[nfpolaris]

Hi Everyone,

Just found this board & wow...what a help you guys have been...seems like i can't find any info on this topic.

I'm an incomplete C-5 - i'm a walking quad...have left side paralysis (brown Sequard)- no left ankle or left finger movement. I walk with a brace(air cast) on my leg... stuff. Besides a limp (which everyone thinks i sprained or broke my foot (at least twice a day i get asked "what happened to your leg" 8-)

Internally...i have spasticity and get bouts of autonomic disreflexia at times. Sensation...dull on strong side...hyper sensitive on weak side.

I got married in May and lo and behold got pregnant almost right away...my body felt so strange?? very itchy all over...LOTS of spasticity, weird stomach sensations...that's when i took the test...it was positive...i was petrified, and thrilled all at once!...my doctor had no experience with SCI and since i walk i don't think he understands (could be wrong) my concerns.

well...at 8 weeks i miscarried...it was traumatic...did i do something wrong? was it because of the SCI?? lot's of questions rolled in my mind. BUT...after a few weeks i worked through it and am at peace about it. Sometimes it just happens...and i've been so blessed by friends and family!

Well, we got the go ahead to try again last week (had to give my body 3months to recover) - i'm petrified...again. I'm not afraid (yet) of being a parent..i'm afraid of the 9months...how will my body react? how will my quirky bladder react? the what if questions are overwhelming sometimes. I'm so good at shutting off my brain when i'm over analyzing..but when it comes to this issue..i'm having a tough time.

Well..if i'm as fertile now as before...it won't take long...ai ai ai...i think i'm going to call the Shepherd Center and see if they have any referrals for obstetricians...maybe i'll feel better with a Dr with experience.

OK...i'm just needing to vent..to people who can sympathize a bit - sometimes i feel very discombobulated...not in a chair..but not able-bodied either.

Thanx for reading my rant!!

Nannette

[kiwiquad]

Hi Nannette..certainly get yourself an obstetrician who is familiar with pregnancy/SCI. I'm not a walker & am a high break, but with the guidence & support from a SCI doc & a Professor, I gave birth (naturally) to my now 22yr old son. Not saying I didn't experience my fair share of AD, nausea or lack of oxygen during the duration though.
Not much I can add, as we all have different pregnancies due to break levels etc. Keep reading the posts on this topic, & I know you'll find the info informative & encouraging...I sooo wish this site had been available to me back then for reassurance.
Good luck.

[Starfish&Coffee]

Hi

I was just doing some research on internet regarding my pregnancy. I am an incomplete paraplegic. T8-L3 (with an extra vertabrae at T13). I am 36 and this is my first pregnancy.

I am now 28 weeks pregnant. I have just moved house and am meeting my new GP for the first time on Wednesday of this week, I will also be seeing my new midwife for the first time. I am going to see what information I can obtain with respect to the various 'complications' I am encountering re bladder, back etc.

I am happy to share any information that I obtain if this query is still outstanding?

Best wishes

Row

[mellowgator]

dear nannette,

i am a c6-7 incomplete injury. i am in a chair. i also miscarried twice before i carried my daughter full term. it's nothing you did wrong. 30% of pregnancies end this way. i went on to have 2 healthly children. the biggest obsticle in delivering the baby is ad. the way around this is to have an epidermal. an experienced ob/gyn will know this. actually my ob/gyn was't familiar with sci but she referred me to a sci high risk ob/gyn in orlando and i did go to him for one visit. my doctor did her homework and we were able to learn the ropes together. during my 2nd trimester i had to monitor every night and if contractions were presents off i went to the hospital. my poor dr lost alot of sleep with me. i actually could feel my labor but my doctor wasn't going to risk anything. one of my birth's was c-section because my daughter was breach and the other was a natual delevery.

as for the para who is using a mid-wife. will you be having your baby in a hospital setting? is your mid-wife familar with sci and the complications that can occur?

best wishes,

mellowgator

[Starfish&Coffee]

Hi

As far as I know, my consultant has never dealt with anyone with sci before. I have seen an Anesthetist to see whether I can have an epidural, he said he could try but that it might not work due to amount of scarring on my back and the way in which my new spine has formed. I have several scars that run the length and width of my back, plus ones where they have removed hip bone and ribs for grafts. I am therefore opting for a c-section under general anesthetic in hospital.

Before getting pregnant I went to the spinal unit where I spent my rehabilitation for advice on complications. They had lost me/my records for 15 years. The consultant looked at me without xrays and fully dressed and said there would be no issues with pregnancy.

I am pretty much without support/advice medically. I am hoping to try and get new gp and midwife on side to see whether there is more information/help that can be offered. When my last midwife measured me I commented that I was a funny shape (lack of muscle tone and uneven body etc) and she just said 'yes you are'. Nobody that I seen to date seems particularly bothered/concerned about complications.

I am an incomplete para and walk with the aid of a crutch. One leg kind of works and the other doesn't particularly well. My spine is very twisted so I have a limp. I have about 50% loss of feeling below the waist and complications with bladder etc.

Like Nanette I feel very alone.

Any tips or info or direction that can be offered would be really helpful. I want to go to gp with as much info as possible to see whether they will try and 'look out for me' a bit more.

R

[FloatHighDragonfly]

Well, I can relate to you in a few aspects. Early on in mine and Steve's relationship I had become pregnant, lost the baby before I could really even get excited. For years we were careful, more careful then before since I believe the miscarriage was due to the BC (The Patch) I had been using and failed. Years later we made a choice to actually try and low and behold I was pregnant again. We were happy, excited, but nervous too.

The first trimester was extremely hard on me. I was nauseous all the time and having a hard time keeping things down, because of all the throwing up I was in a lot of pain, mainly in my back and a bit in my stomach. The doctor kept saying it was normal however they also kept a watchful eye on me. Usually you get 3 ultrasounds.... I had 6. The bladder issue is hard, its hard on able bodied people without any conditions, its hard on any mother once the baby gets so big. All I can say is keep in mind pads or even the dreaded adult diapers are available. I had quite a bit of swelling and spasms, but over all it wasn't so bad.

When Peyton Lily turned a year old, we said, well we'll see what happens, if we have another great, if not for a while fine, not a big deal. Well I ended up pregnant right away. Ashtyn's pregnancy was more difficult on me physically then Peyton's was, however I was monitored closely and was able to have both girls naturally.

I wish you the best of luck and remember, get your rest whenever possible!! Once the baby is here, you wont have that privilege as often!

This post has been edited by FloatHighDragonfly: 05 August 2010 - 07:21 PM

[Starfish&Coffee]

Just a quick update re my pregnancy.

Am now 32 weeks and have been signed off work. I was experiencing too much pain to sit up. I have a scar the runs from my chestbone down to my pubic bone and it was stretching, plus I ripped my diaphragm when I had my accident and the internal scars were really really painful as I got bigger.

I am due to see my consultant next week and will then know due date (I hope).

The bladder situation is as per the last post from FloatHighDragonfly. It is tough. I didn't think it would be this much of a change. Am wondering if anyone has any experience as to whether once the baby has arrived I will go back to my pre baby bladder state? Or whether if my bladder has altered for good, if there is any surgery that would be able to be done to improve my situation?

I have so many thoughts and concerns, I am figuring only time will tell but the not knowing is tough.

R

[mellowgator]

i had the worse bladder problems the last tri-mester of pregnancy. it was difficult to cath and the baby sitting on my bladder made me feel the urge all too often.

don't worry once pregnancy is over you will get back to normal. breast feeding really helps shed the weight and is much easier than sterilizing bottles and heating formula. the only thing to consider is if you can remain off your meds and keep up the healthy diet.

the last trimester is the worse. i had contractions all the time and bloating and lots of trips to the hosptial. i exhausted both my husband and my ob/gyn.

good luck,

mellowgator