre-term labor, though (I had 2 contractions while waiting for my C-Section... they were enough).

Good luck.