Procardia

Nothing can be easy these days. I have been taking Procardia for contractions as needed. I have been taking it for 2+ wks now off and on. This past week I have used it much more as I needed it. I was having contractions yesterday and took one as usual and normally within 30 minutes they are gone or really slowed down for me. This time was different! Maybe 15 minutes after I took it I noticed my legs were itching. I was just about to say something to Casey when he asked if I just got out of the bath. I looked down and my legs from knee down were sunburned red and swelling fast. I was developing cankles and could not longer see the veins or bones in my feet. You could press on my legs and see clearly where you touched. Then I was so dizzy, heart was racing and thought I would pass out. Casey got scared and thought I was going into shock. I laid down and got my feet up. Turns out I had a severe allergic reaction to Procardia. On call OB says never to take it again as next time will be worse. He was going to talk his partner, my OB, this morning about putting me on liquid Terbutaline (Brethin) and possibly testing me to see if pre term labor is in store for me.

 

I've been on it for a long time now (12 weeks maybe?) without side effects. I'm so sorry this happened to you, it must have been so scary! I hope the terb works better for you.

 

It was really odd and surprising. I mean I had been taking it for at least 2wks. The OB says thats how it can happen. I always assumed an reaction happens the first time you take something until I read more about allergic reactions.

 

I remember watching a show about allergic reactions. You can be stung by bees all your life and one time something in your body misfires and the next time you get stung, your body flips out on you.

I took Procardia for 6 1/2 weeks and just had the usual temporary side effects each time.

I'm glad your reaction wasn't life threatening!!

 

Glad you are ok! I have been on Procardia since 26 weeks as well as 2.5 mg terbutaline. Haven't had side effects to either but Procardia is not effective for me w/out the Terbutaline with it. Hope the Terbutaline works for you!

 

I have had a similar reaction to it. I've been taking it for over 4 weeks and started having that tingling, itchy, hot feeling in my legs and feet. Then I looked down and they were puffy and flushed. I have to lay down when it happens and then it goes away. I told my OB about it and she said to try to take it with food and drink 2 glasses of water before hand. I have been doing that and it seems to help. I wonder if I should not be on it, if they are telling you it's an allergic reaction. What is your dosage and how often are you taking it? I'm on 10mg, 3 times a day.

 

That is how it started for me the other day. Then I started feeling dizzy, heart pounding like I had low blood pressure. I don't remember my mg level, but I am only to take it as needed and never more than one in 8 hrs. If my contractions didn't stop within the the 8hr period then go to L&D.
When I described the leg symptom to my OB he said stop taking it and it was an allergic reaction. Plus he mentioned next time taking it could be much worse. I was to chart this down as an rx I could no longer take in the future. He said the same thing had even happpened to him when he was young with an antibiotic. There was a name for it to "P something" adema. He thought I would be ok and knew it didn't harm the babies, but to call back if it started going above my knee. He told me to lay down feet up and take benedryl or zrytec. After taking Zrytec it made everything start to get back to normal.