Blood Pressure

[mummyslove]

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I'm currently really fed up and annoyed with lack of answers I seem to be getting from the midwifes and doctors...
I was induced with my first child at 37 weeks when I developed severe pre eclampsia, and my blood pressure has started to raise at 20 weeks in this pregnancy 160/100..my booking in pressure was 100/60, which for me is normal out of pregnancy.
I have been in and out of labour ward like a yo yo, and my bp always comes down to around 138/85. I saw my consultant for the first time 2 weeks ago at 25 +1, she felt as my bp at the time was back in the 80s not to medicate but continnue weekly checks, as she thinks it is the start of pre eclampsia again as it is following the pattern as it did last time.
Anyway tow days ago I felt very ill, headache, jittery, swollen and then sick with epigastric pain so it was back off to the labour ward. A nurse came to do my bp and it was 158/105. I was then left for over an hour as the nurse told the midwifes that my bp was fine?! I know they are busy, but come on... Over the next two hours i had blood tests which came back ok and bp came down to 140/80 , 145/85, 140/ 80.... I was sent home as there was also no protein in my urine, although with my daughter protein was only found in 24 hr samples.
Is anyone else in the same situation?? I'm currently 26 weeks pregnant.

 

[mamaofthree]

Hun, are you stressing about your bp? I had pre e with my first, now i absolutely cant have it taken in hosp...it does the same thing....150/98...after a few attemps 120/70ish. I had to see a cardiologist for 24 hr monitoring and even that was up slightly 140/80, but they were happy with this and put it down to cuff anxiety/white coat syndrome due to a previous experience. Do you ever have protein? as this is usually present before they diagnose pre e. Anyhow, i monitor my own bp at home, and although the first read is slightly higher it is completely normal 150/90ish at hosp and docs 130 to 120/70 at home. I'm not saying you dont have a problem as am not a gp, howver take ur own reads and write them down so you can see whats going on for yourself, then take them with you to hospas this really does hold some weight.

good luck x x x x x

Sorry just re read you said no protein...so unlikely to be pre e.......can you request ambulatory monitoring?????

 

[peanut13]

I am on at home monitoring with my bp. When I go into the office it spikes - like it did yesterday. At home they are happy as long as it stays under 150/100. If it goes high I need to rest for 30 min and re-test - if still that high then head to L&D. Nurse checks in with me everyday and visits opposing days. I am also on modified bed rest to help this little one on for a few more weeks till I deliver her.

 

[soootired]

Hi I had this all last pregnancy from around 20 weeks and two weeks after (went to 41 weeks though and never got pre eclamsia lol), I beleive it was that anything stressfull just raised my blood pressure Kinda white coat but also anyother stress like work or excersize. Also had svt so maybee that too. It would go up, i would stay in hospital till bloods came back or it dropped, drove me mad and hope it doesnt happen this time as i have my girl to look after now. Have you tried a home monitor or a 24 hour monitor to check for white coat? fingers crossed for you

 

[TripleB]

I have whitecoat syndrome too (confirmed by my GP) so was a bit annoyed at the hospital today when the obstetrician basically told me it didn't exist! Instead she decided to write on my notes "essential hypertension" because my normal reading is 130/80, which she says is high and therefore the cause of my even higher readings at the hospital/GP (160/90 today). I am now checking for protein in my urine 3 times a week because of the risk of pre-eclampsia. xxx

 

[mamaofthree]

Thats crazy! Firstly 130/80 is not high...130 may be pre hypretensive by new classifications but it's by no means high, nor does it require treatment! They just don't want to believe that anxiety caneffct your bp that much! They also don't like to believe it can effect your diastolic pressure too, but it's obvious that if the sytsolic starts to rise it will have a baring on the other numbers. Mine goes from 111/60 at home to 160/90 at the hosp. Its a nightmare. Beetroot juice its great for lowering bp! x x x

 

[TripleB]

You're totally right about not wanting to believe stress affects it. I actually overheard the stupid woman talking about me outside the room saying she didn't believe it existed! She then said to me "I don't make you nervous do I" - cue high BP! I know its whitecoat because I can even stress out about it at home and as soon as I relax its back to normal (for me). She did say 130/80 is not at a level they would treat but still called it hypertension - whatever! Thanks for the tip on the beetroot juice, I'll give that a go! xxx

 

[mamaofthree]

Thats ok hun...i had mild pre e with my first and was treated horribly by the staff (i had really stressful social situ going on at home...partner in court)so ended up giving birth alone.....and that experience has made me anxious about bp machines in general...lol! I battled with them for years about this, ended up having 24hr monitoring, which freaked me out so the average was 140/80 but the cardiologist said it was due to my stress, and thats it they have been fine with it ever since. My c/m lets me take my own bp at home then show her at visits...but i dread the hosp! There are however many consultants who do believe it exisits, and it is now a recognised condition...you only have to google it!grrrrr they annoy me! your pressures can rise by 15 diastolic and 30 systolic...or more!!!.so keep a record of your pressures and dont let them bring you down hun! x x x