Pitocin makes it hurt worse? - Page 3

[_betsy_]

My first was Pitocin induced. It was extrmely intense from start to finish, and very very fast. No breaks between intense contractions, i went from walking arounf at 100% and 4 cms without ever feeling a contraction to essentially transition for over an hour then pushing for 30 minutes with no urge to push. It was hell, but it was over quickly, baby was born 1 hour and 48 minutes after the "test dose" or pitocin drip was started.

With my second, natural, unmedicated birth, it was even faster. Went from walking around 100% and 4-5 cms without ever feeling a cx, not even a BH, to baby in 1 hour and 8 minutes. My water broke, contrax started and baby was here just as quickly the second time.

I describe both as violent on my body. No time to do any natural, normal building of intensity in cx and stretching. But apparently that's just how I birth, it wasn't all the fault of the Pitocin the first time around. Though my second birth was different, the cx were just as intense and there was still no breaks in between. 2nd time around was 2 pushes to get baby out.

Apparently I'm very sensitive to the hormone Oxytocin, whether synthetic (Pitocin) or natural.

[ALLY1981]

Im looking to find the diference between Pitocin and Prostiaglandin for my baby due next month, any suggestions as to what I should use with less pain?

[HappyMommy2]

I have had one pit labor (ending in unnecessary c-section), and then two homebirths.  The pitocin labor was horribly painful, and far, FAR worse than my  intense 5 hour labors.  Let me give you an example, at 11:15 I was at 5 cm, at 12:20 I had my homebirth water baby in my arms.  That was a pretty painful hour, and it still wasn't ANYTHING like pit contractions.  On pitocin, I felt like the exorcist, and now I call it Devil Juice.

[miriam]

PItocin is often used postpartum to prevent excessive bleeding. It is a vascular constrictor.

However, to be fully informed, mothers should know that too much pitocin over a long labor can tire the vascular system so much that the vascular system will not respond to the drug effects any longer and pitocin can be the cause of a postpartum hemmorhage.  Too much can also cause an infrequently reported condition known as an amniotic embolism that will leave the mother ill for a very long time postpartum.  

Pitocin can be a lifesaver, but it needs to be used carefully, judiciously, and with reason and the mother should be fully informed.  

Doctors like to think most mothers in labor have a pitocin deficiency that only they can relieve.

[mmaramba]

Originally Posted by ALLY1981 

Im looking to find the diference between Pitocin and Prostiaglandin for my baby due next month, any suggestions as to what I should use with less pain?

First things first-- why are you being induced?

[MsFortune]

Originally Posted by ALLY1981 

Im looking to find the diference between Pitocin and Prostiaglandin for my baby due next month, any suggestions as to what I should use with less pain?

Not sure what you are asking.  I had an induction with pitocin and it was not bad - everything went smoothly.

I really don't advise doing it without an epidural though.  The pain is mind-boggling.  

[katelove]

Originally Posted by ALLY1981 

Im looking to find the diference between Pitocin and Prostiaglandin for my baby due next month, any suggestions as to what I should use with less pain?

Two different drugs with two different uses. Synthetic oxytocin (trade name Pitocin in the US) is used to stimulate contractions which, in turn, help to dilate the cervix and move the baby down as with natural contractions (theoretically).

Prostaglandins are used to ripen the cervix and make it more receptive to the actions of the oxytocin. While prostaglandins are enough to put some women into labour this is not their function and it certainly shouldn't be counted on. The general course of an induction is preparation of the cervix in some way (prostaglandins, foley catheter etc) followed by oxytocin.

If you do go into labour with just prostaglandins the progress of your labour will probably be more like a completely natural labour as you will have your own oxytocin and other hormones doing the work and you will have the benefit of endorphins and a slower build up etc etc.

As an aside, I found the rest of this thread very alarming. If people on synto are having no break between contractions then the dose is too high. I have managed many synto inductions. The goal is to have regular contractions 3 in 10 minutes, of moderate intensity (by palpation). When you achieve that you stop increasing the dose. If it exceeds that at any time you reduce the dose.

[Smokering]

I had a prostoglandin induction at term (they also broke my waters). It certainly wasn't fun, but it doesn't sound like what the PPs are describing. There were breaks between contractions, they built up gradually, and transition was definitely worse than earlier labour. :p So I assume it's a somewhat gentler, more natural form of induction. It might not work if you're not already pretty close to giving birth, though, and I was threatened with Pitocin throughout labour if I didn't progress quickly enough - I had pre-eclampsia, so they wanted to get the baby out fairly quickly. I really wanted to avoid the drugs, though, and I'm glad I did!

[Megan73]

Kate has laid it out well.

And I have to add that I didn't find the "insanely painful" part true for me. I've had a spontaneous vaginal birth and one induced with pitocin after my cervix was ripened with prostaglandins. Maybe it was because the pitocin was correctly administered, but I didn't find induced labor more painful - in both cases I found it manageable until transition.

That said, I absolutely agree spontaneous labor should be the norm and non-medically necessary inductions strongly discouraged, particularly for first timers.

There's good info about induction on Henci Goer's site, BTW, for example avoiding ARM, etc.

[mrsberman]

Originally Posted by katelove 

Two different drugs with two different uses. Synthetic oxytocin (trade name Pitocin in the US) is used to stimulate contractions which, in turn, help to dilate the cervix and move the baby down as with natural contractions (theoretically).

Prostaglandins are used to ripen the cervix and make it more receptive to the actions of the oxytocin. While prostaglandins are enough to put some women into labour this is not their function and it certainly shouldn't be counted on. The general course of an induction is preparation of the cervix in some way (prostaglandins, foley catheter etc) followed by oxytocin.

If you do go into labour with just prostaglandins the progress of your labour will probably be more like a completely natural labour as you will have your own oxytocin and other hormones doing the work and you will have the benefit of endorphins and a slower build up etc etc.

As an aside, I found the rest of this thread very alarming. If people on synto are having no break between contractions then the dose is too high. I have managed many synto inductions. The goal is to have regular contractions 3 in 10 minutes, of moderate intensity (by palpation). When you achieve that you stop increasing the dose. If it exceeds that at any time you reduce the dose.

I'm sure there are goals and procedures, but mistakes are made. During my pit induced labor with DD, my contractions were too much, too fast and I finally got an epi. Shortly before pushing, I remember a nurse walking up to the machine saying "Oh, we should probably shut this off now, you're doing fine on your own." I strongly suspect they left the pitocin longer than it was needed to be left on for. Shoot, they forgot to drain my bladder for hours and as the epi was wearing off I complained about that pain over the pain of my contractions

[Magali]

My first was induced with pit.  My 2nd was natural.  My 2nd was a better experience.  The contractions would start and stop and I could deal with them.  They were incredibly painful, but they were by far easier to deal with  On pit they came in very intense constant waves that made me feel out of control and I was unable to withstand the pain and needed...yes needed... an epidural.