Oh Yikes, 12 Weeks and BP is high

[p+h]

Hi everyone, I'm kinda freaking out here. Had 3 BP readings yesterday (acupuncturist, MW's cuff and home BP cuff), all around 118/90. My diastolic number didn't hit 90 until 32-34 weeks last time, a couple of weeks before protein showed in my urine. Urine came back clear though.

Does anyone have experience with pressures similar to this, and know whether meds are recommended? This is my second pregnancy and I did have pre-e with my first but do not have hypertension normally.

Of course I have a US first thing this morning and am worried going in and worried what the MFM may recommend.

[nov_mum]

What was your bp prior to getting pregnant? It may be that you are in fact a chronic hypertensive which wouldn't show until later in life but pregnancy has revealed it earlier. I think this is my situation. My bp returns to normal between pregnancies but with each pregnancy it shows up sooner. With my first it was around 31 weeks that I had my first high bp. Second it was around the same time but I wasn't checking it much so probably earlier. Last pregnancy it was 22 wks and this time 18 weeks before I was started on meds. I hope it goes well tomorrow. Let us know how it goes

[p+h]

nov_mum, it had returned to normal 6 weeks PP, about 2 years ago, and I haven't checked it sense, or had a physical :/. So I really can't say. Feeling stupid about that TBH. When are BP meds recommended, in your experience? Thank you so much!

[nov_mum]

I think it is totally normal that once you have your baby and wean off meds etc that you put PE behind you and focus on your life ahead. I only check it myself occasionally as I have access to the equipment and people to take my BP. I think the best time to medicate is when your symptoms warrant it. Some Drs have a higher threshold for that than others. Some worry about pressures above 140/90 and some worry about major jumps related to your baseline. I think the best thing to do is to discuss with the prescriber what the benefits of medicating are and what the benefits of not medicating. Sometimes dropping pressures can reduce flow to the placenta which is why they tend to medicate the higher end of things. 90 diastolic seems borderline but if your previous diastolics were in the 60's then that is significant.How far along are you?

[nov_mum]

Sorry, of course you are 12 weeks. BP often drops in second trimester before beefing up again so medicating now could pop you in to hypotension in coming weeks. I am thinking they might watch and wait??

[nov_mum]

I don't know if this helps??

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/pregnancy/PR00125

[Raposa]

I had the same problem, but I was hitting 200/120 at 8 weeks after knowing that three months prior I'd had perfectly normal blood pressure. O.O With yours being right on the edge of high, it'd make sense that they'd wait a little bit to see if you get the 2nd trimester "dip". Right now, they're trying to keep my blood pressures under 140/90 with meds.

[p+h]

oh thank you thank you nov_mom. That is so helpful, just to hear your experience and the advice/link of how to frame talking to the dr today is immensely helpful. I'll share this with my husband so we can be on the same page when we go in.

Raposa, thank you as well. I'm so glad the meds are working for you for now.

I'm definitely in a confusing place, wondering what is to come and wanting to straddle the line between natural pregnancy and birth and being overwhelmed with an overly medicalized process. Let's not be stupid, but let's not be confined either, if that makes sense. I'm hoping I continue to have that choice...

[caryn]

You sound likely to be an unmasked chronic hypertensive - pressures that elevate before 20 weeks gestation generally indicate that your genetics have been unmasked. Chronics do have a 1:4 chance of superimposed preeclampsia and anyone with a PE history is generally followed as high-risk. What did the MFM say?