Baby Place

Nikki · Joined: 30 Mar 2004 Posts: 407 Location: Toronto

Just wondering if anyone has any negative/or positive experiences with Pitocin.
I was given Pitocin when I was in labour with my son to speed things up and I found the contractions brought on by the Pitocin unbearable to the point that I had to ask for an epidural shortly after starting the pit.
After 14 hours of increasing the amt. of pit. my baby was showing signs of fetal distress and at which point a emerg. c-sec was ordered.

For the birth of my next baby I would really like to try and avoid the pitocin, and epidural if possible. It just seems that when you are in the hospital you really are at the mercy of the staff.
Hmmmm, maybe I should consider a Doula......

Sunny · Joined: 30 Oct 2004 Posts: 5

Are you absolutely sure they didn't use "Cytotec" on you? Thats whats in the NEWS all over the TV...They gave my daughter in law Pitocin and then after a few hours gave her Cytotec and didn't even tell her...it was on her medical records...It can really damage your female parts..and Fetal distress can cause bad bad things later in life..how much fetal distress was the baby under? Or I should ask for how long?? "Thats the major question here" Read up on it, even if it was just pitocin sounds like you had a very hard time..I'm sorry for you! I hope you feel better now...

Nikki · Joined: 30 Mar 2004 Posts: 407 Location: Toronto

Hi Sunny,

I'm sure it was just Pitocin.......my water had already broken at home so we then went to the hospital. They had me walk for over an hour to see if my labour/contraction would progress naturally.
Unfortunately, I was not progressing quickle enough for the nurse and they were committed to delivery my baby within 24 hrs of my waters breaking due to possible infection.

They started the Pit. and I have done a lot of reading on-line about it and it sounds like many, many other women have experienced what I did......the horrible painful contractions.....these contractions can sometimes be so strong that they do cause fetal distress. My son's heartrate was dropping drastically so they decided to do an emerg. c-sec.
My son was born very healthy although he did have some fluid on his lungs. He scored a 9 on his Apgar but I do think all of the drugs and birthing experience did affect him somewhat........he did have colic and I do partly blame it on the hospital.

My husband who is a lawyer was really pissed off at the hospital and was even talking about a lawsuit.........

Right now I'm doing as much reading, and research as I can so that I can have a more positve experience with this birth.

Thanks for your response Very Happy

Nikki · Joined: 30 Mar 2004 Posts: 407 Location: Toronto

Sorry for all the spelling errors on the above post......I'm typing quickly so I can get the lights up on my Christmas tree before Alex wakes up from his nap......I can't do it with him around or he'll have the whole tree down Laughing

Mom of 2 · Joined: 26 May 2004 Posts: 303

Personally I've never had it, but everyone I know who was given Pitocin, which is many, all said it is horrible stuff and wouldn't want it again. Like you said the pain was severe. I deliver via c-section so I have to have epidural/spinals and was told that some does reach the child that's why some are very placid after birth and when they get home or once it gets out of their system they are more awake, fussier, etc. Good luck with future deliveries.

acidstars · Joined: 08 Nov 2004 Posts: 13 Location: upstate ny

I was given Pitocin and have mixed reviews... THOUGH I will say given the circumstances, I'm glad it was provided, and my experience was, for the most part, really good.

For me, the only negative (and yeah, I know this is a biggie) is that it sent my son into distress after I'd been on it for three or four hours. They stopped the drip the instant his heartrate started to slow down, and he came out of it immediately. After a little monitoring, administration was resumed b/c the pros outweighed the cons in my case. I experienced no other problems. Then again, I was in excellent hands -- my doctor is fantastic, and the hospital's nursing staff is very knowledgeable and just as well prepared :)

For me, it was a godsend because it really helped move things along. My son was two weeks post due at the time (perhaps a little more) and I was scheduled for induction two days after that; during the prior three weeks, I'd dialated to one inch, sealed back up completely, and redialated to about an inch; I'd had erratic contractions for 48hrs (they'd hit every twenty minutes, then ten, then three to five, then two for quite a while, and then just completely stop); my plug was gone, my water had broken, I was completely dry... but still stuck at one inch when I was wheeled into maternity, though my son was extremely low, annnnd they were watching me for possible toxemia, to boot. FWIW, it seemed to have absolutely no effect on my him > re: making him placid or leaving him doped up.

Of course, if I'm ever fortunate enough to carry another child, I plan on bypassing Pitocin unless it's something I absolutely HAVE to have b/c I do worry about the risks and side-effects, rare as they seem to be...

Nikki · Joined: 30 Mar 2004 Posts: 407 Location: Toronto

Sorry if I missed this in your post, but how did you deliver your son?
Did you end up having a c-sec or vaginally? You mentioned you were only 1 cm dilated...

acidstars · Joined: 08 Nov 2004 Posts: 13 Location: upstate ny

It was vaginal, thank insert-diety-here. I was 1cm dialated when we arrived at maternity and (apparently) unable to progress beyond that point alone, but did dialate to nearly 10cm with the drip, hurrah.

I'm sorry your experience with Pitocin was so bad, and wish you luck with avoiding it next time around. As for being at the mercy of the hospital's staff, a doula is an excellent idea (I didn't use one, but hear nothing but positive remarks from those who have). Meeting with your doctor + the person in charge of the hospital's Maternity ward ahead of time and expressing your desires/concerns and then letting them know what you EXPECT ahead of time (put it in writing, have a copy added to your file) may work, too.

jenbaby#1 · Joined: 23 May 2004 Posts: 65 Location: South Carolina

I'm sorry you had a bad experience with Pitocin Sad

I also heard that it brings stronger contractions. When I was induced they gave me Pitocin and didn't have an epidural until about 3 hours later. I didnt feel the ctx's getting stronger.I didn't even know I was having them until I was hooked up to the monitor. I had been having them for a couple weeks before having Lexi and didn't know what they were and they weren't painful at all not even at 5 cm when I got the epi. I was expecting to be in a lot of pain! I hope you have an easier labor this time around and good luck with your pregnancy too Very Happy

Marianne's first · Joined: 20 Jul 2004 Posts: 268 Location: California

Jen-
So your labor and delivery experiences were good? Not too much pain? Did the epidural hurt? I am starting to get nervous a little!!

jenbaby#1 · Joined: 23 May 2004 Posts: 65 Location: South Carolina

When he gave me the shot to numb the area it stung real bad for a few seconds but after, it didn't hurt at all. The Epi lasted about 12 hours. Everyones body takes to it differently, though. Before I had her it had started to wear off some but I still couldn't feel any pressure to push(they wanted me to feel some) and that took and hour and a half! The epi made me itch alot and my back still itched for days after.I'm glad my labor went really well! I was so scared I would be in so much pain. I hope your labor and delivery go really well! Good luck Very Happy

Mom of 2 · Joined: 26 May 2004 Posts: 303

When I had my epidural, I didn't feel a thing. Maybe because the contraction I was having hurt more. When I had my spinal with my 2nd (different anethesiologist) there was one prick that hurt and after it wore off I was EXTREMELY itchy and the benadryl or whatever they gave didn't work at all. The spinal wears off quicker, but I think I liked the epidural much better do to the different side effects I had with the spinal.

bensons05 · Joined: 05 Jan 2005 Posts: 2 Location: Flushing, MI

my first child I didn't know I was in labor so by the time I got to the hospital I was rushed to labor and delivery and had a wonderful EASY natural delivery. My second child my doctor thought I was overdue so I was admitted to the hospital and the nurse was instructed to inject potcin at 5:00am I delivered at 10:30am And thought I was going to pass out from the contractions. Every time they stopped they started agian. I asked for an epidural but he was tied up doing a c-section. My daughter ended up being 4 weeks early!! NOW i'm pregnant agian and I pray everyday I do'nt have to endure that agian.

Chelle J · Joined: 22 Oct 2004 Posts: 120 Location: New Zealand

I am from New Zealand and I was induced when I was pregnant with my daughter. I am not sure what they used to induce me but I went to the hospital at 8:30am my midwife used jelly on me and then I was monitered to make sure baby and I didnt react in a bad way to the gel. Then at 2:30pm I was given more gel and monitered for an hour during that hour I had severe contractions and at 3:30pm went in to labour (regular contractions) 4:29 my baby girl was born. The labour was fast but real severe with my first my labour was 4and1/2 hours and it was as severe thankfully my girl was fine and all was well. My son however was born with thick meconium around him and got sick 4 hours later with shallow breathing and spent a week in the baby unit. He had meconium aspiration.

jmom · Joined: 25 Jan 2005 Posts: 87 Location: Pennsylvania

I was induced because of high blood pressure. I was given pitocin at 7:30 PM and by the next morning still felt nothing more than crampy contractions. They took me off of the IV and tried again the next day...8:00am and I had the baby at 2:30PM. The second time the contractions got hard very quickly. I had an epidural and it was fine. (As fine as it can be Laughing

) My experience with pitocin was fine. I would do it again if it was necessary.