Terbutaline+bedrest=success?

[Anonymous]

Hello,
I was put on terbutaline and bedrest at my 25 weeks and now I am 26w2d. It was due to pianless but often contarctions (sometimes 5-6 an hour, sometimes 1-2, sometimes nothing). I am very concerned on one hand pushing it to the term which means taking the tabs, on the other hand side effects on the baby from the tabs... I did some research on Inet and see different sories. SOme people were on tis tab in the amounts far exceeeding mine and they were able to deliver at term absouletely healthy babies, while others had some problems (like autism and AHDH (sp), ot difficlt learning) and claimed terbutalinebe at fault.
I am really concerned about both - delivering at term which may mean more tabs and the affect on the baby.
Has anybody gone through that??

[Anonymous]

I would discuss your concerns with the OB - you may be able to try to decrease the terbutaline and see if you still have contractions (will require being monitored). The balanec is that at 25 weeks many babies, though not all, have serious complications. You and your OB have a balancing act for a few more weeks.

[Kotena]

Anonymous wrote:I would discuss your concerns with the OB - you may be able to try to decrease the terbutaline and see if you still have contractions (will require being monitored). The balanec is that at 25 weeks many babies, though not all, have serious complications. You and your OB have a balancing act for a few more weeks.

I am not sure I understand what you mean saying that at 25 weeks most babies have complications??

[Anonymous]

Terbutaline is a very old drug to treat asthma - so old that they know the effects on pregnant women and their babies quite well because drs weren't careful who they gave it to in those years. It is a drug that people have taken for years. Yes, there are side effects for moms (most of which are very long-run, like way longer than a pregnancy). It also makes your heart race (uncomfortable, but not a problem in a woman with a healthy heart).

Contractions at 25 weeks is not a good thing for a baby. The "side effects" of being a premie FAR OUTWAY anything terbutaline could possibly do to you or the baby.

[Anonymous]

Have you been getting the ffn test too? I think it's fetal fibronectin test to see whether the baby is coming in the next two weeks? I had a friend who chose not to get the terb, but kept getting the ffn test done. I am on bedrest for a different reason - complete placenta previa, and I don't have hardly any contrax, and my cervix is not changing at all, so I have no experience with the terb. Have you also gotten on babycenter.com and looked at the bedrest and pregnancy complications discussion boards? A lot of women on there have experience with the terb. I was at 23 weeks when I started bedrest, and now I'm 27, so just 10 or 11 more weeks to go. Gee, that still seems long, but what can you do. The bedrest is working for me. When I get up more I do have more contrax which is bad for me cause it can irritate my placenta and cause bleeding.

[Anonymous]

I am the PP - regarding complications - Infants and Toddler data shows that there are ceratinly more medical and developmental complications - including difficulty breathing, intercranial bleeding, inability to suck regarding supplemental feedings, etc - in babies born prematurely. Certainly not trying to scare you but vvery week, every day you can gain at this stage is important.

Good luck

[Anonymous]

I was on terb with my second at 32 weeks. I started just bedrest at 28w, 30 weeks steroids, 32wterb and he was born at 35w. He'll be celebrating his second birthday on the 3rd. He's a head taller thant the rest of the kids his age, talks in complete sentences and is just fantastic. I was worried too but found very little evidence of side effects (aside from one reoccuring blog). However, since I was so close to term, I resolved not to take magnesium. As early as you are and as horrible as it makes you feel, stay on the terb.

[Kotena]

I am the OP. i am on 28th week now. has been home for 2.5 weeks so far mostly in bed. I do go to toilet and get up to it and take shower, other than that i try to keep myself in bed.

THe PP who started at 32 weeks terb, did you have changes in cervix??

[Anonymous]

PP on terb at 32 weeks. Yes. I did have changes in cervix. At 28 weeks I was 1.5cm which along with contractions, is what sent me on bedrest. By 32 weeks I was already 3cm dialated and they held me off another 3 weeks on terb.

BTW--did I mention I am now pg with my third--24 weeks with no signs of labor!

[Anonymous]

I had pre-term contractions starting around the same time but did not know what the tightening was since it was painless. A bit stupid of me since I had a fibroid so knew that pre-term contractions may be a risk. Anyway, I finally went in at 32 weeks - they put me on magnesium in the hospital then on terbutaline. I believe that I was eventually on the highest dosage. Even with that I still had more contractions pre an hour than they liked to see (I was monitoring at home). I delivered at 37 weeks exactly (I went off terbutaline less than one week earlier). On the one hand, I was thankful that the medication allowed me to make it full-term. Today my daughter is an energetic and bright 3 year old - no ill side effects for either of us. On the other had, at 37 weeks, after more than 2 months of pre-term contractions, I was only 1 cm dilated! I ended up with a c-section as my daughters heart rate was dropping with labor contractions and given the lack of dialtion, it looked like I would be in labor forever.

On balance, I think that being on the meds was a far better option and lower risk to me and the baby than an early preemie. You may, however, want to balance (with your doctor's advice), the benefits of staying on after you reach a certain number of weeks, where the risks of being born pre-mature are less (though still there). This may be in exchange for stricter bedrest (I only had bathroom privileges and was in bed the rest of the time).

[Kotena]

I am the OP.
i am not sure if it is ok, but my doctor seems to be ok with it. I am contracting and doing terb every 8 hours. Contractions are painless. i am in horizontal position abou 80% of the time (i go to bahroom, shower, cook a bit, eat). My cervix did not chnage over the last 10 days (3.5 sm), close on both ends. My doctor is ok if i go to work. i need to go to work only to drag to January 1 since when i will be eligible for short term disability payments and 12 weeks of fmla. there are only 4 days left to complete the year, i was thinking if i would be ok to appear at work for 4 days (there are holidays in between them so that i can rest between the days). I am very uncertain whether I can do that or not.... i can not afford to be unpaid for 3 months, but i do not want to put harm on my baby.
Any thoughts would be appreciated