Does HELLP present the same in subsequent pregnancy's?

[Lee2011]

Wow what a coincidence - I was c-sectioned on 19th December, baby girl Paige born weighing 6 pounds 15 (3.15kg), home after 2 nights in hospital and all going well. Platelets were 161 the week of the c-section (higher than they ever were with my son!). Terrible nausea continued throughout the 9 months though with me not able to keep anything down for 24 hours before c-section All better now and recovery going well plus we had a lovely Christmas.

Hope you and babe are doing well!!!!

[Stormborn]

Hi Ladies,

Still plodding along. I've been getting weekly urine tests and fortnightly bloods done and they are all still normal. I hit 36w + 6 on Monday, which is when I was admitted with DS / diagnosed the first time so am feeling a little more hopeful that HELLP may not come back. However the RUQ has increased significantly in the last 2 days so am going for another lot of bloods tomorrow just to see if there's any movement in platelets or liver enzymes. It's not as bad as it was with DS so if there is movement I doubt it'll be in the danger zone just yet. The high risk clinic started becoming more pro-active with their monitoring about 3 weeks ago as we approached DS's birth gestation. They were the ones who insisted on fortnightly bloods, more if I felt I needed it. Whereas before I was having to demand to be tested. It's been stressful in some ways but a relief in others.

My c-section is booked for the 19th December at 38w+2 so crossing fingers I'll make it till then. Been having a lot of painful tightenings across my lower stomach, down my thighs & tightening in my back (it's like a braxton hicks contraction but in my back not my belly, if that makes sense) for the past 2 days & my GP's nurse thinks it maybe pre-labour starting. I have no idea what to expect as I never had any of this with DS, we're in uncharted waters now and it's kinda scary!

Glad to hear you're going well Lee2011, we're both going to have a lovely Christmas present this year aren't we! When's your c-sec booked? will you be home for Christmas? All going to plan we will be discharged on Christmas Eve.

Thanks Chica. The anxiety is awful, I had to keep reminding myself that 'today I don't have HELLP so take a breath & enjoy being pregnant'.

[chica]

Hi there, I also have been wondering how you and bubs are doing. Have been following your story as I had a very similar experience to your first pregnancy (timing etc) and am pregnant again feeling anxious about heading into second half. I hope you have been receiving great care and all is well. Thoughts are with you.

[Lee2011]

Just wondering how you are doing? And hope everything is going well.

I got my elective csection date today, just before christmas, and despite growth scans, liver scans and blood tests everything is looking "normal", so counting down the days!

[caryn]

There are a couple of underlying liver disorders or gallbladder disorders - really, I suppose, metabolic disorders - that present as this sort of pain that persists in pregnancy for weeks before elevating liver enzymes etc. present as HELLP. So I'm glad you're being watched closely.

Docs are used to thinking of HELLP as "liver enzymes in the thousands", but that's because the diagnostic tests look for hemolysis and elevated liver enzymes and low platelets and can't really pick up "pain".

[Stormborn]

Wow that is weird. I won't make it to my due date though as I have to have a c-section around 38w + 2 (exact date will be booked next week).

How did your consult go?

My pain was staying about the same until last night when it increased and is now under my ribs & in my shoulder. It hasn't gone into the top of my back yet & isn't "I need pain killers" bad, but it is definitely getting worse. When I rang the hospital they said to wait for a second symptom to occur before coming in again for assessment. My second symptom last time was severe Oedema, which hit about 34wks. I haven't got any swelling as of yet, but was very nauseous last night at the same time the pain hit and ended up vomiting around midnight when the pain was at it's worse. I was also lying in bed and felt faint (for lack of a better word) when I opened my eyes the room was rocking (like when you're on a boat), is this another symptom?

The first time round I remember feeling nauseous & put it down to morning sickness returning until the last 4 days before they finally diagnosed me. At that stage I knew it wasn't morning sickness but thought I was sickening with a cold. I don't feel like that at the moment but also don't think it's morning sickness hitting late at night (normally it hit from the time I got up till about 2pm then I was fine till the following morning. It lasted till 26wks).

[Lee2011]

Weirdly your due date is one day after mine!!!

I am due to see consultant on Friday, pain is not too bad at the moment but as you say nothing like feeling like we have been here before!

Keep me/us posted

[Stormborn]

Wow, I just read your thread & it felt like I was reading my own story. I'm so sorry you're going through this as well, it really does feel like deja vu doesn't it!

I've had two more admissions since my last post as the pain has intensified and is becoming more frequent. All my tests have come back normal both times, they didn't give me the results so not sure what my actual levels are. BP is within normal range but that's no surprise as it didn't go up last time either. On my last admission I had another growth scan and they checked all my other organs on both sides at the same time. Everything looks normal so they've ruled out gallstones, blocked kidney, fatty liver, cholestatis & kidney problems. Bubs is also growing normally. I also saw a physio when I didn't have the pain to get them to rule out a rib injury or inflammation in the rib joints, they couldn't set the pain off so have ruled out any muscular skeletal problems. So all we're left with is HELLP. Now it's just a waiting game to see if more symptoms appear & bloods go haywire.

My midwife who has been adamant that I couldn't possibly have HELLP yet has finally changed her tune and is being a lot more supportive. Her attitude before was dismissive & she acted like it was all in my head. Thankfully my OB didn't share her opinion & although he isn't convinced it's the onset of HELLP he's also not dismissing it.

[Lee2011]

Just seen this, having rushed to post before my son arrives home!

I hope you are doing well, it sounds like we have quite a bit in common. I think my RUQ pain started about 30 weeks last time and i was emergency induced at 38weeks, and this time it started over the weekend at almost 30 weeks!

**HUGS**

[MomTimesThree]

Soooo glad that they are taking your concerns seriously! Yay for Bub measuring right where he needs to be. Keep posted!


Lauren