I just posted a new message with an update to what happened after this posting. I just wanted to thank each of you for responding to me. Without this forum, I don't think I would have been remotely educated as I was about this disease. It was because of you all that I kept on insisting that something was wrong and to take me seriously. I sincerely believe that it was because of you all and this forum that I am alive today. You are all my angels. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Cjellavsky,

Same as above! I hope today went well! Let us know how you are. Hang in there.



Nancy-34
dh-34
ds-8yrs
dd-almost 7yrs
Scott-born 05-14-99 @38 weeks-PE
Janie-born 05-12-03 @37 weeks-PIH, small for gestational age (oligo and low blood flow)

cjellavsky,

I hope that your appointment went well. We haven't heard so I am keeping my fingers crossed that you are just busy. I pray that you are being heard and acknowledged. Hang in there!!



Michelle
mom to Cole Thomas -former 28.5 weeker (3-5-99, 3 lbs)due to HELLP and Madelaine Grace "Lainey" -former 29.5 (10-11-01, 3lbs 4oz)weeker due to Pre-E and had PIH with Elisabeth Rose (Ella) -37 weeker,born June 30th 2003 weighing 5 lbs 12 oz and beautiful.

In response to your doctor discounting the neurologist, please make sure you're seeing a neurologist who has experience in pre-eclampsia. My situation was backwards from yours in that my OB had a lot of faith in the neurologist they referred me to. They had the utmost respect and confidence in this doctor. In my opinion he did absolutely nothing for me and had no business diagnosing something that he knew nothing about. I had a seizure and severe headaches which is why I was referred to him. He was not confident in diagnosing me, because this was the first case he had seen like mine (with eclampsia). I would recommend getting a second opinion from a neurologist with experience in pre-eclampsia if you/your doctor are not confident in him.

I will be going to my OB appt. @ 2:00 EST today, so, we will see how it goes today, I will definitely keep everyone informed!. Thanks so much for all of the information and input you have given me. It has been invaluable!!! Thank you, Thank you!!!!

I hope all is going okay with you!!! It's such a scary place to be and it doesn't help to have doctors telling you 2 different things. I hope you get an appt. with the woman Anne found....Please take care of yourself, even if the hospital staff and docs think you're being annoying or paranoid. sometimes, doctors don't know everything!!! Please keep us posted!!!

Mada
Sam 6-29-00 36weeks P.E.
Ben 11-03-01 No P.E.

I would not wait. No doctor ever died from seeing a woman too many times. Women and babies do die because they don't want to impose or fear being called a hypochondriac. If that is the worse thing that happens--I think we could all live with that. I hate the weekend for just these reasons--it means a trip to L&D when maybe waiting a day would mean a nice simple visit to the OB. If it is close enough, I would go to Duke for the appointment. The reason I say this is abdominal pain could mean a lot of things--some of them really not good. I would check it out and not wait. But then, I am really a very cautious person about this disease nowadays.

Take care and let us know how you are!

Anne

Thanks for everyone's responses....you all have been a wonderful resource. Thank you for sending the info. about the Dr. at Duke.. Ironically, one of my OB's that I told you about in the hospital (the one that has discounted everything) said he called a Dr. Wells at Duke Perinatal and he said that they called me an enigma, because they couldn't figure why I could have these headaches. I think that my OB probably told his side of the story, which like I said...discounted what I am going through. Well, the latest since the night before I left the hospital is that I have been having a LOT of Braxton Hicks. In fact tonight, my lower half is cramping so bad it is hard to stand up straight. I am having a lot of those Braxton Hicks in the past 2 days. My BP readings today have been over 140/90... You can only my hesitation in calling anyone at L&D about these contractions, because they are so irregular. I want to wait until my Dr. appt. on Monday. I cannot believe that I have gotten to the point where I am nervous about calling anyone for fear that somehow I will be made to feel that it is all in my head and they will be like "My goodness, is she a hypochondriac???". I actually have a high pain threshold...but, my two weaknesses are bad headaches and cramping...can't stand those two things. Any advice???

Hey Girly,

I had a dr of the same ignorance. I kept telling him I was sick I had severe nausea w/ vomiting, spikes in bp ranging from 150/90 and up, SEVERE HEADACHES, Streaking of lights in my eyes etc etc etc. He said my bp spkes was due to me throwing up and the headahces was due to straining and the streaks was due to me straining to throw up. I was admitted at 16wks and kept for 3 weeks but they kept saying "nothing was wrong with me too" I overheard the nurses talking about me saying I was being such a baby and they'd love to see how I handled birth. I am the type of person who WILL NOT complain unless something severe is wrong with me.
Well, when I went into preterm labor he even said I wasn't in labor and sent me HOME @ 100% effaced and 3cent dilated. I returned 2 days later with contractions ever 2 mins I was at 4cent dilated and a -2station. I was 30 wks at this time. WELL instead of letting me go ahead and labor they decided to make me wait. My protein at the time was 750 and still going up. I was gaining 7-9lbs a DAY and my dr kept saying "Oh your not swelled." Well he flew off to cancun and the dr who was taking his place came in and noticed how sick i was. He decided to induce me on April 1st. This was around March 22. Well under the new dr's care I went eclamptic and had seizures on March 25. In turn I HAD To have surgery due to the ignorance of my doctor! If he would have actually LISTEND to me instead of going by a monitor he would have found out I had hyperthyroidism which is what CAUSED ALL MY PROBLEMS. I suggest you find a doctor that REALLY know's what he's doing b/c Preeclampsia is NOTHING TO joke around about or IGNORE. Doctor's need's to learn to listen to the patient and look at the signs/symptoms WE"RE exhibiting instead of thinking their all and mighty health fixers and know it all's. [:(!][:(!][:(!]

Girly I will pray for you and I pray that you find somebody who know's what their doing and you don't have to indure what I did.

((((((hugs)))))))
Kelly

From another response from one of our experts:

Her best bet is to seek out someone from Duke or UNC. Those institutions are staffed with full time clinical perinatologists that do deliveries. If she desires, she should ask for a transfer of care and referral to anyone of the perinatologists at UNC (Kim Boggess, Honor Wolfe, Bob Strauss, Ken Moise, etc) or Duke.
Hope this helps,

Dr. Garrett Lam
Preeclampsia Foundation 2001 Vision Grant Recipient


Anne