PTL at 28 weeks

Ugh.. well I ended up going to L&D on Friday because I was having contractions 2 minutes apart that would not stop. They told me I was 1 cm dilated and due to a heart condition I have couldn't give me any of the medications they usually use to stop the contractions. They did end up putting me on magnesium sulfate up until yesterday morning which was successful at stopping the contractions (as well as giving me 3 days of double vision). They did a fetal fibronectin test which turned out negative so that is great. They also gave me 2 betamethasone shots in for the babies lungs (which is even greater because I distinctly remember the Dr. saying "If I make it to 24 hours after the first shot" they would give me another one). They stopped the magnesium yesterday morning and told me if I started contracting again they wouldn't give it to me again (scary... I would think it would be better than delivering at 28 weeks?) I made a comment about that and was told that the shots normally work pretty good in helping to mature the babies quickly.. I still can't imagine having twins at 28 weeks and them not having to be on a ventilator (not to mention tube-fed)? Yesterday the Dr. said I would definitely not go home for a couple more days but to my surprise my peri came in this morning and said if I had no more cervical change or contractions since the magnesium I could go home today. So at 1 cm dilated and no contractions I got to come home on bed rest. The good thing is while in the hospital I got another U/S and the babies are staying at a 20% difference-I know this isn't the greatest but I also was not allowed to eat up until last night so they are hanging in there with that. Their fluid levels are also both in the normal range now. Baby A being completely normal and Baby B being on the high end of normal.

 

I am glad the contractions stopped and the babes are doing good. You can make it to term, just stay in bed, I know it is hard. I went into PTL at 24 weeks, 28 weeks, again at 32 weeks, then 34 wks and 35 weeks. I made it to 37 weeks, so you can do it.

 

Sorry to hear you have PTL. I have been on bedrest at home since 18 weeks and then at 29 weeks was admitted due to contractions and being 2cm dialated. I am now 32 weeks and still in hospital, I have to keep telling myself that each day is a milestone. I also have a just turned 4 year old and miss him so much. I am glad they were able to give you mag, I know its terrible stuff but it looks like it helped with you also.
Stay strong, do you have good support for bedrest at home ?

 

Sorry to hear about your PTL. :hug: I'm glad to hear things have improved. I can tell you the steroid shots will help. I totally believe they helped my two immensely. :good: I can also tell you that DD was born at 25w3d and was only on a vent for 4 days and DS was born at 26w6d and NEVER went on a vent. So it is possible for them to be born at 28w and not go on a vent. Keep us posted. :hug:

 

I hope things continue to be stable for you and those babies stay put for you a while longer! Glad the mag helped stop the contractions and you were able to get the steroid shots!! That's all great great news!!
Take care!! and keep your booty in bed!!

:youcandoit:

 

I've already had to go back to L&D for triage. Contractions started up again at 7:00 last night and I did my best to ignore them until about 1 pm today. I called my Dr. and her nurse said to come in.. but just like I thought there is nothing to worry about (besides the pain) as my cervix is not changing. They said all of the medications they give people to take at home for contractions I can't have because of my heart condition. I've been regularly having contractions every 3-4 minutes for nearly 6 hours now... Been having them for over 24 hours now... And at this point I think I would rather have my heart explode than continue contracting. I am happy that they let me go home on bed rest but I'm a pretty big pansy when it comes to pain and I can't see going on for days (let alone weeks!) like this. Does anyone know any secrets to calm down the uterus without medicine? I've been laying and drinking plenty of water it just doesn't help. I can't lay for long periods of time without re-positioning either because the contractions are painful I can't help but to squirm around a bit. I don't want to go back to L&D.. there really is no reason for me to be there since my cervix is unchanged by the contractions but being in pain all day is pretty crazy to. Has anyone else been unable to take the medications to stop contractions and still made bed rest last a while before delivering?

 

I don't have experience with not being able to take the medicine (they gave it to me, just too late) but I want to caution you not to hesitate to return to L&D.

My practice's on-call was so dismissive towards me when I made my early L&D visit that I was almost embarrassed to schedule my regular appointment the next week. Same symptoms persisted, but nothing felt any worse to me. If anything, I felt like I was doing better by the appointment several days later (isn't that the way?). I delivered that night, never feeling like things had truly intensified until the very end.

Do not assume that your cervix remains unchanged, go back to the hospital if you need. Or ask your Dr if you can come in to the office more frequently for measurements to avoid L&D copays. No matter what, do not disregard anything!

That being said, hang in there! It is uncomfortable, I know. I whined like a baby the whole time. Keep us posted!

 

Is there any way to have an acupuncture treatment while in the hospital (I realize this might be a bit difficult)? I have been doing acupuncture throughout my pregnancy and have been amazed at how it's helped with back pain, general stress relief, even to calm a cold I had! I don't know how you feel about alternative therapies and I'm not a hippy-dippy person myself but it really does seem to help! Now that I'm in my third tri, my acupuncturist said he will treat to keep uterine contractions at bay so maybe it would work for you?
Just a thought....so sorry about your PTL! I hope all goes well.

 

This sounds just like me! I went through your story almost exactly. I went home after 5 days in the hospital. I saw my OB twice a week after that and he told me every visit that it would be any day, any day. I made it to 36 weeks though and my babies had no NICU time. Hang in there!

 

I was on the meds from about 24 weeks and was able to keep everything under control on bedrest at home, but then three weeks ago they picked up and I felt something wasnt right, I headed to L&D and was contracting every 6 mins, 2cm dilated and my Fetal Fibrocin Test came back positive. They gave me Mag for the weekend and I have now been here three weeks and they tell me that I will stay until I deliver.

If you have any doubt at all that something isnt right, go to L&D, who cares ifyou go 4 times in one week ? its more important that you get the care that you and those babies need.


I know you got an negative on your fetal test, do they plan on repeating it in two weeks time ?

 

I was on meds from 24 weeks till 35 weeks. ricks to hep with contractions are lots of water, dont let your bladder get too full, warm bath or shower to help you relax, lay on your lft side. Hope this helps and that all is well.

 

I had a PTL scare at 28 weeks and did not receive any medication to stop contractions. I live in Canada and the hospital I was at said that they do not give tocolytics to stop contractions (not sure if this is policy across Canada or just in Ottawa, Ontario where I was receiving treatment). I was having contractions (that I couldn't feel but they showed up on the monitor) and my cervix was changing. I stayed in hospital overnight and they gave me IV fluids and the contractions stopped by the next day so I was discharged to go home on bedrest. I had an emergency c-section at 35 weeks, 2 days and my girls only spent two nights in the NICU and got to come home with me. So bedrest can help, even without the medication!

 

It must be an ottawa thing, I am in Montreal and I was given steroid shots with everytime I was hospitalized. I wast given tocolytics but I was given Adalat and I was on that until pretty much the end of my pregnancy

 

Thats good to here!!! Been back to L&D twice for contractions already and theres nothing they can do still.. They keep saying come back if they are really close but it doesn't help anything to go back. Yesterday they were every 2-4 minutes pretty much all day and I finally ended up going in (after talking to the doc on call) to be checked. The contractions still aren't changing my cervix but they did finally give me pain medicine so I don't have to hurt all the time. Sometimes the contractions aren't painful at all but they do periodically become very painful.. At first I thought maybe I was having a mixture of braxton hicks and real contractions but they are very regular to be braxton hicks (not to mention they don't go away.. no matter what)

 

As frustrating as it is for you, I'm happy to hear that you've stayed in touch with your doctors and that they're now helping you manage the pain. I know it's both scary and exhausting, but you're hanging in there! Keep up the great work and let us know how you're doing!

 

You are doing great! Surviving magnesium sulfate is quite an accomplishment, much less these days of contractions. I'm so glad to hear that your cervix is not changing. I had a similar story (with a different ending) went into preterm labor at almost 28 weeks,had TTTS, got magnesium sulfate, stopped labor, and then my water broke and we had our babies early. Everyone kept preparing us that this could happen but we were not hearing any of it because we thought it was way too early. I'm just mentioning this in case you have the babies in the upcoming weeks, as babies can do great at 28 weeks (our little guys are about a week away from going home and without any long term problems from prematurity or TTTS). Good luck...I'm hoping it gets easier!!

 

I just wanted to give an update on how we are doing. We made it to 30 weeks!!!! I don't think my doctor thought I'd make it this far. She kept saying she was hoping I'd make it to "the 30's".. Don't know how much longer I can keep these little ones in there but for now every day feels like an accomplishment. I just got out of the hospital again and am now (still) on bedrest-but at home! They finally put me on Procardia to stop the contractions!! This is after they have been telling me I couldn't have it for the last 3 weeks..Only thing is they had to do was put me on medicine to lower my heart rate as well. The Procardia has been working well! Hooray! I have to take 20 mg. every 4 hours and it has been keeping the contractions away for about 3 hours. Waiting an hour before my next dose kind-of sucks but they said I shouldn't take any more than what I am. I suppose I should be glad the contractions aren't constant anymore but the last 3 weeks has added up and my body is soo ready to be done. I know there are plenty of other moms on Procardia.. I'm wondering if there is anyone out there on more than me?

 

Just wanted to say congratulations for making it this far!! Yea.

 

Yeah for making it into 'the 30s'. I don't have any experience with Procardia, but I took a calcium/magnesium supplement daily that was supposed to keep contractions at bay. It did for me- I went off of it at 37 weeks and didn't have even a Braxton Hicks until 1 day before my water broke. For the amounts, I followed Dr. Barbara Luke's book.

Congrats & keep 'em baking!

 

30 weeks is a great milestone. :clapping:

 

Sorry to hear you are dealing with the annoyance of contractions. I am 28 weeks on modified bedrest and have been having BH contrax since about 15 weeks but had my first trip to L&D triage at the end of 25 weeks and then two more trips during week 26 to L&D. They put me on 20mg Procardia every 4 hrs. the first trip in and wanted me to call if 6 or more an hour. Well, that happened a few days later so that's when I continued that dosage of Procardia and added Terbutaline 2.5mg every 4-6 hrs as needed. My cervix is still closed at 3.25 as of a week ago. My uterus is very irritable and I pretty much have to take my Terbutaline every 4-5 hrs to keep my contrax under control but as I have gotten to the end of this week they are starting to really break through my meds. I can't imagine how many I would have with no meds.(took these meds with my 2nd singleton pregnancy as well) I haven't been in to L&D since wk 26 but call often b/c I can get lots of contrax at different periods throughout the day, mostly evening. I have noticed that they are starting to get harder and have them in the middle of night too. The contrax are pretty much all I focus on throughout the day b/c they can give me lots of anxiety and don't want to overlook anything.

So glad the Procardia is helping you and that you made it to 30 weeks!!! I can't wait to say I have gotten to the weeks that start with a 3!! Hang in there!!