Trip to the ER today....

[ethansmom]

Okay, so I am at my parents house for the weekend. They invited me over since I've been feeling so sick from the pregnancy, and I accepted the much needed offer for a little break So, I have been slightly dehydrated from the morning sickness- not throwing up so much, but I can't stand the thought of eating or drinking anything at all, EVER. Nothing sounds good, and I gag all day long and all night. I stopped all my POTS meds a few days ago and was doing ok with that. So I took a dose of Phenergen today, which helped tremendously with the nausea. I was able to eat and drink this morning a little...until I suddenly felt my heart palpitating and jumping around, then it got off track and went into SVT (I've had this in the past, 3 times). It was over 200 beats per minute for about a half hour, so we called 911. I had to go to the ER, where they gave me mega doses of fluids (which got the HR down to the 180's). It stayed there for several hours, then they tried an IV beta blocker called Lopressor- which knocked it down to the 170's but still didn't budge much. I was feeling ok the whole time, except for the uncomfortable fluttery feeling it was giving me. I was sooo worried about the baby- so they did an ultrasound, which showed everything looked ok. It was a bit early to pick up the heart rate, but the tech could see it beating at least.

Then...they gave me an IV of Adenosine (sp?) which felt like I was literally dying...it only slowed my heart rate to about 130 so they administered a second dose within 2 minutes. I was a little worked up with this so they gave me a shot of Ativan...by the time I left the HR was around 100-110. They sent me home with Sectral, the beta blocker I took through my last pregnancy. My heart rate has stayed around 95-100 all evening with no sign of slowing down, although I can't feel it racing. They seemed to think this was within a safe range. I feel normal except for extreme fatigue and just trying to recover from the day.

I am really depressed. I had went about 3 years without an SVT episode. This must've been induced by the dehydration and Peherngen (which never affected me before). My concerns are...what might all these meds do to the baby? They insisted they were safe, but I feel so guilty right now. There was nothing else we could do, after several hours they had to get my HR slowed. I talked to my cardiologist, and he would like me to stay on the Sectral through the pregnancy. We can add Florinef again if needed in a few days...round and round we go. I had my heart set on NOT taking meds this time. But I can't be in the ER getting IV's of god-knows-what every other day. This pregnancy is so hard already...and I know I've been whining a lot, but I am really sick. I feel bad for putting my family through this, and my unobron child. I feel like everyone is at risk, esp. me and little bean in there The morning sickness is terrible, now the med that works for me can't be taken anymore. I've tried all the alternative remedies, and nothing helps...I just don't know how long I can do this. My midwife won't prescribe anything else, and neither will my cardio. They just want me to dehydrate again and end up in the same predicament I guess...ugggh I am so sad today. Just coming to vent!

I hope you all have a safe & happy Halloween! We were supposed to go back home to trick-or-treat with Ethan in our neighborhood tonight, but obviously we couldn't...and Ethan's costume was at home, so I am at my parent's house and we made him a silly homemade scarecrow costume at the last minute (will post pics later!!). Well, I am off to sit in the car and watch while my family trick or treats with Ethan!! Talk to you all later!

[geneva]

Oh, Jessica....I don't know where to begin to say how terribly sorry I am for you that this pregnacy is off to a rough start for you. What a miserable day you have had and you have every reason to feel poorly. But, whatever you do, it will do no good for you or the baby to feel guilty. You are always asking the right questions and trying to get the best information to make good decisions for you and your baby so don't second guess yourself. You are a terrific Mom!

I don't have any experience with pregnancy and POTS but I know others here will post. I just wanted to let you know I am thinking about you and hope that you will be gentle with yourself these next few days or weeks.

[Ernie]

Hi,

I am so very sorry that you are getting sick like this.

Could you have a standing IV prescription so that you don't have to wait until you get that sick? Does the acupuncturist have any suggestion for you?

I hope that things settle down for you.

Ernie

[Gena]

Jessica,

As I'm sure you know the first 2-3 of months are the worst with the nausea and then things usually even out. I'm praying that you don't have any more SVTs and that you and the baby stay healthy. Just do as much research on the drugs you're taking to see if they will affect the baby. There are multiple things to try as alternative therapies. I know you said you already tried some, but here are a few things that my Prescription for Nutritional Healing book recommends for nausea and morning sickness...

Ginger, catnip, dandelion and peppermint

L-Methionine, 1,000mg daily (effective in preventing nausea)

Vitamin B6, 50 mg every 4 hours plus magnesium 400 mg daily in the a.m.

I'm keeping you and the little one in my prayers Jess. Hang in there and try to drink fluids as much as you can.

Hugs and Blessings.

[Star382000]

I'm afraid I do not have experience or any knowledge on advice to give, just want to let you know that you and the baby are in my prayers and that I second Gena's natural herbal suggestions. Don't get down on yourself and feeling guilty, you're doing the best you can with the best you've got and you should be proud of you. Keep hanging in there, keep dancing. Best wishes and God Bless

[Merrill]

Hi, Jess--I'm so sorry to hear about what happened to you today! Sounds very scary indeed--and not the kind of fun fright appropriate for halloween! I know you're uncomfortable right now--you'd gotten used to your hr lower than 95, so you still feel like you're racing. Some of that may be the anxiety and adrenaline of a really tough day in the ER. But try to take small comfort in knowing that "normal" hr is between 50 and 100, so you're definitely now at the high end, but still OK. It's great that you've been rehydrated via IV ... and I hope you'll trust that they wouldn't have given you anything that would possibly hurt your little "bean." So they saw only one blinking heart beat, not two???

I bet Ethan made a darling scarecrow--very creative! I hope you're able to enjoy the evening a bit--take your mind off things--and get some good sleep tonight. And I hope your morning sickness passes soon!

PS I think my HR only got up to 200 once, and that was after 8 minutes on a stress-test treadmill. (That day, my resting hr was 147... and nowadays, it's typically betw. 100 and 125.) But since I'd never kept track of my hr before, I didn't know if that was high!

[lalalisa]

Jessica,

I am Praying for you! This must have been so scary! I've never had a tachy episode that bad -- that would be horrible(especially being pregnant!)

Keep us posted,

Lisa

[MomtoGiuliana]

Jessica

I am so sorry to hear about your rotten day. There is nothing worse than spending a day in the ER, and you had quite a rough time. But, you needed to be there and it sounds like you got good care.

I understand--and can so relate--to your very natural feelings of guilt. But, please don't cast blame on yourself. Every decision you have made has been made with the best available information. There is no crystal ball for anything, particularly for pregnancy OR for POTS. I don't see that you have done anything that is likely to harm your unborn child. BTW, I was also so concerned about the high heartrate that I experienced in the 2nd half of pregnancy. A very experienced neonatal nurse and my ob-gyn both assured me that it was not dangerous to either one of us. And I had long episodes of heart rate in the 140s, sometimes higher (and with lots of ectopic and missed beats). And, BTW, I have a friend who just had her 3rd child. I don't think she has POTS, but she has some other problems (thyroid and perhaps IST) that caused her to have heart rates over 200 during her pregnancy. The baby, now 3 months old, is absolutely fine.

I still believe, like others have also said, that the first 12 weeks or so are going to be the hardest for you. My goodness, especially if the morning sickness is this bad. If that is causing dehydration, then perhaps you and your doctor will have to find a (short-term) conventional medical approach to preventing that--IV therapy? Bad morning sickness causes dehydration in women without POTS. I'm glad Gena has some ideas for you for addressing the morning sickness, too.

Ethan's costume sounds adorable and I am sure he was thrilled with his Halloween experience and with being with his grandparents.

As I know you know all too well, flexibility as we rise and fall with the tides we can't control is part of parenting, and also an important skill to learn as a child. Ethan has your love, no matter what, that is what is important.

Life has handed you some challenges most young women don't have to face. You're doing a great job.

I hope you are resting well tonight.

Katherine

[DancingLight]

oh jess!

i don't even know what to say! sending good thoughts to you and your little "bean"! (that is so cute!)(i guess they do sort of look like a kidney bean at this stage huh?).

anyway, everything you went through today is so scary. i am so glad that you are close to your parents now and can have some mommy love! i am also grateful that they at least took you seriously in the ER today, but i hear you on getting all of those meds. i am terrified of meds and i am NOT pregnant...so i cannot imagine the extra emotions with knowing you have a little bean too. but, i do think it will al be okay...i think your little bean will be able to handle the one time deal of getting those meds...it's not like you're shooting up meds in an IV every day. plus, you had to do that to get your heartrate down.

my heartrate before POTS and before beta-blocker was always 90-100 and that was normal for me...so i think you are okay in that range...but 200 sure does sound scary. what are SVTs?

i don't have any insight...i just wanted to send you hugs tonight and let you know that you can whine all you want here! you rarely whine, so dig in and whine a little to us girl! morgan says it best...call whine-1-1 ! i love that! that isn't as funny i guess on a day that you actually had to call the real 911. eeek!

jess, as already mentioned in previous posts...you are a really wonderful mom...and you need not beat yourself up about all of this! you are doing an amazing job...both with ethan and your little bean.

as for nausea...i am sure you have tried all of the above...but just in case...those sea band things? those worked for my one friend when she was pregnant. but, then again, so did phenegran. i don't have any experience with actually being pregnant...however, i do like a product called preggie pops (www.preggiepops.com). they are expensive but i really like them and they fit with your more natural health approach. what else? just sucking on candied ginger, but the preggie pops are much easier to tolerate. can you take zofran when pregnant? i love that drug! i also like coke syrup for nausea. those are the only things that have helped me but i also know what it is like to have nausea that nothing works for....and it is so miserable! i think it is one of the worst feelings, honestly.

well, i have to go and take care of my pooch who, if he would just LIE STILL, and not try to move around he wouldn't hurt so much! it's like having a toddler and saying "where does it hurt" and they can't tell you! it breaks my heart to watch him hurting! sorry. totally off topic.

what a day you had jess. i found my first trip to the ER so traumatic. i hope you can rest up at your parents. isn't it the worst when you really do feel like you are dying??? it's hard to explain to people that POTS can really make you feel THAT bad! you know? but it does! it's like, please just put me out for a while (that is if you can do it without killingme with the drugs! aaack!) and wake me up when this is all over! that is at least how i feel.

okay, what am i supposed to do with my poor dog???? i hope you are laughing right about now at my lack of focus b/c of him and how neurotic i am about him!!! can you imagine me as a mom??? scary, huh? i leave you with the mommy stuff and i'll stick with the dog for now!

well, i gotta hit the sack. i hope you are able to come down from all of the stress/adrenaline of the day and get some sleep. sometimes those events make you so exhausted that your adrenaline kicks in and it is hard to get the rest you need.

jess, sending a prayer for a better day tomorrow...and some relief from your symptoms soon...

many hugs coming your way.

later alligator!

emily

[katsusu]

HI,

This must be an awful time for you. I know the emotions you are going through must be driving you crazy. If you do not mind Iwould like to suggest eome different ways to think about the situation and different ways to handle the situation. They are not taken from being pregancy and POTS but it was taken from my experiences of bed rest andpregnancy, brain operation and Parkinsons disease and POTS-- back surgery- living with POTS amd back surgery.

First- when i was in the hospital for back surgery the doctor gave me this new anti-naueua medication that actually worked- i was never able to take pheregan>always made me sick. But this stuff worked -the name is DOLASTERON- but it is only available in Europe - I think. But the pharmacy at the military hospital said this was the American version ZOFRAN -I HAVE NOT HAD A CHANCE TO TRY IT BUT - i look up both Phergan and Zofran - for pregnancy and they had he same kind of warning for pregnancy- i think Zofran might be somewhat safer- one thing for sure it does not have any warning of effecting BP or HR as the phenagan does. I dont even know why doctors give that to POTS patient when it says it effects the BP so much. Anyways it worth asking about.

2nd- why don't you ask the doctor if you can come in at least once a week get a fill up of IV flid -to be on the sasfe side. To make you feel better amd prevent contraction.

3rd-

When i was pregnant with my 2nd child i had early contraction and had to be on hospital bed rest -only allowed up for the bath room. I was not happy at first but then changed my thinking and said that if i need to do this for the baby- ten i will do it-and started changing my attitude. Because i knew it would be over one day.

I wrote a paper one day-which I called TIPS TO BEING SICK- one of my advice was if you are sick and know you will be feeling bad for awhile instead of fighting it and making it worse- start changing your attitude and enjoy it. why make life more miserble for yourself- findthingsyoucan do- watch tv- call old friends - do little projects at litle ime intervals - lying down- ry not to change the position to much so it does not give you so much fluctuation on how you feel. know when you feel better or when your bad times are- don't get over heated - basically learn what you can do and what you cannot do, If your parents are willing to help you- take them up on it- put pride and especially GUILT away and only think what it best for the baby. Rest - and take care of yourself and remember -even if you have the next 6 months in bed-it is worth it to get an healthy baby at the end. Basically give yourself permission to be sick. Have you ever notice that one of POTS peoples biggest problems is that we do not give ourselves the permission to be sick-we fight it so much that wwe sometimes make it worse- we get anxious- wew get depressed- instead of realizing that sometimes POTS will act up and that sometimes wew just need to rest get through it and get better for another day. I am not saying give up to POTS but know when to fight your battles and when to not - but you have to think now that you are not in the position to fight POTS now-but in the position of protecting your baby from POTS and what it does to you, so for the next few months you may have to give in to POTS where you use to fight it- meaning take it easy - just to be on the safe side. Don't do things that you know POTS does not like.

By changing your attitude in the way you think about POTS - changing it to you will beat it instead of it beating you- you take alot of pressure off youraelf.

I hope this helps . it is all things i learned from experince.

Kathleen

[Guest tearose]

Jessica, what a day! I'm sure this is one halloween you won't forget! I wish there was a way to be sure you could get rid of the extreme nausea...I think I tried everything (except they didn't have preggiepops in my preggo days) and when I finally began to feel better it was because I was into my second trimester! How many weeks yet for you till the second trimester? Maybe you can think of it in terms of "only six more weeks". We all can help you count if you'ld like. It was also crummy to hear that you had an SVT. I have had them and feel like you, that dehydration can make them come back. It may be you could do that IV as a precaution until you are able to eat regularly again. Please don't start giving yourself a hard time over this. You didn't ask to get this disorder and you must take care to go down that guilt path. It only undermines us to go there. Hang in there and drink your liquids today, tearose

[Nicole's Mom]

Jessica,

You truly did your very best within a very tricky, emergency situation. Those IV solutions they gave to bring down your heart-rate were necessary. You shouldn't feel at all guilty. You had to get your heartrate down. I'm just feel badly for you that you are having these difficulties. And hopefully as you move along in your pregnancy all your difficulties will alleviate. It's a rough time- thankfully you have a good support system- your parents sound so very wonderful and of course there is this forum. Support during a rough time is key. And maybe a standing order of IV fluids??

Take good care,

Beverly

[Herdswoman]

Trick or Treat will never be quite the same for you after the nasty tricks you had this Halloween!

I wouldn't necessarily blame the Phenergan for the SVT. Mostly likely dehydration as it is the mother of all kinds of compounded problems.

Adenosine is powerful joo joo. Guaranteed to make you feel like crap because it WILL drop your heart rate, for a little while at least. It's used to diagnose the origin of SVT by slowing the heart rate down RIGHT NOW.

See if you can get a PICC line and at least a liter of fluid IV per day. Preventing dehydration should help prevent the SVT, might help the nausea. But controlling your heart rate is by far and away the most important thing, for it goes hand-in-hand with oxygenation. Don't be afraid to be VERY ASSERTIVE in asking for IV fluids. Ask for the moon, settle for the stars.

As for the nausea, try the natural stuff like Gena said. Sucking on hard candy may also help. I'm not sure how willing I'd be to go for Zofran or its European counterparts...... Take comfort from the fact that nobody ever died from nausea, unless their family killed them because they were too crabby to live with!

[opus88]

Hi, Jessica!

So sorry you had such a rough time, and I hope you are feeling better by the time you read this. And don't let the guilt take over - you did what had to be done based on the best information available at the time.

I've never been pregnant so I can't offer any suggestions based on that experience. However, I have found that the homeopathic remedy Nux Vomica works like absolute magic for my nausea. There may be other homeopathic remedies that would be helpful to you as well. I'll bet a local health food store could tell you if there is a homeopathic practitioner in your area. Since there are no side effects to homeopathy (although I know nothing about safety during pregnancy), I would think this might be something to check into.

Very best wishes to you!

[yogini]

Jessica,

That's really scary that your heart was beating so fast. You did the right thing by going to the ER, and don't feel guilty about taking the meds either. You're making the best out of what life has dealt you, and your illness is not your fault!! It's great that you have your parents to support you through this.

By the way, sometimes when I get dehydrated and can't bring myself to eat or drink, I suck on crushed ice. Its a good way to trick your body into getting some water, and it seems to help with the nausea too.

Also, I want to add don't try to push yourself. Things like Halloween may seem important, but you will have a dozen other Halloweens with Ethan. You should rest as much as possible and exert yourself only when necessary.

Please take care of yourself and feel better soon,

Rita

[MomtoGiuliana]

Jessica

I just wanted to add--I've noticed a number of responses have mentioned IV therapy as something you and your doctor may need to resort to for the next few weeks. When I was pregnant, I had this several times, and always felt MUCH better for several days afterwards (of course at the time none of my doctors could explain why...).

Hope you are feeling better today.

Katherine

[Guest GayleP]

Jessica,

I hope you're doing better today. Sounds like a scary experience. Hope you figure something out re: meds or alternative treatments to help you get through your pregnancy.

GayleP

[blackwolf]

Dear Jessica,

I am SSSOOOOO sorry you have to go thru this. I have to say my second pregancy was by far the worst. I did have IVs once a week and it was great to have, sometimes 2-3 times a week if needed. As to feeling you couldn't eat, boy do I know that one. I spent 6 weeks eating nothing but crackers, eggs(farm fresh, i just had to walk to the chicken house to get them), and apple sauce.

I would recomend adding extra B6 and B12 as they really helped me when I started them. Try sucking on ice cubes too, as they melt you get a little extra water.

I hope you start to feel better soon.

Blackwolf

[EarthMother]

Dear Jess,

Gentle hugs your way, and soft lullabys to calm your nerves.

What an adventure! You are truly amazing for handling all this so well. Sounds like you were in the drivers seat through out the whole ordeal. Congratulations your way for still sitting tall in the saddle.

I was on lot's of heart meds for my first pregnancy. Doctors are all very very careful now -- lawsuit potential and all -- that they rarely prescribe something unless is has a good history in pregnancy.

Take care of you. Some extra rest is in order.

Good thoughts your way,

EM

[calypso]

Oh, Jessica -- yikes! What a day you had yesterday. I hope today was better.

I definitely don't think you need to worry about how these one-time drugs affected the baby. It's obviously great if you can get through pregnancy med-free, but there are times when it is appropriate, and this is one of them. Also, the doctors are always going to try to do what's best for mom, because you can't grow a baby if you aren't healthy. Your needs have to be put first right now, and they will be until the baby is 28 weeks -- that's the way it works, because that is when the baby is viable outside the womb. I don't mean to sound too medical, but this is also a practical way of looking at it.

I struggled with whether to stay on my antidepressant when I was pregnant. I worried so much about what it would do to the baby that I personally think all the anxiety and worry led to problems later in my pregnancy. I did stop the med but maybe I shouldn't have. I think you need to decide whether it is worse for your body to be under the stress of POTS, or do you want to be healthier overall but on one med or two? It's ultimately your decision, but look at it from a couple different perspectives.

My cardiologist says any heart rate of over 200 that lasts for more than three minutes should result in an ER trip via ambulance, to be safe. You did the right thing.

I hope Ethan's Halloween was a blast! Make sure he brushes his teeth after chowing all that candy ...

Amy