I am new and have some questions :)

[heather j]

Lisa,
I'm hopeful, with everyone else, that you've been driven to the hospital by now. I am SO sorry for all that you're experiencing right now. Your symptoms are *very* concerning, and if your current doctor isn't adequately concerned, please get yourself to the hospital and request that an MFM review your chart. There is no reason, especially given all you've described, to fight through another week to 37. My pressures with my first were very labile (I'd see 180/100 then 130/80 within the same few hours despite being on strict left-sided bedrest) until delivery and postpartum when they went high and stayed high despite two bp meds and mag sulfate. I had been seen by the doctor and sent home for more bedrest for 3 days until my next appointment when I had an abruption that night. By the time we made it to the hospital a half hour later, my labs were trending toward HELLP, and within three hours of delivery, my platelets were at 50K. I was so swollen, that I weighed almost ten pounds more *after* delivery than I had at my last prenatal appointment only two days prior; I couldn't fit in the maternity pants that I'd worn in. This is all stuff I know you know because you're a veteran of this horrible disease. It's just hard sometimes to advocate for ourselves when we're in the moment. If this were a mama whom you were friends with, what would you tell her do? No one here wants to be alarmists - I promise, but you need to be seen. Soon. Hang in there, mama. Please update us when you are able.

[angieb]

I agree with everyone else to go to L&D immediately, but just wanted to mention that they usually do not give steroids after 32 wks as they are not found to be effective after that point.

[Lisabug77]

I wrote a reply last night and it's not showing up here so I must've hit the wrong button Yesterday I went to my OBs office and had my blood pressure checked and an ultrasound. Baby boy is measuring big but his growth is slowing down now. He has plenty of amniotic fluid thank goodness! He was a bit sleepy. Took some wiggling him to get his attention, which was a little different than normal. The tech felt he was doing just fine. Since yesterday morning he hasn't been moving nearly as much as usual but then he FINALLY turned head down! So maybe he's just exhausted. ?
As for me my blood pressure wasn't terribly high. 136/89. They didn't check protein or do more blood work. My blood work from last week was borderline in nearly everything, but still in the good range, so they said it was normal and fine.
My 24 hr urine labs said I have .81g of protein when there's supposed to be no more than .10 I think, which is considered trace. That's my guess. But the 24 hr urine test is what got me diagnosed with pre-E.
Now a headache that will not go away for nothing has hit me. All last night and today so far. It's disrupting my sleep. Plus bad heartburn which isn't normal for me either since I take strong meds for GERD.
My BP has been staying below 150/95, and the upper right hand abdominal pain is only felt sometimes, not constantly. Like when I go potty it hurts pretty good and just sometimes while laying or sitting up in bed.
My headache and fatigue are now getting the better of me so I'm going to try to go back to sleep.
Thanks for all your care and concern!!

[beth11]

Lisa, thank you so much for checking in! I've been thinking about you since I read your post. Forgive me, but I'm going to be honest and say that I don't like that they didn't do bloodwork. HELLP is a strange, strange condition that presents in lots of odd ways and doesn't easily fit into a neat little box. It's not all about blood pressure. I was hospitalized, diagnosed with HELLP, and declared "critical" before my blood pressure rose at all, just based on my bloodwork. And thank goodness, because things went downhill fast! That's the thing with HELLP/ pre-e - things can change in an instant.

With the symptoms you describe, and your sweet baby being at such a great gestational age, it's not worth taking chances. Please, please just trust yourself. It sounds like you feel that things aren't right. If so, insist upon immediate bloodwork, or just go straight to the hospital. The headaches and abdominal pain aren't anything to screw around with.

I'm so sorry if I've upset you or overstepped - please take care of yourself an continue to keep us updated!

[caryn]

What Beth said. Even if it isn't HELLP, you're reporting pressures just below the severe threshold, proteinuria of +800mg last they checked, epigastric pain, and a headache so bad you can't sleep. "Severe" is just a research definition - mild patients are still very, very sick sometimes. I would want bloodwork.

[sam10]

I agree with the others. I'd insist on blood work! It's been too long since it has been checked. Things can turn quickly.

[tree]

I have to agree with Caryn and Beth. Please go in if you feel awful. It will take them less than an hour to get your labs back, and you will have peace of mind if everything is okay. We aren't doctors, but you do not sound okay.
Your description of how you are feeling is frighteningly similar to how I felt right before I finally went to the hospital. I understand the desire to just try to sleep through it. I remember feeling too tired to call the doctor and much too tired to get to the car for the drive. I let myself get SO sick, and then I got worse really fast when I was admitted. I never had diagnostically high BP or protein. HELLP has no respect for research definitions. Please go in if you don't feel better, and go in immediately if you feel worse. My labs changed drastically in hours. HELLP isn't subtle, and it tends to move very very quickly. Let us know how you are.

[Lisabug77]

My headache just won't let up and my pain now just feels like heartburn that hurts through to my back. My BP is now 149/97 and my vision not-so-nice. We have to drive an hour away and have no gas money to get there.
I do agree that getting more blood work done is a good idea, to at least get peace of mind if anything else.
For pre-E are my levels mild or moderate or high?
PS nobody is offending me

[tree]

I am sorry you still feel awful. This is the one time that you pray for the stomach flu or something else that will just go away.
Can you call your doctor to see what they think you should do? It is very hard to say if your levels are mild, moderate, or high because they may have changed so drastically since the last time you had labs. Severe headaches, upper right abdominal pain, feeling terrible, and visual changes are all symptoms that most doctors would want to check out immediately. I hope you can figure something out. Is there a hospital that is closer? Good luck.

[Lisabug77]

Well I called the on-call doc and she said to come in immediately to be evaluated so we borrowed money from a church friend and are taking our girls there and are headed down to Nashville to ***** hospital. Thanks everyone! I'll keep y'all posted!