Question on a TENS Unit

I'm not sure whether or not I should be following this path, but I need to know for the future. (some of this may be too much info for some of you)

Some of you may have read that on July 4th, at 22 weeks my husband and I lost our baby. I was told I had an incompetent cervix. Basically what happened was my cervix opened (was at 3cm when I went in), and part of my water sac came through the cervix and hour glassed. When I first went in I started having very mild contractions.

My question is this - due to severe muscle spasms in my upper back (that we found out were due to a bowel herniation later) my pain doctor wrote me out a script for a tens unit to be used on my upper or lower back. The rep who gave me the tens unit said to be careful not to put it on the head or neck, and to not use it on my stomach or that area as it could cause contractions.

I'm trying to figure out whether or not it is possible that the TENS unit caused me to go into preterm labor. After you give birth women bleed for quite a while - similar to a long period. I've found that when I use the TENS unit I tend to bleed more, and the blood seems to be more fresh. Which led me to wonder if the tens unit was causing it... which of course led to me wondering if it caused the problem to begin with.

I did a search on the web and there isn't a whole lot of information out there to be found. I have run across the following:

- someone was told not to use the TENS machine at all before 37 weeks

- Contraindications to the use of a TENS unit include:

* Patients with an implanted pacemaker
* Women who are pregnant - risk of premature labor

- Pregnancy: It is probably NOT a good idea to use TENS during pregnancy if it can be avoided - and this also applies to almost all other medications and treatments. TENS has not been proven to be safe during this time because of the risk that it may induce premature labor. However, treatment of stress and hyperemesis has been shown to be effective and appears without risk if used under medical instruction. It is NOT advisable to treat backache or the abdomen but some specific points on the arms and legs and ears may be used instead. It is recommended that you check with your medical advisor or midwife first for advice before you begin treatment. The use of TENS during childbirth, however, is well documented and research has shown it to be most helpful with many mothers in agreement.

Like I said, I'm not sure if I should even be looking into it as it's going to be very hard if I find out that it caused this. At the same time we are planning on trying again, and I need to know if it's safe to use the TENS unit then. Does anyone have any ideas? I've thought about calling the manufacturer but am not sure if they would tell me the truth.

It's amazing when for so long you think that you are alone in what you've been through, then one day you realize that you're not! I really did not intend to say too much about myself so soon, but I wanted to reply to you. Ok, first, do NOT torture yourself with this. I had a baby at 28 weeks, when I was 15. My amniotic sac did the same as yours - hourglassed out. They never gave me a reason except that I was very young. There's a whole lot more to the story, but I won't go in to all of that. I just wanted you to know that I totally understand everything that you are feeling and experiencing - and it is all normal. Now for the TENS unit. I know everyone is different, but I used a TENS for almost my entire last pregnancy (neck/upper back). The result of that pregnancy is sitting at my diningroom table right now - 10 years old, healthy and normal. Now of course I would check with your OB and do more research before you try again, but both I and a friend of mine had successful pregnancies after using a TENS unit. Everything you are feeling is so normal and I know how hard it is. I didn't think I would survive losing my son, but I went on to have 4 healthy boys. None of them "replaced" my first - he took a part of my heart with him, but my 4 other boys put a few pieces back in place. Wayne was real, he lived for 2 days and I loved him. You will be ok.

I agree, try not to torture yourself, what's happened is in the past you have my sympathies in your loss...
that alone has got to be the hardest thing to go through...
here they offer grief support for parents that have lost a child, look into that on-line..
Lots and lots of soft hugz...
((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((Tammy)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

 

 

    Dear T DOE RN,

 

         Good morning *huggs* I hope you are having a nice afternoon. I use a TeNS unit. But! I didnt use that or most other medication while I was pregnant. (I had to do antibiotics / breathing only) Yea it made the years seem very long indeed..... I also breasfed, so... That really cut down my options as to what I could "safe" take and do for nearly 3yrs for ea child. Labor of love thou. Gosh im glad I did it while young. I did want to tell you thou... it is okay, healthy and normal to seek help and techniques from a counselor.( I did. ) You might even make a few new friends along the way... Becuase, I think you are a very strong individual. I think that you could help someone else, tremendously, going through the same thing one day. Okay Ill stop chatting your ears off.  

 

*huggs*

   dani