ehem... betamethasone

What are the side effects of steroids? water retention, potassium depletion, sodium accumulation and whatelse? After my discharge from hospital last week, I felt my tummy had increased in diameter. I gained 8 pounds in two weeks. I was keen to see if the babies tummy has increased in disprotortional rate. Thank god, they are normal that confirms that I dont have gestational diabetes this pregnancy. I did not see any remarks of polyhydronomus in my ultrasound report.
Anyway, I jumped into my conclusion betamethasone caused my tummy to suddenly grow big (water retention). This caused my uterine to stretch and contract. I blame my uterine contraction to betamethasone!

31w3d- contraction again

Can Betamethasone cause uterine contraction?  I see a common pattern ya. I had my second cycle of betamethasone injections on wednesday and thursday two weeks ago. I started to have uterine contractions on friday midnight. I had my third betamethasone cycle this wednesday and thursday. I felt uterine contraction again on friday midnight.

Is this a coincidence?  Oh my, my obgyn wants to put me on hospital arrest for three weeks. Do I deserve that sort of punishment? Am I a high risk patient of its just a transient phenomenon? 

Although I was able to haggle for bathroom privilege, I felt self-pity. I dont have my own bathroom. I have to bring my own bag of toiletries whenever I go to the bathroom. That is my life in maternal ICU. It is hot here. Magnesium sulfate had also contributed much heat. I used Bricanyl and Magnesium sulfate this time. Last time, we just used isoxilan.

I'm home

I was discharged from the hospital on monday. I went to see my obgyne today and I was told that the baby's head was engaged and my cervix funneled. She demanded a complete bed rest. I am not used to eating in my bedroom. I cant help but to get up and take a peek at my desktop computer also. Realvnc is good but it lacks mouse contol. My life is work integrated. Wahaha sounds like I am industrious ya! I cant help but to keep myself busy at home. I try my best not to move around.

My obgyne will be out of country for next next week. She will be on vacation for two weeks. Wow! Enjoying life ya! How about me... Can I sustain my pregnancy til she comes back? Who will be her reliever? Her dearest mentor or one of her students? Her mentor is my first obgyne... Yay! Is she still very rude? Her student- is she good enough? I dont want to think too much. I hope I can carry on my pregnancy for 5 more weeks.

What is the meaning of privilege?

What is a privilege? Is it a special right that is granted to a selected few? Anyway, I am proud to announce that I have regained my "bathroom privilege".

Can I have fine dining privilege? How about cinema privilege? I want to unwind a bit. Can I sneak out for few hours?

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30w5d- how many weeks to go?

Today is the 30w5d of my pregnancy. How long can I still carry on with my pregnancy? I have spent several sleepless nights in the hospital. I feel my eyes are puffy and have black eye bags. The other day my obgyn told me that she wished to let me stay for a month here in the hospital.

Is hospital the safest place to for me? I dont want to catch any nosocomial infection here. I really cant sleep much. I have requested fewer blood pressure monitoring, fewer fetal heart tone monitoring, fewer housekeeping, and i requested my food ration to be placed outside. My sleep had improved a little bit. Can i request for memory foam and bigger matress? Ehem... I start to have sore throat or dry throat? Is it because of poor sleep or poor humidity in  airconditioned room?

On the positive side, my isoxilan drip was removed just now. I feel I can be discharged this week. Let yus see what is next.

Btw, what caused my contraction? Does anxiety cause contraction? Am I feeble? I feel I am physically strong. Btw, I dont have urinary tract infection.

29 w 3 d- contraction

I had my second round of betamethasone on week 29. Perhaps, batamethasone caused me to be insomniac. I often get hungry whenever I am still awake at midnight. For a change, I put cayenne pepper and rosemary to my beef steak. Did it taste yummy? I forgot! The only thing I remember was an hour after eating the steak, my lower tummy felt heavy. I asked myself: Is this a contraction?
Then, I lay down on my bed and I felt my tummy had on and off stiffness and tenderness. I tried my best to sleep. Then, my instict kept on telling me that this was contraction. I reached for my ipad and started searching: " painless on and off tummy tenderness" , "can cayenne pepper and rosemary cause conteaction?"

Finally, I was convinced that I had contractions. I grabbed a cab and went to the hospital for nst. Bad news, I they had rushed me to the maternity icu. Tears suddenly rolled down my cheeks- where is my husband? who shall take care of my son?

What was the cause of ny contraction? not immune rejection, not uti.

6 weeks to go... operating table anxiety

Oops... Is it 6 weeks to go? Shall I deliver on week 34?

I had operating table anxiety last week. I was sleepless and I cried for few days. I admit I am a bit childish. If a stubborn child wants to have a red car, why not grant his wish? He will be paying anyway. Based on my belief, no other color shall please this stubborn child. He will not accept any compromise. I call this as the right to choose! Is there a patient rights in the Philippines? Sad to say, I think it never exist! 

Why am I still sticking with my obgyne with a very poor bedside manner? I hope my immunologist would refer me to a new obgyne. I was pondering whether to change obgyne or just change my obgyne's team (anesthesiologist and pedia).

Anyone wondering how bad is my obgyne? 

1. no empathy. One time a mom called in her clinic, she was in panic because her newborn baby did not have hole in the ass. She did not answer the phone (excused!) maybe because my obgyne thought she will visit her very soon. I will respect my obgyne more if she just keep her mouth shut while doing her ultrasound on me. Rather than uttering: "what can I do if the baby does not have an asshole blablabla."

2. Perhaps 15 years ago, I had a facial treatment. I got contact dermatitis with the topical anesthesia. For my record, I asked the dermatologist to write down the anesthesia used. Is it bad to request the anesthesiologist to avoid these three anesthesia? Its like dumb I do, dumb I dont. If I did not tell them my history, who is to be blamed? My point is there are many anesthesia there in the market. Let us say there are 20 products, why not just avoid these three? There are still 17 drugs available. Why quarrel with the patient? My anesthesiologist said: nobody gets allergy from the anesthesia. He will not risk his career on me. Perhaps, I am allergic to the preservatives only. His anesthesia is preservative free. Ouch... I wished to reply: what is perhaps? I cannot accept a guessing game here. I will not gamble my life on you. I dont want to entrust my life to you either. Can I request to kick out this anesthesiologist from the team while I am already in the operating table?

To an insult to the injury, my obgyne said: You know this patient has been bugging me since her first trimester about her allergies to anesthesia. She is very nosy, she even had researched biochemistry on that matter. Is this an over statement? I just asked her in my third trimester. So what if I have researched chemical structure of the anesthesia? Is there a law to prohibit patient to do so? I am allergic to azo and aniline also. Cant I have the right to take a look if the anesthesia has those in it?

3. nepotism. Her sister in law is a pulmonary pediatrician. I have so many complaints from my friends about that pediatrician- poor diagnostic skills. Prior to my caesarian section, I have requested my obgyne for a neonatologist twice. I thought she granted my wish. It was a consternation to see no pediatric consultant was present to catch my baby. She intentionally did not book the neonatologist. I was trapped by her smart maneuver ya. She thought I am stupid enough not to understand the scenario. She then said she will just book the regular pediatrician ah. Because my baby is healthy. Btw, was her sis-in-law around?

Issue: I had gestational diabetes last pregnancy, I remembered she told me to have insulin- dont diet. ( of course, it was with harsh tone.) I suddenly gained so much weight in my last week of pregnancy. My baby also gained so much weight during that period. I told the residents that I have gestational diabetes. I was so angry when I learned that they did not check the insulin level of my baby immediately after birth. I have another story on jaundice.... ouch.

Is the patient right respected?

As I write this letter, I wish to shop for another obgyne. :( Ai... I am indecisive. I love and trust my immunologist but I hate his partners.