swelling alone isn't enough, swelling combined with other symtpomns is.

In fact almsot none of the PE symptomns alone mean your getting PE, its the combination of them that points to the condition.

Erin

Mommy to Alex and Mason

Good for you, Lisa. I'm glad you are doing so well and on top of things. Is Lilly excited for a sibling?

Nancy-35
dh-34
ds-8yrs
dd-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)
http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/4/4lbs/

Thanks for the concern Nancy, my blood pressure is actually lower now that it was during my second trimester. It's really very strange, but I was in the 130's over 80's range for a while, but now some of the time I'm getting readings in the low 120's over 70's. That's even good for me not pregnant! I am watching headaches like crazy, and am checking bp at home. I'm only having the protein checked weekly at my appointments, but if my bp or anything changes I'll go in immediately. All of my headaches go away with Tylenol so I figure they are ok. Since I was so sick at this point last time it does give me hope. Don't worry though I'm being careful!

Lisa

Lisa,

Even though swelling isn't used for diagnosis it is still a warning sign. I swelled like that with my 3rd. I was so swollen that I "sloshed" when I walked. I had +1 as well. But at 38wks, overnight I progressed to +4 and bp of 165/110. Watch yourself like a hawk these last few weeks. Report any visual changes (flashing lights, "sun spots" etc.), headaches, increase in bp, abdominal pain etc. This is not to scare you but, just be aware that things can change quickly especially at the end.

What is your base bp? How high over it are you?

Nancy-35
dh-34
ds-8yrs
dd-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)
http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/4/4lbs/

You know I'm swelling up like crazy, but the Dr's still think I'm going to avaoid PE this time. I've had +1 on urine dips all along, but my 24 hour tests are all under 80! Also my bp really hasn't gone up at all. So anyway I've got the swelling (I'm gaining 3lbs/week) and none of the other symptoms at this point, so they definitely shouldn't diagnose me with PE. I'm thrilled there is no sign of PE, but I'm going to be really huge when I deliver!

Lisa
Lilly 1-22-02 36 1/2wks PE
edd 1-3-04, just about 36 weeks!
Probably c-section on 12-29!

Sorry to hear about your grandmother. Thanks for info, it helps. I just want to make sure that my dr. is taking care of business.

Hi guys- just a quick note as I'm on the way out of town for my grandmother's funeral....

A hemodynamic way of looking at the swelling (at least as I understand it[;)]) is that when you're pregnant, your blood volume increases and your cardiac output- how much blood you're pumping increases, right?

well, some of us have a high cardiac output to begin with- we're good pumpers. Well, your body doesn't know your cardiac output is too high to begin with, and increases it even more during pregnancy. This increased pressure is sort of like the high powered pressure wash on your blood vessels and end organs. It blasts them- so these end organs, like your kidney or placenta start to show the damage. The blood vessels start to get damaged, and they leak like a garden hose- and the watery part of your blood seeps out at the extremities- hands feet, and eventually, all over.

lizzards, I'm not familiar with any other labs other than protein, the kidney labs (including creatine/creatinine and protein) and uric acid being markers for PE- or at least, even if they are, you're probably not going to get terribly ill without a substantial change in protein, uric acid, creatine, creatinine, etc. And really, the only criteria for PE is new onset hypertension (140/90) with 300 mg protein in a 24 hr urine. (Hellp has it's own criteria, too, it merits mentioning)

I had elevated WBC through both my pregnancies, and one of my providers mentioned that mildly elevated WBC is normal for pregnancy. My uneducated, nonmedical guess would lean toward uti- I've had asymptomatic UTIs before.

Oh yes- facial swelling, and pitting edema are not good, and should be checked with doc, too[8D]

You guys take care!



Laura-28
DH Jack-30
Allie 5-13-98 (35 weeks-pre-e)
Baby Camille 4-17-03 (36 weeks- htn and oligo)
http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/c/camilleandallie/

I just posted a question about some abnormal lab results I had. I am swollen and have been for about 2 months now. I have no protein in my urine and bp has been fluctuating. But I found by researching on internet that with my blood results that elevated levels of neutrophils and leukocyte activation can have soemthing to do with the swelling. My results from my labs were extremely high and I have pitting edema day and night, whether I put my feet up etc. So I don't know if that's makes any sense to anyone. I don't even know if it makes sense to me. It's hard sometimes when you're not in the medical field to understand what is going on w/your body and why. I feel like women's health is often on the back burner. I think if this were a men's disease, we would know a lot more about it.

What exactly causes swelling in pre e anyway? Does anyone know?

That is correct. When I had eclampsia last December, I was upset that my dr didn't recognize that I had pre-e based based upon my severe swelling. She said that they can't diagnose pre-e just from swelling alone. They had been testing protein in every visit and I never had any, and my bp had always been extremely low, until the day I delivered.

While I agree with them that they can't diagnose pre-e based on swelling alone, I think dr's should inform their patients of signs to look for that would indicate that something isn't quite right. I will always fault my dr for this.