Update on me - crazy long...

soon2Bmrs.AGEE

Hey ladies. Thanks for all the concern and well thoughts yesterday. Sorry I haven't updated sooner.

I went in and they did an u/s first to check on the babies, they were great. The u/s tech noticed my cervix was thinner than before at 19 weeks. She did an internal u/s to get a better look. Before she did that she looked at the outside of my vagina and couldn't see anything bulging like I was feeling. The internal u/s showed my cervix at 2.4, down from 3.5.

I got into a room and the on-call doctor talked to me about what I was feeling. He looked and didn't note that anything out of the ordinary. His main concern was the shortening of my cervix and the light contractions I had felt last week. (I mentioned it to my OB last week and he wasn't concerned but neither was I at that point) He swabbed my cervix, to check for infection maybe? Not sure.

He checked my cervix and said it was closed and tight. However he wanted to send me to L&D for monitoring to see if I was contacting. He prescribed me Procardia to take every 6 hours for the next 2 months and a steroid shot for the babies' lungs. When he said that, I lost it. That scared the crap out of me. He said its only for precaution but still.

 We got to L&D and I was having mild contractions. Funny how when you sit still and listen to your body you really notice what's going on. They ordered me the shot to stop the contractions which came with some serious shaking and heart racing. I didn't like that feeling. They released me once there were no more contractions. I have to go back tonight for another steroid shot. I also have a follow up appointment with my OB on Monday. We went and got dinner and then I passed out at 8:30 last night.

At this point we think he will put me on some level of bed rest because I had preterm labor with my DD at 35 weeks and she was delivered at 36 weeks. It's amazing how fast things can change. Any experience on cervix shortening? Is 2.4 that bad? I know it has to not be good to go down a point. They want it above 2.5.  

W were very scared yesterday. It has been a real eye opener for DH and I. Thankfully, I am feeling better today. I think the bulging I was feeling was a result of doing to much and swelling, even though I didn't think I was swelling. It is gone today. I am going to try to rest more. Not sure DH is going to let me do much anyway.

If you made it this far you deserve a metal! Thanks for those who were checking on me. Sorry to not update sooner. 

AlishaMay

Glad to hear that you're hanging in there.  Sending you T&P for a long, healthy pg!

soon2Bmrs.AGEE

Thank you! Yes, it could have been worse.

atc282

Glad you got checked out and Ts & Ps sent your way!

vlahop

I went in at around 21 weeks for the same thing - minus the contractions.  I was at 3.5 at 18 weeks and at 21 weeks I had dropped down to 2.5.  I felt TONS of pressure and bulging as well.  I had weekly ultrasounds after that to keep an eye on it, and I remained at 2.5 or the rest of the pregnancy!  I made it to 38 weeks too.  Good luck - it is always good to go in and be checked.  Better safe than sorry.

soon2Bmrs.AGEE

vlahop:

I went in at around 21 weeks for the same thing - minus the contractions.  I was at 3.5 at 18 weeks and at 21 weeks I had dropped down to 2.5.  I felt TONS of pressure and bulging as well.  I had weekly ultrasounds after that to keep an eye on it, and I remained at 2.5 or the rest of the pregnancy!  I made it to 38 weeks too.  Good luck - it is always good to go in and be checked.  Better safe than sorry.

Thank you so much for sharing. I do have a lot of pressure because baby A is resting nicely on my cervix. Did you get put on bed rest? 

vlahop

No bed rest, my doctor said to take it very easy though.  I think if it continued to change I would have been put on bed rest.  Similar to you, this was my second pregnancy in less than 2 years.  The doctor said that probably contributed to the shortening a little.

Not sure if this is happening with you, but I felt very swollen in my groin area as well.  My doctor said you can actually get varicose veins there because of all of the added pressure.  This made me feel even more pressure and bulging sensations, but it was totally normal.  All of the swelling went away after delivery.

Waiting4Fred

So glad to hear that you're being well taken care of. Thoughts and prayers coming your way!!

adoubleu12

Glad to hear you are doing okay!  The shot they gave you was probably Terbutaline.  That is some nasty stuff isn't it!?  I never had problems with my cervix shortening until the very end, but I did have some issues with contractions at 26 weeks.   It can be pretty scary!  Rest, drink lots of water, and keep them babies cooking!

leviandlandensmom

So glad it wasn't anything bad! Take it super easy and keep those sweet babies cooking!

Oh and get used to the swollen lady bits because with a baby squished down there, it's hard not to be swollen!

iluvadam

Phew...thank goodness it wasn't prolapse.  How scary.  Ok, so Procardia is a pretty awesome med.  It really, really helped me.  I started on the 30 XR around 26 or 28w, I can't remember now bc it has been so long.  But it really helped with all the pressure and contractions...and with very few side effects.  Eventually it was upped to 60 and then I went up to 90 right before the twins were born. 

I do not know much about the cervical length and all that.  My OB didn't use that as a gauge for anything after 20 weeks.  I think all doctors have their own opinions and treatment plans and his didn't include cervical length checks.  He did frequently do u/s, internal exams, and NSTs.

I think now that you are aware that you need to take it easy, things will get much better for you.  It is always good to have the steriod shots in your back pocket just in case, but I bet you will make it to your goal just fine.

Good luck and I am so happy to hear that everything is ok.

violaplayer

Glad things turned out okay-ish. The cervical swab was probably an fFN test. It looks for markers related to PTL.

 

*hugs* I hope it continues to go well for you. 

punkin06

Glad things are ok. Thx for updating us!

kafunder

So glad it wasn't prolapse!

My cervix shortened to less than 3 at 22w so they put me on modified bedrest. Then, at 24w, it shortened to 2.3, so I was put on strict bedrest at home. At 28w, it had gone to about 2.0 and sometimes less than that, so they put me on hospital bedrest. I was there from 28w-32w. At 32w, it was still at 2.0, so they let me go home and finish my bedrest there. I was on VERY strict home bedrest (as strict as the hospital...I only left our bedroom once a day) and went days without going downstairs from 32-35w. They let me off bedrest at 35w to start getting my energy back. I delivered at 36w4d when my BP started going up an I was spilling proteins. I was also walking around at that point at 3cm dialated. However, I was feeling so good at that point that if my BP hadn't started rising, I think I would have gone another 3-4 days before my water broke. 

So, even if your cervix is getting shorter, you can still make it to full term, especially if you're strict about bedrest. 

Amanda21580

I was 3.6 cm at 18 weeks and 2.6 at 22 w6d.  I went back the next day and was down to 2.4 cm so they put me in hospital for monitoring.  We attempted a cerclage but they were not able to get it in.  Four days later (23w4d) my cervix was down to 1.6 cm.   I am now 32w2d and it has been 1 cm for the last 3 weeks.  I've been on hospital bed rest since 23w. 

How often will they be doing cervical checks?  Definitely take it easy and don't do too much - just to be safe!  I pushed myself way too hard in the  beginning.  I was always in so much pain but ignored it thinking it was normal pregnancy aches. I wish now that I had said something sooner.  

 

soon2Bmrs.AGEE

Thanks for all the well wishes and everyone checking up on me. The positive experiences really help too.

 I went back to L&D for my second beta shot last night. They had a really hard time getting both babies' heartbeats. Good news is no more contractions. I did however become flushed in my arms, neck, chest and face and we couldn't figure out why. My BP was slightly raised from the previous night. 

They sent me home after calling the on call OB to check about the flushing, He just reiterated how important it was for me to go see my doctor on Monday. I felt strange the rest of the night. Not sure if I was having a reaction to something or not. I was unable to go to sleep until past 11pm at that's late for me. I guess the steroids kept me up.

Thankfully, I am feeling better today and trying to take it easy. I am anxious to talk to the OB tomorrow. They will be rechecking my cervix as well. Prayers for no more shortening!