Being checked for preeclampsia and petrified!!

[Mummy_to_be87]

So long story short...yesterday I experienced a sudden onset of visual disturbances, I couldnt focus on anything at all and I took two paracetamol incase a migrane came on, my head did start to get sore so I lay down and went to sleep, but I was woken with a numbness in my mouth, tongue and my whole left side!! I started to panic and then began to shake uncontrollably!! My OH rung the ambulance and they sent a doctor on call first who petrified me by talking about preeclampsia or strokes!! The ambulance came and took my blood pressure which read 170/120 but by the time I got to the hospital it went down to 140/90, I was taken to the delivery suite and monitored, my headache went away and the numbness left me!! The doctor came round to see me and she said I had protein in my urine and done a blood sample, neurological examination and talked to me!! After what seemed like hours she came back and said my blood pressure had regulated to between 125/80-130/70 and she was happy to let me go home!! She put it all down to a severe migrane!!

I went to my midwife appointment today and the registrar done a scan and went off to speak to another doctor, I have to now do a 24 hour urine collection as I have protein+++ in my urine and some swelling!!

I am not feeling fully normal, my head feels a bit fuzzy at times and my ankles are swollen!! I am now petrified of having preeclampsia as they were talking about ruling it out today!!

Has anyone any advice on this or other things it could be? My blood pressure was alright this morning and I have been drinking loads of water to try and get rid of the swelling!!

Im so worried!!

 

[lhill630]

Okay, take a deep breath. Worrying and stressing only worsens it. I know that's hard to do though.. I had pre-e last pregnancy. Diagnosed right around the time you are. I ended up delivering my first DS at 35 weeks 4 days, and he is just fine. The good thing is that you are far enough a long that if your baby came now she would be okay. They are going to do all they can to keep her in longer, but they have to do what is best for the both of you. Drink a lot of water and lay down on your left side. You can also purchase a bp machine for $20 if you want to keep an eye on your bp yourself. I'm sure it was more elevated b/c you were panicking as well. But, it really could have been a migraine, however, protein in your urine plus high bp and swelling are symptoms of pre-e. So, the doctors are covering their bases.

 

[lhill630]

Also, if you start feeling worse (short of breath, nausea, pain in your right abdomen) go to L&D.

 

[Macmad]

So long story short...yesterday I experienced a sudden onset of visual disturbances, I couldnt focus on anything at all and I took two paracetamol incase a migrane came on, my head did start to get sore so I lay down and went to sleep, but I was woken with a numbness in my mouth, tongue and my whole left side!! I started to panic and then began to shake uncontrollably!! My OH rung the ambulance and they sent a doctor on call first who petrified me by talking about preeclampsia or strokes!! The ambulance came and took my blood pressure which read 170/120 but by the time I got to the hospital it went down to 140/90, I was taken to the delivery suite and monitored, my headache went away and the numbness left me!! The doctor came round to see me and she said I had protein in my urine and done a blood sample, neurological examination and talked to me!! After what seemed like hours she came back and said my blood pressure had regulated to between 125/80-130/70 and she was happy to let me go home!! She put it all down to a severe migrane!!

I went to my midwife appointment today and the registrar done a scan and went off to speak to another doctor, I have to now do a 24 hour urine collection as I have protein+++ in my urine and some swelling!!

I am not feeling fully normal, my head feels a bit fuzzy at times and my ankles are swollen!! I am now petrified of having preeclampsia as they were talking about ruling it out today!!

Has anyone any advice on this or other things it could be? My blood pressure was alright this morning and I have been drinking loads of water to try and get rid of the swelling!!

Im so worried!!

Please try not to worry, I know it's hard not to but it will be better for your BP if you don't stress too much. The Drs are aware of your protein etc and will take good care of you. I was diagnosed at 34 weeks exactly with pre e and had a EMCS within 30 mins - very scary at the time but it was the best thing. Thank god my LO was fine, although spent a week in NICU. And now you wouldn't even know she was 6 weeks early!
I was swollen up like the elephant man for a good month or so before my BP and protein went up. It all disappeared over night after I had LO. If you have any questions PM me sending big hugs xx

 

[charmed]

Hiya I'm sorry u been though so much! I was tested monday evenin for pre e as bp high, swollen and headache, wee didn't have any protein mind u and my bloods were clear. They monitored the baby and said all ok, they wouldn't let u home if worried bout u, and just honestly try rest as much as can. Worst case may want deliver but lieky just monitor u and baby and do bp more and keep u on bed rest. The docs know best so ur in safe hands, wishin u all the best babes xx

 

[Bethi22]

Hey hun,
I was In the hospital this weekend and had to do a 24 hour urine and it turns out I have mild preeclampsia. I'm now home on bed rest just trying to cook the baby for a little longer. I've had one appointment since my hospital stay and all my swelling has gone down my blood pressure is great and baby is doing good. I think the best thing you can do is just take it easy. My baby will still more than likely come early but I'm not so worried about it at this point because I'm doing everything I can which is nothing. Please please please just relax. Baby will be OK.

 

[MumMumMum]

I had pre-e in my last pregnancy. Was suspected at 36 + 2, in hospital with it confirmed at 36 + 4 and induced at 36 + 5 and again at 36 + 6 and delivered at 37 weeks. My DD is just fine and you wouldn't know she was early or small at delivery (she was small because of the pre-e).

I had crazy swelling but nothing else at first. Then my BP shot up and protein appeared in my sample. They acted really fast. I'm sure if they were really concerned they wouldn't send you home. I really did balloon in size. The photos of me in hospital really are hideous.

Try and relax (not easy, I know - I've been worried for the whole of this pregnancy). They will monitor you closely and as others have said, if it is pre-e, at least you made it this far - just think of every extra day baby is in there as a bonus.

Hope your symptoms die down for you and you and baby are ok

 

[Mummy_to_be87]

Thank you for all your support and advice, I think I need to stop worrying about every single little thing, like right now I was over thinking a little white flash in my eye!! I am worried that something is going to go wrong with this pregnancy and I have been googling it and hearing stories of how it can cause death!! I think Im making myself worse as it might not even be preeclampsia!! How long after I do the 24 hour urine test will they let me know? If the baby was delivered this week or next week, will it have to stay in hospital? How did the symptoms feel for you? Was it like a strong headache or just fuzzy feeling as if you need to sleep? Any other things I should be aware of? Im worried about going into hospital and leaving my DD!! Another question...if you had visual disturbances, did you go to the hospital with every one of them?

 

[Bethi22]

Thank you for all your support and advice, I think I need to stop worrying about every single little thing, like right now I was over thinking a little white flash in my eye!! I am worried that something is going to go wrong with this pregnancy and I have been googling it and hearing stories of how it can cause death!! I think Im making myself worse as it might not even be preeclampsia!! How long after I do the 24 hour urine test will they let me know? If the baby was delivered this week or next week, will it have to stay in hospital? How did the symptoms feel for you? Was it like a strong headache or just fuzzy feeling as if you need to sleep? Any other things I should be aware of? Im worried about going into hospital and leaving my DD!! Another question...if you had visual disturbances, did you go to the hospital with every one of them?

Your Dr is well equipped to handle pre-e so please don't worry about the worst outcome possible! When I went in Saturday I was prepped for a delivery (they thought I was severe pre-e) and my ob said baby could likely be in NICU for a few hours of monitering but other than that would still leave with me and that was because I was only 35+2. They are confident that delivering baby after 34 weeks will make for a healthy baby. My symptoms were rib pain, headache that had lasted a few days, and I was seeing spots out of my right eye. When I got there my bp was the highest it's ever been and I had a bunch of protein in my urine (which is why they assumed severe pre-e and prepped me for delivery). When I was in L&D about to get magnesium the bloods came back and they were good so I was transferred to antepartum for a 24 hour urine. My 24 hours started at 1am so it lasted until 1am the next morning and the Dr gave me results around 7am. I think they were available just a couple hours after the test finished but they didn't want to discharge me at 3am.