positive cytotec stories?

[sonicfrost]

I'm 42w 2d along, and I'm getting induced on Jan. 4th with the use of cytotec. I've researched this method quite a bit and I've read a lot of negative things about it. I would like to know if anyone here has been induced using cytotec and how did it go? I'm looking mainly for first hand experience with it, not a friend of a cousin twice removed or this study showed this or this. I know the amount of dosage is important, and I'll be getting a quarter of a pill, the 25 milligram? Microgram? whichever it is, its the 25 amount one.

I'm just looking for some confidence. While I am being induced because I'm so "overdue" I've been worrying myself over the baby's well being and freaking out that he's not moving as much as he used to. I just had a NST today and everything was fine, so if the cytotec induction doesn't work, I'll probably just leave the hospital without a baby and wait a few more days. His fluid levels were ok a week ago, but were less than the week before, so I assume that means fluid is decreasing?

I didn't want to be induced, but I honestly didn't think I'd still be pregnant come Jan. as I was due Dec. 17th. Give me some confidence!

[SparklingGemini]

Thread crashing.

Can you request a Foley induction instead? That's how I was induced and I was completely unfavorable. I was just very concerned about Cytotec.

[MiaMama]

I was 38w 4d, and my daughter was diagnosed with IUGR (Intra-uterine growth restriction). I was totally unfavorable for induction; not at all dialated, not effaced, she was at -2 station, but they told me she needed to be born ASAP. I was not and am still not happy with this, but it happened.

They gave me a single pill of cytotec orally to start. I'm sorry, but I don't know the dosage. I am still trying to get my medical records. I ALSO had a foley bulb inserted in my cervix and inflated with water to 3cm. I guess that means it was a combo foley/cytotec induction.

My overall impression after was that I had pretty good birth experience. The cytotec was only given to me in a small amount, and other interventions were kept to a minimum. The pitocin was much MUCH more unpleaseant, and I would do whatever I could do to avoid that again. I think there are probably other options that may be better, like maybe cervidil, but cytotec didn't make me feel like I was super sick or drastically alter the birthing pattern. (other than starting it way earlier than my body and baby would have liked.)

I did feel really ill for several weks after, although it was a relatively easy birth. I wonder how much of that was side effects of the drug.

I know how hard it is to stick up for what you want when they are telling you if your baby stays in they will die It worked on me. When they told me they were inducing me with cytotec, I got really upset, but they brought in a crew of people to yell at me and tell me I couldn't leave the hospital. Midwives and OBs and nurses shoulder to shoulder.

I hope you go into labor before your induction.

[mwherbs]

well it sounds as if this is not going to be one of the trial vaginal inserts of misoprostol but a cut up tablet- and that makes a difference because if you have a hyperstimulation reaction how can this be removed to stop the effect? the type of application makes a difference I think that the more frequently studied amount is 50m compared to dinoprostone vaginal inserts - and in a 12 hr time line the results are more likely to have a birth with cytotec but in a 24 hr time line there is usually not much difference as far as achieving vaginal births but there is a difference in incidence of fetal distress and uterine hyperstimulation cytotec having a much higher incidence.
there was a recent study done in Portugal using 25 microgram caps 250 singleton term pregnancies nearly 60% of the moms were nullips placement was done at 6 hr intervals they had a 97.6% successful induction rate- with the average number of inserts being 1.5 with ACTIVE labor starting at about 10h 20 minutes into the process (so if that is when most labors started then definately they would have gotten 2 inserts almost time for a 3rd ) any how average labor length was 15 h 35 minutes C-section rate was nearly 19% there were 3 cases of hypertonus and 1 case of hyperstimulation syndrome and 15 cases of tachysystole--
so if I were thinking in an older fashioned way where I would be expecting a complication /c-section rate of 5-10% this is an elevated complication rate
compared to how frequently c-sections are done now in hospital at 25% it is a reduced c-section rate--
any how a similar thing to try but is less likely to hyperstimulate the uterus is Dinoprostone (Cervidil, Prepidil, Prostin E2) it is packaged as a vaginal insert and can be removed if there is a problem, the biggest thing is that it COSTS more hundreds of dollars more in one way on the other hand in the long run a single rupture costs much much more

[MsBlack]

Sorry, I can't possibly give you any confidence when it comes to cytotec. All it took was hearing from a CNM I know--one who used to think that 25m was a totally safe dose for anyone--about her client whose uterus ruptured with only a single 25m dose.

The 97% success rate is all very well and good--until you are the mama whose uterus ruptures or whose baby experiences distress as a direct result of this dangerous drug. I can't believe it is still being used for maternity care! Except possibly for pp hemorrhage, where it may be safer since the uterus is not stretched around a baby at that point.

Yes, cervidil or foley. Or have you tried castor oil yet?

[lunita1]

Is there a reason you'll be induced this way instead of with pit? You can turn pit up, down and off...

[mwherbs]

usually they offer this type of induction when ripening is needed-

[~RememberToForget~]

"Cytotec is NOT FDA APPROVED for use in labor inductions, or in fact in pregnant women at all. Doctors use it because it is cheap. It is a drug that is used to treat ulcers. Even Searle, the maker of Cytotec, is warning OBs from using it on pregnant women to induce births. http://parenting.ivillage.com/pregna...,,6xr4,00.html "

Edited by ~RememberToForget~ - 10/2/11 at 3:51pm

[mwherbs]

well there are certain forms of cytotec that ARE currently approved by the FDA for labor induction- as part of a multi-center study.

[sonicfrost]

ugh, not what I wanted to hear, but thank you for being honest everyone.

I don't know what other forms of induction are available at this hospital, but I guess I'll try for cervadil then pit if pit is needed. I thought pitocin was the drug to stay away from but that's a good point about being able to turn it off or down or up. I'll probably call the hospital today and see what my options are.

You're right when you say 97% success rate sounds good until you're among the 3% that something goes wrong. Its nice to think "it won't happen to me" but I can't think that way any more. I was due 2 1/2 weeks ago and never thought I'd be this late and need an induction with a barely ripe cervix. Life is full of surprises!

Thanks again.

[melodyka]

sonicfrost- I am in the boat with you. my cytotec induction is scheduled for Wednesday. of course, i am hoping beyond hope that i go into labor naturally in the next few days. i am with a maternal fetal medicine doc who feels very confident using cytotec, but of course all the bad press about it still freaks me out. i was induced last time because of a similiar complication by use of cervadil & pitocin, and it was really a long arduous process- 4 days from cervidil till birth.

msblack- do you know if the uterine rupture case was an oral or vaginal dose? any other factors? what number birth?

[MsBlack]

It was a first time mama with no previous uterine scarring/surgery.

I don't remember the other details, sorry.

[sonicfrost]

I just called the hospital and they said they use cytotec because its more natural than other induction methods. I guess they meant compared to pitocin which is synthetic. I can request a different method (I will be requesting cervidil) but I have to talk to my doctor about it when I get there, partly because its been a week since my cervix was checked and it might be ripe enough to use something completely different.

[lunita1]

Originally Posted by sonicfrost

I just called the hospital and they said they use cytotec because its more natural than other induction methods. I guess they meant compared to pitocin which is synthetic.

That's a bunch of hooey. Misoprostol is a gastric ulcer drug which also happens to be a "synthetic prostaglandin analog." There's nothing natural about it. My guess is that it is used because it is much cheaper than using cervadil.

There ARE official clinical trials going on WRT its safety and effectiveness at inducing labor, but it isn't officially approved on-label for that use. The manufacturer actually advises against using it for induction on the package inserts. By using it routinely, they're basically using women as guinea pigs for an experimental drug without getting full informed consent.

[MegBoz]

Originally Posted by sonicfrost

You're right when you say 97% success rate sounds good until you're among the 3% that something goes wrong.

I don't knot the stats off the top of my head, but I'm fairly certain that the "risks" of going post-dates, like to 43W, are MUCH lower than 3%. Yes, the risk of stillbirth goes up as you pass 42W, but it goes from like, for example 1 in 100,000 to 2 in 100,000 - it's still very low (i don't know these #s, just a rough estimate, but again, the rate may double, it's just still very very low - MUCH MUCH lower than 3%!!!!!!!!!

Originally Posted by sonicfrost

I just had a NST today and everything was
fine, so if the cytotec induction doesn't work, I'll probably just leave the hospital without a baby and wait a few more days.

Perhaps you ought to check on that one in advance as well.

[AnnieNimIty]

Originally Posted by mwherbs

well there are certain forms of cytotec that ARE currently approved by the FDA for labor induction- as part of a multi-center study.

As in testing on humans? Studying the effects of drugs on people... AFTER it has been approved....

[mwherbs]

yes as in phase III testing for use as a labor drug/device - it is already an approved drug for human use for ulcers and early termination. what they are looking for and testing now is defining safe use and if a vaginal insert will work as well or better than what is on the market already or if gels or pills or caps make a difference - a while back all the bigger hospitals in my region were inrolled in or or another of the studies.
the last Cochrane review on the this was like 7 years ago and probably due for an update -

[Plummeting]

Originally Posted by ObliviousAnnette

As in testing on humans? Studying the effects of drugs on people... AFTER it has been approved....

This isn't actually uncommon. Drugs are often approved for one use, then used off label for something for which they were never approved. If it looks promising for the off label use, then the mfctr will conduct a study for that particular use, in the hopes of having it approved for that particular use.

[StoriesInTheSoil]

What about trying EPO and Castor Oil?