Pre-eclampsia mentalling thread

[Fishandjam]

A place to come and kvetch/worry/chill for anyone at risk of developing pre-eclampsia in their pregnancy. We have buckets for those still feeling sick, cushions for those who are just plain knackered, and crisps and ginger beer for everyone else. Come and say hi!

ah, there you are fishpond, good luck tomorrow!

Quick update from me - at my obgyn and my BP is 149/105 and protein +1. will let you know if anything happens.

oh fishpond, hope you're ok x

Ok for right now, stabilized but have been officially diagnosed with mild PE. Going to deliver at 37 weeks (only 19 days away!) unless it gets worse.

Having a scan tomorrow to check placental function and baby's size, then checked 3 times a week for BP and urine until baby comes

During my first pregnancy I developed Pre-eclampsia during established labour at 39 weeks pregnant I managed to avoid having a C-section and my bp stabilised within a week of giving birth.
During my most recent pregnancy (baby was born 23rd May) I attended my ante-natal clinic appointments and was told that my risk of developing PE was pretty low as A. It was the same father B. Its a second pregnancy, the consultant did not think I needed Aspirin but booked me in for growth scans at 32 and 36 weeks.
I developed hypertension at 30 weeks and was monitored frequently for 3 weeks, at my 32 week scan the baby was estimated at3lb 14oz putting him just below the 50th centile so I was happy with his progress.
At my consultant appointment I was again told that my risk of developing PE was still very low and that I should have bp checked at 36 weeks of pregnancy as she did not see the hypertension developing into PE, I put my trust in the Dr and assumed that everything would be okay.
At 35 weeks and 4 days I had a growth scan, myself and my husband thought it would be like the previous one and we would come home with a nice 3-D image of our baby..WRONG!!! The sonographer was very quiet at first then told me she had extreme concerns about our baby boy as he was now estimated as being 4lb 4oz, below the 5th centile and therefore extreme IUGR, his heart rate was also 119 bpm with no variablilty, I had my bp checked and shockingly it was 207/156, I was diagnosed as having severe PE and had to go straight to the maternity hospital.
Cut a long story short I began having seizures, the babys heart rate plummeted to below 60bpm and I was taken to theatre for a C-section under General Anaesthetic, thankfully myself and my little boy Fraser are alive to tell the story (the consultant told me I'm a lucky girl to come through the birth relatively unharmed as bp was dangerously high)...Fraser is still in neo-natal unit but gets stronger every day.
Personally after this experience I have made the decision not to have anymore children as my chances of PE a third time are very very high, the PE would develop rapidly probably without prior symptoms and I would never ever risk mine or my childs life like this again.
The scariest thing of all was that I thought I would be able to tell if I had PE given that I had it in my first pregnancy but in reality I was walking around with dangerously high bp and I didnt have a clue. I was told by the consultant that even if I didnt have a growth scan that day (thats what alerted them to the PE) I would most certainly have been hospitalised at some point in the day whether it be due to seizures or coma..so honestly girls if you have had PE in a first pregnancy make sure you are monitored closely in subsequent pregnancies, I feel that my midwife and her team let me down badly.

Oh I'm sorry to hear that, fishpond. glad you're ok for now. have you been admitted?

magiboo, your experience sounds horrendous and so scary. your DH must have been beside himself worrying about you and Fraser. hope you get him home with you soon x

Magiboo thanks for sharing your story. Hope little Fraser is with you soon.

Hambles I'm at home thank goodness, going in for 3 times a week monitorings and if anything gets picked up for the worse will likely be admitted. How are you and DD getting on? Saw your post in breastfeeding hope she is doing well

Wow Magiboo - that is very scary. I'm glad you are doing better now though, and I hope your little man is soon through his hospital journey too.

we are good thanks fishpond. She is still very sleepy - a presume because she's early? So it's all lovely and calm so far... blissful in fact

Hi ladies..... Sorry to gate crash, but you know what you are talking about and I could do with some advice please!

I had my daughter Merryn two months ago, and sadly she died at 6 days old in great ormond street. She had a tumour that was inoperable and was 8 weeks prem.

The reason she was prem is because I developed preeclamsia which was found the day before I had the emergency section. This may have been caused by mirror syndrome, a complication of what was wrong with Merryn, which affects the mother.

The question I have is relating to consultant advice. We have just had the 8week check up, and the consultant said we could try again from now, that trying soon will not make preeclamsia more likely? She also said it was fine to try again so soon after a csection....

Have any of you had a quick subsequent pregnancy or been told it would be ok? We are desperate to try again, not to replace Merryn, but to have another baby. I am v. scared, as I was close to seizure and could have died.

Hi ladies,

Just a quick check in from me - sorry to not catch up with you all properly - looks like my liver is playing silly buggers again. I had some flashing light episodes yesterday so went down to the delivery unit for monitoring/tests. BP suddenly up (was 120/75 last Weds, yesterday 158/97) and some anomalies on the blood results. I'm due back at the hospital tomorrow for more checks. The good news is that youngster seems a good size, and given that I'm now 37 weeks bang on, I guess they'll probably decide she's better out than in. Now I'm just stressing about being induced (cos it hurt so badly last time I whimpered for an epidural, but still feel like I was a chicken to do so!)

Will read the thread properly soon!

greengoose so sorry for the loss of your little Merryn I have no experience relating to your query, but here's a bump for you.

fishandjam good news that baby is a good size; I guess you'll be meeting him or her very soon? Hope you're both ok and looking forward to the announcement!

Hi Greengoose so sorry to hear of your loss. If they've told you it's ok to go again, I think that will be ok. I have read that one of the risk factors for PET is a longer time space between pregnancies rather than a shorter one.

Hope everything ok for you Fishandjam. Looking forward to your birth announcement

Watching this thread as seems to have dropped off my list

Thanks MISSING... I guess I'm just a bit terrified... But I'm sure the consultant is right and Dr Google says nothing about PET reoccurring more often if smaller gap between pregs. Will prob end up with home BP monitor and urine tests and Doppler anyway. Lost a bit of my faith last time...

I'll leave you alone brave ladies.... Good luck with the new arrivals!

Congratulations HamblesHandbag for a baby girl!
Wonder if Fishpond has given a birth already.
We are doing fine :)

I am quite surprised how PET could worsen so fast. I felt crap and the pain my shoulder was really intense. And my pitting edema just got worse and worse. They wanted to induce the labour straight away and especially get the drugs in because of the blood pressure. They did not even wait the blood results to arrive. My bloods were fine apart from one value, and the doctor said they caught it just in time. I have been taking blood pressure pills after the labour but now it is coming down.

I found out that my mum had PET, with severe problems with BP in her both pregnancies. The medicines did not lower her BP and her heart beat was around 200 during the labour. Doctors thought her heart will explode. My sister had PET in one of her three pregnancies.

My shoulder pain is still there. So probably it was not pregnancy related. I will go to GP?s and ask about it. It is not anymore so intense.
All the best!

Bansku

Just an update from me - not been on the thread for a while, mainly as I had a miscarriage at 11 weeks. Had an ERCP last week & am now trying to decide with DP if we call it a day

Unfortunately, my liver function tests were deranged at only 10 weeks in this pregnancy - and particularly the gamma GT & ALT - the same abnormalities as I had with severe PE at 28weeks in my previous pregnancy.

My urate was also high - again I had this with my 1st pregnancy - it's usually raised in PE.

All of this with a BP of 100/60 too

These results are leading me to believe it was the start of PE - perhaps my miscarriage was a blessing in disguise

I've to have the bloods repeated in a month & will compare my early pregnancy results with my normal, then discuss with my obstetrician.

We'd only gone ahead with another pregnancy after a lot of soul-searching & consultant opinions, thrombophilia screens etc. We'd been told that my risk was about 30%, based on NICE guidelines.

But it would seem that I was perhaps going to have PE again.

If that's the case, and my risk is higher than predicted initially, then we need to call it a day. I cannot put another baby through the neonatal unit experience. My DS suffered terribly (lumbar punctures, ventilation, constant blood tests). I cannot be responsible for doing that to another child. And I'm not sure I can cope psychologically with another pregnancy.

After early PE, a molar pregnancy & now this miscarriage with abnormal biochemistry, maybe it's time to move on.

Anyway, thank you for reading, if you've got this far.

Wishing you ladies a long & boring pregnancies xxx

lots of cheese - I'm so sorry. Haven't any words, just wanted you to know I'm thinking of you

cheese I hope you make a decision that you feel is right in your heart. Have the experts given you any indication as to your recurrence rate?

I'm still here, no baby yet! 12 days until my c-section. I had a routine appt today, high BP first reading then went down. In other news baby is fully engaged and I am 2-3cm dilated! This is a shock to me as I still feel him up super high in my ribs, and everything I've read has says you should be experiencing easier breathing, less heartburn, etc when engaged as they've lightened and I'm certainly not!

Not long to go now

Oh cheese I'm so very sorry x

Sorry too, cheese. Glad you've got MN.

Sorry to hear that cheese. Sounds like you are allergic to being pregnant.

Fishpond I was sure you would be back with a baby :)

Hi ladies,

I've been stalking this thread for ages, ever since DH and I starting thinking about baby number 2. I did post once!

I've just found out that I'm pregnant with our next baby. Hoping that all goes well, I'm already worried about developing PET. I had DS at 34 weeks, and while he's absolutely fine, I'd like to avoid NICU if possible! I've got my booking-in appointment in 3 weeks - do I need to do anything before then, or just go prepared with questions to that? Should I be thinking about baby aspirin already? And any lifestyle things I can do to help avoid pre-eclampsia?

Sorry to come here and immediately pick your brains but I've got a lot

(sorry, pressed post too soon)

I've got a lot of mentalling to work through my system!

Hi kurlyvoice I was given aspirin at my first consultant appt at about 20 weeks. They said they usually start it around 16 weeks but wasn't a big deal it was a bit late.
I didn't develop PET with DS until 39 weeks so it was just a propess induction and speedy delivery.
It's the 2.5 ltr blood loss I had after a PPH that I'm slightly freaking out over!

At my booking in appt I told them all about my last experience (it was a different midwife team as I had moved house since) and they were pretty well versed in procedure and very supportive. They would probably appreciate you having questions though. Show you're aware of the importance if being prepared.

I can't say I've been told of any lifestyle changes that can possibly prevent it. Would be nice to hear of any as I'm now 29 weeks.
But being aware of all symptoms and battle your way through through evil doctor's receptionist to get through to your midwife if you're at all concerned will help.
I had to argue my way to a call-back from my midwife as I was seeing flashing lights and my hands were swollen. When I did speak to her she fitted me in between appts and was able to tell me everything was fine. Such drama!

I hope your first appt puts you at ease a bit and all goes well.