38 weeks and really nasty headaches

[ScurfyTwiglet]

I'm 38+1 and since Wednesday have been suffering really awful headaches, keeping me up at night. It's odd because I generally don't get headaches at all, I can probably count on one hand the number I've had in my life. So this is really out of the norm. Also worrying me is slightly blurred vision, not terrible but I've been unable to read small text etc, but I do get dry eyes due to sjogrens syndrome so just assumed it was because of that.
I saw the mw for a routine appointment on Tuesday who checked my blood pressure and urine and all was fine then, so do you think there's a cause for concern?

[shoofly]

No harm in having it checked out surely?

[FudgeMallowDelight]

I think you need to be checked

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

Please contact your midwife or GP. It may well be nothing, but you can do no harm by asking for advice about this. Good luck.

[WipeYourFeet]

You need to get that checked. Ring your midwife or clinic this afternoon. If it's nothing, great, you can relax & stop worrying. If it's a cause for concern - you've acted & it'll be looked after

[gryffen]

That's the exact symptoms I get when my IIH starts acting up and it's brutal to deal with. Do you wear glasses or contacts normally?

Defo nip to midwife and if they are all clear then nip to optician and they can do an urgent referral if needed.

[SS81C]

Speak to your midwife or triage department asap.
Headaches and visual disturbances can be a sign of preeclampsia and it can come on literally overnight so just because BP and urine fine Tuesday doesn't rule it out.
Hopefully it's nothing but definitely best to get checked out.

[Sunshinegirl82]

Get it checked immediately OP. I had postnatal pre eclampsia and I was fine when checked, 48 hours later my BP was through the roof and I had to be readmitted. Never hurts to be checked out. Fingers crossed its nothing.

[ScurfyTwiglet]

Thank you for all your replies. I called the hospital and they've asked me to come in for checks in the morning, which I will do. Fingers crossed!

Gryffen, what is IIH?

Thanks again

[FudgeMallowDelight]

Hope you got it checked

[FudgeMallowDelight]

Sorry crossed post! Good luck

[flowa79]

Scurfytwiglet IIH is a neurological disorder that can affect vision and causes severe headaches. Ideopathic Intracranial Hypertension to give it its name. Im a sufferer so is my son thankfully he cant get pregnant and feel like shit coz off meds at its basic form its raised intracranial pressure in the brain and mainly (alledgedly) affects women of child baring age who carry a lil extra weight, but can affect anyone at any stage. As a sufferer im not allowed to push for longer than 30 mins, neuros orders. If you find headaches continue after birth id suggest getting tested (Lumber punture) but if u been fine up to now im pretty sure its just another of these horrible pregnancy symptoms.

[gryffen]

Hiya!
What Flowa said.

It's also called Benign intercranial Hypertension and I've never been one to suffer from headaches but sweet Jesus I was blacking out and everything.

I never knew about the pushing thing but I will ask Neuro and consultant as didn't have problems with #1 But now diagnosed i could this time round.

Hope all went/goes well and headache improves!

[happymummy12345]

Hi op. I hope things went okay for you?
I suffer from headaches and the occasional migraine all the time, so for me it wasn't anything new when I had them during my pregnancy. But what you described sounded awful to have to go through.
I wish you well

[ScurfyTwiglet]

I have been admitted to hospital with severe preeclampsia, so thank you everyone who encouraged me to call, if I hadn't things might have been a lot worse!
Midwife said I won't be leaving here without my baby, so presumably they will be looking to induce, which is terrifying, but at least I'm in the right place

[Rachie1986]

So glad you got checked out! Hope all goes well x

[flowa79]

Gryffen neuro may also offer u an lp to reduce pressure b4 birth. I was supposed to have 1 in jan but due to previous spinal injuries as well as opting for section he doesnt want to cause more trauma to my spine. Im off topirimate and wasnt offered diamox as an alternative, not sure i would of taken it tho. Im having my lo on friday :) when are you due??

[flowa79]

Exciting about having lo soon sorry about preeclampsia. As u said tho u r in the right place tho to b monitored. Fingers crossed for u and lo xx

[AdoraBell]

I had this and my sister told me to eat before going to bed. I didn’t feel hungry, but having an extra small meal stopped the headaches.

[AdoraBell]

Oh, didn’t see your update, sorry. Glad you got it checked.

[Hawkmoth]

Glad you went in OP and good luck! I was monitored a lot for PE but was induced for something else at 38 weeks. I had the blurred vision but it was confusing as I also had migraines. But I was still taken in for monitoring a few times as it's better to rule it out every time.

[rainbowruthie]

Good luck with everything!

[AdiosPeaceOfRoast]

I’m glad you’re being looked after now but not brilliant they told you to come in the following morning with those symptoms?

[Sunshinegirl82]

Glad you got checked and are being looked after now OP. Pre eclampsia really can come on overnight and so it's really important to get checked out if you have any symptoms both before and after birth. I was 10 days pp when it hit me and pre eclampsia just didn't occur to me as I assumed you only got it when pregnant, not afterwards!

[ScurfyTwiglet]

Oh God, I'm so afraid. The nurse came in at 2:30am and said I needed fluids, so she put a cannula in my hand and attached it to a drip. Blood went everywhere. Meanwhile there's a woman somewhere else on the ward who sounds like she's being hung, drawn and quartered and this is terrifying

[Strokethefurrywall]

It's ok I'm here. There's always someone here.