IC/funneling/cerclage/bedrest....NEW here :)

tlalex911

Ok so here is my medical history & background so you know where I'm coming from. I am 27 years old, HAPPILY married with 3 wonderful sons (7 1/2, 6 and 2 1/2)

I have also had 4 miscarriages with 5 babies, all miscarried in my first trimester I am 19 weeks prego with my baby GIRL!!! (and OVERLY EXCITED)

When I was 23 (after my 2nd son) I has gastric Bypass surgery. I went from 252lbs to 134lbs. I was VERY healthy, I have blood work done EVERY month to make sure I am absorbing all that I need.

11 months later I got pregnant, but it was planned and exciting. With all 3 of my boys I was DEATHLY ILL....throwing up ALL day up until 7 months But that was fine because that was "My normal pregnancy" and I was used to it. 

After my 3rd son was born I has an IUD put in. Well God changed my heart about wanting more children and 1 year later I had it removed. That month I got pregnant!!! YAY!

So here we are......I was 15 weeks and went in for cramping and spotting.The doc said it looked like I had a shortened cervix so he made he an appt with the HIGH risk Doc the next morning and sent me home. What the HECK was a "shortened cervix", I had NEVER heard of it before....I went home looked online and about it and FREAKED out!! All of the things I read about it online were Horrible.

The next day I went to see the high rick OB who did another invasive sono and told me I did indead have a shortned cervix and I was at 2.1 he said that was VERY short and he was concerned. he said to "take it easy" for the next week and then he will check to see if it gets any worse. The following week i expected to go in and have him say ok you are good, we have nothing to worry about. But he DIDN'T

I was 16 weeks and he did another sono and I was 1.6 and FUNNELING. He said i would need to come to the hospital early tomorrow morning and have an emergency cerclage done . I was TERRIFIED to say the least! I went in and had it done and things were scary but fine, bc I knew it needed to be done to keep my little girl safe for now.They also put me on P17 shots.

I am 19 weeks and have been on bedrest since the cerclage. The doc told me I have a 90% chance of carrying her until full term.

So here are my QUESTIONS:

• How many of you have a cerclage and are NOT on bedrest, and why?
• After your cerclage how far along were you when you delivered?
• What  side effects  or benefits from bed rest have you had? 
• How long were you on bedrest?

• What side affects have you experienced with P17 shots that you would pass along?

I would LOVE to hear more stories like mine...................... Thanks ladies

 

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Temp984666312503071

Hi, I'm sorry you are going through this.

I am not in your exact situation but I noticed you hadn't gotten replies so I thought I would answer what I could and leave the rest for someone with a more similar story.

I also have history of short cervix.  In my first pregnancy they discovered it at my anatomy scan.  It was "okay" - measuring at around 2.5cm.  I was put on pelvic rest and given orders to take it easy (no official bedrest).  At my last official measurement at 30 weeks I was at 1.5cm with funneling.  I delivered my daughter at 35w4d due to pPROM that was likely caused by my funneling/short cervix.

This time we have tried to manage it a bit better.  I was put on 17P shots at 16 weeks.  At 20 weeks my cervix was thankfully normal.  Right now it is about 2.7cm with a small funnel but in the normal range for 32 weeks.  I am also on Procardia to minimize ANY contractions and pelvic rest.  No bed rest.  So the 17P definitely helped!!! 

As for side effects of 17P...  None that I can really speak of.  I think that it makes my weight gain a little more prominant and some women complain of sore breasts and other "early pregnancy" symptoms that is caused by high progesterone. 

I have never had a cerclage.  From what I have heard from people I know who have, you will likely be on bed rest while you have funneling.  That funneling puts you at higher risk for pPROM and can aggravate the stitch.

I hope you have a long pregnancy ahead of you.  Cervix issues are incredibly stressful because you can't monitor it as easily as you can blood pressures and blood sugars (you basically wait until the next ultrasound and PRAY things look better).  It is because of this stress and anxiety that I think this baby will be my last. 

greenclown

I had a cerclage placed at 12 weeks. I am not on bed rest because my cervix has not shortened or started funneling so far.

I was diagnosed with IC because I had my daughter at 24 weeks due to pPROM. When I had an u/s right after my water broke, my cervix was essentially gone. 

kmares

I am sorry that you are having to go through this.  I have had one full term pregnancy.  With my second pregnancy at 22 weeks I went to the doctors for spotting.  We learned that my cervix had shortened, funneling and my bags of waters were buldging.  They did an emergancy cerclage. However, a few days later my water broke and I delivered my daughter. With this pregnancy I had my cerclage placed at 14 weeks and have been taking the 17p injections since 16 weeks.  So far I haven't had any side affects with the 17p and have not been on bed rest.  I am still working  my desk job and taking it real easy at home. 

 

MandyMilller

How many of you have a cerclage and are NOT on bedrest, and why?

** I had a preventative cerclage at 13 wks last pregnancy, but was put on strict home bedrest for the rest of my pregnancy (due to bleeding) at 18w5d and remained that way until delivery.

I had another cerclage placed at 13 wks in this pregnancy and so far I've not done any bedrest (fingers crossed for a good CL check tomorrow)! I'm with a new group, so I'm hoping that they'll be conservative with my care, but maybe not quite as much as my last OB.

After your cerclage how far along were you when you delivered?

** 37 wks when I was induced due to a prematurely aged placenta.

What  side effects  or benefits from bed rest have you had? 

** No benefits other than a healthy baby at the end!

Physical side effects were weakening of muscles (which made it difficult during and following delivery), recurring UTIs (and a kidney stone), a bed sore on my left elbow (from propping up to eat on that side) and multiple cavities (from acid reflux, which was made worse by laying flat all day).

How long were you on bedrest?

** 4 months

What side affects have you experienced with P17 shots that you would pass along?

** Never had P17, but will in this pregnancy if they see shortening.

Best of luck to you -- you've got a beautiful family!

Mrsmaybebaby

I'm not on this board any more b.c i'm a short cervix, emergency cerclage, home bedrest, preterm labor, hospital bedrest mommy with a beautiful happy 12 week old success story!

1. stay off google!

2. ask for help and learn to say yes when someone offers to help out!

I went into for my big ultrasound excited to see my baby when the tech said "oh girl, you have a skinny cervix"....I was like alright, what a great compliment! Then she stopped scanning and looked at me straight in the eye and said "theres a problem, and you need to fight for your baby". She said that she was risking her job by telling me this but she had been to the hospital to visit 2 other pregnant ladies the day before all who she didn't say anything too and left the hospital without their babies. She warned me that the drs wern't going to be supportive of me wanting a cerclage but she had seen so many cases where they were needed.

Skip ahead to the dr visit (they do ultrasounds before the ob sees you). He tells DH and I that my cervix was quite short and it may or may not need to be addressed. He tells me that they do not like to do cerclages this late in the pregnancy and my best option was to go on strict bedrest and keep an eye on my cervix. The tech's face kept poping in my head and I kept insisting that I wanted every measure taken to make sure I kept my baby in as long as possible. He went us home and said to think about it and to call back with questions. We go to lunch when the tech calls my cell phone (gets it from my records apparently) and she pleades with me to get it done, she kept saying, _(my name)_ I'm afraid you'll loose him if you wait too long.

We're friends with another dr in the practice to I call him and hes on call at the hospital but he looks at my scan on electronic medical records. he calls back in a matter of minutes and says to not eat lunch to go home and pack my things that hes securing an OR could I be there in an hour.

In the OR there is so much tension, but he said there is just enough tissue to get it closed and the room errupted in cheers! I was home on bedrest from 18w5d to 30w. The OB I saw that day said there are no concerns you'll make it to your due date, but lets do a fFn test to confirm. That afternoon the NP calls and said that it was actually positive but that positives are usually false to not worry and enjoy being off bedrest.

31w5d...I go into labor! I was contracting every 3 minutes and was put on fluids, procardia, and something else but nothing worked. Finally mag. sulfate stopped it. Then I was on hospital bedrest for a week and then sent home on bedrest again!

At the 36 week appt I go in and they tell me I'm starting to dialate and that the stitch would be coming out before it ripped out! 36w6d I go into labor, my water breaks and 7 hrs later my little man arrives!

 I had a horrible reaction to the stitch, I was apparently allergic to the material or my body just wasnt having the foreign object up there. I had yuck discharge and kept a YI

We all attribute the cerclage and bedrest to keeping my little man in me as long as I did!!  BR sucks but gravity is a meanie to thoes of us who have a weak cervix!! I was on a total of 15 weeks and didn't have any side effects besides heart burn alot and a sore left side! I didn't do shots, the OBs wern't convinced they do any help.

Best wishes to you!!! I'll keep an eye over here to see how you're progressing! I'm on 0-3 right now soon to be 3-6 (next week) if you need anyone to talk to! My email is: klhilder@gmail.com 

The girls on this board got me through my tough pregnancy and if I can be of any support, sounding board, an ear to vent to, then please let me know!!!

*hugs*

Jays-n-Shane

My DD is 2.5 now, but I was diagnosed with IC at my 20w appt with her...my cervix was down to 1.7 cm and I went straight to the hospital and had my rescue cerclage the next morning.  I spent the next 14w on strict bedrest before I went into labor at 34w and had to have my cerclage removed.  I stalled when I got my epi though and ended up being induced at 38w because I was miserable.  I also had PTL beginning at 26w and got steriod shots.  Bedrest was miserable, but I'm so grateful my DD was born healthy.  I really think sticking to the BR helped me carry her as long as I did.

tlalex911

Thank you for all of your advise and support I for sure need it right now! Ok so what in the world is pPROM??? I am sooo new to all of this "HIGH RICK LINGO" LOL

luvndazys

pPROM is pre rupturing of the membrane

MsPeay

I love seeing the success stories and even more I love being one. I lost my son to IC and with my daughter I was like pp and they didn't think my case was serious by the time I pleaded to get a cerclage at 14 weekd my cervix was down to under 2 and I was on home bedrest and at 23 weeks my bag were bulging and hospital I went I didn't get out of bed for a month but I made it to 36 weeks and was induced for low fluids. I took procardia and p17 shots no side effects except maybe aggressive. You have to fight but it has and can be done.

leneae10

I was a silent dilator with my first pregnancy and unfortunately lost my twin boys at 17w4d and 18w2d.  A rescue cerclage was attempted to save Baby B but there was infected tissue present from the delivery of Baby A.  That was how I was diagnosed with IC.

This time around, I opted against the traditional transvaginal cerclage and chose instead to have a more invasive, permanent cerclage called the transABDOMINAL cerclage (TAC).  I had it placed at 10w6d and the surgeon who placed it has a 98% success rate for full term births with almost no cases of bed rest.

I'm sorry to hear you are on bed rest, but I pray the emergency cerc holds.  Follow bed rest TO THE LETTER no matter how hard it is.  Once that cervix opens, you can rip right through the vaginal cerclage. 

I want to spread the word that for future pregnancies, or someone who's reading this who has experienced a loss, there is another option out there!  I have TONS of info in my blog (link below).

tyculp29

I'm a mother of 3 beautiful girls and just this past November I lost my 4th baby girl due to IC I at 20wks 3 days I recently had my IUD removed and never had a problem with my cervix until the IUD removal 4 months prior to getting pregnant and was wondering if the IUD could cause it my doc says no but I'm not convinced...but terrified to just wanted to know if your doc could have metioned anything about the IUD to u? Thanks in advance for you response and good luck on ur princess.