Procardia/contractions question

Anyone who has been put on procardia--how long does it take to start working?

I started having contractions this morning at 10am, called my doctor when I'd had 6 contractions by 10:20am. He said to come right in. They did a FFN test (came back negative, yay!!) and hooked me up to a fetal monitor. It showed I was having contractions every 4 min., so my OB sent me straight to L&D to be put on IV fluids and see how I did. Finally, they let me go home after my OB called some procardia in to my pharmacy.

I am supposed to take the procardia every 8 hours. I took the first dose at 5pm. It's now 6:47, and I am still having contractions. Anyone know how long it is supposed to take for the procardia to work? Also, what, if any, side effects have you experienced while on it?

Thanks, ladies! It's been a rough day. I feel like I've done a billion crunches at one time!! Uuugh!

 

I was on Nifedipine (aka Procardia) starting around 30 or so weeks. For me, it worked within the hour. If it didn't, I was instructed to call. As time progressed & they realized that I wasn't dilating with my frequent contractions, I was 'allowed' 8 contractions an hour before calling. There were times that I called & was instructed to take the med early, which usually helped. I had to set an alarm & take it religiously every 8 hrs. I could always tell around 7 hrs when it was wearing off.

As for side effects, I don't recall any. I think I've heard of headaches, but I never had them. I actually enjoyed the Nifedipine b/c I was side effect free (as compared to the Mag Sulfate, Terbutaline, etc).

GOOD LUCK!

(BTW, I had a pos FFN around 33 wks & delivered via SCHEDULED csection at 37w5d...so even pos shouldn't scare you TOO much)!

 

I started Procardia around 24/25 weeks and it worked great for me. I don't remember having many (I had to have a terb shot twice) contractions when I was taking it. I took it every 12 hours.
If the contractions aren't stopping, I'd call your doctor just to be on the safe side.

As for side effects, I didn't have any. I think some people get headaches because it can fluctuate your blood pressure.

 

i received procardia at 24 weeks also for preterm labor. and it still has yet to work. they seem to have lightened up a little but they are still here about 3 an hour. so i know i cant be much help but good luck. are you dialated yet??? effaced at all? i am a loose 1cm dialated and 50%effaced. so hopefully they will stop yours before anything crazy like that happens to you! good luck and keep us posted!

as for side affects...i feel like a complete ZOMBIE! i already have low blood pressure and it lowers it even more! so i really dont like taking it. i take mine every 6 hours like clock work!

 

I took procardia for 2 days around week 29 when oral terbulatine stopped working for me. Procardia did not work at all for me. I was having 10-12 contractions per hour. It literally had no effect on me at all. I was put on a terb pump after that, and it worked very well. I still had between 2 and 8 contractions per hour, but they weren't productive and I carried until 36 weeks 5 days.
So if the procardia isn't an option, there definitely are others. The low blood pressure was a side effect I remember.