Pre-e possibility. Scared

[samisshort]

With my first, my doctor never told me I had any problems but I knew since my home blood pressure device showed high readings and I was swollen like a balloon. They monitored me closely before and after birth as well.

Well with this baby, my doctor still has said nothing to me but the nurse slipped and told me my blood pressure is high and I had protein in my urine. And now with other signs (swollen, headaches, vision changes, belly pain, etc) I suspect I may have preeclampsia....

I am 36 weeks so I know my baby will have an awesome outcome if he were to be born now. But what can I do to help? I know I to drink water and reduce salt intake. Anything else? Hard to relax with a 20 month old too. And their father is helping me out as much as he can. I just want to ensure nothing happens and that my baby is healthy and happy.

All my doctors done so far is schedule another ultrasound to determine what to do next - if I need to be induced or need a c section, or if I am actually fine.

Any advice or words would be appreciated because I am terrified. Thanks.

 

[Taurus8484]

I was induced due to pre eclampsia. Your doing the right things with drinking lots and reducing salt. The ultrasound will tell if there is any problems with blood flow to baby.

Unfortunately not much more you can do but if symptoms get worse don't wait. Go straight in for check up.

 

[amjon]

I had pre-e (and twins) and my darn OB STILL wouldn't deliver me until my planned 37 week CS (I really think they just wanted the money for the section, as if it was any earlier they would have had to send me to another hospital with another doctor). I was in and out of the hospital from 35 weeks (MFM sent me and said I wouldn't go home until the babies were out- they sent me home the next morning, still pregnant). My boys were 100% healthy, even having pre-e for a few weeks.

 

[samisshort]

Just going to bump this so I don't have to start another post.

Update: Still having problems, my BP was really high the other night (168/91) so I went to hospital and they managed to get it down in about 2 hours. I've had a headache that will not go away even with 1,000 mg of Tylenol. All they told me to do is eat, drink plenty, and rest on my left side when I can.

I really wish I would go into labor so this would just stop. I don't know if I can handle anymore of this. And my doctor doesn't seem to care. I don't know what to do. Any advice to help me get through these extremely long days?! I feel like I am going mad....

 

[kanga]

I had a pe scare last week, it's not nice. In the uk they test your bloods for pe as your liver function will go awry and a few others which I forget. What do your blood results say?

Also in the uk, the bottom number of your Bp is the important one. And anything over 100-110 is worrying and medicated down with something like labetalol. Are you on Bp meds or been offered them?

Do you have flashing lights in your vision and constant and increasing protein in your urine? That's a sign of pe.

It seems pih and pe are often intertwined. Seems odd that your nurse let slip to you about your Bp and that your doctor doesn't have open and honest conversations with you about your state of health!

Unless you've been diagnosed and are being treated as pe, I wouldn't let it worry you too much. Be positive and don't let it get you down.

Where is your belly pain? If it's on the upper right only, it may be linked to a failing liver. If it's all over its unlikely to be pe linked.

I would ask to have the resistance in your placenta measured as this will indicate how well your baby is being fed. A high resistance is bad and can be caused by pe and or pih.

 

[LilC]

they had to put me on bedrest for pre-e from week 31. I gave birth on my 35th week due to other complication (vasa previa). nothing really you can do if it is pre-e. this is not any of your fault but the placenta's. in my case, i was asymptomatic. I have high blood pressures but i did not have headaches and the other symptoms. if you do have a blood pressure monitor, check it a couple of times a day and make sure to call them when the headaches will not go away.

 

[amjon]

I had a pe scare last week, it's not nice. In the uk they test your bloods for pe as your liver function will go awry and a few others which I forget. What do your blood results say?

Also in the uk, the bottom number of your Bp is the important one. And anything over 100-110 is worrying and medicated down with something like labetalol. Are you on Bp meds or been offered them?

Do you have flashing lights in your vision and constant and increasing protein in your urine? That's a sign of pe.

It seems pih and pe are often intertwined. Seems odd that your nurse let slip to you about your Bp and that your doctor doesn't have open and honest conversations with you about your state of health!

Unless you've been diagnosed and are being treated as pe, I wouldn't let it worry you too much. Be positive and don't let it get you down.

Where is your belly pain? If it's on the upper right only, it may be linked to a failing liver. If it's all over its unlikely to be pe linked.

I would ask to have the resistance in your placenta measured as this will indicate how well your baby is being fed. A high resistance is bad and can be caused by pe and or pih.

Liver enzymes are only high with HELLP not regular pre-e.

 

[samisshort]

I called the hospital last night and the doctor on call completely blew me off. My bp gets high every day, I have a bp device at home and use it multiple times a day. Still have a pounding headache too. Sometimes I see flashing lights. I just wish they would check me out rather than blow.me off. I really want peace of mind.

 

[amjon]

I called the hospital last night and the doctor on call completely blew me off. My bp gets high every day, I have a bp device at home and use it multiple times a day. Still have a pounding headache too. Sometimes I see flashing lights. I just wish they would check me out rather than blow.me off. I really want peace of mind.

Is there another hospital you can go to?

 

[supertabby]

Please go to hospital and demand to be admitted and seen by a different doctor. Those symptoms should not be ignored - I've heard of so many cases through online support group of doctors not understanding pre-e or HELLP and it does seem to be worse for US ladies to be honest.

Flashing lights/disturbed vision is considered generally to be the most serious symptom. Please go and kick and scream until they take you seriously. You're full term now so I don't know why they don't just induce you under the circumstances.

Good luck, big hugs to you.

 

[supertabby]

I had a pe scare last week, it's not nice. In the uk they test your bloods for pe as your liver function will go awry and a few others which I forget. What do your blood results say?

Also in the uk, the bottom number of your Bp is the important one. And anything over 100-110 is worrying and medicated down with something like labetalol. Are you on Bp meds or been offered them?

Do you have flashing lights in your vision and constant and increasing protein in your urine? That's a sign of pe.

It seems pih and pe are often intertwined. Seems odd that your nurse let slip to you about your Bp and that your doctor doesn't have open and honest conversations with you about your state of health!

Unless you've been diagnosed and are being treated as pe, I wouldn't let it worry you too much. Be positive and don't let it get you down.

Where is your belly pain? If it's on the upper right only, it may be linked to a failing liver. If it's all over its unlikely to be pe linked.

I would ask to have the resistance in your placenta measured as this will indicate how well your baby is being fed. A high resistance is bad and can be caused by pe and or pih.

Liver enzymes are only high with HELLP not regular pre-e.

Second that. Liver failure is symptomatic that HELLP has developed but not all pre-e is hellp.Fortunately hellp is more rare. Often with HELLP the other typical pre-e symptoms don't present other than high bp (but this is not always the case). Some specialists even consider them two totally different conditions but most consider HELLP to be a complication of pre-e. Either way presenting with only one symptom should be merit enough for investigation, the op has several and I'd be surprised if it isn't pre-e and/or hellp tbh. Normal liver and platelets don't mean it's not pre-e, it just means it's not hellp.

 

[samisshort]

Well my doctor is now monitoring me closely, after my appointment yesterday. Lots of protein in my urine (2+) and high bp with a migraine still. I am scheduled for another ultrasound. I am also a centimeter dilated now thankfully. Unfortunately the hospital I go to is my only option. So far I think it is under control because my bp gets high but not dangerously high. Been resting a lot and drinking water. Hoping labor is soon!

 

[misspriss]

That is highly concerning to me. I had just high BP and protein in urine, they admitted me to the hospital and decided to induce at 33 weeks.

I never had any vision issues, headaches, and barely any swelling. My protein in the urine was apparently off the charts though.

Researching now, I guess my proteinuria of (I think) 1.1 g/24hr classed me as "severe pre-eclampsia". But still. I would definitely demand to be taken seriously on the issue.

 

[samisshort]

Is it possible pre-e can go away before you deliver? I monitor my blood pressure very close, and every day it would be super high all afternoon and night. Well the past two days I have been getting awesome readings! Only about 120-130/70-80. I still have this awful headache though which is now day 6. Everyone's telling me to call and if they blow me off to just go in and demand something. I am afraid to be induced but at the same time I am wondering if it safer for my baby at this point. :/ Not only that but my doctor takes vacation on the 17th. I feel really pressured to have my baby before then. My appointment is on the 16th. So much stress.

 

[supertabby]

I think it's possible for BP to fluctuate but pre-eclampsia does not go away until placenta is removed (sometimes medication needed too but there is no cure without baby being born).

PLEASE go to the hospital and insist they listen to you. Have they taken any bloods? Insist they check uour platelets and liver enzymes. Don't wait for your appointment - can you ask to see another doctor there?

 

[Perfect_pink]

Please go and get checked out, pre is not some thing you should hope will go away, i had it very badly both pregnancys and very lucky to have my son, the first time it deteriated very quickly and the ending wasnt so great for me, my advice is make them listen to you ! X

 

[samisshort]

Thank you all for the support, I have nothing like this in real life. It is nice coming here and talking to people with knowledge of this.
I have another update....
Right after I posted that I took my bp and it was high again. So I called the doctor and he told me to come in and be checked out just to be safe.
So I get there, and they take my bp, and it's normal. It stays normal the whole time I am there too. About 130/70 the whole time. I also had contractions every 5 minutes the whole time too. About the 3 hours I was there. Well, she was about to send me home but she took my temp and noticed my temp was high. Took it a few times and it was still high. And I told her I still had my headache that Tylenol would not even touch, it was horrible. Also told her how I can't pee very much anymore even though I drink tons of water. So she makes me drink more, and inserts a catheter to test my urine for protein and an UTI. UTI came back negative and I don't even have protein in my urine anymore. They also gave me a Vicodin for my headache. It didn't touch it. I still have it as I type this so this day 7 for me now.
Another thing I noticed this morning is I am extremely crampy, and I am bleeding. Dark red in my underwear, and bright red in the toilet and when I wipe. I also noticed at the hospital when they removed the catheter and let me use the bathroom, there was a little bit of green when I wiped. This was all about 14 hours ago. I called labor and delivery and asked if the catheter could make me bleed and she said it is possible and to just keep an eye on it, if I keep bleeding to call my doctor.

Does this all sound okay to anyone? Nothing bad right? I am a young mom, so I feel like I may be bothering them or not know much or know what is normal. I didn't experience any of this with my first son.

Should I walk a lot and see if I can get labor moving along? Because I feel super crampy and having irregular contractions at the moment. I am just not sure if it is safe to move a lot. Any advice?

 

[amjon]

Is it possible pre-e can go away before you deliver? I monitor my blood pressure very close, and every day it would be super high all afternoon and night. Well the past two days I have been getting awesome readings! Only about 120-130/70-80. I still have this awful headache though which is now day 6. Everyone's telling me to call and if they blow me off to just go in and demand something. I am afraid to be induced but at the same time I am wondering if it safer for my baby at this point. :/ Not only that but my doctor takes vacation on the 17th. I feel really pressured to have my baby before then. My appointment is on the 16th. So much stress.

My 24 hour protein did go down so technically got better but I also had way more water that time. It really doesn't go away on it's own but your BP may fluctuate. I'd get checked just in case.

 

[Dinah93]

I'd call the ward and chat to the midwives, get their advice. However just form my own experience the symptoms in your latest post don't sound like pre-e. Don't pay too much attention to a home monitor unless it's been clinically validated in the last 2 years, they stop being acurate very easily.

 

[samisshort]

My home one is usually spot on. Was the same as hospitals last time. I also have been seeing stars again and my headache is getting worse. I dont even want to call anymore because they just send me home after having me come in. this headache is making me feel sick to my stomach. Desperately wish I would go into labor so this all ends.