Nifedipine

rjade9

I have a complete previa and have bled 3 times now, I have been on hospital bedrest for 5 weeks.  My last bleed was yesterday morning.  Everytime they put me on the monitor for 30 minutes I usually have about 3 contractions but usually only feel 1.

The dr. came in this morning and wants to start me on nifedipine.  The dr. that is on call for my group this weekend is the only dr. that I can't stand.  She is so so rude and it makes me not trust her.  All the nurses think I should go on the med and have been wanting to give the as needed dose for a while.

My questions is, has anyone taken this and it helped?  Side effects?  I am so nervous about putting anything extra in my body that would hurt my little guy.  But at 29 weeks I know we need more time and this may help. 

Kadyra

Your story is exactly the same as mine. Previa on hospital bedrest for 35 days. Bled off and on whenever I contracted. I was on nifedipine before I went in, but it was an as needed thing. Once there, it was every 4 hours. When I complained about this because one nurse kept coming late with the meds and I'd contract, they put me on the sustained release once a day. I had extra pills for breakthrough contractions.

Side effects. Headache. Nothing helps it but time. Eventually you stop getting them. Flushed cheeks. Fast heart rate. Low bp. Have to be careful when you get up to pee. And sometimes they can't give it if the bp's too low. Those are the main side effects.

It worked well for me until my previa resolved and I went home at 31w. I contracted, had bleeding, was readmitted, then had a huge hemorrhage from an abruption. Then had ds2. I wasn't on the highest dose either. Perhaps if id been on that, I might not have bled and been delivered. Fortunately, were all good.

keg

I was put on it around 29 weeks with my twins because of contractions I really wasn't feeling.  I really don't remember any side effects, although I vaguely remember being annoyed having to take it in the middle of the night.  I think it helped since I never went into labor. :-)  I stayed on it until I delivered.  I think the plan was to take me off at 35 weeks, but that all fell around Christmas/New Year's, so we decided it made sense for me to stay on until 36 weeks.  They decided I should have a section before that due to growth issues (not contractions/labor).  In the overall scheme of things, I think the benefits far outweigh the risks.    

ardilla

I went into PTL at 22w1d and was given terbutaline shots, oral terbutaline, oral nifetapine, and put on a magnesium sulfate drip. They weren't able to keep it under control very well without the mag so I was on it for about 5 weeks. They were eventually able to get me off the mag and just onto the oral terb and nifetapine. They kept me two more weeks on hospital bedrest then they sent me home at about 29w, still on the terb and nifetapine. With bedrest at home plus the meds, I made it to 36w0d. They took me off the meds that day and I went back into active labor. My twins were born later that day. I don't know if my situation is comparable since I was having twins, and was on multiple meds, but I know the meds and bedrest saved my little ones from a very early arrival. We were amazingly all able to go home from the hospital together when they were 4 days old. Best wishes for a lot more baking time for your LO!

weddedwife

I've been on it since 15w. 20mg 4x day. It gave me headaches at first but that went away. Now every now and then my heart races for a while after I take it. Sometimes when I stand for long periods of time, which I'm not supposed to do anyway, my legs get red and hot. I'm still contracting even though I'm taking it, but who knows maybe I'd be contracting more if I wasn't. So I'd have to agree w the others, benefits outweighed the risks in my case.

yinyang124

I took it as needed, unless I noticed that it wasn't helping. It was hit or miss for me. Sometimes it would slow down my contractions and other times it wouldn't. I hated the side effects though- racing heart and low BP made me feel just blah. If I were in your position, I would try it.