EPO and Cramping

If you took Evening Primrose Oil and inserted it, did you cramp up at all? Is it normal? A few minutes after i put the pills in, i started cramping pretty bad. Also, did it make you progress at all?

I took it last time. No cramping, but it softened my cervix a lot. I'd say your body is probably ready if you're suddenly cramping and the EPO is helping it along

Quoting Naocorn:" I took it last time. No cramping, but it softened my cervix a lot. I'd say your body is probably ready if you're suddenly cramping and the EPO is helping it along"

Ack, i don't want it to start labor or anything, just help soften and dilete  

Quoting Chelsea Dawns Mama:" Ack, i don't want it to start labor or anything, just help soften and dilete  "

EPO won't start labor - nothing it does induces, it softens the cervix only. Labor won't start sooner using EPO or not (at least according to studies) it is simply thought to help labor along once it does start.

I always wanted to try it but I had both my kids at 37 weeks & they say you can't start it that soon. :/ I had 70+ hr labors. :/ I REALLY want to try it. LOL

Quoting justanothamotha:" EPO won't start labor - nothing it does induces, it softens the cervix only. Labor won't start sooner ... [snip!] ... both my kids at 37 weeks & they say you can't start it that soon. :/ I had 70+ hr labors. :/ I REALLY want to try it. LOL"

From all the info i've heard/found is that you can start it orally at 34 weeks, vaginally at 36.

Quoting Chelsea Dawns Mama:" From all the info i've heard/found is that you can start it orally at 34 weeks, vaginally at 36."

That is correct. I took it with my second and never had any immediate contractions/cramping, But I did typically have regular contractions before that (started at 18 weeks) I started it orally at 35 weeks and vaginally at 36. At my 38+ week appointment I was 4.5 cm and delivered at 39 weeks

Quoting nursemaya -mommy to 2:" That is correct. I took it with my second and never had any immediate contractions/cramping, But I ... [snip!] ... weeks) I started it orally at 35 weeks and vaginally at 36. At my 38+ week appointment I was 4.5 cm and delivered at 39 weeks"

Oh wow! Well, my induction is in a week. I'm hoping i'll have progress. I inserted 3 and took 1 by mouth, as someone had told me to, since i only hve a week.

Quoting Chelsea Dawns Mama:" From all the info i've heard/found is that you can start it orally at 34 weeks, vaginally at 36."

See everything I read (and it's been a few years) was to wait until 36-37 weeks. If I have another I will certainly look into it. I dilate like it's something my body is trying NOT to do - literlaly. With #2 I went 12 HOURS at 4cm contracting every 2 mins. :S I can't seem to convince my cervix it is okay to just let it go. LOL

Quoting Chelsea Dawns Mama:" Oh wow! Well, my induction is in a week. I'm hoping i'll have progress. I inserted 3 and took 1 by mouth, as someone had told me to, since i only hve a week."

I was "induced" for my second. when I got there for the induction it was 8.5cm maybe you will be too  

Quoting nursemaya -mommy to 2:" I was "induced" for my second. when I got there for the induction it was 8.5cm maybe you will be too  "

I have an appointment on monday, and since i refused the Cytotec, and doc got all pissy and said if i don't have progress, baby is measure right and my sugars stay the same, she's gonna push it back. Its retarded, eveything is already in place, so hopefully this helps. I men i AM dilated a fingertip, so its not like i'm thick and completely closed.

Quoting nursemaya -mommy to 2:" I was "induced" for my second. when I got there for the induction it was 8.5cm maybe you will be too  "

Also, is it okay to pee with the pills in? Or will that disrupt things?

<blockquote><b>Quoting Chelsea Dawns Mama:</b>" Also, is it okay to pee with the pills in? Or will that disrupt things?"</blockquote>




It's ok to pee.

i took EPO when I was 40 weeks. I had a lot of cramping and it helped soften my cervix A LOT. I never took them vaginally though, only oral. I took about 6 a day up until I went into active labor. I gave birth at 40 weeks 4 days, and was in labor for about 8 hours.

Quoting Xander's Mumma:" i took EPO when I was 40 weeks. I had a lot of cramping and it helped soften my cervix A LOT. I never ... [snip!] ... I took about 6 a day up until I went into active labor. I gave birth at 40 weeks 4 days, and was in labor for about 8 hours."

Thats how many i'll be taking daily

Quoting Chelsea Dawns Mama:" I have an appointment on monday, and since i refused the Cytotec, and doc got all pissy and said if ... [snip!] ... is already in place, so hopefully this helps. I men i AM dilated a fingertip, so its not like i'm thick and completely closed."

If you are not cervically ripe enough (as determined by a Bishops score) They can not induce you using just pitocin or even artificial rupture of membranes. Inductions with an unripe cervix (and yours sounds very unripe at the moment) are much less likely to be successful and increase your chance of c-section. The doctor's only option would be to push it back, since her hands are tied by regulations against inductions on unripe cervix. If you are refusing cytotec then there is really no other option then to wait. For what it's worth I would personally be ok having cytotec used for rippening on myself if done correctly, but you must do as your conscious tells you. How many weeks are you now?