[EkkaGrrl]

Hey ladies.. sorry I've been so quiet but I wanted to talk about what I went through I needed to wait until it wasn't so raw.

On Sunday night, after I picked up my children from their dad's, my heart started pounding and I almost passed out on the hiway! I stopped and waited a few minutes but my heart wasn't slowing so I managed to make my way to the nearest hospital. I was alone with my kids and my I couldn't even think riht because of the dizziness and the pounding of my heart. Luckily, DP frined in that town came to hospital to take care of my kids until someone could reach their dad.

When they got me in the room I had an irregular heartbeat and they hooked me up to the heart monitors. My heart rate was 270! They weren't sure what to do with me because I'm pregnant but decided to give me a med that should have lowered my heart rate instantly.. it didn't even touch it. The gave me another dose and nothing. My blood pressure was really dropping by this point and we discussed the pros and cons of another med. I agreed to it and I was given 3 doses of it and that did nothing. My heart rate was in the 200's for hours! They were worried about the baby and my lungs had started to fill with fluid. I had a chest x-ray and various drugs and even thougth I felt like I was dying I was so worried about what all of this was doing to my baby.

They decided to air lift me to a better hospital in Toronto with a Cardiac Unit and when the helicopter got there they couldn't transport me because my heart and my blood pressure became erratic again. They were actually prepping me to be shocked....

Yet another drug was given to me and my heart rate actually dropped.. off I went to Toronto. By the time I got there I was stable but my heart rate was still a little high. A few test later they decided I had a wiring issue with my heart that was probably made symptomatic by the stress of pregnancy and other stress I have been through lately ( my cousin recently killed himself and I had to make a 2 day car trip to Nova Scotia to be t his funeral and then spend a week with a family I don't like much..) Anyway, the problm itself is fixable after I give birth and shouldn't be deadly but the issue is the baby and low blood pressure. All I can do for now is wait.. and this waiting is hard. My heart is still skipping beats and speeding up from time to time but so far it's managable.

The really hard part about all of this.. I no longer have a midwife..

The tranferred my care to an OB ( luckily I do know him and I like him but he's still a dr....) and the cardiac guys suggested I see a high rish ob and plan to give birth in Toronto. *sigh* I feel like I have lost all control over the birth I need to have. I have a huge fear of hospitals. I get anxious just thinking about being in one.. I'm so sad and scared about all of this.

That being said... I thought I was going to die on Sunday night. I thought I would never see my kids or anyone I love again. But here I am and I really need to find the positives in all of this. This could have been so much worse. I'm alive, my baby is ok and I should be grateful.

Does anyone have any advice on how I should deal with the OB? There are so many things they do by policy that I don't see the point to and don't want for myself. I talked to my family dr and he told me I shouldn't need any extra care unless there is a problem to I want to avoid and unneeded stuff during my labour and birth. I'm not silly and I know if a problem arises I will need the extra medical care but as long as my heart rate is fine I don't want what I don't need.. KWIM?

Wow.. that was long..

If you're still with me thanks!!

 

[ashleep]

Oh mama! How scary! No advice on the OB but I'm sending you healing thoughts and best wishes.

Sorry for all the stress you're under with family matters too.

 

[Marlet]

Wow!

 

[BoGiBoBo]

Oh I'm so sorry momma, for your scare!

As far as the OB, my only advice right now would be to talk to him now and early and discuss things with him. Try to figure out the things that you really don't want and are willing to fight over, and the things that would be nice but you would be fine if they happened (or didn't). I'm sorry that things won't happen the way you initially wanted, that's a tough one.

I hope you are healing and everything is smooth sailing until birth.

 

[quetinha]

What a scary thing to go through! I feel for you.
I know that many of the women in this community prefer to stay away from OBs. I don't share the feeling even though I think I understand it. All I can suggest is to remember they are people too. They simply have a different view point. You have to find one that you "click" with and know that their job is to get you and your baby through the pregnancy in the healthiest state possible. Not all OBs are forceful, you may find one that will listen to you and be supportive. Remember, nothing is final. If you go to someone you feel you can't work with - then go somewhere else.
I wish you the best.

 

[beckyand3littlemonsters]

how scary hun

 

[curlylocks]

Wow - what a story - I feel for you and am very glad you are alive and on the road to becoming healthy. You need to think primarily of the baby now until s/he is born, and then get yourself sorted out - as they had said. A doc is prob the best person to ensure that you have a safe delivery for you and your baby - after what has happened. I am confident you can find an OB who will reach a good compromise regarding your birth options. I really like my OB and he is extremely compliant with my wishes. We have had several conversations and I am v clear about what I want/dont want. I know it can be challenging FINDING that OB, but hopefully you can visit a few and have some say in it. Can you have a midwife assist with the birth? or at least get a doula and just have the OB for the 'essential' parts?
KUP and let us know what you decide/find out.

 

[eri_flores]

I'm sorry you had to go through something so scary...the health issues themselves, but also being in the hospital, dealing with the meds and other interventions. (I have a history of palpitations and a racing heart rate that has never been satisfactorily diagnosed or treated... it generally worsens in times of great stress. Though I've nevre gone through anything as intense as what you've described, I do know how scared I feel whenever something is going on with my heart.)

I'll agree with the other posters who have suggested that you try to find and/or work with the OB about what things are very important to you. Hopefully you'll find someone who is willing to compromise (and you may have to do some compromising as well). Also, see about having a mw or at least a doula with you to offer that extra level of support for you and the choices you would like to make. All the best wishes for good health for the rest of your pregnancy. Just focus on you and baby as much as you can and taking good care of you both.

 

[Alohamelly]

I'm sorry you went through all of that!

 

[Momsteader]

Yikes! Scary!! I do agree with transferring your care to an OB. A midwife isn't equiped to deal with a potential life-threatening heart problem and a pregnancy!

As for the OB, I'd talk with him right away. Let him know that even though your condition might be higher risk, as long as the pregnancy is progressing uneventfully, you'll not be doing any additional testing or what not that you don't want to have. You might even ask if you can have concurrent care with the midwife. Where you'd see the MW a few times and then the OB once and have them both keep track of you. I did it with my last two pregnancies, because the midwife I used didn't have hospital privileges and a hb wasn't possible. But, I felt like I got the best of both by having the MW for lots of prenatals.

 

[CarolynnMarilynn]

I would recommend seeing if your midwife will keep you on under supportive care. That way you can get the medical care you need from your OB and the midwife-y care from your midwife. She can also come to your birth and help you out, and still see you for postpartum care and breastfeeding help. She may also be able to be your baby's care provider from birth to 6 weeks.

 

[jandj+1]

How frightening. I'm so glad you and your baby are okay.

 

[Jster]

Wow, that does sound really chillingly scary! And to go through that experience by yourself, yikes!!

Sounds like others have good advice/experience....I just wanted to give you a

!!

 

[Yuba_River]

Just chiming in to say I'm so glad you're feeling better! Lots of good, healing thoughts coming your way...

 

[2sweetboysmom]

Hugs and prayers being sent your way. I agree with the previous posters, be very open and frank with your ob about your concerns and wishes, and have a great support team wherever you deliver.

 

[mom22girls]

Many hugs and prayers of thanksgiving because you and the baby are both okay.

All the other posters said what I would say. I just wanted to let you know that I will be keeping you and your family in my thoughts and prayers. Even if you cannot have a MW, you can still write up a birth plan (I'd get your OB in on it, so that you're on the same page all the way through) and have a doula. If your OB says something that you don't agree with, get a second opinion and do your research. The main thing on that birth plan though is healthy baby, healthy mama, so take care of yourselves!!!!

Hugs!!!

 

[katsam]

I'm so sorry you are going through this.
As far as the OB goes, I was able to find a great OB for my last pregnancy. I e-mailed some doulas in the area I lived in, and they were able to point me in the right direction.

 

[mothtomany]

What a scary thing. I had what sounds like kind of the same thing happen to me a few weeks ago. My blood pressure was way down and my heart was pounding fast and like crazy. My neighboor is a medic so she came over and took my blood pressure and stuff. I fealt so crapy the whole day and my heart would not slow down until late that night.
It all seemed to be from lack of fluid. So I am not sure if you had the same thing as me but make sure you keep the fluids going good.
Hope it won't happen again.
Shawnii

 

[lyttlewon]

I just wanted to say that a friend had a high risk PG and her OB was wonderful. He did everything he could to help her have a natural birth. I was very impressed by the effort he put out knowing what she wanted.

Good luck to you!

 

[EkkaGrrl]

Thank you everyone for your well wishes!! They really mean a lot to me. I'm so happy to be alive and here but this is all starting to get me down. I haven't felt right since I came home from the hospital and this weekend I went right back in..

This time they gave me magnesium. Apparently my mag was VERY low and that helps with proper heart function. I think they wanted to prescribe a beta blocker too but I'm happy with taking one as I need it. They did pump me absolutely full of fluids because of my low blood pressure and luckily my heart rate didn't reach anywhere close to the 200's but is stayed erratic for a longer period of time..

*sigh* I'm just hoping that taking mag and trying to get more potassium will help me get through this until the baby comes.

To quickly answer some of you, the midwife has transferred my care completely to an OB so that means I'm no longer a patient of their practice. That being said, there is one midwofe there that I trust so very much and I know if I needed anything she would be happy to help me but she's moving in June..

Also, the OB I've been transferred to is a good man who treats me like I know my own body so I'm really hoping we can work together for a postitive birth experience. I'm just nervous becaue I can see it being more medical that I wanted. I think I'm going to hire a doula , though, and write out my own birth plan. I also plan on talking to the OB about what I want too. I can be flexible because let's face it I do have a medical issues that needs to be watched.

Again, thanks everyone and any positive energies you can send my way will be so helpful in getting me through this.