Pre eclampsia, in hospital hell

[crackerjackbaby]

A friend of mine is 36 weeks and just been diagnosed with pre eclampsia. She's been admitted to hospital and has been told she needs to remain there until next weds (c section). She hasn't slept a wink for 2 nights and is missing her 2.5 yo DD terribly. She is desperate to leave and be at home, but doesn't want to endanger baby. Everyone with pre eclampsia at this point in pregnancy is admitted til term. Is hospital being overly cautious, and can she self discharge for a few nights to be with family? AIBU- yes, stay in if doctor recommends, even if damaging mental health and zero sleep. No, leave and come back in a few days.

@Darkstar4855 that's so sad but very common

Your friend must stay where she is. Pre-Enclampsia is very serious. My DSis had an emergency C section at 32 weeks, if she hadn’t both she and my DNiece (now 13) would have died. She had Enclampsia after the birth and we very nearly did lose her.

The only reason it was picked up in time was because her pregnancy was being monitored for gestational diabetes and a lack of amniotic fluid. She was kept in when she came in for a pre-booked appointment.

Please don’t ignore the hospital advice!

Defo needs to stay. I had it and it got bad really quickly and ended up with an emcs. if I had been left any longer I was told I would most likely have had a seizure. I didnt feel too ill at first until it for really bad then I did. Not a risk worth taken defo. I had tablet meds to bring blood pressure down at first and then that didnt work so they had to do a drip so it's not like she can just be sent home with meds and be fine.

I was admitted at 35 weeks with pre eclampsia. After a hellish night on the ward with no sleep I was ready to argue my case for going home. Thankfully, I never got chance as I started bleeding due to a placental abruption. I dread to think what would have happened if I had been at home.

I was admitted a week before my planned c/s (not Pre-E) leaving a nearly 2 yr old at home w husband and his parents to help out! It was tough but I knew I was in hosp for safety of my baby. This was 18 years ago, no smart phones or iPads so had to hire a TV and knew every bit of celeb gossip from the magazines. I was bored as hell.
i asked them to move me to a window bed as was so hot and I was actually ill w a bad cold too so felt crap in myself too. They also brought the c/s forward by a day to be ‘nice’! Def worth your friend asking to be made more comfortable in the circs bit should not go home. I napped in day when it was quiet as well. Nights were def noisier

@CmonYouKnow and this is why people need to take pre eclampsia seriously!

What?????????????????????????

Thanks again everyone for your responses and advice.

Just walk around a church yard .. pre medical intervention for pre eclampsia... circa 1930... and count the graves of mothers and babies born and died together... tells you ALL YOU KNEED TO KNOW !!

Is hospital being overly cautious, and can she self discharge for a few nights to be with family? AIBU- yes, stay in if doctor recommends, even if damaging mental health and zero sleep. No, leave and come back in a few days.

Your friend sounds like my SiL.
That is not a compliment.

In similar circumstances, she chose to canvas each and every medic in the family (only 4, but still) trying to get someone to agree that she should go home.
I don't know why: she'd had the same advice from everyone.
Eventually she just had to be told that if she wanted to endanger her baby and herself, then we couldn't stop her.
But none of us would have chosen to be quite so reckless.

People are blaming op for asking here.

But why isn't this message being given in hospital?

Why?

This

It has been given in the hospital, the OP wanted someone to agree with them that not taking medical advice was a good idea.

I think they've been disappointed.

Where does it say she hasn't been given that advice?

Where?

I was in exactly this situation at 30 weeks with a nearly 3 year old at home. I was constantly and regularly monitored 24/7 for nearly a week, every drop of pee tested and and ultrasound to monitor placental blood flow every day. The decision to induce labour was made very quickly after one of those ultrasounds. Of course she has to stay in hospital

What I mean is it's highly unlikely the patient would be wanting to leave if they had been told that they disk their life?

Usually no one wants to die? So I'm assuming this message, other stories etc have not reached ops friend.

I had pre eclampsia and was in hospital for 2 weeks then overnight I quickly deteriorated and ended up with an emergency c section. Best to stay put in the best place.

What I mean is it's highly unlikely the patient would be wanting to leave if they had been told that they disk their life?

Obviously, I can't know 100%, but I would put folding money on the fact that she will have been told.

People often just don't believe it'll happen to them. Hence, the looking around for just one positive story to justify doing what they want.
It's like signing a consent form for an operation with, say, 5% risk of dying.
Nobody thinks they'll be that 5%, but some obviously will.

Ear plugs, eye mask and sound machine over ear bluetooth headphones will help her. I was in a similar situation. At one point my bp was stable and I felt great then an hour later I was having an induction. She needs to stay there for safety.

The OP says they have been told they need to stay in until the c-section by the hospital. Some people are just plain stupid I guess and think they know better.

For me, having had eclampsia, kidney failure, emergency c-section, haeomorrage, blood transfusion, three days in intensive care with kidney failure. I think I'm pretty sure the hospital has given the right advise and she should stay in.

Perhaps, despite all the moaning about the NHS (God knows, I do it to) people know there is usually a good result, so downplay the risks in their own mind because it's a damn sight more comfortable at home.
Yes, it is.
But it's a bloody sight riskier in this case and something going wrong with the birth will have much more of an impact on OP's friend's MH than missing a few nights of sleep.

*it will

I was in the same position as your friend.

it is very difficult and totally exhausting to be in a pre birth ward - especially if people are going into early stage labour each night. The wards are too hot and too noisy.

I asked for a private room, as soon as one became available (was the best £100 per day I ever spent) and after 3 days/nights of fitful, restless sleep in the ward, I managed 4 nights of proper sleep in a private room, before giving birth. Interestingly my BP fell dramatically in my own room! The hospitals often reserve these rooms for people with a greater need for privacy eg a stillbirth. Offer to move quickly and without fuss if they need it for this.

if it is a week of broken sleep, it will be unpleasant, but over soon. However, your friend needs to be in hospital- it may save her life and I’m not being overly dramatic.

Oh good grief!
No "it" but needs a "too".
Had enough trouble with the italics.

Search Sara Wickham. Lots of evidence based research for her to make an informed decision.