High-Risk Pregnancy
Cerclage Procedure
I'm having a cerclage procedure. If anyone has had this...How well did it work? Did you stay overnight? Anything else you can tell me to put my mind @ ease.
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Re: Cerclage Procedure
My cerclage was an emergency procedure so I was already in the hospital. I had a spinal administered for the procedure (I could not feel anything) and it wore off in about 2-3 hours.
I stayed in the hospital 1.5 days past procedure-though they wanted to discharge me the next day, but I asked for an additional day.
Good luck!
Twins born too early at 23 weeks due to incompetent cervix
FET #1, IUI #1, 2, 3, 4 - all BFN
IVF #3 BFP!!! IT'S A BOY! Born July 16th, 2011
FET #2 BFP! Due February 15, 2013
I will say pp is right, the procedure itself only took 14 minutes for me. The biggest pain for me is when I got home and I didn't realize I had to pee b/c I was still a little numb, but I was screaming in pain because it hurt so bad, BUT as soon as I peed it was like heaven came down on me and that night i didn't hurt anymore. Most people don't feel anything afterwards and the body takes the cerclage on as normal. I can still feel it if I am dehydrated or haven't emptied my bladder. I am so happy that I got this done b/c when I went in for my follow up appointment my cervix funneled all the way to the cerclage.
I found this blog and I really like what she has to say:
https://mycerclage.blogspot.com/
Goodluck girl and let us know how it goes~
I've had 2, with drastly different experiences....
With my first, it was an unexpected emergent cerclage at 23w3d due to incompentent cervix and pre-term labor that was a bit of a surprise. I had a spinal, similar to other ladies and despite the urgency of my procedure, was released that same day, hours later, with 4 months of bedrest to follow. i had months of medications, contractions, doctors appointments and a few hospitalizations..it was SCARY!---but I don't want to freak you out, it was just because it was such a shock and surprise and was also my first pregnancy. But, DS came at 38 weeks, totally healthy.
this time around, I have a much better experience. i had my cerclage placed at 14 weeks preventative and have NO issues whatsoever with my cervix, length is still good. I'm having some other complications but that is related to my pre-term labor. The procedure was the same, had it done as out patient. I really think that the cerclage is what saved DS and that he would not be here today with out it. And I believe with this baby, having it preventative, so early at 14 weeks, has much SUCH a difference in really having a somewhat normal pregnancy. It is totally worth it. Good luck!
Here is my story (sorry it's more like a novel)-- so far everything has been great- I go back to the OB today for my 16-week checkup and they'll be measuring my cervix (and doing an ultrasound--woo hoo!) so hopefully everything will continue to be okay.
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I had a LEEP in 2004, and I randomly wound up with an OB who is very proactive about cerclages. At my first exam, he saw that I already had a short cervix so he recommended a preventive cerclage.
Consent: Your dr will need to explain the procedure to you, tell you possible side effects/negative outcomes, and provide alternatives. Based on the content of that conversation, you will be scared. What was most important to me was how many my doctor had done (over 500) and how many of those had harmed the fetus (0- knock on wood!) and how many of his patients who had it eventually still needed bed rest (15%). I felt much better after I got those answers
Procedure: I was admitted to the hospital for short-term surgery, so I went in at 10:15 and was out by 2pm. They did all the usual intake stuff, prepped me, and I talked to my Dr and the anethesiologist. The Anethesiologist told me I had the option of an epidural (I would be awake) or general anethestic. My Dr had recommended general because you aren't awake and the effects wear off more quickly, so that's what I went with. They rolled me into surgery at 12:15 and I was awake and talking in the recovery room by 1pm. Apparently I asked the Dr 3 times while I was waking up if the baby was okay :-), which he/she was (they checked the heartbeat with the doppler before and after the procedure).
Recovery: I was a little out of it, had some cramping, and had spotting that day. The next day I took it easy and had less cramping and less spotting. It was a holiday, so I returned to the following day and I felt 95% fine. The spotting and cramping stopped within 3 days. I took it easy exercise-wise that week (no running, just elliptical, bike, or walking), but I have since returned to normal activities.
It's obviously an important personal decision that you and your s/o will have to make. For DH and I, we knew that I had a high risk of having my cervix shorten and going into preterm labor or having to be placed on bed rest. I do not want either of those things to happen, and our doctor was clearly an expert in the procedure, so we feel very lucky to have found him.
OH, and I had heard that you can't have sex (the doctors call it "pelvic rest") if you have a cerclage, but our doctor said it would be fine 1 week after the procedure (we're going to use a condom to avoid any infection/irritation risk) and as long as my cervix looked okay. We're hoping to have the okay into the 25-week range- it would be much easier to go 15 weeks w/o it than 26 weeks!
Best of luck with your decision. Let me know if you need any more information.
Update: I had an appt today. My cervix has shortened a little but its a very small change. 3.5something to 3.45. My cervix is closed though. Yeah! I'm getting an epidural (thumbs down) but I'll try to talk to my way out of it. I should be able to go home in a few hrs. Strict bedrest 1st day. Very light activity until my 2 wk checkup. I can return to work Monday. Pelvic rest the remainder of pregnancy which is fine. Pelvic thrusting is what got me here. Baby is fine. "He" was sleeping. The nurse slipped up & told me the sex. Its been a huge deal no one tell me but somehow they forgot to tell her. My mood is much improved from the wkend. My surgery is Wed @ 7. Will keep you guys updated. Thanks for the advice & concern.
In reponse to pps: If I don't have procedure now I will have an emergent later or miscarry. I had a LEEP yrs ago. My gyno has always said if I every conceived I would have a hard time carrying the baby. I'm not surprised but its different talking about it & going thru it.