Post partum pre eclampsia?

[Nonilo]

I know the answer is always to get it checked if in doubt, but I've got a newborn and young toddler and it's not that easy.

I was just wondering what people's experiences are of post partum pre eclampsia? I'm 8 weeks pp, but for the past 2 weeks or so my BP has been high (between 145/100 and 130/94). My vision has been blurry (low level blurriness consistently and then more prominent blurring intermittently) and I've been getting persistent headaches. Today I feel absolutely awful, but we do have a tummy bug as well as cold/cough circulating our household. So my feeling awful could be to do with that.

The nurse at my 6 week pp check, which was done at 8 weeks, noted my BP was high and said nothing more.

It's only today through some googling that I've seen pre eclampsia can develop 6 weeks+ post partum.

I really don't want to rush out to see a doctor if it can be helped. Whilst my BP is high it's not catastrophically high?

Does anyone have any experience with pp pre eclampsia they're happy to share?

I would go and see the GP. I was readmitted to hospital the same day the community midwives discharged me two weeks after the birth. It wasn't pre-eclampsia but I did have very high blood pressure and had to stay in for a while while they sorted it. (Still have it years later!). Your BP is on the higher scale, but no I agree it's not catastrophically high - for reference when I was hospitalised mine was 195/112 or thereabouts but if you are having visual disturbances it's worth getting checked over.

You have two of the symptoms of pre eclampsia

and the NHS website says "If you notice any symptoms of pre-eclampsia, get medical advice immediately by calling your GP surgery or NHS 111"

I think you should ring 111 now.

Yes, it might be connected to the bug you all have, so you don't need to go to panic stations! But you really do need to be properly medically assessed today. Pre eclampsia is very treatable, but does need to be caught in time.

Definitely get it checked. Mine was 20 years ago, but i was readmitted to hospital with my DD. I had really bad water retention that wasn't improving and my BP was very high. If I remember correctly (it was all a bit traumatic and upsetting)I had medicine for the water retention and within a couple of days (and plenty of trips to the loo) my BP was down enough for me to be discharged.

I don’t have personal experience with this, but my best friend had a similar experience. She had high blood pressure post partum and was given a blood pressure machine by her GP to send readings in from home, she was also on medication for a month or so. She’s totally fine now. It’s definitely worth getting it checked.

I had this after both of my pregnancies. With my first, my BP was extremely high (204/124). I was unable to see out of my right eye(like old TV static), headache and abdominal pain. I was whisked through A&E as it was such an emergency. The protein in urine didn't show up for another day. I was in for 2 days, monitored and then on medication for seven months as it was so difficult to keep under control. Don't ignore your symptoms.
Second pregnancy, it was caught in time as I kept banging on to the staff about my BP and my history. Both times it began to rise on day 4 post delivery.

You need to see a Dr asap I'm afraid. I had my baby 4 years ago and am still on blood pressure meds now. The medication has made me feel so much better and of course reduces risk of complications

Thanks so much everyone, I really appreciate the replies. I've gone all shivery, fevery and nauseous so I'm almost certain it's the bug that's circulating. I'll put in an econsult for the GP tomorrow though just to be safe.

Hi @Nonilo what was the outcome of this? Currently in a similar situation

Hey @northernsunshine . Turned out to just be a bug. Definitely get yourself checked if you're worried though x