Terbutaline (spelling?)

Hello all! At my last appt. my DR gave me a prescription for Terbutaline and instructed me on when to take it. I have a few more questions for him and I have an appt. this Thursday so I can clear up the answers!

I remember him saying that I could take it as needed or as a precautionary measure to keep the womb calm. He also mentioned some weird side effects. Can anyone share their stories with me regarding taking this medication?

Thanks!

 

I took it a few times early on to stop contractions. Then at about 25 weeks I had a tube put in my leg so I could get the med all the time.
It made me jittery and I had a hard time sleeping with it.
Did you have any signs of PTL?
What are you questions?

 

QUOTE(ld2008 @ Aug 11 2008, 09:52 AM) [snapback]924013[/snapback]
I took it a few times early on to stop contractions. Then at about 25 weeks I had a tube put in my leg so I could get the med all the time.
It made me jittery and I had a hard time sleeping with it.
Did you have any signs of PTL?
What are you questions?


No signs of PTL yet! I have what I would consider BH contractions every now and again (they just feel like a tighening right in the front of my belly). My OB says that this medication calms the womb, but aren't BH contractions normal to a certain extent?

He said something about not taking them unless the contractions are coming more often than more than 4 in an hour and if they are painful. He also said something about some women take them as a preventitive maesure and some women just take them as needed. I do not like to just pop pills, so that is what I am going to clarify with him at my next visit.

I am taking it that since you were on them early on that you were having real contractions? Will I be able to tell a definitive difference between a real one and a BH?

My hubby comes with me to all of my appts and it is a good thing, becasue I often forget what the DR. said anyway. This pregnancy memory/mind is crazy! Maybe I should invest in a voice recorder so that I can tape exactly what he says!

 

I was on terb from 26 weeks on ... I was having TONS of BH contractions ... no signs of pre-term labor, cervix wasn't shortening, etc ... but I guess too many BH's could maybe cause labor to begin? The terb worked great ... I took it every 6 hours faithfully, so the side effects went away pretty quickly ... at the beginning though, I definitely had that jittery thing going on ... but it was fine after a few days. I took the pills until 36 weeks ... and promptly gave birth at 36w3d.

 

QUOTE(twinmommy2B2008 @ Aug 11 2008, 09:19 AM) [snapback]924056[/snapback]
No signs of PTL yet! I have what I would consider BH contractions every now and again (they just feel like a tighening right in the front of my belly). My OB says that this medication calms the womb, but aren't BH contractions normal to a certain extent?

He said something about not taking them unless the contractions are coming more often than more than 4 in an hour and if they are painful. He also said something about some women take them as a preventitive maesure and some women just take them as needed. I do not like to just pop pills, so that is what I am going to clarify with him at my next visit.

I am taking it that since you were on them early on that you were having real contractions? Will I be able to tell a definitive difference between a real one and a BH?

My hubby comes with me to all of my appts and it is a good thing, becasue I often forget what the DR. said anyway. This pregnancy memory/mind is crazy! Maybe I should invest in a voice recorder so that I can tape exactly what he says!


My dr. never distinguished between real and braxton hicks. They never changed my cervix, but some were a little more than uncomfortable. I was also having more than 4 an hour and some times they were at regular intervals. He did not want me having contractions for an extended period. It can bring labor on.
I was on procardia for the minor irregular ones. This was a daily oral med. I took the terbutaline when that stopped working and it settled things down. Both times I took it orally I was at the doctors office and he was monitoring my contractions. It was after 2 trips to the hospital when nothing stopped it, that I wound up with the pump in my leg. I still never dilated though.

 

I took Procardia (nifedipine) which I *think* has fewer side effects than Terb?
I was on it from about 32 weeks & on a very high dose that I took every 4 hours till the end of my pregnancy.
I think it helped tremendously to keep me from having PTL. My Dr. did not want me to go into labor at all due to a placenta previa....so we had to be really careful.

 

I had 2 shots of terb in my last singleton pregnancy to stop contrax at 33 weeks after IV fluids wouldn't. It made me really jittery for the day or so and I got sent home on Nifedipine which I hated. I made me feel very sluggish and sick. I think it made my BP go too low. It worked though and I took myself off at 36 weeks because I couldn't stand taking it anymore.

 

Thanks for all the replies ladies! I will be sure to get more detailed info. from my DR this Thursday. If it will allow me to carry these babies longer, I am willing to try anything!

At least I know from you guys what to expect from the side effects!

Thanks again!

 

I was on Terb after going into PTL at 31 weeks with my 1st pregnancy. . .I didn't really have any side effects from it. . .but I only took it when I felt like I was contracting. . .For me, I would have never thought I was in Labor at 31 weeks-I just happen to have a doctors appt and asked her about feeling like I was having BH so she sent me to L&D just to be safe, and low and behold I was in Labor!! I was told a lot of times, that earlier in pregnancy if you go into PTL that a lot of women have a hard time distinguishing between harmless BH and real contractions. . .Luckily they were able to stop the labor with IV fluids and 2 shots of Terb. . .I was happy to have the Terb at home with me just in case. It helped me carry to 37 weeks! Good Luck!!

Laura

 

I was on terbutaline from about 24 weeks on. From week 24-29 I took it orally, and at 29 weeks that stopped working completely. So I was put on a terbutaline pump which pumped the medication directly into my leg. I also had multiple shots of it while in the hospital for contractions.
The side effects that I notice were my heart racing, feeling light-headed and having left eye blurriness. The side effects get better as I took the medication but I found that as soon as the side effects started to go away the effectiveness of the medication did as well.
The doctor reassured me repeatedly that it was safe for me and the babies even though I was feeling so weird from it.

I was having a lot of contractions per hour, like up to 10-12 at the end, and I think the terbutaline really helped to keep my babies in. I took the medication for 12 weeks. I went off on a Sunday and my water broke on Tuesday. I truly think the terb was the key for me.

 

I had to take terb for a bit and I remember getting really really HOT.