Shoulder pain?

[sdaugherty]

I had borderline pre-eclampsia with both of my previous pregnancies...the last one being 8 years ago. I have had bp problems since then and am on procardia right now and am 26 weeks pregnant.

I am scared to death of having HELLP syndrome. I had started having rib pain a few weeks ago, but have realized since then that it is muscular and is on both sides.

Today, however, I am having some shoulder pain. It isn't constant...it comes and goes. Can anyone tell me what the shoulder pain is like with HELLP?

[blythe]

These subsequent pregnancies are nerve-wracking! If you're ever concerned you can call L&D or your doc on call. I don't have a handy link for shoulder pain, but here's a very good discussion of what the abdominal "upper right quadrant / URQ" pain felt like to different women. http://www.preeclampsia.org/forum/viewt ... f=85&t=492

I've been told the shoulder pain is "referred pain" if that helps.

How have your bps been this pregnancy? How are you being monitored? Do you have an MFM?

I'm glad you found us but sorry you had to!

[amallison]

I had shoulder pain I kept asking for heating pads when in the hosital for low fluid and nobody made the connection. It felt like muscle strain. It was pretty painful and nothing made it go away.

[sdaugherty]

Thanks girls. It went away, so I am guessing it was muscular. I am glad to have found this board so that I know what signs to look for in order to get to the ER or Doctor right away if I should develop anything!

[blythe]

Ask your doc where you should go if you do need to be seen immediately. I've been told *not* to go to the ER because they won't touch you because you're pregnant and will send you straight to L&D anyway, so you'll save yourself a trip going straight to L&D. But it might be different where you are, better to ask now when it's not an emergency! Keep an eye on all your signs and symptoms https://www.preeclampsia.org/health-inf ... d-symptoms
and hang in there!

Since you are on procardia now I'm guessing they're considering you a chronic hypertensive? Our docs tell us that women with chronic htn have about 25% chance of developing "superimposed" preeclampsia. So not a guarantee that you'll get sick, but definitely a reason to be informed and watch yourself closely. Hang in there and keep asking any questions!

[sdaugherty]

Heather,

I went to the OB today with an upper respiratory infection and UTI (again...my 5th one!). My bp was up. Not sure if it was due to nerves...I always get nervous when they go to take it and it will drop significantly sometimes after they take it (which it did today b/c they took it again). Or it may have been partly b/c I am sick and feeling crappy.

My OB is great though. She ordered bloodwork for Monday to get a "baseline" on my liver enzymes, platelets, etc and also is having me do a 24 hour urine catch from Sunday to Monday. She really seems to be on top of it, and I didn't even have to begin to request these tests! It made me feel better to know that I am in good hands and this is a doctor who takes pre-e seriously and doesn't take chances with it!

[sdaugherty]

My pre-e bloodwork and 24 hour urine came back great. So, I'm good for now. Keeping an eye on my bps at home and going in to the OB to get checked more often. She is on top of it.