Just had my 32 week appointment and my bp has shot up. They're testing for preeclampsia. I'm a bit of a state

[TurtlesAreRetroRight]

My blood pressure is usually quite low at around 90/60 but today the lower number is persistently around 85. They've taken bloods and sent them away. The results won't be back until Monday and they've said 'try not to worry'. Ha!

The thing is I feel crap anyway. DH and DD have had bad coughs/colds and I too feel bunged up, sore of throat and achy. But now I don't know what's normal viral symptoms and what's potentially something else. I'm sitting here in tears. DH is working all weekend and I'm at home with an exuberant 4yo panicking that there's something wrong.

Can this just be a one off? DH was born at 31 weeks due to preeclampsia and MIL was extremely ill.

Oh gawd, somebody talk me down.

[Rootatoot]

Yep, take it from one who knows...you sound fine and they sound like they're just being precautionary. :) I have just been in hospital since Friday (allowed home this aftenoon - hooray!) My BP bottom figure went over 100 both on Friday and again yesterday briefly. Back down today ...I say down...it's around 90 so still high. On TWO lots of tablets now and appointments daily. Probably going to be induced really soon. Hopefully it'll be end of the week and baby will technically be full term then at 37 weeks. It's all just plodding along, getting checked and checked again. I do think it's easy to get wound up when you have all these tests and end up in catch 22 but then it's too important to ignore.

[ksaunders]

You can relax! There is obviously nothing to worry about if they are going to wait a whole week before testing you again. The repeat test is probably just to provide a comparison and I'm no medical expert but it seems quite likely that your white blood cells are trying to fight off your illness. The fact that your bp is back around normal without any intervention is a good sign that it was a one off.
Obviously if you get any of the symptoms previously mentioned, then don't hesitate to phone your midwife again before your next appointment. In the meantime just try to relax as much as possible to get over your bug.

[HoneyDuke]

They would have admitted you if they had been that worried. Be aware of the other pe symptoms and if you get any call your mw. Other wise just make sure you rest!

[TurtlesAreRetroRight]

Surgery rang back a minute ago. Out of everything they've done, 2 levels are raised. White blood cell count is slightly up (assume that's because I have some bug or other, is that possible?) and another level which she said she wasn't familiar with but that the GP said it's normal for it to be raised in pregnancy and he wasn't concerned at all.

They do want to repeat the bloods in 1 week though to be safe. Why is that do you think? To see if the WBC has gone back down maybe?

Can I relax a bit? Any ideas?

[TurtlesAreRetroRight]

Test results ARE back but they can't give them to me until the GP has looked them over. This is normal for our surgery, they won't tell you anything over the phone about the most basic of tests unless a doctor has looked at them. I said I'd ring back at 5pm. Assuming it was anything untoward, they'd have got back to me immediately I think. Oh gawd I hope so.

[100years]

Glad you are feeling better. Yes the stress of getting to the appointment, rushing around etc could have caused yours to get higher. I won't get blood results unless there is something wrong, so as I haven't heard anything I'm presuming everything was OK on them.

[TurtlesAreRetroRight]

I've used the home monitor a couple of times. BP was 100/70 last night and is 96/67 this morning. Assuming I can trust it, I'm guessing this is a good thing. It's around my normal bp, maybe higher by a v tiny amount.

I feel a wee bit better today, have clearly got sinusitis and am run down so this goes some way to explain how the long, frantic run to the appointment in the rain yesterday was harder for me than it normally would be and could perhaps cause a bit of a rise in bp.

I'm going to ring the surgery this afternoon on the off chance that the results of the bloods are already back but I'm trying to not panic as much as yesterday.

I'm really pleased you're much better. The midwife said yesterday that a slight rise in the 3rd trimester was normal anyway so being up a tiny bit is probably normal.

Here's hoping it's just a blip for both of us. I'll let you know my blood results as and when I have them.

[100years]

Turtles, how are you doing?

MW has just been, BP is lower, almost down to normal, but not quite, but loads better than it was. No protein in urine :) So they are happy for me to go back to my normal appointments but to ring if I feel unwell/worse/anything unusual. Been signed off work anyway till next Friday which happens to be my last day at work before I break for annual leave and ML, so I can relax and rest properly till I'm over whatever has caused me to have a wonky week.

[ksaunders]

Just got back from swimming with my ds and thought i would check how you were. I'm sure that the fact that you were running late and panicking, on top of the fact you hadn't eaten, all contributed to your high bp. In non-pregnancy I had to go sit in my GP waiting room for ten minutes after a high bp due to rushing to get to my appointment. After that 10mins of resting in the waiting rm, it was fine.
As far as having to wait till Monday for your blood results, that's not unusual as mine took 24hrs to come back when they took my blood in hospital! Priorities and workloads vary from area to area.
Let us know how you get on with your home bp testing.

[Rootatoot]

cheese I know what you mean, yeah it does fluctuate a lot over course of a day. I just mean because turtles is so stressed and anxious, to keep checking and checking might just cause her more anxiety if it is still raised. I do think this has happened to me. They check it and then pull serious faces at hospital then check and check and check again and, not suprisingly, it goes up not down!

I totally agree stress is a big factor. Congrats cheese and wishing you well.

[CheeseandGherkins]

It's actually surprising how quickly bp does come down, it doesn't just go up and stay up throughout a whole day usually (as that's a fairly long time). It would raise when you're anxious or there's a problem but inbetween times it does go down. I would imagine that yes it would go down at home and by now I would have thought it would. I would definitely suggest getting a monitor. I was told to check morning and night, so twice a day. Far better than going in all stressed, and what do you know? It's high again. It's obvious that will happen far more than testing at home.

When I had PE it was consistently high because of that but sometimes anxiety meant that it went up. It did return to normal though and more so once back at home.

For instance, at my gp appointment last week (just pregnant) my bp was 140/98, nothing to do with being ill and all to do with being hugely stressed as my last daughter was stillborn in December at 37 weeks from (they think) a cord accident. Took it this morning and my bp was 117/65. Stress plays a massive part in bp readings.

[TurtlesAreRetroRight]

Thank you for being so kind.

I know it's not hereditary down the paternal line. I just mentioned MIL because she was the same gestation as me with dh and I know exactly how serious it was and how quickly and frighteningly it progressed with her.

I've just been round to the coop pharmacy down the road. Their bp machine is broken!

I was in a complete tizz this morning before my appointment, running late, half running/walking in the rain, dd couldn't find her wellies, I was feeling shitty anyway, hadn't eaten or drunk anything since 7pm last night. It's never been raised before and at my last appointment it was fine. It could be nothing couldn't it?

MIL has offered to pick up a monitor for me from argos on her way home from work.

[Rootatoot]

Hi turtles

I'm 35 +6 and have been monitored/treated for high bp for the last few weeks. I would absolutely second everyone saying please try and calm down.

You don't have any PE symptoms, which is good. I've had tons of bloods taken to test for PE. Sometimes they've said they'll ring me if there's a problem, if not then not to worry. Other times, they've sent them to hot lab for results within 2 hours and not let me go home until they got results back. Your MW doesn't sound THAT worried, so that is probably why they're not being rushed through. BP which is persistently high like mine will be managed.

So it's good they've noticed it. They'll check you again in a couple of days I'm sure and if it's high again then, they'll prob do bloods again. They MAY have you in hospital for monitoring but usually it's only when bottom figure is over 90 (like mine!) It's all just a question of seeing how it goes. There is nothing immediate to worry about I'm positive. If you have pains, visual disturbances, your face swells up THEN you need to get checked asap. The headache will be because you are so upset.

My top tip? Go and rest. Seriously...sleep. That will bring bp down. They've got me on tablets now (3 x the dose they started me on!) and they are just knocking me out so I just sleep loads. I'm sure it helps to rest though.

If you are run down with a virus, then it's important you rest anyway. Don't go and get your own monitor and keep checking. It won't come down today because you are so anxious. Best thing you can do is ring MW for reassurance /chat and then go and lie down! xox

[benne81]

Really try not to panic so much - raised bp is classed as anything over 140/90 and for preclampsia you should really have protein in the urine as well. I think it sounds like you have a sensible midwife who has recognised that there has been a bit of a jump in your BP and is doing precautionary bloods to make sure everything is ok. A lower BP score of 80s is not particularly high - so just try to relax and put it in perspective. If you need to discuss further with your midwife just give her a ring she won't mind. Remember BP can be raised (and yours theorectically isn't raised) for a number or reasons including your recent cold. I know its not easy to stop worrying when pregnant but just take on board what your midwife said - its most likely nothing to worry about.

[JJWMummy]

Must say I'm no proffesional, but it could be Gestational Hypertension, this is high bp with no protein in wee, can still get the visual disturbences and headaches though. Had this with DS2 and DD.

PE isn't usually considered to be hereditary, however GH and PE can be as a result of the DNA mix of parents, hence me having with two youngest but not the DS1 (different paternity), the fact you didn't suffer with your first preg is a positive thing.

Home monitors are fine, used one with both youngest, very reliable.

Easy to say but you really do need to relax a little. Good Luck

[CheeseandGherkins]

Yes home monitors are reliable, my gp and midwives previously advised me to get one. Far easier to monitor yourself than keep plodding into hospital unless you have other concerns.

[differentnameforthis]

They usually start to panic when the lower number of the BP hits 90. Is it is just to day that your bp has been higher? Could be because of the illness.

I had PE with dd1. With dd2 I had my BP taken it was something over 90. But I had broken down on the way to the hospital & was running late! But they asked me to get it checked the next day with my dr, and it was the same again. I was sent it & spent several hours being monitored, where it dipped & came up again. Then it was low enough for 3 separate readings, so they sent me home. A day later I the most awful cold, possible a coincidence. I went through preg #2 with no further problems.

Just because your dh was born because of PE, doesn't follow that you will be affected by it. It isn't that kind of link.

No protein is good.
Epigastric pain is like heartburn with out the burning in your throat & again, nothing helps it.

Any sudden onset vomiting?
Any headaches that just won't go away?
Any visual disturbances? And I mean huge spots in your vision?

[100years]

Keep us updated. Keep as calm as you can.

[TurtlesAreRetroRight]

I think I'll ring. Thanks 100years. I'm really good at advising other people but when it comes to me I fall right apart. It's mildly pathetic.

[100years]

Turtles,

Yep Epigastric pain is at top of bump.

Ring mw, if only to say how worried you are, ask if she feels a repeat is necessary, at least if you speak to her and say how much you are worried then you will be able to get some more reassurance off her.

It's easy to say all this over tinterweb.

[100years]

I know it's really hard to be rational about it, but you do need to be, as stressing won't help the BP, yep it's easy to say, harder to do, please be reassured that what she said is true and she would be doing more if she was concerned. Yep crying can give you headaches. And a good cry is sometimes necessary.

I've taken to the sofa, watching some DVDs and doing as little as possible. I'm dog tired as it is.

[TurtlesAreRetroRight]

Is epigastric pain pain at the top of the bump?

Are the home bp monitors reliable?

[TurtlesAreRetroRight]

Oh I didn't ring her. This is what she said at the appointment.

I'm thinking of phoning her and asking her if she'll see me this afternoon just for a repeat bp. Will she do you think?

[CheeseandGherkins]

Your bp doesn't seem overly high at all, if they were worried they'd have kept you in. I had PE with my first daughter and delivered at 36 weeks, she stayed in scbu for a week but was fine thankfully. At its highest my bp went to 150/100 and that wasn't even that high, they were more worried because mine is usually very low in pregnancy, bottom number 50-60.

If you have no protein in your urine or any other symptoms then they wouldn't diagnose PE on bp alone usually. Worrying will make your bp higher so try to relax and not stress. You can also buy home bp monitors cheaply from the chemist (I have one) so get yourself one if you can. BP is often lower at home too as you can stress more from being in a hospital or drs.

If you do start to feel worse though then do go right in as high bp can also be without symptoms. Any flashing lights, headache, epigastric pain then I would definitely go in.

[AKMD]

I'm glad you called your MW. Please be reassured - she does know what she's doing. Stop crying and go for a walk - endorphins might help!