Please help!! Pre eclampsia questions!

[wannaBamumma]

Hi ladies,

i saw my midwife and have had a real scare! Im 33+4 today and every appointment prior to this one my BP has been perfect! So it was a shock when she told me it was high.... (123/98) anyways, they put me on a fetal heart rate monitor to monitor bubs movements and heart rate and also did some bloods and a urine test...
Apparently i have some protein in my urine aswell as the high BP which could mean pre eclampsia...

Im just so upset... They wanted to keep me in hospital overnight but luckily my BP had gone down a little! Its just my luck that this was the only appointment hubby wasn't able to come to! I was there for 2 hours and the poor thing was ringing me over and over thinking the worst!

I have to wait to hear from the dr this week to see if it is actually pre eclampsia but its just such a scary thing to be faced with when you think all is going well!

Im still at work at the moment and am thinking maybe its time i stopped - i don't want to make anything worse!

Can anyone give me some real life stories on what actually happens with pre eclampsia... i just don't know what to expect and i really don't like googling these things!

- will i be able to deliver naturally or will i have to have a cesarian?
- Will i have to be on bed rest??
- Should i stop work?
- Will bub be delivered early???

Sorry if this is all over the place... im a bit shocked at the moment!

Please help!! :confused:

[Pregnor]

I had to have an epi due to high blood pressure (145/90) as this generally bringgs blood pressure down. I am not sure if you HAVE to though, someone might be able to help on that front. They just recommended it, as if you dont have it, your bp can get even higher during labour, in which case they will want to do a csect, and then you will have to have the epidural anyway (or GA).

They might also want to induce you early if they are not able to control your BP (they didnt do this with me though, my BP was only deemed to be 'high' once i was in prelabour at 41 weeks. I was send to another hospital as i was no longer considered to be a low risk patient - it was a small country hospital

HTH

[Pregnor]

Oh and i think that its probably a good idea to stop work now, because it might be causing your body a bit of stress, as well as if you are induce early or end up on bed rest, it might be nice to get in a little nesting time first

[erinn]

Awww I really hope that it isnt PE for you.

I have a 4 month old baby and I developed PE. I can answer your questions in relation to me but it is prob different for everyone.

- will i be able to deliver naturally or will i have to have a cesarian?
The dr told me that they would prefer I delivered naturally and that there was no reason why I couldnt. They said I would pretty much need an epidural to keep my blood pressure down during labour. For me though in the end I was induced at 33+5 and at 34 exactly labour had not progressed and baby was getting distressed so I ended up with a c-section anyhow.

- Will i have to be on bed rest??
I guess maybe it depends on the case. I was admitted to hospital the day I was diagnosed with PE as my BP was so high. My BP was slightly raised even before pregnancy though. I was on bed rest for the 5 days before my daughter was born. Was only allowed to shower/toilet other than that just sat in bed or slept.


- Should i stop work?
I think this is completely up to you...I did. I chose to finish up at 30 weeks instead of 34 which was my employers preferred time. It worked out well for me as I had my baby at 34 weeks so it ended up giving me 3 weeks at home before my week in hospital and the birth.


- Will bub be delivered early???

Again I think it depends on whether it is PE and the severity of it. I was told that the only cure for PE is to deliver the baby but they did say they would hold off for as long as possible and if they could just get by on bed rest then they would. However for me within 3 days of being diagnosed my BP went sky high and the meds were no longer keeping it under control so I was induced and my bubs was born 6 weeks early.


Everything settled down afterwards though. My BP stayed high for a good week or so after the birth (I got told it can take a few months to go back to normal) and stayed on blood pressure meds till after my 8 week check up which I have now been weaned off. M BP is still up a bit I think but like I said mine was raised to begin with even before the pregnancy. It didnt seem to affect my daughter in anyway other than that she was in the SCN for 2 weeks but that was related to her being premmie rather than the PE.

Hope you get good news. Try not to stress too much...:hugs:

[dreamtobeamummy]

I had PE with my bab.. like you had an awesom epregnancy up untill 34 weeks!!..thats when it went all haywire.. we watched my BP climb and climb, I ended up being admitted into hospital and was told thats where I was staying until DS was born.. they let me go home on strict bed rest and on BP tablets to help maintain the BP.. also every 2nd day I was at the hospital for monitoring of baby's heart etc. Every other day was spent at the Dr's surgery (luckily next door for me!) to be checked on by the nurses. About 36 weeks and I was at the hospital for monitoring and my BP had climbed rapidly and wasn't coming down, this time I had the specialist see me and I was admitted for what was meant to be untill I had baby again but the next morning I was fine to go home, once again on extreme bed rest orders!

38 weeks and I was induced. I had a vaginal birth but the only thing was I was basically strapped to the bed for monitoring every 15 minutes of my BP. My BP got to 170/100 so EXTREMEMLY high.. I had a Epidural which was wonderful (hehe) and that got my BP to come right down again and I continued to labour naturally.

Like Erinn.. I left work 2 weeks earlier then I had originally planned, I left work at I think I was 33 weeks, 34 weeks was when everything started to happen..38 weeks DS was born.

My Sister on the other hand, was rushed to hospital with her son at 38 weeks with pre eclampsia and HELLP syndrome, she was in a very bad way in ICU. didn't remember her baby's name etc.. at one stage we were told she wouldn't get through the night..

BUT pls try not to stress..the only cure to PE is to deliver the bub... and if you are closely monitored you should be ok *Hugs*

[wannaBamumma]

Thanks so much for your replies ladies!
I have to go see the dr on monday to find out whats going on! I think im actually going to call today to see if they've had the bloods back yet! Your stories have definitely made me feel alot less stressed about what could happen.

I decided to finish up work yesterday... im 34 weeks tomorrow so i thought enough was enough.... Even if i dont have pre eclampsia i think it's best to rest! And if bub does end up having to come early, it would be nice to have at least a little time to rest first!

I will keep you all updated when i know whats going on!

THANKS SO MUCH! :)

[erinn]

How did you go?

[wannaBamumma]

So it turned out that i was ok the few weeks ago when i posted! My bloods were fine and my bp returned to normal at my next visit!! So all has been going well... until yesterday!

I had my dr apointment at the hospital and my BP was up again, they did bloods, urine and ecg to monitor bub and we had to wait for the results before i was allowed to leave! Finally after being there for 7 hours... the dr said i could go but she was not entirely happy with my bloods or urine - so now i have to go back on friday for more bloods and urine----its really frustrating me because nobody has actually said "yes you have pre eclampsia and this is what we're going to do"... they are beating around the bush just ordering more and more tests... my arm is beginning to feel like a pin cushion!

Im taking matters into my own hands though... tomorrow im going to see my acupuncturist (who i've been seeing for many years) and im going to see if he can induce labour.... i am scared that i'll go in on friday and they will make me stay in and then i wont have a chance to do anything "my way"...
I've only got 2 weeks to go really and bub is engaged so i want to try an avoid a caesar or medical induction if possible... but on the other hand, i don't want bub to be distressed if the PE does get any worse...

so many things to think about!

[joalisha]

I understand what ur going though it took 3 hosp addmittions before they finally told me i had pe, ur lucky to be so close to delivary, as if u do have pe they will induce u straight away! hope all goes well! :thumbsup: