experience with prostaglandin gel?

[Michigan Mama]

Ok, so I've got these thrombosed hemorrhoids that are really making me sing the blues. Saw my m/w today, and my cervix is soft, thin, and dilated to about 2. She gave me some ideas to get things moving like taking epo, trying nipple stim (she said 15 min with breast pump, then rest for an hour. Can try one more time, then stop if not getting any action).

So she said if baby doesn't decide to come on his own, next Mon or Tues we can try doing the prostaglandin gel, and she thinks that will really kick me into labor. I'm 38w3d today, so I'd be past 39 weeks then.

I told her that I don't want to end up with pitocin and that whole shpeal, and she said she almost never uses pitocin, that if the gel doesn't work, we can try some other things (cohash tea - sp?), etc, or just wait.

I'm not really familiar with this stuff, as with ds1 he came on his own, but I am pretty uncomfortable with these darn hemorrhoids - it makes it really hard to function. Just wondering if any of you ladies have had experience with this?

[GradysMom]

I recall Ina May Gaskin had dug up some very unflattering statictis of risks associated with prostigladin gels applied to the cervix.. if you can get a copy of her books and read that part, she covers the science of them very thuroughly... the jist is, NO WAY... at least it was for me.

I have heard epo oral and vaginal plus sex is very effective but I have no idea of associated risk factors. My MD and I have agreed that I won't go that route either because I am trying to VBAC and don't want to risk rupture by over doing it.

[Michigan Mama]

Yeah - I don't have any of her books, but I'll see if I can find any other info.

Seems that perhaps just the cervical exam gave me a little kick in the tush because I'm having contractions whenever I stand up now. They are mild if I sit, but come on consistently if I'm on my feet. Can't tell if they are BH or headed for the real thing, but either way, at least my body is doing something!

Can you get EPO at any pharmacy or whatever, or does it have to be a health/natural food store???

[texaspeach]

good luck!

They have EPO at the pharmacy and grocery store in the vitamins/supplements section

I do wonder if it would do anything though. EPO is for ripening the cervix (so is prostiglandin gel), if your cervix is already soft, thin and slightly dilated isn't it already ripe? EPO isn't an induction method, just a ripening method, not sure about the gel. I know that a lot of people do get contractions from the gel working its magic

[Hestia144]

I had the prostaglandin gel with both of my first two. It worked like magic for me. I was at 42 weeks and 0 cm and 0% effaced both times. The midwife put the stuff up there in the evening and told me to rest. Both times about 3 hrs later I was in active labor. My first was born about 6 hrs of labor later and my second was born around 2 hrs worth of labor later. Compared to my third who I allowed AROM at 42 weeks, I would take the gel any day! I don't know what else specifically you wanted to know, but thought I'd chime in with my experience.