Incompetent Cervix - stitch/cerclage - threatened labour

[LaRockera]

Oh yes, the discharge... Go back several pages and find my all-worrying posts about the quantity and consistency and the efforts these lovely ladies put into reassuring me.

My discharge has been either watery or milky throughout a big part of my pregnancy, to the point that I had to change several pantyliners a day. I got myself some Ph litmus tests to check the Ph levels as I was paranoid about losing amniotic fluid. It would dry yellow or transparent on a pantyliner, or white or transparent on my panties.

Then on the third trimester it gradually changed, and became more sticky. I thought it was the stitch causing the extra discharge but nope, I haven't seen any change in quantity since I removed it. In fact, my pantyliners/panties now smell of wee, too. I have to go through several liners/panties a day. It's a normal stage of pregnancy. It is in fact your body's way of keeping infections out.

Only worry if your discharge becomes smelly and cottage cheese-like, you feel burning or itching, or it feels as if urine is running out abundant without you being able to control it.

 

[liven1980]

Thank you ladies for info and support.
I spoke to my man who reminded me that i had something similar couple of weeks ago, and that everything was fine then. He is right, I had something like this, but I guess its the constant change in the discharge thatgives my a suprise everytime. (or rather gives me a panic attack)... I have decided to wait for my hospital appointment, its on wednesday if nothing changes drmatically...
So, do I understand you right Christina, that when baby pushes more on cervix (as she has lately) she press out more discharge?

I hope you all are well today, I am 30 weeks today, very happy, but I do not think any of us will relax before we see a healthy and living baby here.. Still, I appreciate very much the ten extra weeks we got after putting on the cerclage. yay!

 

[JimmyJam]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for all your positive remarks & birthday wishes yesterday. And belated birthday greetings Poppy! Yay! I'm glad we share the same day.

In spite of being wiped out the amnio afforded me considerable relief. I spent the day in bed but I still got spoilt - I had several visitors, lots of packages & flowers & Matt provided first class catering all day. Christiana, I even managed to get my fingers in some cake - with candles on!!! (I do hope you're feeling better hon, it sounds like you've been having a pretty rough time).

Lizzie I did read about the article, it was encouraging, thanks. I've also made contact with an Australian girl on here called Nashipear. She had severe early onset poly at 20 weeks which resulted in leaking amniotic fluid but she made it into her mid-thirties & now she has a healthy, bouncing boy. She didn't have an amnioreduction b/c of the leak but that provided its own complications. There are people out there with fairytale endings.

I'm relieved that nothing horrific happened on my birthday, taking it day by day & 24 weeks on Sunday. Resigned to going in to hospital even though I may be on an antenatal ward that gets spillover from postnatal & mums with newborn babies. That's hard b/c I face the risk that my own pregnancy could end every day, but hopefully they'll be able to find me a single room soon. Nashipear said that she was never admitted, just sent home with antibiotics on modified bed rest & checked 3 x a week for white blood cells/infection. I am going to 'suck it & see' & ask them if I can't be monitored in a similar way.

LaRock haven't been advised about steroids yet, but interested to hear the advice you were given. Did they tell you why you should avoid salt & sugar? And will they only give you steroids once in a pregnancy or sometimes repeat further down the line? I'm hoping I won't have to have indomethecin again, Lizzie, but am reassured by yr advice.

(Evie's story is just sooo amazing, it gives me hope, see Christiana, viability on Sunday & Lizzie gave birth to Evie @ 24+1)!!

Bookfish hon how are you feeling today? The discomfort in your 'ladybits' improved any? I feel so confident you will feel those babys' fingers on your face eventually Bf, hang in there. You are going through a lot but uou & yr DH are tight. You'll get there. And all the misery will be worth it.

Liven I have discharge too & am worried it has increased a bit since my amnioreduction - just trying not to be too paranoid. A couple of times I felt it trickle out yesterday & was like 'O God, it's amniotic fluid' but it tends to dry normally. I also suffer from the occasional leakage of pee which I find very distasteful, some times I feel like I smell like an old tramp - but then I'd rather it was the wee smell than the 'foul-smelling' amniotic fluid I've read about.

Btw - I can tell you exactly what amniotic fluid looks like, they took jugs of the stuff on Weds. It's not sticky or mucusy but exactly like urine - not too clear, not too brown, but thin & watery like urine b/c that's what it is! By this stage in pg the baby swallows the amniotic fluid & excretes it out in its urine, so really it is just swimming around in a pool of its own pee. Graphic but I hope that helps. With poly they worry that one of the problems of excess fluid could be baby's peeing/swallowing mechanism ... That's how I know.

Haven't heard anything from Olga for a while, I do hope she's ok. Sadly that'll be me come Monday (if nothing disastrous happens before then, I'm not taking anything for granted). Hospital bedrest feels like a punishment

Spring is coming to London & the only view I'll have will be Wormwood Scrubs Prison. Still, each day is a step further & if I can bake this baby til it's as good as done it will be worth it in the end. God, I worry about missing Pyjama, how you must feel when you're separated from your kids I just cannot comprehend.

(Kate, come & see me in prison?!!)

Have a good Friday girls. If we all get through this I want a get-together in London to celebrate!

Love to you all.

JimmyJam xx

 

[JimmyJam]

Ps - Liven darl big congrats on reaching the Big Three-O! That's great news babe, you're almost in the clear x

 

[chistiana]

Liven- hey hun, i really am no expert at all and as you can see i am constantly worried about leaking amniotic fluid too and i really have no founded evidence that when the baby pushes down there, there is more discharge coming out...i am just assuming it (and trying to comfort myself!) because i usually get all this discharge either when i can actually feel her kicking down there or when i sit up right and i can feel all her weight down there. Maybe some of the more experienced ladies can clarify or explain???

JIMMYYYJAAAMMM- Even though in "prison" i am sooo sooo happy to hear you a little more upbit today!! I m glad your b day was not as bad as you expected it to be and that you re feeling a little relief now!! YAYAYYAYAYAYAY for v day on sunday...i ve been counting the days as if i am actually in prison!! Btw way, can i come to your get together in London when all our babies are here safe and sound? I am jealous!! Keep the positive thinking hun, we're almost there, we can make it!xo

ow and ps: for the ladies who have actually smelt it (!!) did amniotic fluid really smell that bad? My water broke at 3.30 am with ds and i cant remember smelling anything...i just thought somebody had pored a bucket of warm water all over me!

 

[book.fish2011]

Liven: congratulations for making it to 30 weeks. Hope rest of the pregnancy remains uneventful; just hang in there tight.

JJ: glad you had a decent birthday. Come Sunday and you'll be 24 weeks - that's a milestone and am sure you'll go much much farther. I hope you get your own room in the hospital and the stay turns out be better than what everyone expects.

Christiana: my water broke last time when I least expected it . S. don't remember th smell. Is there any way you can test with the litmus paper or something ? I think I read somewhere someone did that to check if the color changed to blue (or other way round), I don't recall. Just to put your mind to peace, that's all.

I just discovered that my thrush, that thin spread of white over the vaginal walls is back. I was using just water to wash my bits since the cerclage; planning to use my regular antibiotic soap down there. Of course will take care to see nothing's going inside th vagina. Cannot take this itching

 

[chistiana]

Owwwww BF this thrush is really crappy...and that itching is soooooo annoying...what kind of antibiotic soap are you using? Does you doc have to prescribe it? I am asking because today i think i have a urine infection despite all the ceclor i ve been taking and now doc thinks i have to change antibiotics and start over.....i did swab again today so i ll know tomorrow...these infections never seem to go away do they?Ow and if you dont mind asking did your water break in one go, no leaking? ignore me if this question is too personal...i ll try to order some litmus paper online tonight.Hope the stupid thrush goes away soon and you get some relief! xx

 

[Mommy's Angel]

Hi ladies, just checking in to say hello! Congrats LaRocker on the stitch being removed. I'm waiting patiently to hear the baby is here.

We're in a new season. Amelia is almost 5 months on the 29th. We're looking for a home to buy. It's been hard to find anything that fits our needs but I'm sure more will be on the market come spring. Doug and I started eating a vegan diet to lower cholesterol and aid in our weight loss. I'm feeling less bloated and the depression I've had is starting to subside. I even slept without Ambian last night.

We're going to ttc again next winter. We'll probably start in October after Amelia's first birthday since it took us 10 years for her. I'm encouraged by what you've shared Lizzie about the ability to conceive a bit better after you have done it once. I have done it twice, one with Jackson without fertility treatment and once WITH for Amelia. I'm praying we have one more pregnancy. I'd like Amelia to have a sibling or two or 3. Haha

Looking forward to hearing more good news from many of you in the future. I'm praying for you all.

 

[olga2424]

Hello Laddies,:wave::wave: how i missed you all! Lizzie, Jimmyjam, christiana, larokera, book.fish, Kakeqpr, Helengee and liven1980.....Hope your all doing well.
Jimmyjam hun, happy belated birthday dear!! Glad you had a wonderful day and am so pleased your starting to feel a little better both physically and mentally Am quite positive things are even only going to get better from now on. (fingers crossed!) I know bed rest in hospital sucks but just remember you will be in a better place, as long as you keep your self occupied with loads of dvd's magazines, films on lovefilms.com e.t.c.....By the time you know it time will fly by! Also make sure when they admit you on Monday, 1st thing you get is your steroid shots just in case any thing happens as this will mature bubba's lungs by 2 weeks + push for you own sinlge room....If you don't mind me asking, are you being admitted at st. Thomas hospital? As this is where am being transferred today....My hospital (st. helliers is only level 2) and they have a Level 3 NICU.

Book.fish hun, so sorry about that horrible thrush that keeps reoccurring....Have you tried treating it with a one off dose of the oral tablet (fluconazole). Speak to your Dr. as sometimes the pessaries are not as effective and it will keep reoccurring.

Liven1980, congs on reaching the 30w milestone...well done!

Christiana hun, trust me!, you will defo know if you were to start leaking AF, it has a sweet smell to it and very different from urine....This is one of my biggest fears too!

Well as for me I will be 25w @midnight and am so desperate to make it to at least 27w. Ive just been transferred to Guys and st. Thomas.....def not bad at all. The view is quite good (Thames, London eye and the rest of it) also much quieter than were I was previously and for now I cant complain.

Ladies am very worried as am experiencing loads of pinching and stabbing sensations in my lady bits, mild lower back ache and some on/off lower abdominal cramping, am so worried that this could be the start of labor....
Did any of you or are any of you experiencing this? I have just completed a course of penicillin v and clindamycin and don't know if any of these antibiotics also treat urine infections just in case I have one....am going out of my mind with these pains and just wish they could stop.
Lizzie, Larokera, kate, and helen, did you experience these pains?

I have another cervical scan booked for Monday and am hoping there are no changes to my cervix

 

[lizziedripping]

Olga sweetie, how I feel for you darlin The second trimester is a horrible time filled with fear and dread, and that's when you don't have additional symptoms - goodness knows how it must be for you

I had ALL the symptoms you describe honey, in both the pregnancy with Evie, and that with the twins - both had very different outcomes of course. The reason I was so frightened with the twins is because the pregnancy symtpoms mimicked so closely premature labour with Evie, and I was convinced I would deliver the twins before 28wks.

These aches, pains and cramps started as early as 11wks with the twins, and peaked around 28wks, when they gradually lessened and disappeared altogether by 34wks. Some of it was twin related, and some was prolapse related, but it was made worse by the presence of the stitch which is well documented as causing an irritable uterus for most ladies with IC.

At one point I was so desperate for the torment to end that I contacted an acupuncturist who specialised in treating irritable uterus, and I burst into tears on the poor woman. I didn't get the treatment in the end, but the fact that I contemplated it tells you just how desperate I was for the contraction-like cramps to stop!

Mine were like a generalised tightening of my whole stomach, followed by aching in my lower back which radiated around and down into my lower abdomen. The only difference between them and prem labour with Evie was that I had lots of bleeding with her, and within a few days the aches turned into full-blown painful contractions. Prior to that I had hardly felt anything with Evie as my cervix was dilating 'silently'.

As it currently stands, the aches and pains you are experiencing don't sound frequent or intense enough to be having an effect on your cervix hun. I know that you have funneled and shortened in recent weeks, but no more than any other lady with IC and a stitch.

As you are now 25wks, IC is actually less of a problem and if the stitch has held your cervix closed enough until now, then It is unlikely to suddenly 'give way' at this point. You would need strong, regular contractions to dilate yoir cervix beyond a few mms now, and though Premature labour is always a possibility for every pregnant woman Hun, there is no reason why you should be at any greater risk, especially with the good length of closed cervix you have below the stitch.

I can assure you darlin that I felt all your symptoms and then some. I can't offer you guarantees, but all I can say is that I have myself been when you are and had a positive outcome. I have also spoken to hundreds of women (with stitch) having the symptoms you describe and worse ( bleeding and contractions), the majority of whom have gone on to deliver at term or thereabouts.

Sit tight my love and lets see what the next scan shows up. You're coming into your 26th week soon, and you've done so well to make it through to this point. There is no reason now why you shouldn't make at least 28wks, with every week after that being a bonus. It can be done! I have lost count of the number of women who have been where you are and then, several weeks later have said, 'I never thought I'd make it' - me included. 30 wks and beyond isnt just a distant dream hun, it can be a reality - and most of the time it is with the help of a stitch. Rest well tonight, and you know where we are if you need us

 

[lizziedripping]

JJ - glad to hear from you Happy belated birthday too honey - sorry, I seemed to miss that somewhere along the line!

I do remember Nashipear. What a positive story, and hopefully one which might serve to reinforce your teeny bit of hope, albeit tentatively? Take care sweet, and please continue to let loved ones indulge you

my lovely MA - how're you? Great to hear from you. Are things settling down at home and with lo? I'm guessing things are coming together a little for you to be looking forward to trying again? Here's hoping for double bump success for us both in 2012, how great if we could be 'very nervous bump buddies' together lol

Goodnight to all my lovelies here, and please know that you are never alone xxx

 

[book.fish2011]

Owwwww BF this thrush is really crappy...and that itching is soooooo annoying...what kind of antibiotic soap are you using? Does you doc have to prescribe it? I am asking because today i think i have a urine infection despite all the ceclor i ve been taking and now doc thinks i have to change antibiotics and start over.....i did swab again today so i ll know tomorrow...these infections never seem to go away do they?Ow and if you dont mind asking did your water break in one go, no leaking? ignore me if this question is too personal...i ll try to order some litmus paper online tonight.Hope the stupid thrush goes away soon and you get some relief! xx

Nothing is too personal with me anymore...at least not on this thread. I constantly feel am chatting with long lost friends when am here. Your question is very good actually. My doc said to wash my bits the same way I was doing before the cerclage. I ve been using a dettol antibiotic soap since a long time. As far as I know, it doesn't have any perfume or anything. Doesn't have a pleasant smell. But I give a damn and want it to do its job. You and I are in same boat. Today I gave a urine sample to lab and have very little hopes of it being infection free.

 

[book.fish2011]

Continued.....

I don't know why do we get so many infections inspite of drinking so much fluids and striving to keep that area clean.

I clearly remember I wasn't leaking before my water broke. I went to take a pee that day and noticed an alternate gush of water - something that I'd never seen before. But few weeks prior to that, I d been noticing some discharge in my panties - which my doctor called normal. I think she may have been right. It was very little anyway. So when the water broke, it was a much stronger stream and I was hoping it'd stop n it's own but in my case it never stopped. I hope dear, that yours is just normal discharge too. But just to giv some rest to your mind, you can confirm it out.

 

[book.fish2011]

Dear Olga, so nice to hear from you. Am sure you'll make it to 28 weeks and beyond. I know a girl whose cervix was as funneled as yours and is now at home , 31 weeks. She spent 7 weeks until 28 weeks in the hospital. You'll get there too. Hang on.

Thanks for the tip regarding oral tablet for thrush. I will ask my doctor. It's strange it keeps recurring. Infections seem to love me.

I cannot agree with Lizzie more when she says how terrifying the 2nd trim is. This period is nothing like what I've ever been through in my life. I still have a very long way to go. Each day feels like an age. Wish I had a crystal ball to see the future. But how I wish all these pains will be worth - at the end of it. Baby, baby, baby..that's the only mantra I keep chanting every second now.

Congrats in advance for making to 25 weeks. You are doing very well. Keep going.

 

[Mommy's Angel]

my lovely MA - how're you? Great to hear from you. Are things settling down at home and with lo? I'm guessing things are coming together a little for you to be looking forward to trying again? Here's hoping for double bump success for us both in 2012, how great if we could be 'very nervous bump buddies' together lol

Goodnight to all my lovelies here, and please know that you are never alone xxx

Doing MUCH better. I'd like to lose a bit more weight but my sugar levels are coming down nicely now. Those progesterone injections put me over the edge for months with hormonal changes on top of the pregnancy and new mommy hormones. I can laugh now but holy cats! I was one hot mess.

Yes, I'm falling into this role. Every time I look at her she just brightens my day. I can't imagine life without her and she makes me want more. Don't get me wrong, I'd LOVE to just lather on the love for Amelia for awhile before we try again but I know realistically at almost 38 it would be better to start trying in October knowing it could take awhile. Hopefully we'll have a house of our own and be settled.

I'm also noticing that every medical practitioner has a different suggestion for how to care for Amelia. I'm learning quickly that mommy knows best and next time I hope I'll share my wishes with them and not freak out every time someone "thinks" there's an issue or specific way of doing things.

I would LOVE to be bump buddies with you. Goodness though, I may make you loopy! Looking back I was very neurotic through the whole thing. I think it was just because I was fighting so hard to be heard and nobody believed me until we proved them wrong. I didn't trust any of them and felt so alone. Had it not been for you and the other girls God led me to, I'm not sure we'd have Amelia today. It really was by the grace of God we have her and this forum. I'm more prepared mentally for what goes on and what needs to be done. Not to say that the fear will go away. I think we all know it so well. It's like we have a "band of sisters". Though I wish none of us had to endure such hardship with IC. At least we have the support we need that we may not otherwise get in our own circles or with medical practitioners.

I'll continue to lurk and say hello every now and then. As I said, I'm loving all these happy stories and am praying for MANY more with the newer ladies!

 

[liven1980]

Hello ladies,
I see discharge is really confusing and nervewracking for all of us... But thank you all for describing, I do not think Its amniotic fluid in my case now. Jj said its not sticky, and its watery, mine is yellow mucus like... But no pain, maybe a bit of pinching only in the vagina. Like a needle now and then. Hopefully my nerves lasts until wed, when i have new app at hosp.
Jj: one day left, actually here in Norway 11 hours left for Sunday! yay!

BF and Christina: i am so sorry to hear about youre infections, it must be exhausting when they come back over and over again. I have heard about pills you can take orally so you dont have to disturb down there. Also heard not to clean to much as it disturbs natural flora/culture. I am recommended just to wash with water once or twice a day. But I think you know more about rhis than me after being through this many times now. Really hope it will be better soon.
Lizzie, I dont know if you remember, but when i was a bit down at week 28 you replied among other things that people around us are a bit "get over youre self, everything will be fine". I really experience this now, feeling a pressure to perform until week 38, as it is a done case. I can totally see how they dont understand anything of what we have to go through.
Good weekend to you all

 

[LaRockera]

Hi ladies!

Jimmy - I was told to steer clear from salt because cortizon causes water retention anyway, and sugar, because it may increase your glucose/sugar levels. The injections' effect tends to last for a couple of weeks.

MA- Thank you, sweetie, and well done to you for wanting to ttc so soon. You know we conceived Xanthe via IUI right? Not 10 though, nothing like it, just 13 months, so I can't compare my journey to yours! All I'm thinking is that I really need a break now, for a couple of years at least. I'm 31 though, so hoping to start trying again when I'm around 33, and if nothing happens by when I'n 35, we're trying the IUI route again- or whatever it takes. This, of course, is what I'm thinking now. One thing I've learned too well is that you can never rely on your own plans.

Olga - hon, I had all those symptoms you describe. If you go several pages back you'll see the same questions being repeated by most of us. I'm pretty sure you and your baby will be fine.

 

[kateqpr]

Hi everyone,

Hope you're all having a good weekend! It's been a long day - Poppy's 3rd birthday party. Five little dwarf like people round for tea, dressed as fairies and pirates. Hilarious! (i've put a photo of me and Poppy below). Spent most of yesterday making fairy cup cakes and decorating things with icing. Lots of fun, but now just want to go to bed, and it's only 6pm! My sleep is just crap at the moment - i'm waking up every hour or two, and was sat up, awake and in pain last night from 2 - 5am, with hip and bump pain. I totally forgot how uncomfortable the last weeks of pregnancy are, especially when horizontal!

Liven - well done on making it to 30 weeks! I felt hugely relieved when i reached that point. You OH is right about how we forget how many of these symptoms we've had before. I think sometimes it's a good idea to keep a 'symptom diary' each day. Then often you soon recognise a pattern of the same symptoms coming and going, that are normal for you, and nothing to worry about. I just suffered severe short term memory loss when it came to my IC worries, and Andy would often remind me 'but didn't you have that feeling last week, and it was all okay?'. Ahhh, yes.....

Olga - well done on the upgrade to St Thomas's! I was being seen under St Tom's for my last stitch, and for a while for this one. The view from my bed was fab - Big Ben, and the river Thames. Takes the edge of the rubbishness of being locked away inside! Plus they have an M&S downstairs. How cool is that for snacks! Hopefully you're starting to feel a bit more comfortable and confident now. I have had repeated periods of quite bad stitch discomfort (a horrible pinch right inside me...hard to explain how deep it feels) and cramps. All have led to nothing and passed within a couple of days.

Bookfish Hope you and OH are doing okay, and enjoying a bit of time together this weekend. HOpefully you'll start to feel heaps better this coming week, God knows you deserve a break! I remember having three UTI"s back to back from around 18 weeks, and it just left me feeling rubbish, plus emotionally so fed up with the added worry. But all were treated and didn't effect the pregnancy.

LaRockera - sooooo, stitch free, and now in the final furlong. I hope you're spending this weekend having lots of warm baths / swimming / having wild sex. All the things we haven't been able to do for months and month.....

JimmyJam - Hello lovely. I had steroids at 24 weeks. A little warning - they do 'smart' a bit when they give them! I was expecting a normal, pain free injection and got a bit of a shock at the sensation. I was told they work for 2 weeks, (advance the lungs by up to two weeks too) and can be regiven every two weeks if need be. I know what you mean about QC's view. My dad had a heart bypass a few years ago and spent ages in Hammersmith Hospital. The long evenings i spent watching the prison. Not the most inspiring view. Although when i spent five days in hospital after having Poppy, I had a view of the graveyard and incinerator. A real life affirming charm of a view!

Of COURSE i would love to visit you inside! Private message me and we can swap details, just in case you have no internet access (although i'm pretty sure you can get it inside). I took my laptop to hospital and managed to get on a BT hotspot for the week, which made a world of difference, and allowed me to watch Iplayer and surf for hours. Made a big difference to my days.

That's all folks! I have the inlaws down for the weekend, and a dinner to make. Have a good rest of your weekend!

XXX

 

[chistiana]

BF- thanks for getting back to me re the amniotic fluid..i cant seem to smell anything on whatever discharge i m getting, it doesnt smell like urine but i do drink as much water as i can...i ve already ordered litmus paper online otherwise i ll go completely crazy in the end!! These infections are crazy...my urine tests came back negative so i just continue with the cefaclor but i may try with the anitibiotic soap, thanks! How are you doing?

Olga hey hun...you dont need me to say this but i will...i m getting ALL the symptoms you re describing!!!Back pain, pinching, discharge you name it! I am so happy (in a weird kind of way!) that we are all experiencing the same thing..probably means we are all just fine! I m happy you are being transfered to st thomas hospital, it sounds better for you and the baby! Anyway, hope you re well hun!

 

[chistiana]

ow and KATE...you both look like beautiful fairies!!!