Underlying conditions - how did you find out?

[becj86]

For those who have found out post-HELLP that they have an underlying condition, how did you go about finding out if/what you had?

[becj86]

Anyone else with polycystic kidney disease? Just wondering if that may have been a trigger?

I just wish I had an explanation, as I'm sure everyone does!

[mama2008]

I have a blood clotting disorder called Factor V Leiden. My doctors have said that this condition can trigger HeLLP Syndrome. I had to deliver my daughter at 26 weeks via emergency C-section. Also due to the clotting, she was severely IUGR and weighed only 11 ounces. God granted us a miracle, and she is now three years old today and for the most party, very healthy. However it was a very long four and a half months in the NICU for her and recovery for me. My question is, are there any other survivors out there whose energy levels have never really come back up? It's been three years, but I still wear out quicker than before and need more sleep.

My doctors have recommended for us not to have any more kids. The clotting disorder will never go away, so I will always have an increased risk of HELLP Syndrome and IUGR during pregnancy. I was pretty upset about that at first, but now I'm perfectly content with the miracle that we have.

[ktsl123]

Usually women take lovenox or heprin injections and usually they have much better or normal pregnancies with this disorder. I am suprised they said don't try again. There are a lot of sucessful pregnancies of women with FVL after a first with PE. It's a very commen disorder and just because you have it doesn't mean you will get PE again. You need to talk to a different high risk Dr.

[Jessica8872]

Although I don't have polysistic kidney disease, I was recently diagnosed with IGA Nephrothopy. It was found because my MFM Dr did a blood panel and 24HR urine test and found a ton of protein in my urine...that led to me seeing a Nephrologist who did a kidney biospy. Nothing like going back to the same hospital where you're supposed to deliver your first baby on the due date week to have a kidney biospy. Whew! Talk about an emotional nightmare. But my kidney doc said there is no known relation to kidney disease and PE or HELLP although I would like to talk with my MFM about it. I hope that helps!

[tree]

Jessica - Thanks for posting. Let us know what you hear back from your MFM about the relationship between underlying kidney disease and PE/HELLP. I would expect that underlying kidney disease would increase your risk for PE.
We have had a couple of posters with IgA-Nephropathy. Here is one thread where two of them discussed it:
http://www.preeclampsia.org/forum/viewt ... GA#p333759

It sounds like there isn't much information available on the impacts IgA-N on pregnancy.