Turbulatine Sulf and Bedrest?

I just carried twins to 36 1/2 weeks and I was put on Turbulatine at 22 weeks because I had a lot of false labor contractions. I had these contractions with my older daughter too and I was given the pills near the end of that pregnancy too, which went until 38 weeks. Throughout my twin pregnancy, I always had a long cervical length and no cervical change with the contractions, so I was never put on bedrest. The turb. never stopped my contractions, but I do credit it with helping me feel good enough to keep working until 35 weeks (when I wasn't working, I rested and did no housework, stair climbing, or lifting my daughter BTW, I just really needed to work as long as possible for financial reasons). I never experienced side effects - the "shakes" I only got from the Brethene injections that I got in the hospital. I blame acid reflux for any loss of appetite I experienced. I noticed a big difference in how much more uncomfortable I felt after I stopped taking the turb. - which was only 3 days before I had my babies. They both weighed over 6 lbs and were able to come home with me.

I was on bedrest and took the medicine. It didn't help. EVen my OB/GYN said bedrest doesn't work but since I had 3 kids he thought I could use the excuse to have a break!! My contractions broke through and I had my daughter 5 weeks early (35 weeks gestation). She was in the NICU for 8 days (the most horrible 8 days of my life)and came home on an Apnea Monitor. If I had to go through it again I would have still taken the medication. It made me feel awful and didn't work for me but I would have felt guilty if I hadn't tried to keep her in there longer. Everyone is different and if it works for you I would say take it until the doctors are sure the baby is ready to be born. I went into labor 3 times early this last time. Once at 30 weeks, 32 weeks and then again at 35 weeks. I was in the hospital on magnesium sulfate with a combination of Turbulatine the first two times it worked long enough for me to be released and sent home on bedrest only to go into labor again after a week. If I were you I would take the medication so that you can keep the baby in longer. It may mean the difference between a 2 month NICU stay and no NICU stay.

I went through the same thing with my second son - I started contracting at 28 weeks. The Turb is not a fun medication to be on - it gives you the shakes, you will loose your appetite and you may not be able to sleep BUT it will help control the contractions. I was on it for a while and also supposed to be on bed rest. The days that I really did relax I found I had to take the Turb less often - you want to make sure you make it to 37 weeks so I would say to rest as much as possible - do not lift heavy objects (or kids) and let your family help you out. My general rule of thumb for the Turb was taking it when I had 4 contractions in an hour and it seemed to keep things under control. If you push yourself too hard you could end up needing a Magnesium treatment which requires you to be admitted to the hospital for two days.

Also talk to your doctor about getting steroid shots - you have to get two shots I think two days apart but it will help to boost the development of the baby's lungs just in case you do go into labor early. The shots are given in your rear end and hurt but they are totally worth it for the baby.

Please feel free to email me if you have further questions.

hi D.;

i had preterm labor w my first child at 35 weeks and my midwife, who is, obviously being a midwife, VERY natural, put me on tributalane (i tthink that's how it's spelled.) she had me on it with bedrest for ten days. my son then stayed in another few days, till 38 weeks or so (you know that due dates are not 100% accurate) and i had a beautiful, fast, natural labor and delivery; 6 hours of labor, 14 minutes of pushing in a birthing tub, no meds, no problems, 8lb 12 oz boy.

for this woman, a midwife 25 years and done over 10,000 births, to put an otherwise healthy patient on this drug, i really believe it was safe. i did not ever hear that it was controversial but now that you've said so i will look into it. but if i were you i'd stick with it.

good luck

J.

Hi D.,

I think if it were really critical you stayed off your feet, he would have brought up something about getting care for your daughter. I was on light bedrest with my first pregnancy...that meant (at least to my OBGYN) no grocery shopping, no going to the mall shopping, no laundry. I was fine to get up, shower, take care of my meals, etc...but was to spend more time relaxing than going-going-going, with "new baby on the way" stuff.

I would have your hubby do the shopping and laundry, put your daughter to bed, etc...also, enlist a teenager to play with your daughter a few hours a day so you can rest and put your feet up!
Enjoy resting - you'll be happily sleep deprived soon enough!
J.

Mom,

You gotta go with your gut,

you only have 3 weeks to go do you think you can hold things off until then?

Can you really relax, You need to decide,

Have the contractions subsided?

M

Yes, technically you should be on bedrest. I know as well as you do (my daughter will be 3 in 10 days), how hard it is to have "bedrest" with a 2 1/2 yr old running around. I'm due in 3 weeks (May 10) and I'm supposed to be on bedrest until delivery. Just take it as easy as you can. If you can summon and friends to help, tell them they need to come over. Try to stay off your feet as much as you can and don't over exert yourself. Good luck with everything!

Hi Darci! I'm going through the same thing. I was in the hospital for 5 days and was put on turb at discharge. Although my Dr. didn't tell me how long I would be on them, she did tell me that bedrest is bedrest. I don't know what your circumstances are but I'm already 2cm dilated and 80% and only 34 weeks. She mentioned that I could take a shower and eat dinner at the dinner table but gravity is NOT my friend at this point. You may want to call your Dr.'s office and at least talk to a nurse and let them know you need some clarification as to what you should be restricted to.

Good Luck!
K.

Can you try a homeopathic remedy? Sometimes if you get the right one they work wonders.

Sounds like you are feeling uneasy about the drug- whether you decide you need it or you don't, just make sure you are confident within and able to accept the outcome. If you violate your intuition and things go badly, you will always regret it- so, educate yourself on that drug and any other alternatives (natural or pharmaceutical) and go with what feels right to you.

I did exactly what you did--contractions at 32 weeks and the doctor put me on Turb and bedrest. I only felt slight side affects for the first couple of days and then I didn't notice them anymore. But it did help with the contractions--at 36 weeks they took me off the med and I immediately started contracting again.

As far as bedrest goes, new studies have shown that it doesn't necessarily stop women from going into labor. But doctors are generally cautious and will tell you to take it easy anyway. I would just listen to your body, and if your activities are increasing the contractions, you know it's too much. Good luck!