39+4 sudden swelling

[StaceyM]

Glad you got checked. Your BP might have been a touch high if you were anxious. 135/85 is good near the end of pregnancy. Still, I hope they are making sure you have another appointment scheduled soon, since a diastolic reading of 100 is a bit rough. Swelling in the hands CAN be unrelated to BP though. I haven't been able to close my fists in 2 weeks (since week 31). The swelling is really bad in the mornings and the pain is crazy, and my BP is around 120/80. Some people just get nuisance swelling and/or pregnancy induced carpal tunnel.

 

[Buffyx]

I definitely think the swelling is unrelated since all my blood tests and urine sample came back clear. I was just concerned since I had never had swelling, and then woke up with it suddenly.

I have to go back to the hospital again today to get my BP checked again. They'll induce on Thursday if it's still hovering around that same reading.

I used the home machine last night over a few hours and it gradually got lower and lower. 141/83 was my highest reading, and 119/83 was my lowest.

 

[StaceyM]

The diastolic pressure (bottom number) is the most important, so try to rest and not worry. 83 is well within normal range. I'm glad they are monitoring you just in case.

 

[bathbabe]

The diastolic pressure (bottom number) is the most important, so try to rest and not worry. 83 is well within normal range. I'm glad they are monitoring you just in case.

83 might be within the 'normal' range but could be high for the OP. Mine usually hovers around 60/65 and my midwife was abit concerned that at my last appointment it was at 75 she said its still within normal range but high for me so to keep an eye out for swelling, headaches etc x

 

[StaceyM]

Yes, but regardless, even if it is high for a specific person, it is still not dangerous. Blood pressure doesn't work that way. It can often be high for a variety of reasons. During pregnancy your BP generally falls early on so that it has space to rise later in pregnancy. I'm usually 120/80 but went down to 125/55 quite suddenly early in my pregnancy. Yes, it's very abnormal for me, but still not dangerous. Your body is very capable of making the adjustment. My intent was to reassure the original poster so she doesn't stress, which WILL cause elevations in BP. She said she was being monitored again tomorrow, which is really all the matters.

bathbabe -Your midwife shouldn't be concerned by a diastolic reading of 75 in and of itself, but it does depend on where you are in your pregnancy, and/or how fast your BP has risen. She may be concerned that yours is rising too quickly or too early on and asking you to keep an eye on it, she may just be overly cautious, or she may just be giving you information. Given that you are 33 weeks, it sounds overly cautious to me, but I don't know the situation. Unless your diastolic reading goes above 90 a doctor isn't even going to worry, and even a reading in the 90s is ok for a short period of time, IF there is a specific reason for it (i.e. late pregnancy). I don't know much about midwives, but I would assume that a doctor probably knows more, since the midwife will just send you to the doctor if there is a serious concern.