Catherine's words hit home for me as well. I was also in Hawaii, when I was 13 weeks. Then when I was 20 weeks I was in New York. At 23 weeks, my 3 year old niece came to stay for a week. At 25 weeks I was diagnosed and put in the hospital. As much as my doctor reassured me that nothing I did caused it, I still felt guilty or thought what if...

I will do things differently next time for sure but, I know that, what will be, will be. I just pray for a happy ending for us all.

Lisa, I hope that you are doing ok today. My thought are with you.

Julie
Zachary James, 7/22/03-7/27/03, born at 26 weeks due to severe pe

Catherine,
I only just now noticed your kind response. It couldn't have come at a better time as today is the one year anniversary date of losing my baby. There really isn't a more helpless feeling than not being able to save ones own child.
Thank you for reminding me that this outcome was beyond my control.

Hugs,
Lisa

Lisa, be gentle with yourself. I doubt very much that anything you did, or any place that you visited caused you to develop preeclampsia. It is so very hard to accept that there isn't an answer for these things. When I had my first m/c, I couldn't believe that malnourished women, living rough, etc. could carry a baby to term and I couldn't. Then I had my son and thought that I had cracked reproduction!! Four years later we decided to have another baby. No problem, told the world as soon as the stick turned blue.. totally forgot the lesson that I had learned. Once again, we lost the baby. When I finally got pregnant with Lucy, I wouldn't cut or dye my hair, wouldn't move hardly, wouldn't even go to the Dr because I didn't want to go through the routine of U/S, quantitative HCG levels etc. I know that the statistics say that if you see a heartbeat when you are having problems in early pregnancy that 90% of the time things work out fine. Well, not in my case. The Lucy pregnancy was amazing to me, no endless bleeding etc. I thought that things couldn't be smoother. Well, I guess preeclampsia got the last laugh there.

What I'm saying is don't punish yourself. If you decide to try again, have some faith in your ability to succeed. It may very well be a struggle, and things might not work out, but it won't be because you did something wrong, any more than last time. I'm praying that some day soon research will give us some predictive tests so that it isn't such a big unknown to face.

Hugs



P.S. For anyone who didn't get the message GET THE SHOT... check out this link.
http://slate.msn.com/id/2091774

Catherine (37)
DH, Dave (40)
Finn (6)
Lucy (2)
Chloe (7/2/03)

Thanks to all for your input on this topic. Bloodwork shows that I do have autoimmunity. I had to wonder if maybe the shot somehow stimulated my over-zealous immune system, created inflammation and then led to PE. I'm sure it's a rediculous idea, and it's one of my many borderline superstitious reasons for why I got PE. I have a list of other things that I wonder about too like the fact that I was in Hawaii at 16 wks and was at a very high elevation. Did I eat too much protein? Was I not active enough? But the shot really had me wondering because I had never taken it before, and the illness happened so soon after.
I wish you all a healthy and flu-free winter!!
Lisa

Hi Anne. I have always avoided flu vaccines because I was suspected of having autoimmune problems. I fear vaccines. I have a cousin my age that struggles with polio because of the vaccine. Both my sister and father got very ill ( also suspected of having autoimmune problems) got very ill from the flu vaccine. I know the benefits probably outweigh the risks, maybe someday I can overcome this fear of vaccines.
I have considered getting now, with this PG, but I have decided I don't think I could handle being sick from a vaccine on top of everything else.

I just wanted to mention that I got the flu shot this year... Since pg, I've had quite a crummy immune system, so when I caught the flu, I only had the nausea and vomiting part of it (no fever, etc..).. My doc ran a test and it was positive for influenza, but it would have been MUCH worse without the flu shot. Jess and Ainsley also had flu shots and just had the vomiting part of it, as well. So, the strain may be different, but the vaccine still protected us from the really dangerous effects of the flu (pnuemonia).
Take care,

Kim Schwintz
Texas Chapter President

Ainsley Kathryn 11/26/02-36 Weeks Preeclampsia
http://home.austin.rr.com/schwintz

One thing to remember--(having just had the flu [xx(]) is that if you have an autoimmune disorder or are suspected of having one--you ABSOLUTELY should get a flu shot. I get one every year. This year I was too slow on the draw (a few other things to take care of, clearly)...



Anne Garrett
Executive Director
Preeclampsia Foundation

I had the vaccine when in my 2nd trimester of pregnancy. I had had them before when working in EMS or at the hospital since I was at such high risk. I didn't personally have a reaction any of those times and don't relate it at all to my PIH. PE runs in my family, flu shots don't...lol

I also have not yet vaccinated my daughter. Not for any particular reason. I am a sahm and she is fairly well isolated for the time being, though I know that it is quite possible that my husband, mother or I could easily bring it into our house. The flu (or sickness in general) has hit this somewhat remote area as well. On an island that requires plane or boat to come and go in a city of 15,000 the doctors have said they have never seen it as bad as this year either! Luckily, we've been healthy ourselves.


And I have to add a happy little side-note:

EMMA SLEPT THROUGH THE NIGHT FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER!



Catherine (22)
DH Britton (27)
Emma Margaret (03/02/03) 37 weeks from PIH & oligo

Yeah, Catherine, you are right. It wasn't so much the shot itself as far as it hurting, it was just all the vaccines...and now I am like"wha tis my problem!!" Thankfully so far so good. They both seem to be okay and are having fun laying in mommy and daddy's bed watching Bob the Builder.... I know it's such a bad flu..there have been a few deaths in Co. 4 kids...I was freaking out....I am just glad my kids seem to be doing better...

Mada Harpster

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

Well, I guess I should get in line too... We'll be starting to try again in January so, I guess I should get it now instead of waiting right?

Julie
Zachary James, 7/22/03-7/27/03, born at 26 weeks due to severe pe