My Experience with 17p (so far...)

I don't think I've really gotten into my medication yet. I'm on 17p injections to try and prevent another pre-term birth. I say "so far" in the title because even though I've been taking them for 14 weeks, I still have about 6 or 7 more to go. And a baby born now would still be a preemie. So, fingers crossed that they keep working!

Eligibility
At the Dr.'s office, I keep being told that I'm the "perfect" candidate for this medication - 32-week preemie, no known cause for the prematurity, and now my 2nd baby. I did have to have a consult with the Maternal Fetal Medicine Center doc in order to confirm the eligibility, but lucky for me, I was approved and my insurance pays for all of it.
I do not get the home nurse visits, but it doesn't take too much out of my day to swing by the MFM clinic to get the shots once a week. They get to know you once you've been there every week for 14 weeks! (And sometimes twice a week - I had to go for 2 additional ultrasounds, as well! One comprehensive Level 2 at 18 weeks and a Fetal Echo at 24 weeks)

First Impressions
I was TERRIFIED of my first shot. I do NOT like needles or shots and I had heard that these are bad - thick serum, thick needle, you know, basically my worst nightmare. Was it bad? Not really. I hyped it up in my head way more than it was.
They did have to keep the needle in for about 30 seconds after the injection to make sure that it didn't ooze back out, but it wasn't a bad injection at all. I was pretty surprised! They hold your skin taut, so that the medication follows a "Z" formation. My injection was given higher than I've read online - upper hip area, almost.

Side Effects
Minimal in the beginning. I'd say for the first 10 injections or so, the only side effect I had was a headache the night of the injection and the next day. And it was a manageable headache - I never even took medication for it.
The past month or so, they have been slightly worse. I haven't noticed the headaches as much, but I have been SO SLEEPY the day I get my injection. As in, can't keep my eyes open no matter how hard I try. I asked my Dr. about it and she said that progesterone can have that effect and so she wasn't that surprised. Great.
Another side effect I have now is itching. The injection site can become really itchy, but I've noticed that if they give me my shot lower than the upper hip, the side effects are worse.

Pain
The shots still don't hurt that much. HOWEVER, as mentioned above, if they give me my injection lower on my booty, the side effects are worse and they HURT so much more. If they give it to me in my preferred area (again, higher up, almost hip-level), it aches for about 15-20 minutes afterwards and then I don't feel it much. I did notice last week, though, that when I walked, it ached on that side for the next couple of days. New side effect? I hope not.

Does it work?
So far, so good! Let's pray that it keeps this baby cooking!