chronic hypertension - what should I expect?

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Glad your bp is running ok at the mo MissMoody! My protein is back to zero again thankfully as had to have it checked again on Sun at the hosp after BP spiked at home- all down at the hosp so seems I managed to avoid the white coat syndrome for once ha ha!!

Might be worth asking if the team looking after you have a home monitor they can lend you. Apparently only certain monitors are deemed as accurate for monitoring bp in preg so the hosp have lent me one for the duration. I'm doing it a cpl of times a day at the mo. catch up soon xxx
 
Hi ladies, thank you to all who have posted here, it has really helped me. I'm so sorry for your loss Jenn, but impressed by your taking control of the medical situation.

I've been put on nifedipine today at 6+4 as my bp has rocketed in the last 2 weeks to between 166/116 and 145/104 all this week. It was high years ago, but I've been naturally at a good place the last 2 years without the tablets. I'll be honest I'm quite scared of what could happen if it's gone this high this fast.
 
Hey Dinah93- good to have you with us! It is definitely scary but good that they're taking control of the situation quickly. Let us know how you get on over the next few weeks and if you have any other questions or anything...

My experience has been that the whole high bp in pregnancy thing is quite hard to get a handle on sometimes- for example I feel like they keep putting my meds up (on max dose of methyldopa and 40mg nifedipine now) even though my bp isn't really coming down- however as dh has pointed out it could well be rocketing up without the meds so just have to assume it's doing its job!!

Does anyone else have any views on when they would start refusing increased meds??

xxx
 
Hi everyone, just popping in as I was diagnosed with gestational hypertension a few weeks back as well. I've been on bedrest and been ordered to see the Dr twice a week for non-stress tests and biophysical ultrasounds. My blood pressure is always around 150/100, 140/100, although it has been higher at times. My Dr. has decided to NOT put me on bp meds, she just wants me to lay flat on bedrest. Amazing, when they lay me down and take my bp it goes down immediately to 130/80. Anyhow, just wondering why so many are put on the meds so quickly, and my Dr has said she will likely deliver me in the next 2-3 weeks (33-36 weeks) because the high bp has caused my amnitoic fluid to dip into the 3rd percentile (very low) and she is concerned that the high bp is reducing the oxygen level to the placenta. Anyone else been told they are delivering early FOR SURE due to the high bp? We check every week for protein in my urine (indicating pre-eclampsia) but I've stayed borderline (higher than normal but not high enough to be considered pre-eclampsic) yet...

anyhow, thanks for letting me pop in, hope everyone is feeling well tonight...
 
Most people are put on the meds because obviously high bp is very dangerous, and they are usually quite successful at resolving the problem. High bp outside of pregnancy can lead to a stroke, regardless of age, and in pregnancy it can also cause the placenta to rupture. Regardless of anything else high bp throughout pregnancy leads to a low birthweight, which coupled with the fact these babies are usually early can make for some tiny little fighters. There are medications deemed safe to mom and baby which lessens these risks. I'm only 7 weeks in and need them, so while bed rest is an explored option for the later stages (or if bp climbs even if you're on meds) it's not feesible or a strong enough control to use for an entire pregnancy. Hope that helps answer your query on why they're prescribed so much.
 
Hey everyone,

Hi to new posters, always good to hear people's experiences! Just to add to Dinah's comments there is the added issue that some of us have chronic rather than gestational hypertension, for example I've been on BP meds for over 10 years. In this case it's more a matter of altering your meds to those safe in pregnancy.

Also I guess it would depend on the individual as to how effective different kinds of rest etc would be- I had a week off work recently and my BP was higher than ever despite having a really relaxing week!! I have been wondering if bed rest will be suggested to me later on but not sure yet. Also each individual is different in terms of how high their BP will be allowed to run. My pre pregnancy BP runs around 140/90 anyway and the docs have told me that my body will have got used to running at a higher level so I'm unlikely to suffer any real effects until it goes a lot higher. Still hoping it stays controlled over next few weeks as I really don't want to increase my meds for the time being...

Good luck W8ing4ours as sounds like you're getting pretty close to arrival of baby now!! I'm certainly expecting to have an early one but still seems like a long way off!! xxx
 
Thanks Dinah and newgirl, I appreciate all of your input. I was back at the Dr today and my bp was taken 3 times, all about 160/105, 163/108, etc. So she finally put me on bp medication today, it's called Labetalol, she is starting with a pretty low dose because my bp still seems to regulate immediately when I lay down and she doesnt want me to to go too low all day long because I am on bedrest. On a better note, my fluid stayed at an 8 since Monday, so it hasn't gone down and that is pretty reassuring. I'm hopeful that the bp meds with stabilize my bp and if we can keep the fluid where it is I might even make it to a full 37 weeks!

Hope everyone is doing well tonight and thanks again for all of the information.
 
Hi all,

aimadinging, glad to hear your levels are back down. W8ing4ours, I have been on Labetolol before too, as far as I know, that and methyldopa are most commonly used meds in pregnancy- i only changed as i had some wheezing with the labetelol but hopefully you'll get on fine and you won't have to be on it for too long! Fingers crossed for the 37 wk mark, let us know xxx
 
Hi everyone, ended up admitted to the hospital monday due to bp, even on labetalol and laying down bp was 170/110, and 184/117 sitting up. So, they tripled my dose of labetalol and i've since had a major allergic reaction. FULL body rash, like, EVERYWHERE, worst itch ive ever felt, i honestly believe last night was one of the worst nights of my life. Stopped the labetalol today and am praying this rash goes away now. Dr said its very rare to develop such a strong reaction, but that it does happen. Bp was 150/103 today, still hanging in there...hope you are all doing well.
 
That does sound like an extreme reaction, not what you want at all :nope: Hope it's all calmed down now and they're finding another way to control your BP. Not long to go now, hang on in there, thinking of you xxx
 
W8iting4ours that sounds like a trial, hope you are doing ok x
How is everyone else doing? My BP is behaving nicely though I am feeling quite anxious about what the third trimester holds. Hope you are all well xx. :flower:
 
The rash is gone! It was the labetalol, so thank God we figured it out quickly. I can still see a few bumps on my feet and legs, but for the most part it is gone. They ended up putting me on 90mg of Nifedipine instead. My blood pressure has been steadily hanging at about 150/100, and finally this weekend I developed preeclampsia (which the Dr has been suspecting and anticipating for awhile now, but im finally spilling protein). So, I went in today for an ultrasound and my fluid is low (just above a 5) and we now have a csection scheduled for Thursday. I will be 37 weeks then. I can't wait to have the last few months behind me, it has been a lot of ups and downs and A LOT of worry. I will be sure to update when little Madeline finally arrives, hope you are all doing well and your bps are staying down! :)
 
Best of luck for Thursday W8ing.

BP is currently well controlled on Methyldopa 250 4 times a day, but very early days yet. Weekly urine dips have all been NAD. First scan on Monday, definite bump there which I'm finding hard to hide at work.
 
Thinking of you Dinah, hoping that things will regulate for you and that the next 6 months go smoothly...you won't be able to hide it much longer!! :)
 
Looking forward not to have to hide it. Told my brother last night, he was really excited for us. Back to see the hospital team after the first scan, I'm so excited for you for tomorrow, should be an amazing day - come back and let us know how it went sometime? x
 
I will for sure! I am 19 hours away from checking in at the hospital, 21 hours from meeting my daughter! It feels so surreal, how is that? I've been obsessing over this for months, so why does it seem so crazy to me now that it is actually happening!! I'm kinda scared, definitely nervous, but excited to hold my baby girl! This has been a 5 year road now and I'm just praying everything goes well tomorrow and that my LO is healthy and that I recover quickly! Will update as soon as I can after she is born!! :)
 
Hi ladies,
I am a chronic hypertension patient too and am expecting my first in April. With my first positive preg test they immideatly put me on methyldopa 250mg 3 times a day and I was fine up til recently just got back from an appointment with my consultant who was not pleased with my bp slow rise (I am 22 weeks) and has changed me onto labetalol. Any advice on this new tabs? as pharmacist was vague and said she had no leaflets left. Also they are now going to se me more often as I complained about their lack of care so far (London is not the best place to want better attention from docs)
 
Hi everyone,

Feels like there's a lot to catch up on!

W8ing4ours- can't wait to hear how you are getting on with baby Madeleine, although we'll let you off if you're not on BnB for a while :winkwink: Really hope everything went well, you deserved an easy ride after the long road to get to this point and the troubles of the last few weeks!!

Dinah93- how did your scan go?! Have you told anyone else your news yet?
Yasminesa, welcome to the hypertensives thread :flower: I think a few of us have been/are on Labetolol- I'm not currently as they wanted to up my dose and it was already making me quite wheezy, so not so great if you're an asthmatic but otherwise a good safe medication for use in pregnancy so I'm told!

MissMoody, I know what you mean about the third trimester! I am feeling good at the moment and BP has been behaving itself but it's started to creep up again in last week or so. I've been really busy recently and have been cross with myself for occasionally missing a dose of my meds- I'm on a six times a day schedule at the mo and it's sooooo hard to time all my doses when my routine is different from normal :dohh: Anyway suppose I shouldn't beat myself up- going for another growth scan this week but bump is huge so hoping I haven't got anything to worry about. Do you think it will be time to start asking about birth options and stuff soon? Two of my close friends who have had very normal pregnancies have just ended up having to be induced after going over so I don't feel so alarmed about this now!

Take care all and keep in touch, apols for long post xxx
 
I would recommend that you take the pregnacare for breastfeeding which is fine to take in pregnancy but has calcium which is good to have in pregnancy esp for hypertensives.
 
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