Any advice on how to handle rising blood pressures?

[leeann34]

Hi,
I will be 14 wks this sunday and my blood pressures are already starting to rise. My blood pressures in the am are 130/80's but by the evening I am 140/80 and sometimes 90s. I called my doctor to see if she wants to adjust my medications but she wants to wait until my readings get 150/100. I asked why and she said she doesn't want the baby to be underperfused. I am already on three medications so that could be the reason. I am very concerned with my blood pressure readings in the higher range. Anybody else have higher readings in a second pregnancy and at 14 wks? I started out so hopeful but now I am starting to wonder-will I even make it to 24 wks (that's when I had my first baby). I am starting to become very worried and nervous abou this. Any advice?

Lee Ann
Mother to Olivia Kaylee
Born at 23 wks 6 days with severe preeclampsia and IUGR

[MomTimesThree]

Mine is also higher in the evening. One thing my doctor and I discussed was changing around when I take my medication or spreading out the dosing throughout the day. We haven't made any adjustments yet, but that was one idea we floated around should things become more consistently high in the evenings. I wonder if that is something that might help? I also try to take it most easy during those times of the day when I know it is highest (for me around 3ish and 9ish).

[caryn]

When they start rising before 20 weeks, that's usually chronic hypertension. You say you're on three meds already -are they all to control hypertension?

The placenta is still setting up and it will take your existing biochemistry into account when it does this, so docs tend to worry that it will build itself for a pressure range that it won't experience - if they use meds to drop your pressures too low.

Many posters get a second trimester dip in the next few weeks, so there is hope that things will stabilize and then trend down. Chronics in particular have exaggerated dips in many pregnancies.

How often do you take your pressures?

[leeann34]

Caryn, I am a chronic hypertensive patient and all three of my medications are hypertensive medications. My blood pressures are very up and down. I take my blood pressures 2-3 times a day (in the am, evening and at bedtime). I actually took it this am and it was great 124/77. For a chronic hypertensive patient that's not bad! It seems to be the evening that they get high ( I do remember that happening with my last pregnancy). I am hoping that they will start to stabilize pretty soon! Evertime they go up especially 140/90's I get nervous because I am thinking there isn't that much more room to move!
Momtimesthree-I actually do take my procardia medication in the afternoon instead of in the am just because of the fact that my pressures do get higher in the evening. It seems to work for the most part but I might want to start taking it earlier. I will have to discuss this with my doctor on Monday.