Pre-Eclampsia

[tdq911]

My husband and I are having our fisrt child. My doctor recently put me on methyldopa for high blood pressure but would not tell me what my blood pressure was. Between my mother in Law(a nurse) and myself we believe that I have pre-eclampsia. My blood pressure keeps rising. I have numbness in my arms and legs almost all the time. I gained a lot of weight. I get headaches frequently. When I asked my doctor about the possibility. She said yes that is what she thought I had pre-eclampsia, but seems really unconcerned about it. Should I get a second opinion from another doctor, or change doctors?

[annegarrett]

Hi. Welcome to our Forum. I will send your question onto one of our doctors and get that answer to you but there are a few things I thought I could share in the meantime:
1) You have every right to know what you blood pressure is. You can find out by either going to a pharmacy where they have those blood pressure stations, or by getting your own digital blood pressure monitor (sold at most pharmacies) or by just insisting they tell you. You can call the office and say--What is my blood pressure? If they do not tell you--I would say--I will switch doctors if you cannot be more helpful.

This is your body, your baby and you have a right to know.
2) You should ask what your proteinuria is.
3) It would help us to know how pregnant you are.

Neither I (who am not a doctor) nor the doctors can diagnose you from here but we can encourage you to INSIST on good care. If you don't get answers--I would encourage a second opinion. This is a potentially dangerous condition--you certainly have all the warning signs--and you need to know what to watch for so you can take precautions.

Please write back and let us know how you are doing.

Take care!

Anne