Hypertension/ High Blood Pressure Meds & Pregnancy

[Charmedseed]

I was diagnosed with essential hypertension (high blood pressure with no known cause; I do not smoke, drink, and I'm not overweight; no renal problems, etc) more than 8 years ago. When we decided to start trying to get pregnant in December, I had my OBGYN and PC doctor observe me to see if I could completely go off medications; unfortunately my blood pressure was still too high and I continue to need medication to manage my blood pressure and be sure both myself and my child are safe.

We have been working on figuring out a safe alternative for the alpha-beta blocker I'd been on successfully for several years. We tried labetalol for a while, but in addition to not reducing my blood pressure enough, it wasn't able to reduce my heart rate and gave me HORRIBLE night sweats.

I'm interested in trying methyldopa, but the list of side effects is daunting.

Have you had this experience? What was your response to the medications? What worked for you?

 

[Dinah93]

I get side effects for all 3 that are recommended for use during pregnancy, but I need them so don't really have a choice.

Labetalol - yep, very hot at night, gives me a very stuffy nose and makes my asthma so much worse I can be panting about the house for no reason I'm currently on 400mg 5x a day of this one.

Methyldopa - problem with this one is it looses effectiveness the longer you're on it. Also if your bp rises during the pregnancy this takes around 2 weeks for any raise in dose to kick in, which is no good if you have a sharp rise. Every time they put my dose up on this one I sleep for 3 days before I start to get used to it. Currently on 750mg x3 of this.

Nifedipine. My least favourite. Shouldn't be used before 20 weeks of pregnancy apparently. Gives me cracking headaches but very effective and bringing bp down. Works very quickly too. Only on 10mg of this one atm.

 

[Charmedseed]

That's super helpful to know! It's looking more and more like I won't be working, so I guess that's a good thing, LOL!

 

[lala222]

I've been on methyldopa since falling pregnant with my son in 2012 and am currently still on it (500 mg a day) I also have hypertension with no known cause, other than that I'm healthy, its strange! Anyways, it seems to work really well for me. No blood pressure issues while pregnant with my son, and none as of yet during this pregnancy (and hopefully it stays that way) Its actually been 120/80 most of my pregnancy.

 

[princessatmey]

i got severe pre e in labour with my son an hes nearly 2an half. I was still on meds 3 months later when feel preg with my second i stopped as bp settled but i was put bk on meds 30 odd weeks preg.i had labetalol, this lowered my bp frm 170/110 to 140+/90 with son. My bps never been right an tends be borderline. I am 14weeks preg with 3rd an so far no meds but ive had 3high bp readings in last 3days on my home monitor. One was 145/125 twice bottom half was 112.

 

[psychnurse23]

At 34 weeks on my first pregnancy my bp became really high. No pre-e just pregnancy induced hypertension. I was put on labetalol but I was getting migraines so bad I couldn't see so they changed me to methyldopa and I was put on bed rest. I was on it 3 times a day and I had no issues with it. I was eventually induced at 40+3 because my bp was 140/120 even with the meds. My bp returned to normal within a week of delivery and I never had an issue again.

At 8 months pp I was pregnant again and when I went for my first appointment it was reading 138/90. I was asked to keep an eye on it at home for 2 weeks and come back. At 10 weeks it was 140/90 so I was referred to nephrology and started on methyldopa again. I was taking it up until 22 weeks when I ran out 5 days before a check up so I stayed off it and my bp stayed at 117/75. I am 28 weeks now and getting 1 reading above 135/85 per day. That is my cut off and once I am getting a second reading above that I will be started on it again. I am hoping I will get to 34ish weeks again before a problem arises (if one does).