Bizarre phone call from the doctors...RE. Aspirin

[Kyliem87]

Ok it may not sound strange...but it is lol

I have high blood pressure and a fast erratic heart due to pregnancy I.e average heart beat at resting is 120bpm so I've been seeing the gp regularly and going to the hospital to be monitored etc seeing my midwife. So my last gp appointment was last Tuesday (8th November) and was last at the hospital on the Monday before (7th November). Today I got a voicemail to phone the doctors who told me 'the hospital have sent a letter to us saying you need to take aspirin so the doctor has written you a prescription for you to collect' and that was it so I'm confused because...

1) who says I need to take the aspirin? I am waiting for an appointment with a cardiologist but I haven't seen anyone yet

2) why have I been prescribed aspirin?

3) what department has said this - MW or cardio lol

I am sooo confused! Why are we prescribed aspirin in pregnancy?

Any help appreciated

 

[AngelUK]

My dad who has high blood pressure and had 8 bypasses done a few years ago also takes aspirin. It thins the blood and lowers the risk of heart attacks. But if you haven't seen a cardiologist yet I cannot imagine why they would prescribe that now. I am sorry I cannot be of more help. I really hope you'll be ok though xx

 

[Kyliem87]

Thank you. It just seems random as when I last had my blood results (2-3 weeks ago) I wasn't given anything then and it's like a sudden phone call. I'm seeing my midwife on Thursday so will see if she can shed some light on it but it just seems odd all of a sudden...this pregnancy malarky lol xx

 

[LaRockera]

I'm on aspirin 80mg because I've had a very very very specific blood clotting test in Greece called TEG, and it was on the higher acceptable reference. It is supposed to protect me (and thus bubba) from clotting leading to heart attacks and stuff. I'll go to London next week to have a repeat TEG test to see if I need to increase or stop or maintain what I'm currently taking.

But yeah, it's thinning the blood and so should protect you from heart attacks and other unpleasantness.

 

[Kyliem87]

I'm on aspirin 80mg because I've had a very very very specific blood clotting test in Greece called TEG, and it was on the higher acceptable reference. It is supposed to protect me (and thus bubba) from clotting leading to heart attacks and stuff. I'll go to London next week to have a repeat TEG test to see if I need to increase or stop or maintain what I'm currently taking.

But yeah, it's thinning the blood and so should protect you from heart attacks and other unpleasantness.

It's always good to know they are preventing me from having a heart attack haha but it possesses no risk to my baby? I started this pregnancy on nothing...I'm now on labetalol 100mg (high blood pressure tablets) and aspirin

 

[Weege]

im on aspirin 75mg per day. its a very small dose. its basically as you have high blood pressure, it helps to thin the blood and keep the blood flow to the placenta constant.
tests show it helps to prevent pre-eclampsia which can be life threating to you and the baby. i should know cos it happened to me in jan and i lost my little girl at 30 weeks and i almost died too.
im not tryin to scare you just to give you some reason as to why they prescribe it. im surprised they havent told you the reasons.
im probably going to have to go back on blood pressure tablets if mine goes up again just to prevent anything bad happening.
the dose of aspirin is low so it doesnt harm the baby.
hope this helps x

 

[LaRockera]

I'm on aspirin 80mg because I've had a very very very specific blood clotting test in Greece called TEG, and it was on the higher acceptable reference. It is supposed to protect me (and thus bubba) from clotting leading to heart attacks and stuff. I'll go to London next week to have a repeat TEG test to see if I need to increase or stop or maintain what I'm currently taking.

But yeah, it's thinning the blood and so should protect you from heart attacks and other unpleasantness.

It's always good to know they are preventing me from having a heart attack haha but it possesses no risk to my baby? I started this pregnancy on nothing...I'm now on labetalol 100mg (high blood pressure tablets) and aspirin

I asked my midwife the same. She said that at this stage the baby is safe, and that they're just looking after the mother.

Do ask them respectively of course, as I'm not a medical professional. But I would think your bubba is absolutely fine, and they're doing it for you. I think it may help increase better flow of blood to the placenta too, but again, I may be talking out of my ***.

 

[Kyliem87]

Thank you weege, yeah my blood pressure has been up since about 7 weeks but it went down in weeks 8 and 16 then I started suffering migraines and it's been high ever since so I've been on bp tablets for 2 weeks I just wish she had said 'we've had a letter from the maternity unit at the hospital' or something. When I went in to see a consultant for my bp I only saw a doctor who took my bp, then said 'ok we will see you in december' and then nothing for a week til this voicemail lol

 

[Weege]

thats a bit random they didnt say anything about it.
i'd be confused if i was u!
i'd just speak to ur midwife about it all on thursday. just rest easy i nthe knowledge that it wont harm the baby at all.
i've been taking it every day for the last 7 weeks and little bump is doing well
hope u get some answers soon.
u could always try ringing and asking to speak to ur doctor and ask the reasons why u are being put on it and say it would have been nice for the to explain rather than just leaving a message. i think i would, but then i seem to be a bit more pissed off with people these days

 

[CertainTurton]

Hi, Im also on 1 tab of asprin and have been since week 13 - its to thin the blood and make sure it gets enough through the placenta. I expect its also to take some of the strain off your heart. It is safe in small doses in preg. I was put on it before I saw my consultant as a precaution so its quite normal. I would ring your doc if your not sure
Good luck.

 

[Kyliem87]

Yeah I'm deff going to speak with my midwife on Thursday and just see why nothing was said and then suddenly a week later my doctors get a random letter saying I need to take it like I said to my OH it obviously means they had to go away and think about this so why wasn't more said at my appointment other than writing down what my doc had given me and literally saying 'ok make an appointment for 6 weeks time please' so I just want to know why they needed to think on it and what made them come to the conclusion to out me on it now. Thanks for all your advice though I feel better that baby is fine and it's more for the conditions I have

 

[whispernikki]

I'm on asprin it can help reduce pre eclampsia ....

 

[EveEnRoute]

I started this pregnancy on nothing...I'm now on labetalol 100mg (high blood pressure tablets) and aspirin

I have high blood pressure too - was borderline from 6 weeks til 12, then was consistently high. I'm on 100mg labetalol twice a day and 75mg aspirin a day. They told me it was quite a new thing but standard practise now with high blood pressure in pregnancy (both doc and specialist at hospital said that). A normal over the counter aspirin dose is 300mg, so it's a v low dose. My blood pressure went right down after 2 weeks on both pills, so it seems to be working!

 

[dt1234565]

I am also on asprin 75mg. I am on it due to miscarriages as it stops clotting issues that can lead to miscarriage.

I would speak to your GP/Consultant/Midwife but its really harmless so there isnt an issue with it.

xxx

 

[Kyliem87]

Thank you EveEnRoute this has made me feel loads better as that's exactly what it's been like for me...at 7 weeks it was /99 then weeks 8 and 16 it was /82 and /88 but then from 18 weeks it's been /102 so started me in the labetalol with an appointment for the consultant who said nothing but she will see me in 6weeks to review me then suddenly this letter so was a little concerned but now I feel much better

 

[Debbie82]

My BP is fine but I've been put on aspirin as I'm high risk for pre eclampsia ad I'm carrying twins. So it's more a preventative measure with me.

Apparently it has to be done via prescription as the pharmacist won't dish it out to preggo ladies without prescription.