I'm going to loose it

[lttlchristian]

Hello! I have posted on here before the new forum started under tla617 but haven't been able to do much for awhile. This is my first pregnancy and HG started at 6 weeks. I had all the "normal" reactions to it ie: it's all in your head, just eat something and you'll feel better and on and on, until the dr's finally figured out what was going on and then I heard about how other people had the same thing or knew someone who did. Ha ha ha with that, getting sick 6 times a day is NOT the same thing, infact I had a older male cousin tell me he doesn't think I should take meds for it because I'm harming my baby and his DIL " has the same thing, and she's toughing it out and still working a labor intensive job " I found out later she has gotten sick maybe six time total. GRRRR anyway, that was the start of my problems. I was in the hosp. about 20 times which I know people on here can totally relate to and had a PICC placed. Well I thought things were getting better stopped getting sick and then I got a severe PICC infection and admitted into the hospital . All because at first the STUPID on call dr. thought I had a virus when I went into the hospital the first night and they sent me home EVEN though I was having contractions and at that point my temp went DOWN to 101.7. I went back the next day and my DR had me admitted and wrote orders for the PICC to be pulled that day and it still didn't get done for 3 days because again the on call dr. came in the next day and said my PICC looked fine and still thought it was a viral thing. I had temps up to 104.7 for three days until a resident came in and wanted to know why the picc was still in and she called my doc who came in to see for himself why the picc wasn't pulled and took the thing out himself . Talk about a ticked off dr.because by that point I had a blood infection from it and then had to go on strong antibotics. That is the very short version of the Picc infection story. OK so we think jeez what else could go wrong, well we found out. Pre Term Labor at 24 weeks. Now I am on bed rest until this baby is due in October and I am going nuts. I also wake up every morning scared to death that the hg is going to come back. I'm starting to feel gross again and gaging more but not as bad as before. I'm afraid that I'll have to get another picc line if it does get bad, even though I know it saved me before and I wouldn't change getting it at all. I was just wondering if anyone has had a similar problem with the PICC or if anyone else is on bed rest . THANK YOU for letting me vent, and I don't know if I put this on the right board even but I'm am now in my third tri and would like to see how other third tri people are doing. Thanks again !!!!!

Tonya
Christian David EDD 10/12/04

[dwtegli]

Hi Tonya,

Welcome Back, I to am due in October. I haven't had to have a picc line but I was afraid of being put on bedrest. I had a bit of bleeding about a month ago and the doc put me on restriction for two weeks. I managed to make it through those two weeks with no bleeding so I am not on restriction anymore. I am sorry you have had so much trouble. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Just wanted to say hi and to try to hang in there. Hugs,

[MamaLily]

Tonya -

I'm so sorry to hear about all of the difficulties you have been having with this pregnancy. And being put on bed rest now must be so frustrating! I want you to know that my thoughts are with you.

I never had a PICC line because my perinatologist won't put them in unless it is absolutely the very last resort. He has seen enough problems with them to avoid them whenever possible. So I had an NG tube for 6 weeks during my HG pregnancy. And if I have another pregnancy, I am planning on having an NG tube again. I have done a lot of research and questioning on the matter, and I honestly feel that HGers ought to try NG tubes before PICC lines. I know that having a feeding tube doesn't sound like something to volunteer for, but there are so many advantages. I'm praying that you won't get there again, but if your doctor mentions another PICC line, PLEASE consider an NG tube instead. I'd be happy to give you all the details, if you want.

Hang in there. I know it doesn't seem like it, but I promise it will be worth it in the end. I'll be thinking of you...please keep us posted. We are all here for you!

- Anna

[cthmschler]

Tonya
You asked if other 3rd tris have had problems with the PICC line or are on bed rest. I am not, thank the Lord, on forced bed rest, although it seems that the farther along I get, the sicker I get again and am forced back into bed more and more by the weakness (from being in be so long ALREADY), dizziness, nausea and vomitting. I'm mainly replying to give you another view on the PICC line. I had one with my last pregnancy for 2+1/2 months, and am going into my 7th month with the PICC line in this pregnancy, and thank God, they're going to induce me next Wednesday. Anyways, the only problem I've had with my PICC line (aside from the fact that it broke twice and I had to have it replaced each time) is a persistent skin reaction to the dressings they use to cover it. Even after they switched to the "less irritating" kind of dressing I still have to take Benadryl 3X a night to stave off a severe skin reaction, and even with that, it constantly itches and burns. That said, with the hydration through the PICC line, I am able to eat a bit (enough to gain some weight, even), and I know I'm doing MUCH better than I would without it. Near the beginning of my 3rd trimester, I started vomitting ANY fluids I intook orally and had to go back to 3 liters of hydration a day. But, as I said, with the hydration through the PICC, I can eat something, at least, and as long as I don't drink more than 8 ounces a day, it usually stays down. So for me at least, mainly just needing the hydration, a PICC seems the best choice. Just wanted to give you a different viewpoint!

[yellowm3]

Ok Tonya, I'm jealous. They're willing to induce you already! I'm due on 7/29 and my doctor won't even talk about it until next Monday and that's ONLY if my cervix has dilated.

Anyway, getting back to the topic. I never had the PICC but I did have a Zofran pump for 4 months before they switched me to Reglan (in the pump too). I was hospitalized a few times before my doctor decided to do the pump and I have to say I think it kept us from losing the baby. I had lost 20ish pounds and couldn't keep anything down. I've managed to gain that 20 back and then add another 10 with the Reglan in the last 6wks or so though my body isn't adjusting to the rapid weight gain well.

The weird thing is the more women I talk to who have had HG the more I hear about them having larger than average babies. My doctor thinks mine is 8.5-9lbs (maybe more) now which at 37.5 weeks is no small baby. I just wish something, SOMETHING would happen to make them encourage labor. These contractions are quite annoying!!!