vbac + high blood pressure - is it possible? (sad pregnant lady alert)!

[morocco]

or should I just give up now and resign myself to a c section?
i had a c section for pre eclampsia last time round and so far everything was going well with this pregnancy - I'm at 35 weeks now - but yesterday my bp was up to 130/85 (I know its not that high really but it was doing so well)and so needs more monitoring.
I'm really upset - blame late pregnancy hormones I suppose- and need to know what exactly would count as high bp and what it could rise to before I'd need another c section. Does anyone know?

also, my doc refuses to think about induction a second time around because of the c section - is that fairly common practice?

oh, if anyone's around with positive vibes even if they don't know the answers to the questions, that'd be appreciated too. Don't know whats wrong with me today really - all sad and tearful - dh totally unsympathetic and doesn't know what all the fuss is about

sob into my coffee

Hi Morrocco.... first if all pre-eclampsi is NOT JUST high blood pressure but more importantly it is protein in the urine.... pre-eclampsia is mostly a first pregnancy illness... The prerequisite, to diagnose pre-eclampsia, is the presence of more than 300 mg of protein in the urine per 24 hours. It is more useful to rely on the repeated use of the special strips for ?urinalysis? one can buy in any pharmacy. Measuring the blood pressure is not essential.

Yes it is VERY common to be refused an induction after a previous section.... that's because that raises the risk of uterine rupture. BUT you don't need an induction.... you can stay pregnant until 41 weeks easily!

Come on Morrocc0 - this will be fine

My bp was 130-ish/85 towards the end of my first preg. They said to get it checked every day and go to hospital if the 85 went higher than 90, but I found I got so stressed with the actual checking that I stopped doing it. Had a normal vaginal delivery with no problems. Well, alright, they used a ventuose, but that's because the Spanish seem to like to intervene.

As pupuce says, there are other symptoms to pre-eclampsia - if I had gone to the hospital they would have just done the other tests (tip - don't go to the loo just before you have a check-up. When they found my blood pressure was a bit high, they made me do a urine test there and then but I couldn't go! 5 hours later they said I was fine)

So don't worry. Here's some positive vibes anyway: }}}}}

PS I also got really tearful towards the end of both pregnancies. I think it's a sign that your hormones are doing their job properly.

PPS what does VBAC stand for anyway?

Vaginal birth after a caserean.... which is what you "class" a birth AFTER you managed to have a vaginal birth.
MW speak is that you are a "trial of scar" which means you are "trying" to have a VBAC. So when you turn up in the labour ward they will say "she is a TOS"

Needless to say trial of scar is very negative... you are "trying you scra"

sorry meant scar and

Oh Morocco - I'm sorry your feeling so low. Please try not to worry too much - your bp might just be creeping up because you're getting bigger and nearing the end!

I was in a v similar situation with the birth of my dd, after having had a very frightening crash section with ds after being induced because of pre-eclampsia. When my BP started going up again towards the end of my second pregnancy I burst into tears in the doctors office (snot and everything ) ! In the end I had a couple of weeks grace before other p/e signs started (hardly ever had protein but always very dodgy blood results - platelets etc) and finally had to have a section at 38 weeks.

I was gutted but to be honest after the scare we had with my ds I was just relieved to get the baby out of my inhospitable body!

I totally know what you are going through - I know how scary pre-e can be but even if you do get it again (and there is a good possibility that you wont) the important thing is that you are being monitored. If your bp keeps going up and you get other signs, and the baby has to come out early then you will end up with a section. But as long as nothing else appears your bp could go a good bit higher without any probs. You could easily go into spontaneous labour before it even becomes an issue.

You've done brilliantly to get this far - so keep positive! I'm keeping everything crossed for you and sending you masses of positive vibes !!!

I had a c-section first time around ,and had high BP with second from about 34 weeks,I did have to spend quite a lot of time in,which probably sent itup but went into labour normally at 38 weeks and had a forceps at the end but not too bad otherwise.Ds3 bp also started to go up at 35 weeks and by 38 weeks and 140/98 + they were talking about inducing but I was having some contractions and felt myself that things were close so in the end I had one dose and then everything progressed normally and he was born with gas and air only.

It can be done,I had very good support at the hospital and they were keen to let me go as much as posible on my own but I was aware that if ds3 had not been born that day then the drip would have been up the next.I am convinced that both times a combination of mind over matter and sheer determination got me into labour.Always remeber though as long as the baby and you are fine you will have the rest of your lives together and nothing is worth the risk of losing that

I had pre-eclampsia first time round and was induced at 37 weeks - my blood pressure was high from 32 weeks then at about 36 the other symptoms began.
is was 145/100 and occasionally higher!!!

I had pre eclampsia both times. It was, if anything, slightly worse (the pe that is) the second time around. I had two sections, not because of the pre eclampsia, but other problems. Second time around ds was big and a footling breach, wieghed in at 9 1 two weeks early. I realise that it must be awful for you at the moment, but hang in there, and everything will be OK in the end. Both my kids are charging round the house trashing the place (as usual!), happy and healthy, and so am I. I'm sending lots of hugs, and best wishes that it works out the way you want it to.

Popsycal, we have so much in common (except I'm an old bag and you are a bright young thing )

lol hmb!!!
BTW - i had a normal very quick birth after the first induction attempt and ds was fine (althgouh there were complications 3 days later that had absolutely nothing to do with pre-eclampsia or being induced!!)

not feeling very bright or young atm!!!!
and i am having a '0' birthday this year.....argh

I bet is still a much smaller one than I went through over a year ago

oh right....the one with a 3 infront!

Morocco - I'm sending lots of positive vibees your way. As the others have said, high BP doesn't necessarily mean pre-eclampsia. With ds1 my BP was pretty high (150/110) but I never had any other symptoms. Ds1 eventually put in an appearance at 41 wks.

Best of luck for the rest of your pregnancy. xx

lots of smiles you guys - thanks somuch for all your messages
you were all spot on - senorapostrophe, I find the mere thought of having high bp again makes me so stressed it probably rises loads anyhow, and zippy539, I'm glad I'm not alone in the crying thing - feels a bit daft really cos I know it's no big deal really and the important thing is me and the baby are monitored and fine etc but you know how you can get caught up in these things too.
and the idea of turning up to hospital and being called a tos made me laugh!
bit more rational today (but still seriously p""""d off with body for being crap)
so glad you lot are here for moral support

morocco - panic not It is not unusual for BP to fluctuate at this stage and hopefully further monitoring will show that it was just that.

You can actually be induced after a previous C/S but it is usually preferred that labour starts on it's own. Try to think calm thoughts. Sending chill out vibes to you