It's Getting Closer

[kellikbock]

It's getting closer to the time where we said that we'd try again for number four. I'm still pretty terrified and nervous about getting PP PE or PE again but worse... I'll never know unless we try, but I don't want to die trying, ya know?
It's been two years tomorrow that I was rushed back into the hospital with severe PP PE...

[frogibe]

I am hoping for a pe free pregnancy for you! Did you have it with all three pregnancies?

[kellikbock]

Thanks.
I had a mild case with my first pregnancy that was easily treated with delivering him only a week shy of 40 weeks...second pregnancy, nothing...third time wasn't a charm. I had "severe" post partum PE & am still (two years later) on BP meds... =0(

[claricemaala]

Hi Kelli,

I am wondering how long you waited in between pregnancy? I have heard that time between pregnancy could affect / cause development of pree or eclampsia.
Thanks.


I lost my second son after 31 weeks due to NEC. Waited 5 ears between pregnancy. My fisrt son was delivered at 33 weeks and is a healthy 5 year old now. WE are planning to try within a year.

[kellikbock]

I've heard that, too...some doctors that I've talked with don't agree; others don't dismiss it.
Between my first (mild PE) pregnancy and my second (non-PE) pregnancy were three years...then my third (severe PP PE) pregnancy came two years after that...five years between the first and last...
I have seen 2 MFM's, 2 OBGYN's, and 2 GP's about getting pregnant again...six of them all said different things. The only thing that they did agree on was that they couldn't tell me much of anything. I know that no one can say anything with 100% certainty, but it'd be nice to have some help in making these decisions!

[sam10]

I have found that my doctors were not the most helpful in making the actual decision, as it is a decision of the heart and a battle against the fear.My doctors are all scientifically minded, and that is what they focus on. So I stopped expecting them to diminish my fears, which is the main culprit for making such a decision. My therapist, however, has been the go-to person, as it is her job to deal with my fears, and all matters of my heart including making the decision to TTC.

[kellikbock]

I know that I should really look into counseling for the fear and anxiety that PE brought into my life...I just have zero idea about how to go about doing that. I'm not sure if any of it would be covered by insurance & who I'd go to. Absolutely no one understands what I've been going through but you ladies on the forum...I wish that when discharged from the hospital, they'd give you some information on post traumatic stress & help that you can get for it...I think that it should be included with the paperwork just like post partum depression info.

[sam10]

If you decide to try counseling I can recommend the following:
The first thing you might want to do is check with your insurance if you are covered for counseling. My insurance was also helpful giving me names of therapists who 1) take new patients and 2) who are specialized in pregnancy complications and pregnancy/neonatal loss or something similar. I don't think I have seen one who specializes in PE particularly though. Sometimes you would have to try a therapist only to find out that it is not the right one, which can be tedious.
I have also found a group (led by a therapist) who is designed for women who are pregnant again, and have experienced pregnancy complications and the loss of a baby as a consequence in a previous pregnancy. This takes a bit of digging around, but you might find something like that in your area.

[alexa5]

I agree with the suggestions above on counseling. Most counselors that specialize in concerns related to women should be able to help, as well as those practices that are family oriented because they handle all spectrums. The other thing to consider is that the base of your concerns is your fear and anxiety and all counselors can relate to that. They don't judge whether one thing is more worthy of fear than another...they recognize what it is that has impacted you and focus on getting you through that.

I do think if you are able to counseling would really help with some of those feelings.

[kellikbock]

I've started looking for a counselor, but I haven't been able to find one thus far that deals with something like this. I didn't experience a loss with PE...so that isn't what i was looking for...do you think that I should be looking for post traumatic stress and/or anxiety? I'd like to find a good fit, but I don't know what I'm looking for...