My routine exam ended up being 8 days in the hospital (LONG)---updated with good drs apt:)

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betty
My boys

Member since 5/05

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Name:
Beth

My routine exam ended up being 8 days in the hospital (LONG)---updated with good drs apt:)

Looks like our little boy doesn't want to wait until Sept 3 to meet us Chat Icon

I had a similiar experience to Bxgell2 but unfortunately mine went a lot further

Let me start by saying that up until now I've had a pretty great pregnancy.......no MS, felt great, little aches and pains but nothing too bad.....until now. The worst part is as many of you know, I'm a TERRIBLE patient.....used to pass out at the drop of a hat. That being said I was pretty proud of myself going for my routine blood tests and things without complaining........didn't know what lay ahead for me Chat Icon

It all started two weeks ago from tomorrow. I went in for a regular drs apt. They asked me if there was any cramping, bleeding all the usual questions. I mentioned (not thinking anything of it) that I've been having some slight menstral type cramps(enough to be annoying)....that's exactly what they felt like. Well, she hooked me up to the monitor and saw I was contracting (like Bxgell2 I never even knew it) but gave me an internal and everything seemed ok but the baby was very low (her exact words were woh- he's right here). She told me to come back in a week. Luckily, my shower was that weekend (7/23) because if it were any later, I couldn't have gone and it was really beautiful!

Anyway.............I go back to the dr. last Thursday (7/28) and she gives me another internal and now realizes my cervix is totally effaced:():() AND I was one centimeter dialted (this all happened in one week!) .....she then put me on the monitor and I was still contracting every 7 minutes (still didn't know it)! She told me I had to go to the hospital to get IV and a shot of tributeline (sp?) to stop the contractions. I basically went in the car, called DH and my mom and cried.........nervous for the baby and b/c of the IV!!!!!!!

SOOOOOOOOOOO.......my mom worked close by so she met me and we went to the hospital (Mercy and everyone there was great!). They took my blood, gave me the shot and gave me IV (which I seriously almost passed out....started sweating and my heart rate drop, which in turn, made the baby's heart rate drop....the nurse got nervous and told me to get on my left side and breathe. After a few seconds his heart rate was back to normal...TG) The shot made my heart rate race like crazy and made me very shaky (which I was told it would do) - going to the bathroom was interesting! Well, they kept me on the monitor and realized the shot wasn't working............now I had to be admitted :()They did a sonogram to measure the baby and saw that he was was approx 5lbs 4 oz and I was 35 weeks....They consider 36 full term so that was their goal, to get me there. They then put me on magnesium sulfate which is a central nervous system relaxer to stop the uterus from contracting.....first was a really high dose for 20 min. which made me feel like I was ON FIRE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Literally, I felt like I was in a tanning bed that was WAY too hot......after the 20 min they lower the dose but still had me on a pretty high dosage for another day (2.5)......this stuff made me LOOPY! I mean I was talking funny and I couldn't see straight at all......I could only focus if I used one eye at a time.........it was freaky......I felt like I was soooo drunk! they did lower the dosage a little the second day(2.0)but it was still a pretty high dosage and I was still loopy and still couldn't see straight.....and fun, fun, fun had to use a bedpan the whole time:(....They also gave me two shots (doses) of steriods in my sides to help develop the baby's lungs.....For these few days I had to get blood tests every 4 HOURS!!!! (for the very high dosage) and every six hours for the last big dosage day...we actually got some laughs out of the whole thing. This all went on in L&D where I could be monitored 24 hrs a day.....I also got to experience some people giving birth so I got to hear the screaming and shouting but then I heard the babies cry and I teared up every time (but it also scared the heck out of me!).

On Sat afternoon I moved into the maternity section. I was still on the magnesium IV but they lowered my dosage even more (1.0)...now I could see straight and I wasn't so loopy or tired anymore BUT when they monitored me Tuesday, I was contracting every 10 minutes or so and there was a lot of uterine "activity" they said. This made them make the dosage a little higher (1.5)again I was tired and a little out of it but it took the edge off so that was good (b/c by this time the IV and blod tests were really getting to me!). On Thursday they lowered it again (1.0) and my contractions were normal. They gave me another sonogram and he was 5 lbs 12 oz (he actually gained 1/2 lb while I was there!) and I watched his diaghram(sp?) moving up and down trying to breathe.......which I was thankful for. My internal showed I didn't dialate anymore so everything looked good and as long as my fetal monitoring went well on Friday I was able to go home and IT DID!!!!!!!!!!!! So finally on Friday I was able to leave. I'm still on basic bedrest but I can slowly get back to my daily routine she said.

SOOOOOOOOOO to sum it up for you, I was on TOTAL bedrest in the hospital for 8 days except to use the bathroom (once I was in maternity).......I had an IV in my arm the whole time which at times I was OK with and at other times I would freak out about.....I just left my arm under my sheets most of the time so I didn't have to look at it......My IV had to be plugged in and it was this big unit b/c the dosage was being monitored....I had to wheel this huge thing in the bathroom with me a MILLION times a day!!! I got three shots (tributeline and 2 steroid), got my blood pressure every four hours (which I also never loved having done) and get ready for this one........................................................I had NINETEEN blood test, that's right! Over the time I was there I had NINETEEN blood tests!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And believe it or not I was such a trooper, never really cried, didn't complain TOOOOOOOOO much but I'm so thankful it's over. I have to add that my DH, mom and sister were sooooooooo amazing through this whole experience.....I don't think I could have made it without them The nice thing was I was on the monitor so much that I heard his heart beat for days........which thankfully was very strong....he's a trooper in there!

So now, we just wait. They say they were happy to get me to 36 weeks and if he comes now he'll be fine. I'd like to hold him in another week to 37 weeks just to be safe so I'm taking it very easy for now.

I'm definately alittle afraid I won't know when it's time (although everyone says I will) and I'm also afraid (although it's a good thing too) that it will go really fast b/c my cervix is already fully effaced.

I go back to the doctor today at 2 so please wish me luck that she says everything is OK.

Thank you

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Update: Had my apt yesterday and everything looks good. Still fully effaced but still only 1 cm dialated. She said I could slowly get back to my daily routine just no heavy lifting, prolonged standing or strenuous activity......her educated guess is I will go in a week or two but who knows, could go the whole 40 Chat Icon . I still plan to take it easy this week to get to 37 weeks, I'll feel much better then. I go back to see her in a week.

Thanks again for all of your well wishes

Message edited 8/9/2005 10:13:51 AM.

Posted 8/8/05 10:36 AM