Protein in Urine at 6 weeks -2nd preg after HELLP

[Rbrown2010]

Hi...I am a new user and pregnant (6 weeks) with my second and due early April 2013. I had my son at 31weeks in July of 2011 due to HELLP. I am working with my OB and high risk doctor this pregnancy and just completed a 24 hour urine collection and bllodwork this week. My 24 hour urine 6 weeks post partum was 123 and this week at almost 6 weeks was 212. Has anyone had protein in their urine this early on and still dodged pre-e and HELLP? The thought of delivering early makes me so anxious. Does protein in your urine guarantee you will develop pre-e or HELLP? Thanks in advance for any insight...

[blythe]

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

We've had a number of women who have started spilling protein early in subsequent pregnancies. I'm not sure what the most current thinking is, but my understanding is that the docs think you might always spill a little protein from an undiagnosed mild kidney disease / damage / genetic tendency - and it's just not something we normally test for so you only know it in circumstances like this. Anther possibility is that your last pregnancy "unmasked" mild kidney disease / damage / genetic tendency - in similar ways that getting older can "unmask" problems. Yet another possibility is that PE / HELLP did leave some lingering damage. Conventional understanding has been that all damage from PE / HELLP resolves completely soon after delivery, but some conflicting stories seem to say that it's possible that some small damage lingers. One of my RL friends had ongoing kidney issues after her PE experience that resolved - to her surprise - after *years*.

All that is to say that we don't know what causes it, but we've seen it around here!! It's one of the reasons we recommend asking about baseline 24-hour collections. I think at least one of our members' doctor told her he'd take her baseline into account before diagnosing PE in a subsequent pregnancy. So since 300mg plus bp is diagnostic, her doctor would want her baseline plus 300mg to diagnose her. I don't think that's a standard, but I would ask your doctor in your particular case, how your baseline protein spillage will affect their diagnostic criteria for you and how they will view increased protein spillage in general.

If anyone else has more / different information please speak up - I've read a lot but I'm no doc and I'm always interested in what other women have read or what their doctors have told them.

I know kidney disease is a risk factor for PE, but I don't know if our Experts have ever said how much of an increased risk they see in women who spill small amounts at the beginning of pregnancy. It's definitely not a guarantee you'll get sick again. What have your doctors told you about your risks of recurrence for your specific case?

I'm glad your docs are running baseline labs and 24-hour on you - it sounds like they'll be watching you carefully!

Welcome again and ask more questions and share your experiences!

[nov_mum]

Hi there

I have little insight in to PE or changes this early on but I am 16 weeks and have had protein in my urine for the last two weeks or so. My MW put it down to dehydration as I had a cold at the time but I dipsticked twice last week and was between 1+ and 2+. So I checked out my bp which is also up, no suprise really as I could feel it recently. I am seeing an OB at the end of the month but I am staggered at how early things are changing this time around. We are having our fourth, a huge suprise! We had decided that as we got off relatively lightly in the previous three PE pregnancies that we should quit while we were ahead but the universe had other ideas if seems. I have a funny feeling this might be the most troublesome pregnancy of all but time will tell. I will be following your posts and will update with any info I get along the way. I have in my head that I need to get to 28 weeks (although I know this doesn't guarantee a good outcome but it sure increases the odd. Then every week from there will be a blessing. I got to 37 weeks last time so I am hoping for a similar outcome.

[mychaelelaine]

Just wanted to send a cyber hug and prayer that all goes well!

[cgoodi1]

Hi! I am currently pregnant six weeks as well due on April 5th. I have been working really closely with my doctors before trying to conceive. After numerous tests the doctors found out I have orthostatic proteinuria. Basically even when I am not pregnant, I spill protein when I sit or stand up, but if I lay down or am sleeping, I barely spill any. So basically, I am 6 weeks and spilling protein as well. I, like you, am praying this doesn't mean that I will have another bad outcome. There's nothing they can do for me during pregnancy to reduce the protein amount so I'm just going to have to watch my blood pressure carefully. So far so good but I'm scared too. Please keep us updated as to your condition as well as what your doctors are doing for you. Perhaps bedrest may be just the thing for you if you have the same thing as me!

[Raposa]

I had protein spilling in my first pregnancy early on, then it stopped, then it came back after my blood pressure started rising and the pre-e set in.

This time, I had lots of protein early, but also "unmasked' chronic hypertension. When the labetalol brought my hypertension back down into the high edge of normal range, the protein stopped, so it's probably my kidneys were stressed from the previous issues and now this. (That's the theory I've gotten from the doctors so far..)

So, I understand on the mysterious protein thing. It's troubling, but without any other symptoms, you just have to keep an eye on it and keep in touch with your doctors.

[nov_mum]

I'm going to try to get in to see my GP tomorrow. Just took my BP and it's 156/104. I was hoping to avoid to many appointments so early on. Sorting them around my husbands shifts, my three jobs and three little people is a nightmare! Hopefully some labetalol will bring things under control.

[nov_mum]

BP 180/106 today. Have started meds and waiting on urine and urgent bloods. Dip stick was positive for protein but awaiting pcr result.

[trish]

Goodness those are some high pressures!! Hoping meds get it under control ASAP. After having PE in my first 2 pregnancies I found out I had CHT at a regular annual GYN appt. about 18 months after my 2nd was born. Had to go one BP meds and stop taking BCP (which can raise your BP). Well being off BCP led to pregnancy #3 about 6 months later so I started that pregnancy on BP meds. While it wasn't a smooth ride & I had to up my meds several times, I did make it nearly to term. I'm hoping the same for you.

Hang in there and update when you can. (((HUGS)))

[p+h]

update???