High diastolic number, possible Pre-Eclampsia??

[glamfabx3]

I am currently 36 weeks and at my last prenatal visit my blood pressure reading at higher than normal, at 119/90. My ob took my bp again after telling me I needed to come in the next day and have my bp checked again, and that time it was 143/91 and 136/89. (Let me make a note that my bp was taken after he told me that he thinks I have pre-eclampsia and he wants to induce immediately if I do have it.) I was sent to L&D immediately to have my bp taken every 15 minutes for an hour, as well as a NST, urine test, and blood work. My bp was near perfect (readings below 120/80) and baby was doing fine so I was sent home. I went to see my on the next day as instructed and he told me all my labs came back fine, but when they took my bp, it was high again (130/85). I was admitted into the hospital for a 24 hour observation and a 24 hour urine test as well. My bp during the stay was good and I only had one reading where my diastolic was a 90. I was instructed to take my bp at home three times, three times a day and it has been good numbers. My diastolic has been over 80, but never over 85, and my systolic has been below 120. Other than my bp readings, I have had NO other symptoms. I had headaches before, but not recently.

My question is, has anyone had a similar case as me and not develop pre-eclampsia or did develop it?
It seems like my doctor really wants to find a reason to induce me for pre-eclampsia and seems distressed that other than my bp readings at his office, I have no other symptoms and he can't diagnose me. I don't understand why my diastolic is the only number that is higher than normal and I am worried of developing pre-eclampsia, but i'm pretty annoyed with my doctor at the same time and feel like he just wants to induce me for his convenience.

Sorry this was so long!!!

 

[Kitteh_Kat]

I had the exact same thing happen to me at my 40 week checkup. My OB had been on board with me going to 42 weeks before discussing induction, but after seeing my blood pressure spike he wanted to go ahead with an induction. I still wanted to give her as much time as she needed to be ready as long as neither of us were in danger, so he sent me to the lab to have some bloodwork done (everything came back normal). My mother had also driven up to stay with us so we'd have help, and since she had been a nurse he agreed to her monitoring me at home for a few days to see if anything changed. I was also signed off of work that day and started my short term disability leave. My blood pressure returned to normal as soon as I was able to relax, although they did find a trace of protein in my urine two weeks after I had Evie. Didn't develop Pre-E though, and didn't have the other major signs. Just high blood pressure for the end!

Have you went through any stress lately, or been overworking yourself? If you don't feel comfortable being induced, make sure you stand your ground unless you really do develop a medical problem. Keep monitoring it, and try to take it easy!

 

[glamfabx3]

Thanks for replying! Other than feeling anxious over being a ftm and feeling stressed over my blood pressure now, I haven't had any other stress. I'm definitely planning on standing my ground over not being induced yet as long as I don't have any issues that would endanger my baby and myself, of course. Hopefully it doesn't turn into anything serious and I can go into labor on my own when baby's ready.

 

[mamaofthree]

Hi Hun,

This happened to me, I have ' white coat syndrome' my bp shoots up in drs or midwives but normal at home. I have also had normal readings while sat in l&d or a&e. my midwife always goes on my home reads now as I can't get a good read from anyone else also my blood work is also good and no protein in urine. Could it be this or you ? My heart rate raises too! Xxx

Just to add some practitioners say stress not effects systolic ( top number ) but this is not true, it can and does effect both.

 

[Take2]

Stick to your guns and trust your instincts, doctors just love to find an excuse for an unnecessary induction

 

[mhk425]

I have white coat syndrome as well, but it's even worse when I take my BP at home! I had to go to L&D last week b/c I took my BP at home and got 155/102. Honestly, just being in L&D made me feel so much better b/c I knew if anything was wrong they were right there. Well, first BP they took there was 120/83. By the 4th time (45 minutes later) it was 107/68. I was sooo embarrassed, but they said it happens all the time. My 24-hour urine test and blood work were also normal. They told me to stop taking my BP at home. Apparently it's my mind that's the issue!

 

[vtjess423]

My experience is a little different from yours but I thought I'd share my story as well. When I was pg with my first son, my bp spiked right around 30 weeks where at one appointment it was up to 160/105 (a few appts later)! The first time I had a high reading (not my highest) I had had a stressful week so my doctor put it up to that. But when it was up again at my next appointment she started to have me monitor my bp at home for 2 weeks. After my home readings also being high, along with the one really high readin in the office, she decided to put me on bp meds which I continued through the end of my pregnancy. But I never had any other symptoms along with my high bp and it never developed in to pre-eclampsia. I went into labor naturally at 39 weeks and had a healthy, but small, baby boy. My doctor never spoke of inducing me early but she hadn't planned on letting me go past my due date either with my high bp; so if I hadn't gone into labor natually before 40 weeks I would have been induced. So if I were in your shoes, I would definitely stick to your guns and not let your doctor induce you if you don't want to be. If your readings at home have stayed pretty normal and you have no other symptoms, I'm sure everything is fine. With my son, I had weekly NSTs up until I gave birth just to make sure he was OK. Maybe you could suggest that to your doctor as an alternative? That way the baby is being monitored as well as yourself and then you'll be able to make a more informed decision about if/when you should be induced. I wish you all the best!

 

[mamaofthree]

I have white coat syndrome as well, but it's even worse when I take my BP at home! I had to go to L&D last week b/c I took my BP at home and got 155/102. Honestly, just being in L&D made me feel so much better b/c I knew if anything was wrong they were right there. Well, first BP they took there was 120/83. By the 4th time (45 minutes later) it was 107/68. I was sooo embarrassed, but they said it happens all the time. My 24-hour urine test and blood work were also normal. They told me to stop taking my BP at home. Apparently it's my mind that's the issue!

It's awful isn't it?! I'm fine at a&e or l&d but if my midwife try's it's super high and and at the GPS. I ad to wear a 24hr ambulatory monitor and even that freaked me out !!! They just trusted me in the end. I can't take my bp mre Han once a week or I start to over think ! It's so common though. My readings happen exactly like yours from 150/95 + down to 100/60 x

Op, I agree trust your instincts, some professionals are very quick to intervene .

Xxx

 

[glamfabx3]

Thanks for all the replies! I just wanted to give a quick update about what ended up happening. I went to my appointment and my diastolic shot up to 100 so I was sent to L&D. My doctor pretty much told me I wasn't leaving the hospital without having a baby. I ended up having contractions that were 5 minutes apart after having a cervical check and was pretty much forced into an induction, except my doctor decided to call it "augmented labor" instead. He also went ahead and had me treated as having pre-eclampsia even though I technically didn't, but I guess he needed a reason to induce me/not stop my contractions. I ended up delivering my baby boy 9 hours after starting pitocin. He was 4 weeks early and weighed only 5lbs so he's still in the hospital, but not in the NICU. He didn't want to eat but no feeding tube was needed, nor did he have any other issues. I'm not sure when he'll be coming home since he just developed jaundice but he's doing better. I REALLY wish I didn't have to deliver at 36 weeks but everything happened so fast and I wasn't really given a choice. My L&D nurse was the only one who asked me if I was sure I wanted to go ahead with the induction even though we both knew the doctor wouldn't have let me say no.

 

[surprisepg]

COngratulations on your baby boy! I am sorry that it wasnt the delivery you had planned and hoped for. Did your OB give you meds?

I developed pre eclampsia at 29 weeks. I was told by my OB if my BP didnt fall he would have no choice but to deliver but that was the last option. I was given BP meds and my BP fell. I was however hospitalised for the remainder of my pregnancy because there were trace amounts of protein in my urine and therefore diagonsed with pre-eclampsia.

I ended up delivering at 37 weeks but I give credit to my OB for not being hasty.

 

[mamaofthree]

Congratulations! I'm sorry to hear you felt it all happened a bit too quickly, try to talk to our midwife or dr about your feelings and have a proper debrief if you feel it'd help. Wishing you both a speedy recovery xxx