new here w/questions...

[ainnj]

i called my dr because i'm pretty bloated out all of the sudden (in the last week). they told me to come in for a quick checkup and my blood pressure is high 178/70. last week at my regular appt, it was 110/65 - BIG difference. but there's no protien in my urine.

i'm already high risk because my dd was stillborn last year (undetermined reasons) and take an aspirin a day as a precaution. because of my previous stillborn, the water retention, and the high bp, my dr sent me for pre-e bloodwork & urine cultures and wants to see me again on wednesday to discuss the results.

i'm a little freaked because i swelled up between 36-37wks and had "creepin" bp during my last pg. but there was no protien in my urine, and it went down when i rested on my left side, so it didn't seem to be much of a concern. then my dd died. now that i'm experiencing swelling and HBP again, i'm getting a little freaked out knowing the outcome of my last pg, KWIM?

i looked up high blood pressure and pregnancy in yahoo and i'm getting results for pre-eclampsia, HELLP, and PIH. if high blood pressure is a symptoms of each, what is the difference between them? is one just as dangerous to the baby as the other?

since i got home this afternoon, dh has put my on "bedrest" - planted me on the couch with my laptop and is waiting on me hand and foot (what a good dh!). he ran out to the pharmacy and got me a wrist bp thingie and my bp has been down to around 120/70. i guess that's pretty good, but i've also been on my side all night. so does that mean i'm going to be confined to the couch for the next 8wks or so (currently 30w4d)?

my ob and peri are already planning to induce between 37-38wks (due to previous s/b). is it too soon to try to figure out what i can expect for the rest of this pg? if i can keep my bp down with bedrest, can i keep this from endangering my son?

sorry for all the questions. i know i need to wait for the bloodwork to come back before i get carried away, but i definately dont want another baby to die. and this pregnancy is starting to seem alot like my last (high bp, bloating, etc).


Thanks,
AinNJ
Mommy to:
Tessa (s/b 11/17/02 @39w5d)
Arlen John (AJ) expected 2/20(ish)/04

[julie f]

AinNJ,

I am so sorry for the loss of your daughter.

Welcome, you have certainly come to the right place for information, experience and support. I can only imagine your anxiety with this pregnancy.

This link should help you with the differences between PIH, preeclampsia and HELLP. http://www.preeclampsia.org/FAQ.asp

Good for your DH for taking care of you! I would continue to take it easy until you're able to speak with your doctor again. Just my opinion though! Enjoy the pampering while it lasts!![;)]

Someone with more experience & knowledge of the matter will be able to give you more answers but I just wanted to say hi and welcome.

Julie (26)
Zachary James, 7/22/03-7/27/03, born at 26wks - severe pe

[maxs mom]

AinNJ,
I am so sorry to here about the loss of your daughter. That must have been really tough. I can completly understand why you are so stressed right now.

I think going on bedrest is a great idea, good for DH. I think if your blood pressure stays elevated, your Peri might put you on bedrest indefinitely. I think it will also matter what your bloodwork and labs say too.

You are doing the absolute right thing by seeing your doctor on a regular basis. Be sure to keep the communication lines open, and if you experience any changes in health, e.g. your blood pressure stays elevated, you experience headaches, or your vision gets fuzzy, call the doctor as soon as possible. If it is not during office hours, talk to your Peri about what you should do (e.g. go to hospital etc.)

I really don't think this pregnancy will end like the last, because your doctors sound like they are really on top of things. Be sure to keep us posted and feel free to ask any questions as they come up. There are a lot of really supportive and informative people on this site.


Kara (33)
DH, John (35)
Max, 1/20/03, 25 wks, 534g. (IUGR), severe PE
http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/m/mightymax/

[paljane8]

Hey let us know the results. I really hope things go better this time around. So sorry about your loss.

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/

[laura]

Wow! It's so hard to anticipate what's going to happen after being diagnosed with PIH. It's so stressful! Some people will progress quickly into full blown preeclampsia, and others will pretty much stay the same until their baby delivers. Hang in there- 30 weeks is pretty darned close to the finish line, if you think about it!

I'd do a couple of things- I'd bring that wrist cuff into your docs office and have them check out if they're reading in the same league, and and then, I'd start taking my pressures a few times a day to get an idea of what you're running in general.

The other thing I was reading about today was how great kick counts are. The're noninvasive, you can do them at home, and they're pretty good at reassuring you that you have a healthy babe in there. Kick counts are good to do, too.

If your hypertension keeps up, you can expect that your docs are probably going to want you to come in once or twice a week for non-stress tests (Which help predict baby's well being for around three days) and probably ultrasounds to check amniotic fluid and to make sure baby's growing appropriately.

Just like Kara was saying- the difference this time is that they're going to be watching you very closely , and watching baby really closely and I think that'll make all the difference. And let us know how your appointment goes on Wednesday, would you? We're pulling for you!

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/

[sarab]

Hi,

I don't have much to add to what everyone else said (these guys are so helpful and knowledeable...[:)]), but I just want to tell you "welcome" and we're pulling for you. I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of your daughter. Please let us know how things are going and if there's anything we can do to help.

Sara, 23
DH, Scott, 25
Maggie Lylas, 6/9/03, 29 weeks, severe pre-e
http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/m/maggielylas/

[sonja]

I too don't have a lot of medical advice to add - I am so glad that your dh put you on bed rest though, although I am surprised that your OB didn't. Go with your gut feeling, if you feel something is wrong complain until you get answers. (It sounds like you are already a good advocate for yourself). I have learned that in the medical field "fine" is never a good answer. Keep us posted please.

Joy
Kira 3-16-02 37 1/2 weeks PIH
#2 EDD 6-15-04

[ainnj]

thanks for the info and the welcome...

Julie: i checked out the faq. thanks alot!! great info there.
Laura: yeah, 30wks is really close. if i can hold off another 4-6wks before being induced, i'll feel better. i'm just terrified to wait until the last minute. i know all too well that babies aren't always better off inutero. i'm already scheduled to start weekly NSTs in 2 wks. if my BP doesn't normalize or if my labs aren't so great, i'm sure that will change. but right now, i'm trying to stay positive and wait until we get the lab results.

so am i "safe" as long as i dont have protien in my urine? or is HBP alone dangerous to my baby?

[akemt]

High BP alone can still be dangerous to both of you, though I'm not trying to scare you by any means. The protein in the urine and lab test for PE (when they come back bad) indicate that your liver/kidneys aren't handling the HBP well but it can affect you in other ways as well.

And, some doctors do not beleive bedrest does any good, just like some doctors don't beleive hypertensives do much but mask the symptoms. It depends on the doctor and their feelings on the matter, though if you prefer bedrest, I doubt any doctor will tell you no! lol Here is another link that I think you should read about how BP should be taken. (upright vs. laying down)
How BP should be taken...Experts weigh in:
www.preeclampsia.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=321

I wasn't sure if you had meant that you were taking your BP laying down, of if you simply had been laying down most of the day. Hope this helps a bit! Keep us updated on how you're doing and if things progress!

Catherine (22)
DH Britton (27)
Emma Margaret (03/02/03) 37 weeks from PIH & oligo
Baby #2 due August 11, 2004

[ainnj]

quote:

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I wasn't sure if you had meant that you were taking your BP laying down, of if you simply had been laying down most of the day.

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i've just been laying down most of the day. i sit up to take my BP. actually, the instructions in the wrist cuff manual suggest resting your arm on a table at the heart level. so that's what i've been doing.

thanks for the link!!