High Blood Pressure -- Still

[paljane8]

Bufferroo,
That is a great thing you are doing! Good for you. I really think it is neat that you are reaching out to other families that were in the same circumstances you were. There is something about knowing someone had a good outcome that goes a long way!
I loved where we lived too. It is SO beautiful! We were right on that Humber river. I would like to take DH back 1 of these years. By the way, I make white hot chocolate from time to time...sigh.

Bonnie??!!! That is amazing! We have SO much in common. Now we have to go to lunch to talk about our old stomping ground. Small world!

Nancy Eastwood
Moderator/WA State Co-Coordinator

ds-8yrs, dd-7yrs
Scott-4yrs (PE)
Janie-5/12/03 (PIH, oligo and low blood flow)
http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/4/4lbs/

[mom2gigi]

I had my baby in June of last year and I am still on BP meds too. I check with my fam. physician and my BP prior to pregnancy was 130/80 so it was high normal. I was on a ton of meds when I left the hospital with my little one and now I'm down to only half of two. I kept waiting for the 48hr time period for it to go away then, 2 weeks, then 6 weeks... and so on. But it's better to be on that medication than with out it. But I do understand the fustration with taking these pills everyday and remembering the traumatic experience it started from. [:)]

Adriana

Had Giselle at 35 weeks due to severe preeclampsia by emergency c-section.

[paljane8]

Welcome Adriana,

How is Giselle? Such a pretty name! It is a bummer to be on meds but, I am glad you are doing well.

Nancy Eastwood
Moderator/WA State Co-Coordinator

ds-8yrs, dd-7yrs
Scott-4yrs (PE)
Janie-5/12/03 (PIH, oligo and low blood flow)
http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/4/4lbs/

[mom2gigi]

Hi! Thanks, we call Giselle Gigi for short! I'm doing good now, my BP is still high normal, 140/80 but my doctor has cut my meds down again so I'm almost off them! He just told me to start exercising but it's been difficult because I'm always on the go. Question: If you had PE before will you get it again in your next pregnancy?

Adriana

Adriana

Had Giselle at 35 weeks due to severe preeclampsia by emergency c-section.

[madeleine]

Hi, am still fairly new to this so I just found this topic -- am still wandering around looking for clues as well. I started that link mentioned above....

I just discovered a couple of weeks ago my bps are high/normal 148-98 being the highest and so far my doc. has not pushed meds. I had sudden severe p/e almost two years ago & took aldoment for two months during which I was a walking zombie. So if it makes you feel any better, I am in exactly the same place and I took those pills religiously!

My biggest gripe frankly is that I was not told that hyptertension could be a problem after p/e -- because I had always been a low bp person, slim, active, pretty good eater, etc. But then I digress. Now I know.

So I am trying to come to terms with maybe not knowing why -- only my father has had to have his veins angioplastied a few times but I suspect that has something to do with smoking for 50 plus years!

For now I want to see if I can keep it under control with salt elimination, yoga and an herbal remedy I found.... Go back to doctor in three weeks for follow-up. However, it is comforting to know that if meds become necessary, I know where to get the advice!

p.s. Never been to Toronto, sorry!!!

Madeleine

Miles 9/13/90
Graham 1/6/92
Benjamin 5/22/02, severe preeclampsia, 33 weeks

[paljane8]

Madeleine, too funny. We get a little sidetracked around here!

Adriana,

This is the thing; your question is complicated. PE is more common in first pregs but as Madeleine, myself and MANY others can attest to it can show up in subsequent pregs. In fact the number is 5-8% of all pregs. This is a list of risk factors that may indicated whether you have a tendancy for PE:

-Previous history of preeclampsia, particularly if onset is before the third trimester
-History of chronic high blood pressure, diabetes or kidney disorder
-Family history of the disorder (i.e., a mother, sister, grandmother or aunt who had the disorder)
-Women with greater than 30% Body Mass Index (BMI). To determine your BMI, click on the following link http://nhlbisupport.com/bmi/bmicalc.htm and follow the instructions there.
-Multiple gestation
-Over 40 or under 18 years of age
-Polycystic ovarian syndrome
-Lupus or other autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, sarcoidosis or MS.

If you have had PE once before your risk of having it again is about 20% but really the range is 5-80%. Your personal risk factors place you higher or lower in the range. We wish we had a crystal ball around here in order to predict whether or not it will happen again. But, for now the best we can do is reduce any risks we have control of and consult a peri.

"Gigi" is one of my favorite movies and I have always loved the name!

Nancy Eastwood
Moderator/WA State Co-Coordinator

ds-8yrs, dd-7yrs
Scott-4yrs (PE)
Janie-5/12/03 (PIH, oligo and low blood flow)
http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/4/4lbs/

[ctinsley]

[



I had the same thing happen to me...no blood presure issues my entire life, until 38 weeks of pregnancy, 3 years ago, and the chronic hypertensionis still here. The dr. did say that sometimes, pregnancy hits you with it or anything else, and it stays forever. It was not just the pregnancy that brought it on. He says it would have happened eventually. My dad has it too. I have heard that girls inherit bp problems from their dads and boys get it from their moms. Maybe some truth to that. I know how you feel. I have just recently gotten over being down about it. I came to realize that it is a relief to know that there is medication that can control it, once you find the right one, b/c w/o it, you can really feel bad. I tried and tried to come off of it, and no luck. My dr has had me on a med for long periods of time and then boom, up goes the bp and we have to switch. It is the most craziest thing I have ever had to deal with. Try not to worry about it. It does help to talk about it though, and know that others deal w/ the same thing.

Cami

Birmingham, Al.










quote]Originally posted by bufferroo

Rats. Rats, rats, and more rats. You know, I never had high blood pressure before I was pregnant, and didn't have high blood pressure until a couple days before I had Allegra. It's been 2 1/2 years since then, and my blood pressure is still high. My doctor has decided that no way will it ever normalize, and I will need medication, since I have been unsuccessful in controlling it with diet and exercise. I wish I could understand why this is bothering me so much, but it is. I don't understand why my blood pressure never went back to normal. I don't understand why I can't control it by eating right and exercising (heck, I can't even lose weight doing those things, and I have been trying really hard...it just doesn't work... perhaps because I'm still nursing my girl?).

Last night I stayed up all night wondering if my blood pressure would be normal if I could have taken the medication prescribed to me when I left the hospital. My doctor prescribed 2 weeks worth of bp medication, but I didn't get it because at the time I couldn't afford it, not after the breast pump rental deposit. Since then, it's never been right, although it's never been this high.

Grrrr.

Did anyone else have the consequence of permanent high blood pressure after their pe/HELLP experiences?

I just wish I didn't feel so completely annoyed that my body is doing this to me, as if it hasn't already done enough.
[/quote]

[mom2gigi]

Thanks! I would really like to have another munchkin but my husband says gigi is enough. I think he says that because he's scared of what happened before. My OB-GYN says it will be ok to have another just to wait about 2 years. But my Cardiologist tells us to be satisfied with the one we have. HBP runs in my family but no one ever had PE. So, I guess we just have to wait and see.

Adriana

Had Giselle at 35 weeks due to severe preeclampsia by emergency c-section.

[njj20404]

My son was delivered at 31 weeks due to severe pre-e and placental abruption. I never had high blood pressure before and all during my pregnancy up to that day, I had good readings at my doctors appointments. While I was in the hospital my hp was continuously going up and down. When I had my first pp check up with by ob/gyn--the nurse almost fainted when she saw my blood pressure. She gave me a beta blocker since I was breast feeding and sent me to my primary doctor. They did a full check up (ekg was normal), and they left me on the beta blocker since I'm breast feeding. My last check up, she lowered the dose to 100 mg a day. According to my doctor, there is a good chance that my blood pressure will go back to normal. She is going to do a complete blood work up on my next check up. My biggest fear was that I wouldn't be able to breast feed, since my son is still in the NICU. I wanted so much to give him the best nutrition possible. So once they told me that everything was ok with this medication, I didn't mind taking it at all. I started out on 400 mg a day so I have my fingers crossed that the dosage will continue to decrease. One pill a day is not so bad, lol!!! I'm really glad that I found this site, it really helps to know that other people have experienced the same things.

[paljane8]

NJJ20404,

Welcome! It is nice to have your perspective here. I am so glad that you are able to breast feed and that your bp is improving. How is your son doing? Take care of yourself and next time you "kangaroo" your boy give him an extra gentle snuggle from us.

Nancy Eastwood
Moderator/WA State Co-Coordinator

ds-8yrs, dd-7yrs
Scott-4yrs (PE)
Janie-5/12/03 (PIH, oligo and low blood flow)
http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/4/4lbs/