New and needing advice :0

[Ericaw]

HI - I just joined the group and I am in my 4th pregnancy (30 weeks).
My first pregnancy was PIH pretty much from the start -water broke at 36 weeks (girl), 2nd baby was normal and born at 38 weeks (boy). The 3rd was a nightmare. Started having high BPs at 26 weeks. Growth restrictions in the baby around 30 weeks, bedrest at 32. Platelets dropped slowly after 30 weeks and were down around 110 at delivery. BPs got up to 190s/110s. Liver enzymes started going up and baby was born at 33 weeks 6 days(girl).
This is another girl, and I have been feeling crappy and having epigastric and pain along my ribs, right side. Some slight increases in BP - diasolitcs to 80, systolics in 130s (started out 110s/50s). No protein in my urine - swelling is very minimal but my hands seem to get the most of it at night and fall asleep and are very stiff. Lots of headaches and some floaters in the past couple of weeks. But I'm so nauseated and near vomiting all the time that I've stopped gaining weight. It's hard to go to work or take care of kids and I feel like I'm going down hill. I thought it might be my gallbladder but dr. says it's likely heartburn. I feel like something is not right. My next apt is 2.5 weeks away - I'm wondering if I insist he checks my labs. I felt like this last time but had more BP problems. Can you still get HELLP without High BP or protein in the urine. I just know this pain and nausea isn't normal! What to do?

[nov_mum]

Congrats on your 4th pregnancy! I am 29 weeks on my 4th too : ) In your situation and with your history, to be honest I wouldn't wait 2.5 weeks. If you have had problems with your liver in the past pregnancies and your are experiencing nausea, vomiting and headaches that would be enough for me to seek a second opinion or get bloods taken to check. It's fine if he thinks it's reflux/heartburn but it's not hard or expensive to run a liver panel on you to ensure he is not missing something. In my pregnancies my body started feeling the stressors of pregnancy earlier and I became symptomatic earlier. Liver changes can occur before BP and protein is affected. Follow your gut instinct and if he won't listen I would go to the hospital afterhours and explain the situation and that you have had headaches. They will at least run routine bloods on you which would give you an idea of what shape your liver, kidneys and platelets are in. Plus, you will be able to see if your platelets are dropping already too so any trends are identifiable. Let us know how you get on.

[MomTimesThree]

I would trust your gut and get checked out. You know more than anyone else for yourself when you don't feel right, and it certainly sounds like you're there. Your peace of mind is completely worth a call. Here's hoping it really is "just" heartburn, but if it's not you want to know ASAP.

[alviarin]

I would ask for labs in your shoes.

It is possible (though more rare) to have HELLP without triggering the diagnostic criteria for preeclampsia first.

With your symptoms (nausea & URQ pain, plus BP elevated above normal baseline) I would want to be watched more closely. Better safe than sorry.

Could you call and talk to your doc or nurse about your concerns, and ask for labs? Even if they aren't really worried yet it might be good to have baseline labs with your history.