Pre-conception MFM Appointment Monday

[ambermcn]

Hi! This is my first post. And I'm asking for help because I'm classy like that. Sorry.

Well, after 2 years my husband has finally agreed with me and we are going to try to have another baby after my experience with HELLP.

With my son, Evan, I had symptoms for about 2 weeks and I didn't say anything (didn't want to be the whiny pregnant woman). I had the belly band pain, back pain, nausea, and generally felt like crap. Both moving & and not moving hurt. I was seeing the doctor 2x a week do to GB... NSTs and ultrasounds. The problem was I didn't present normally; I didn't have a really HBP and hardly any protien in my urine. I went to L&D after the pain and such started up again and I was at work. My coworkers were going to drag me in there if I didn't do it myself. I was in the Class II realm when they wheeled me into the OR. After 2 blood draws and seeing how fast my numbers were dropping I had an emergent section. I spent 5 days at the hospital with the Mag, the transfusions... the whole bit. Evan was fantastic. He had less than 1 day heart monitoring and IV and no lingering issues.

SO. We are going to try again sometime this winter. I called the MFM on my own and they asked me to come in for an appointment. I'm currently making my list of questions/topics. Can you tell me what I'm missing?

~ Blood tests before pregnancy to see if I have any underlying conditions. (I'm going to look back in the forum ot find that list)
~ If I'm going to be able to call if I feel off with no HBP and be taken seriously (get a blood test because of the atypical presentment the first go around)
~ If a blood thinner is right for me and what kind.
~ The hospital he is at doesn't have a NICU (they have a level 2 special nursery) so what happens if the baby is very sick.
~ Is it proactive to predonate blood or just a hassle? (Also, is my blood any good anyway?)
~ My level of care - how often will I be seen and what tests when.
~ How does he normally handle HELLP patients?
~ In his opinion, what chance do I have of getting HELLP again?
~ Will be be my primary OB or will he consult?

What am I missing? I feel like there were 11,000 questions in my head and now I'm blank. My husband didn't even want to have the 1st baby because he didn't want to risk me dying. I rolled my eyes and said, "That doesn't happen anymore". Heh. I want to put his mind at ease and prepare myself and be my own advocate.

Thanks for your help and for reading my novel.

[angieb]

My HELLP presented a lot like yours, I did not have high blood pressure and did not spill protein. (Still arguing with my doctors over this because they like to refer to me as pre-eclampsic and I did not by definition ever have pre-eclampsia.) Both my regular ob and 2 different MFM's I met with are mostly concerned about my pre-eclampsia risk this time, not so much worried about HELLP, though they will do labs as necessary.

It looks like you have a good list of questions. You might want to add in a few about bedrest. Some doctors will try it, some doctors won't. I would ask under what circumstances will they put you on bedrest.

Good luck!

[ambermcn]

Yes, PreE wasn't even mentioned to me. Even if I do go back to my regular OB (who were awesome and caught the HELLP quickly), I think my mind will be at ease asking a specialist. He'll probably tell me it's no big whoop.
That's an excellent question. Thanks!
Good luck with TTC!