Terb - to be taken as needed

My Braxton Hicks have been driving me nuts. They were about every 20 minutes starting late afternoon (sporadic and few in am)for the past couple of weeks; however, the past two nights have been every 10 minutes. I went to ob this morning - no changes, cervix is still long and firm. She wrote me an rx. for terb to be taken as needed. My questions are to those of you who have experience with terb...how is it? how are the side effects? she mentioned racing heart but that is it. Am I (and the babies) better off just dealing with the BH or taking the terb. when the contrax become too bothersome. I don't mind dealing with the BH if the terb is awful. My ob. said if I keep experiencing around 6 or so an hour to take the terb and it should break the cycle. Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Amy
30wks.

 

Well, I haven't had take them with this preg yet, but I had PTL with my previous 2 pregnancies and I had to take terb. From what I remember it didn't really bother me at all. Felt a little different (more up) but then my body adjusted and it didn't seem to bother me anymore at all. Good Luck

 

I've been on the terb pump for about 2 weeks now; I was put on it for BH contractions as well - my cervix didn't change from the BH, but the doc said that it would still be better not to have so many an hour, just in case my cervix DID start to crumble under the pressure of so many cx. Anyway, the pump gives me a continuous stream of terb, plus a bigger bolus 6x/day, though for a much lower total dosage per day than the pills, from what I understand. At this lower dose, the side effects for me were racing heart, a bit of chest tightening, a feeling of heaviness. I felt the side effects most strongly the first day or two I was on the pump, but they have since pretty much dissipated for me. Every now and then a bolus will still make my heart race, but it's nothing like that first day.

Whether you should or shouldn't take the pills - that's a tough question. I wish your doc had given you more direction on that. I mean, does she believe that 6+ cx per hour is harmful to you? If so, then there's no question you should take it. Does she believe (like my doc) that too many cx COULD BE harmful and so the terb would serve as a preventative measure? Then you should take the pills. BUT if she thinks the terb is just for making you feel better and serves no physical purpose (ie, to prolong the pg), then I don't know . . .???

The question I have for you is this - being on terb can mess with your bp and pulse. So, I have to take my bp and pulse at least 2x/day to make sure I'm staying in the normal range. I don't know if this is needed with the pills, but I would guess it couldn't hurt. Did your doc say anything to you about monitoring yourself if you do decide to take the pills? I'm just thinking, you wouldn't want to trade one issue for another.

I'm sorry if i've been no help! It's just that there's a lot to consider before taking something like terb! You should have as much info as possible before you decide to take it (or not)!

 

Silvrheart,

Thank you for the reply. I am not much of a medicine girl so I appreciate your pros and cons as I am definitly considering both sides carefully. I tend to get a bit paranoid when taking medicine so I don't want to become paranoid about some side effect of the terb.

I don't believe my ob thinks the contrax. are harmful, I think she is just trying to make me more comfortable.

I typically run a really really low pulse and my blood pressure is generally 90/60 even during pg. today it was 100/53. I do not know much about this stuff but I assume if these vitals are low to begin with I should be okay.

I am going to email my ob. and ask more.

Thanks - and, anyone else with any info. is much appreciated.

Amy

 

I'll try to give you a little insight on terb. When I was pg with my twin girls I took it around the clock because I was in the hospital on bedrest with preterm labor. With that pg they thought it would settle my uterus because the contractions that I was having were changing my cervix. I think with bedrest, terb, and mag that helped me deliver my girls later rather than earlier.

With my second pg, a singleton, I began experiencing contractions again but was not in preterm labor with this pg. So at 28 weeks I was prescribed terb again but to use periodically like you when needed. To me it was worst taking it as needed because you can't get used to the drug. It made me very shakey and my heart would race. When I took it with my twin pg because I was on it for a long time so I slowly got used to it and the shakiness, heart racing thing subsided. Terb is used to clam the uterus. It doesn't prevent contractions or stop true labor or prevent preterm labor. My OB told me they prescribe it so patients won't call the office every week about contractions. I eventually stopped taking it after a couple of weeks because in that pg it was making more miserable than helping me. Of course I was not dilated or in preterm labor when I quit taking it and I also told my OB as well. Good luck with your pg.

Elizabeth

 

It is hard to tell someone how much they should take medication so maybe this will help. At 28 weeks I was having a lot of BH every 4-6 minutes. I went to the hospital and checked me and they were not changing my cervix but they did not like that I was having them that often. When I first got there they gave me 2 shots of Terb. I hated it, it made my heart race so bad! It was working but they wanted to monitor me on it ( they switched to pills)so they ended up keeping me. Well the terb made my blood pressure go way up. So they changed my medication to Procardia and monitored me for another day. The Procardia worked, my blood pressure went down and the contractions slowed way down. So I would say take the terb if you are having contractions, if it makes you feel weird call your doctor because there are other medications they could put you on. Hope that helps a little.