Hellp

[~Kimba~]

Hi there, just wondering if anyone out there has been diagnosed with HELLP syndrome and if you could share your experience/ symptoms/ how you were diagnosed/ how early you had to deliver/ and how things worked out for you and your bub?

I'm 30 weeks, have had a great pregnancy till now, but last week I had really severe upper abdominal pain and pressure (like really bad indigestion) which lasted for a few days (the hospital midwives fobbed me off both times that I called - told me it was probably gallstones and to take some panadeine forte). I'm also feeling nauseous, achy, really fatigued, no appetite. I had a routine midwife appt on Monday and told them about my pain and other symptoms, they had me do bloods and see the ob who booked me for an ultrasound yesterday, which showed that I do have a gallstone which may cause some pain, but that I also have an enlarged liver :eek: which is more likely the cause of the severe 'indigestion' pain. Also my blood tests showed elevated liver enzymes and white blood cell count. But they didn't say anything about impaired kidney function or low platelet count, and I don't have any pre-eclampsia symptoms, my blood pressure is 'perfect' and I have no protein in my pee, and only minimal swelling.

I had to do some more blood tests, and I'll get the results and see the ob again next week, so it seems they aren't 'too' worried about me at the moment (haven't hospitalised me at least!), but I am terrified that this could be HELLP syndrome after having read some other stories where women had symptoms matching mine exactly...

[jackbob]

I was diagnosed with Hellp after being two days over dragging myself into hospital because i counldnt breathe proprely, for the third time in the last trimester i had pains that were similar to what you are describing and i decided to not take a panaol like the midwives were saying but to go in and interrupt them at work because the pain was also making me vomit. I had a perfect pregnancy and my blood pressure was always normal( that is how they can normally detect it)then they noticed my platlets were low near the end but did nothing about it at the time. I to was told that it was gallstones but after more tests and drugs they said that he had to come out because my platlets had dropped to a critical level. I was in recovery for three days and luckily didnt have to get a blood transfusion. 9 months on and me going into hospital with a pain in my ribs then 4 days later i was handed a baby is still very much a blur.
I tell anyone with pains in there upper left ribs to go straight to hospital and get your blood pressure and platlets tested.
Hopefully everything works out:)

[shepelec]

I also had a perfect pregnancy. I was on my fourth pregnancy and had no problems with the previous three except for severe indigestion (it was ingestions and nothing else).
During my last pregnancy i had what I thought was ingestions again so thought nothing of it. I had a blood pressure of 105/65 the whole way through my pregnancy, and no swelling or protein in my urine. I went for the routine blood test at 36 weeks.
Thats when the elevated liver enzymes and decreased platelett levels showed up. I had a 24 hour urine protein done with no abnormalities detected. I had two extremely high doses of steroids to try and get my platelet levels up but to no avail.
I was then told that I would have to have a platelet transfusion and then be induced.
On arriving at the hospital I was greeted by the midwife with 'hi you must be here for the transfusion and emergency cesarean'. Well that was the first I heard about it.
In the end, after a transfusion, emergency cesarean and still losing in excess of two liters of blood, I have a healthy beautiful baby girl.
Just a word that if it doesn't seem right always ask for a second opinion. HELLP is rare and at our local hospital only one midwife had ever heard of it so I was a learning experience for all. But I hope that because of this they will be more aware of anything similar in the future.