chronic hypertension

[ebonymama]

hello ladies,

i just joined....i doh know where to start....i came on here as i was doing my research to find out how to best manage hypertension during pregnancy...

a bit of history:
first to begin i live in the caribbean where the type of healthcare that i see other mothers received is absolutely unheard of....its so bad i dont think there is such a thing as high-risk OBGYN in my country...anyways
i got my first ever bfp in 2011 when i was 29 i had one or two occasions with a recurring tonsilitis where my bp was >140/90 (earlier years bp was normal) so i didnt pay it no concern until the pregnancy......no matter all the meds and hydralazine shots i got it was never below that 140/90....only for a few days then go back up to and more than the 140/90.....until the baby couldnt take it no more and i suffered a placenta abruption at 33 weeks.... (i miss my baby girl everyday still to this day) my bp shot up to 180/111,,,200/150 ....thank GOD i survived the delivery which wasnt even a C-section...it was naturally with forceps....

post partum: that week after the delivery it was still >140/90....

so i went to this private medical clinic a few weeks after....i began treatment for hypertension....and guess what after a few days on the meds which was two (atacand plus and atenonol) mind you....atacand plus is not administered in the public healthcare system...

so after being on that for a few days...my BP went down to like teens and 120's over 70's and 80's....so i continued on it together with some weight loss and it managed to stay that way....

so here i am pregnant again and i think i make myself sick daily....my doc have taken me off the regular meds which is not recommended during pregnancy...and the pressure has slowly elevated to what it was in my first pregnancy... >140/90....

currently on methldopa (aldomet)...i stronly think that that alone wouldnt work for me....

any suggestions anyone...

should i see a cardiologist...we have no Mfm doc or perinatologists in our country....

i will use this thread to update on how i progress and the outcome of this pregnancy....
i really want to take my baby home with me this time

[sam10]

Hello and welcome.

So sorry you lost your precious baby girl. I too lost my firstborn and miss him every day.

I think given your circumstances (no MFM available) seeing a cardiologist might be a good idea. It is important that you will be monitored closely and your medications (which need to be ok for pregnancy - and not all are) need to be adjusted if needed. From what I know adjustment might happen several times during pregnancy and sometimes even switching medication might be needed.

If you do not trust your OB, would you have the option switching to another one that you might be more comfortable with?

Also, are you currently taking low-dose aspirin? If not, I'd ask your doctor about it. Most women who have had preeclampsia in a previous pregnancy are taking it during a subsequent pregnancy.
If you have the possibility of getting a blood pressure cuff for monitoring your BP at home, please do so. You can log your BP daily (but don't go crazy with it) and report it back to your doctor (on a weekly basis or whatever you agree on). Your doctor should also give you a BP threshold (how high or low your BP shouldn't go) , so you know when you should call the office and or be seen. Also, please trust your instincts and ask to be seen if you think something is off.

Here is also a link to all the signs and symptoms to watch out for: https://www.preeclampsia.org/signs-and-symptoms

How far along are you?

Please keep us posted and ask any questions you might have.

[ebonymama]

thank you so much for your time sam10.....

so i am to book an appointment with more experienced highly recommended OB soon....

i am gonna see my regular OB 2morrow together with a scan....i will ask about the aspirin....i am certain he is gonna say he doesnt know anything about it....but its worth a try.....

according to the last scan, 2morrow i will be exactly 10 weeks....but it could be more or less off....

at the end of the month i am gonna book the apt for the cardiologists......i think that will give me some good answers....

so amma have an update 2morrow GOD sparing....

[sam10]

Let us know how it goes. Will be thinking of you.

[ebonymama]

hello all,

so i finally had a second scan on wednesday baby measuring one day ahead....

amma be 11 weeks on wednesday....
they didnt measure heartbeat but it was seen ...baby moved alot and so forth.....so thankful to GOD at this point...

my bp at this time i think could do better...
on pre-pregnancy meds it use to be late late 120's over 80's

now its late 130's-early 140's over late 80's- early 90's
there will one or two instances where the bottom will be 100-105....whilst the top is low...
i realise that my bp is lower when lying and higher when sitting

mind u my methyldopa meds isnt at full strength yet....i wonder if in my country they administer that labetalol that all u ladies are on and seems to be working fine??

so i am trying to get in to see a cardiologist at a private institution in about a week's time....

[ebonymama]

hello all,

stopping by to update.......thank GOD baby and i are still here...i'm 22 plus weeks now....
my docs currently have me on 2000mg of aldomet/methyldopa per day together with 20mg nifedipine...and that has managed to keep pressure at 130's over 80's still not low but i'd take it......still have not seen a cardiologist.....waiting to here what OBGYN says

gonna see my OB on wednesday for ultrasound growth scan/gender/placenta and to also discuss putting me on labetalol....

gonna come back after that to update...

fingers cross everyone

[sam10]

Good to know that your BP seems under control with your current medication. You probably already know that you will see a lot of adjustments in your medication, and there might be more coming. Sometimes doctors don't want to go higher on the dosage too quickly, so you not maxed out too quickly.
Fingers crossed for your appointment. I will look for your update

[armia741]

I wonder if in my country they administer that labetalol that all u ladies are on and seems to be working fine?

[ebonymama]

hello everyone,

happy new year to all...

so here i am updating.....well as of from my last post...i did had that anomaly scan...everything was AOK....
had GTT test and that was AOK as well...a growth scan was done... and that was AOK....

i am now 29+ weeks....i have to go for check up on Thursday, Jan 30th...and then another ultrasound two weeks from there or sooner....

bp meds still at full strength methyldopa/aldomet ....2000mgs daily and 20mgs daily of nifedipine.....(i rather slow release nifedipine than extended release which the public hospitals issue)

bp holding steady at 120's-135/70's, 80's ..i get some 90's in there from time to time....i praying it will hold steady like this until at least 35-36 weeks which at that time i will nearly be full term....

i'm also keeping sodium less than 1000mgs daily

there is an injection that they administer to develop baby's lungs....i hoping to have that done as well...
the public hospital is saying no risk detected as yet so not for that yet...my private OB sent me to private hospital to get it done...

i forgot to mention a trace of protein has been picked up now...
when i go on Thursday i will watch for that too
no swelling or blurred vision

thanking GOD so far..

so i'm hanging in there...

[ebonymama]

hey everyone,
so i manage to have my public appointment on Thursday...and it went well....

no trace of protein was picked up however, doc now added lose does aspirin.....i'm wondering if that will be effective now...at 29+ weeks
i will record my bp levels this week and compare...these are scary times coming up here....

they wanna c me in three weeks for follow up and ultrasound....i hope i make it to then...
yall say a prayers for me

so my meds are now 500mg of methyldopa/aldomet every six hours, 20mg of nifedipine once a day, and 81mg of lose dose aspirin once a day...together with the usual calcium, folic acid, omega 3 6 9, pre natal vitamins, iron, vitamin d

bp readings are 120's/130's over 80's with some 90's in there....occasional 70's and 60's

so at the end of the week amma come and let yall know if the lose does aspirin is doing anything...

yall keep good