Drugs to stop contrax?

I'm still having monster contractions, especially in the evening, about 20 mins apart. My check on Tuesday showed they aren't changing my cervix at all. I'll have a fetal fibronectin test tomorrow. I've read about drugs they can put you on at home to slow contractions but I am worried about the side effects. Are any of you on medication for contrax? What is it like?

 

I was on Terbutaline for 11 weeks, after I went into PTL at 26 weeks. I was 70% effaced, and had started to dilate. I won't lie - Terbutaline was terrible at first. It makes your heart race, and you feel like your coming out of your skin - BUT - it held my girls off for 11 weeks. I delivered healthy 37 weeker's because of that medicine. After I got used to it, it wasn't so bad.

That was the only medicine I was given (besides steroids), so I can't speak to the others.

 

Magnesium Sulfate is another one, but I think perhaps a drug of last resort? It's really horrible, and it didn't work for me . . . I've heard it described as feeling like all the negative aspects of being drunk with none of the positives. I've only heard of a few people on it long term, and sounds like it's only done in a hospital setting.

Good luck!

Rachel

 

I've been on Terbutlaline every 4 hours for the past 12+ weeks. I have heard it does make a lot of women's heart race, etc.. but fortunately, it has never bothered me. Hopefully, if you have to go on it, it won't bother you either. Good luck!

 

I think I was on EVERY medication possible to stop contractions, including procardia, terbutaline, indocin, and mag. The only one that I really couldn't stand was the terb (injection not the pill, I don't know if it makes a difference though...), it definitely made my heart race, made me really anxious and I wanted to crawl out of my skin. A lot of people have adverse reactions to mag, but I guess I was lucky...I was on 4.25mg/hr and my Dr said they normally don't give more than 3.5mg/hr, and I was on it for 4 weeks! My contractions were just that out of control!! When my girls were born they were very sluggish until they were able to expel the mag from their system. I did not have a problem with any of the other drugs, IMO they helped me carry my girls as long as I did. Good Luck to you!!

 

I was on a really high dose of Nifedipine (procardia) for 2 months I think...
It made my heart race a bit & would make me dizzy if I moved to fast, but other than that it wasnt too bad.
I also had the steroid shot as well when I went to the hospital at around 34 weeks.
I kept my little ones in till 38 weeks, which was my sceduled c-section

 

I was on Procardia (Nifedipine) for 2 months. I noticed no side effects. However, they took me off of it on a Saturday and I went into labor that Monday night. I was at a "learning hospital" and they told me they were no longer giving mag sulfate, only Procardia since it is proven to work and has less side effects on the babies.

 

At the hospital, i was given a shot of terb (made my heart race and made me very shaky) and was on a mag sulfate drip for 48 hours. The mag didn't bother me at all....I had braced myself for the worst after reading several posts on TS. I did feel a bit tired, warm and slow. My blood pressure was very low (although it runs low anyway...) Now, I'm on Procardia at home (low dose because of low blood pressure (10 mg every 4 hours). Other than feeling a bit low energy, I've had no other side effects. I'm still contracting, but not often enough to be concerned. Two weeks ago, my contractions were changing my cervix. I was soft and dilated 1 cm. Since then, nothing has changed...So, I guess the Procardia is working!

 

i had mag. in the hospital. it was alright, but made me really tired. on procardia now, 20mg every 4 hours and sometimes it doesnt make me feel funny and sometimes it makes me feel terrible. i think im adjusting to it cuz i have more okay doses than bad ones. makes my heart race, jittery, and just funny feeling.

 

Thanks for your input. I think I will try to live with these contractions unless the doc says I have to be on meds. Hopefully my test tomorrow will be negative.