is there any hope?

[3preemiekidz]

Hi all, I'm pretty new here. Been lurking for awhile but just haven't posted yet. I've had 3 kids now, all of them I've developed pre-eclampsia/HELLP syndrome. My first I showed signs of high blood pressure at 24 weeks. By 30 weeks I was spilling enough protein that they became concerned. My blood pressures then went up from there. At 35 weeks I was induced for preeclampsia.

With my second I spilled trace protein from the beginning. I'm also a type 1 diabetic so they weren't too surprised at that. My blood pressures shot up at 18 weeks and I was put on medications and strict bedrest. I spent 4 weeks in and out of the hospital and finally at 29 weeks I was spilling so much protein and had such high blood pressures that they induced me. During delivery they found that I had also abrupted. They now say it was HELLP syndrome.

With my third it all happened about like it did with my second. I had trace protein from the beginning but it slowly went up. At 18 weeks my pressures were high and I was put on meds and bedrest. I began putting on tons of weight but it wasn't edema, it was polyhydramnios (too much amniotic fluid). After 5 weeks in the hospital they induced me at 31 weeks. I had lots of problems from the polyhydramnios although my Dr. acts like it wasn't a big deal. I have permanant nerve damage in the front of my stomach now and when the baby was born, she was so swollen they had to do all sorts of tests to see why she was retaining water. They say I had HELLP syndrome with her also.

Well now here I am, pregnant again. I have to say that my last pregnancy and this one were not planned. I was on birth control and even had an IUD in with this one. I'm scared to death of having to do bedrest all over again. I don't know if I can handle it. That and the thought of a baby in the NICU again is making me crazy. Things with this pregnancy aren't going so well already. At 8 weeks my pressure was 165/105. I was told to just take it easy. Finally at 12 weeks they put me on meds. I'm also spilling 1+ protein already. My pressures have come down quite a bit in the second trimester but I'm so afraid they are going to jump back up again or that I'll be put on never ending bedrest again. I don't think I can do it all again. I have 3 other kids I need to be taking care of and am just feeling really stressed.

Does anyone have any advice? Do you think there is even hope that I won't get it again? My Dr has said if I make it to 28 weeks it will be a miracle which didn't brighten my spirits. Help![V]

Rebecca
Mom to Audri 3,
Ezra 2,
Liya 1
and #4 EDD 8/1/04
born at 35, 29 and 31 weeks due to Pre-e/HELLP