chronic hypertension - what should I expect?

[Tititimes2]

anne- that's good news. I'm glad you talked to the doctor. You will be fine - it's just good to watch it so I'm sure your doctor will watch you closely.

 

[Dinah93]

I would always call, keep an eye on it, be concerned, but don't panic. Mine got to 179/128 and I had pre-e at +2 and they still weren't going to deliver the baby until my blood tests suddenly showed a lot of issues and I developed HELLP syndrome. They kept telling me there was always more they could do to manage it - I started out on 250mg methyldopa 3 x daily and by the end I was on 300mg labetalol 4x daily, 500mg methyldopa 4 x daily, 20mg nifedipine 2 x daily, 75mcg aspirin daily... they admitted they'd pretty much reached the end of how many drugs they could give me at this point!

Little update on life here. Grace was 1 month old yesterday. She's out of the nicu and into the high dependency unit. Her breathing is still a worry, but all her other systems are now working well it seems. They've told us she'll probably come home on oxygen, but should be home in 4-6 weeks

 

[anne.hopeful]

Your daughter Grace is a beautiful little fighter! Thanks for the words of encouragement.

 

[Tititimes2]

Dinah- she's lovely! And you both are do strong and brave. I remember when my niece was in the NICU. My sister was a Mama bear even then. Glad you have an idea about when she's going to come home!

 

[Flip flop]

I have high bp in the hospital and doctors but not at home, been put on meds anyway just to be sure.

 

[seaweed eater]

So glad to hear things are going well, Dinah! How wonderful that your daughter is out of the NICU and will be home in the foreseeable future.

 

[scotmum35]

hi ladies hope everyone is doing ok and im glad to see your little girl is a real fighter dinah and im glad she will be home soon.
im on adalat ****** 40mg daily my consultant says he cant up that because it can cause fetal death at a higher dose but its interesting to see some women are on a higher dose than i am.
i was given methyldopa yesterday and like the first time i was given it i took a bad reaction severe crippling diarrhea,shakes burning up but feeling like i was freezing and aching joints and that was with just one pill last time i took 3 of them and was ill for 5 days so i have to go into hosp from monday to get IV meds.my bp is around 150/90 and ive had a trace of protein in every urine sample and im hoping it stays that way.
i know they could keep me in for the rest of my preg but im hoping they can sort it out so it doesnt get any worse.
unfortunately for me im allergic or react badly to a lot of meds,so its always going to be a challenge to find the right ones.
im just praying that my bp can be controlled and baby doesnt have to be delivered to early.im pretty freaked out by all this but i know hospital is the safest place.
pls send good thoughts and prayers my way and i will keep u all in my prayers too.xx

 

[anne.hopeful]

Hi scotmum35, sorry to hear you are having such a difficult time with your meds. Just to cheer you up, I am from Scotland also (although I live in Berlin now)....I think I read in an earlier post that you are from an island and so will be going to hospital in Glasgow, is that right? Although I am from the North East, I did spend a few happy years on Arran.....beautiful memories! I am just a week behind you, have been warned this baby will probably come early, so we have started buying. Only got a pram, cot, sling and a few babygros, but it is a start. Would be awful for my OH if it all speeds up and he had no clue what to get....hope things start to improve med wise, and that we can chat again!

 

[scotmum35]

Hi scotmum35, sorry to hear you are having such a difficult time with your meds. Just to cheer you up, I am from Scotland also (although I live in Berlin now)....I think I read in an earlier post that you are from an island and so will be going to hospital in Glasgow, is that right? Although I am from the North East, I did spend a few happy years on Arran.....beautiful memories! I am just a week behind you, have been warned this baby will probably come early, so we have started buying. Only got a pram, cot, sling and a few babygros, but it is a start. Would be awful for my OH if it all speeds up and he had no clue what to get....hope things start to improve med wise, and that we can chat again!

hi anne thanks for the post,i live on the isle of bute ( u can see arran from bute) i will be going to the maternity unit in paisley. had my bp checked again today and its still up.
nobody has mentioned baby comming early to me more saying they want to avoid it if possible.im sorry they think u might deliver early , what a worry,but im sure they will try to deliver as close to due date as possible if they can.
maybe im being naive but i just cant see this baby being born to early.i just hope im not kept in hosp for the rest of my pregnancy,dunno how my OH and teens will cope with that tbh.
after today i wont be round for a while, im waiting on a new android phone being delivered and im not allowed to take my lappy into hosp
hope all goes well with u and the other ladies on this thread xxx

 

[seaweed eater]

Hey ladies, just wanted to bump this post since it's been so long. How are we all doing?

I'm excited to be almost to viability (knock on wood) and BP still looking good...even lower this month actually, 110/60 at home most days, and even at the clinic it was only 120/80. So just waiting and hoping it stays low. How are all of you??

 

[anne.hopeful]

Hi all.....I am on new medication and it seems to be working (methyldopa 250mg, 2x a day, like lots of you guys). I had a 28w growth scan too and she is right on target for her gest. age as well as being in the 100centile for long legs!? Having lots of doctor's appointments so they can continue to keep a close eye on me but I feel like I am actually getting there. Got another growth scan in a month, so fingers crossed the medication will continue to work as it should until then. I hope everyone else is doing alright too?
Seaweed eater - your bp is great atm. what is your secret?
Dinah, how are you and Grace doing?
Scotmum - did you get the android phone? Are you still in hospital?

 

[Arisa]

Hi anne, wow your baby is measuring big, mine is too she is in the 97th percentile but wasnt during the second trimester, must have something to do with high bp/pre-eclampsia I dunno. Yeah they wont deliver my baby until 39 weeks either and I have +3 protein in my urine and the urine tests have all come back with high protein and kretenin but as long as your blood tests and bp are not concerning they wont deliver baby before 38 weeks at the earliest I was told. Even when my BP went up they just monitored me at hospital and tried to lower it but I felt so dizzy and tired and sick I just wanted my baby out now, lol I still do but its for the best I guess.

 

[seaweed eater]

I don't have a secret...just trying to be healthy and moderate with food and exercise, and taking my meds consistently. I'm sure all of us are doing the same! It seems like things can get out of hand quite quickly so I'm sure it's largely luck so far, but it's a blessing.

I'm glad to hear you are both doing ok Anne you certainly are getting there! It's great that your meds are working and your girl is doing well. Arisa, I can only imagine how uncomfortable you must feel by now between being term and having a big baby and high BP...but you are so close! I can't wait to hear about your baby girl

 

[Dinah93]

Thanks for asking after Grace, we've been transfered to a speaking heart and lung hospital, and this morning she's having an op to remove half her left lung. I'm a wreak right now.

 

[seaweed eater]

Sorry she needs to have the surgery...wishing her a speedy recovery!!

 

[anne.hopeful]

Dinah, I am sorry to hear that Grace needs an operation.....thoughts are with you! Hoping for the best outcome!

 

[seaweed eater]

Just wanted to mention that I recently found the forums over at the Pre-E Foundation and a lot of interesting info there...two stats I read in particular are that women with chronic hypertension have a 25% chance of developing pre-e (not as bad as I thought actually!) and that the average time from diagnosis to delivery is two weeks. Apropos of the thread title/theme, those numbers have just helped me to imagine what to expect. Hope all of us end up in the lucky 75%

Also since there was just a discussion of gestational size, I did read on the same forums that babies whose moms have pre-e or hypertension tend to be either small or big...something about how these issues play out as a fight between mom and placenta for how much nutrition the baby gets, and the imbalance can go either way. Thought that was interesting too!

 

[crystal443]

Hi ladies, I'd love to join you just got back from my OB appointment and am on BP meds. He put me on Methyldopa 250mg twice daily. I have kidney issues so blood pressure are no stranger to me but I have been off BP meds for awhile now. I have two other kids a DD 15 almost 16, she was delivered at 36 weeks due to BP by emergency section, and a DS 14 thatwas delivered at 37 weeks due to yep you guessed it high BP, I'm 37 now and we have been trying since DS to get pregnant with no luck had 3 cycles of failed IVF and ended up getting a natural BFP right after our last failed cycle. My BP had been crawling up a bit with IVF and it was 160/90 today which isn't horribly high but enough to need the meds again

My babies were both on the small side, actually I thought DD was ok she was 6 pounds 1 ounce at 36 weeks but OB today said that was small??? DS was 6 pounds at 37 weeks and when he was born he had low fat reserves and both had jaundice.

 

[crystal443]

Thanks for asking after Grace, we've been transfered to a speaking heart and lung hospital, and this morning she's having an op to remove half her left lung. I'm a wreak right now.

I hope your daughter does well with her surgery

 

[Dinah93]

Hi everyone, Grace made it through the surgery, and is awake, but still ventilated. She's nice and alert today and they've started feeding again. Her due date is in three and a half weeks and I really hope she's at least back at our local hospital by then, although would love to have her home.