those experienced with PTL

i have been contracting for the past 8 days. all day. everyday. went to l&d two days ago and they wanted to give me brethine but couldn't. the hospital that i went to (two blocks away from my house) is not able to handle pre-term labor before 30 weeks. they wanted to keep me until the contractions went away, but they finally let me go. heart rate has already been too fast and brethine speeds up your pulse. they checked my cervix and it was closed, but they didn't do an u/s to check the length. i was supposed to come in if i kept having them more than four an hour (which i am having at least, if not more than). yesterday things changed. i am more crampy with the contractions. almost like i have gas...but i don't. if you experienced PTL, did you know it in your gut or did it blindside you? i am so confused right now. i have no idea what's going on with my body. wouldn't i know if it was PTL?

 

No, unfortunately you wouldn't necessasrily know. I was contracting every 2 minutes, shortened to 1cm in length, 2cm dilated, 80% effaced, funneling with a bulging bag and had absolutely no idea. I am not saying this to scare you but just to share my story. If you are contracting more often than the criteria they set for you then you should definitely call. I reached the limit of the amount of mag my local hospital was allowed to give so they ambulanced me into a Boston hospital where they could give me the proper care.

 

I am sorry to say that I was having contractions and my cervix was dilated to 2cm and was very short and I had absolutely no idea. I just found all this out at my appt. at 24w. At my 20w appt. everything was great and my cervix was closed and nice and long, so I had no worries at all!

I actually felt great and was still working part time that very morning of my appt. I was in complete shock when I went to my appt. and found all this out. I really encourage you get get those steroid shots, I truly believe they helped my babies immensely.

I was shocked to find out how much was going wrong when I felt so great. I was having contractions and couldn't feel a darn thing and this was my second pregnancy so I know what it all feels like and I felt nothing.

Please be careful and if you have any doubt go to your OB or L&D immediately.

Please feel free to PM me for anything else, I have totally been there, and luckily I have a very happy ending, my two little ones despite being born so early are absolutely perfect and right on schedule for everything they do!

 

what's the name of the steroid shot?

 

I believe it is Betamethasone.

 

They aren't able to give you mag either? I had a rapid heartrate as well(140 resting) and they said if I came in for PTL again, they would have to give me mag. Luckily it never got to that. I think you need to go in to L/D with those type of contractions. Better to err on the side of caution. :hug99:

 

they wanted to try procardia first. mag is their last resort.

 

I was on Procardia for about a week, and it made my heartrate worse. That is when they said if it happened again, it would have to be the mag. :hug99:

 

Hi,

I had PTL w/my twins at 26 weeks... I agree - you wouldn't necessarily know if it was happening - if you've experienced a change in the contractions you should call your OB.

I was on terbutaline (sp?). That worked for me - ultimatly I was on a terb pump.

Definately better to be safe than sorry!

 

I was having a lot of cramping around 19 weeks. I just tried to ignore it, figured it wasn't a big deal, but it was all night and into the morning and I just knew something was wrong. I went to L&D and had contractions, but they had slowed immensely and cause dno probs with my cervix. Went through this again at 22 weeks and my cervix had softened. I would highly recommend going back to l&d. it really can't hurt, b ut not going can!!

Good Luck
Shannon

 

I was on procardia for a month and I had Matria home monitoring. I had to hook up to it 2 times a day and it would send the info to a nurse on call and she would call me when it was over. One day she called and said I had 27 (which I felt) contractions in 1 hour. I went to the hospital and was completely closed. I had a Dr. appt the next day and was 2 cm dialated and never felt anything. It is so weird how it happens.