Re: What does IC feel like? (pg and loss ment)

[Guest guest]

<<All that to ask all of you knowledgeable folks: What does IC feel like?>>

Hello ,

Congrats to you and your wife on your pregnancy. I'm glad to hear that her

pregnant cervix looks nice and long on US. It should measure 2½ centimeters

or longer, though US is fairly inexact; it's no surprise that the

nonpregnant cervix could not be seen. That's fairly common, even with only

one cervix.

Feeling pressure as the uterus grows is normal to some degree. I had an IC

loss at 19 weeks (complete, undiagnosed SU) and had been feeling pressure

since week 16. I remember telling my sister that I felt as if everything

were about to pop, then. I have no idea whether my cervix was effacing or

dilating then or not.

In my subsequent successful cerclage pregnancy, though, I felt the same

pressure, beginning around week 15 or 16. To make a long story short, it

turned out to be benign. I insisted on several US checks of the cervix, as

well as manual checks, and my cervix held up (4+ centimeters).

The evening of my IC loss, however, I began to feel different. I started

feeling lower back pain and dragging, biting menstrual-type cramping,

totally unlike the cramping of early pregnancy. Then I felt as though an

orange were lodged in the vagina--very obvious, painful pressure. As it

turned out, that was the prolapsed sac and fluid. Soon after, strong

contractions started, about 2-3 minutes apart.

As distinct as those sensations of pressure and cramping/contracting were, I

felt them when the IC loss was actually happening, not before. Other women

with IC trouble have cited pressure as their main clue, too, though many of

them have it as a chronic sensation as they rest with their cerclages. Some

say that they feel as though they are aware of their whole pelvic ring, that

they feel an orange/coconut/baby's head pressing down, that lower back

cramps signal their cervical dilation.

Wisps of bleeding and/or copious, " snotty " mucous secretion may also signal

dilation of the cervix.

Some women feel nothing until the baby passes. The best bet is to insist on

regular monitoring--as much as it takes to make you feel comfortable, and

until you are statisfied that the cervix will hold. If your doctor balks,

just pitch a fit and demand that he humor you. This is where he can do you

at least a *little* good, so make him. :-)

From what I know of this list, UD cervices usually work very well, so I hope

your nervousness is not founded. Good luck!

--

Beth

& Theodor's mother

b. & d. 12/25/99 & b. 12/3/02

[Guest guest]

Beth,

Thank you so much for this detailed response (and Thank you, , for asking

the question)! I am also fearful that I might someday have IC. Thank you for

sharing this information with all. Now I know what to ask for, look for, etc.

Best wishes,

Mikell

[Guest guest]

> <<All that to ask all of you knowledgeable folks: What does IC

feel like?>>

> The evening of my IC loss, however, I began to feel different. I

started

> feeling lower back pain and dragging, biting menstrual-type

cramping,

> totally unlike the cramping of early pregnancy. Then I felt as

though an

> orange were lodged in the vagina--very obvious, painful pressure.

As it

> turned out, that was the prolapsed sac and fluid. Soon after,

strong

> contractions started, about 2-3 minutes apart.

I could've written this very same description for what my IC loss

felt like -- wow. The lower back pain was quite intense (couldn't

really focus on anything else but the pain), and lasted several

hours.

It's comforting (for some reason) to realize that my IC symptoms

appear to be separate from my ruptured uterus symptoms, which are

hard to distinguish for me since they all happened at the same time.

In hindsight, I should've demanded that they see me right away the

first time I called -- they told me to take a hot shower to

alleviate the pain. They finally " gave up " and decided to see me

after my third call; it was as if they didn't see the point of me

coming in since I was not far along enough to have a " viable " birth.

I know that I won't be so passive this time around if anything odd

occurs. I second the advice to encourage your doctor to " humor " you

and let you come in to be checked.

-

SU, removed (after rupture repair)

2 losses (2 weeks and 20 weeks)

14wks pregnant and counting! ;-)

[Guest guest]

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. From my wife, myself, and baby to be.

We have not had a loss. I can only imagine that for those of you who shared

your story with all of us that it was a risk and potentially painful to do

so. I appreciate your honesty, candor, and help.

Update: My wife started to feel some sharp, shooting pain last night so we

called the peri again. He's talking elective cerclage if we want. But since

there was no blood/mucus put us off until tomorrow. Supposedley there are

two sets of US machines at the hospital we're locked in to. One is through

the ER, and is not that reliable (and used for those who are less than 20

weeks). After 20 weeks, you get to go to the OB floor with the good

machine. Neat, huh?

We're headed into town in a couple of hours for an unscheduled appointment

at the peri's office to check the cervix via transvagUS. This morning, the

sharp, shooting pain has not returned although there is still the sensation

of pressure (though not like an orange, etc. as described, no lower back

pain either). Everything is probably OK, but we're glad we're going in.

Again, thank you.

DW: UD and 15 weeks today