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!

My consultant put me on aspirin at 6 weeks, which I am pretty sure helped with dd and ds!

I am now almost 18 weeks and already had few bp scares, but i have a history of severe early onset pet - now on metheldopa and just waiting to get to 30ish weeks before i will let myself accept i might actually have another baby! onwards and upwards!

good luck all

Thank you for your experiences, fairi and WAMS. I will cross my fingers for a sympathetic midwife (am hoping for one who recognises me) and will push for an early consultant appointment to get the aspirin etc...

I'm trying to tell myself that I have more chance of not developing PET than getting it but it's hard! You're right, though, it's better to be prepared.

Hello everyone - wondering if there might be a few P.E. experts out there who could advise? I am 39+4 with my second baby; my first having been born at 34 weeks after induction due to severe pre-eclampsia.
I have seen my midwife today and my BP was 128/90 - which I'm pretty sure I was referred to the hospital with last time. No protein in wee, no other symptoms to speak of, (v. slight swelling possibly, but then I am a whale ) but with my history I am terribly neurotic! I'm not due to go back until next Wednesday and the midwife says I don't need to keep an eye on my BP unless I get vision problems (like last time), splitting headache or the like... I just worry because when my vision became dodge last time, it was all rather serious and my liver and kidneys were in a rather perilous predicament! Just wondering if other people have received similar advice, or if I should keep an eye on my BP in the meantime. Any advice gratefully received .

Hi Fluzle. I had severe pre-eclamp with the first one and now preg with 2nd at 18 weeks so well done for getting so far!

The pre-eclampsia guidelines are to be referred to your health care provider with a diastole (bottom bp number) of 90 or over just to be sure. Regardless of the top number if that is in the normal range, which it is. You should at least have it taken again tomorrow in my opinion and no-one would turn you away for that!

Personally I would ring the day assessment unit or the unit you deal with at the hospital tomorrow and speak to them, explaining your bp unless any-thing changes over night. The FIRST sign of ANYTHING changing and Id be straight there. I'm sure your midwife is lovely but she didn't nearly lose her kidney function!

Im overly cautious because I know what you went through and also you can develop pe without proteinuria too.

Hi,

I had pe with my dd - I'm now 24 weeks with ds. I've had amazing care this time round- awful with dd!!! I have been classed as a high risk pregnancy from the very start, under consultant care. I had a emcs and I have been booked in already to have ds on 08.11 which is his due date. I am seen once a week at the day unit in my local hospital. This is my last pregnancy - due to pe and because ds has a cleft lip so I'm done being treated like a medical experiment!!

Thanks newby, for your advice. I thought 90 was the magic number! Think I will defo have BP taken again tomorrow and then ring the hospital according to what the results are. I hadn't seen this midwife before today and I don't think she had any idea how serious my situation had been last time. Have to say that I didn't realise p-e could occur without proteinuria; I have been taking comfort in that!
Very best of luck with your pregnancy - I never dreamed I'd make to full term, I hope you do too!

Good to hear you've had good care Sosmum, mine has been rather patchy! I have been under consultant care from 12 weeks, supposedly, but they seem to have quite a lax approach in my hospital

Hello all... well 25 weeks now and on 500mg of methyldopa 4 x a day (is horrible stuff but does the job) - had a scan last week and got notching on maternal dopplers, which we excepted and luckily blood flow is looking ok (not great but ok) - down side is AC and FL measurements have just fallen off the bottom of the chart, but HC still bang on average - didn't have this in 2 and 3 pregnancies but did have it in the first when we lost Madison at 27 weeks needless to say I am trying very very hard not to stress myself out, got another scan at 28 weeks and watching my bp very very closely.... fingers crossed baby magically catches up!

Noon else with high by etc at the moment??

Hi all! I realise I was very remiss and didn't come back to check in with my experiences... to cut a long story short, my liver started to chuck a wobbly at 37 weeks, so I was induced. DD born after 6 hours, 7 lbs 3 oz. Turns out I probably didn't have pre-eclampsia at all, but obstetric cholestasis. Which would explain the lack of high BP! It was all a far cry from DS's birth - calm, measured, really pretty good for an artificial process. DD now 5 months old and running us ragged with not sleeping properly, but that's another story :-)

How is everyone else?

Glad to hear your update fishandjam -even better that all is well with you..

I'm 15 weeks so not quite in PE territory yet - but will be packing my hospital bag for 20 weeks.

Trying not to think about it too much & hoping I won't get it this time.....

Congrats fish! I'm 26 weeks with DC2, having had DS at 34 weeks because of fairly sudden preeclampsia. Am under consultant care but he's pretty dismissive as DS was a "good" weight for being six weeks early (4lbs13), so not much extra in terms of care. Midwives are being more supportive and I'm going fortnightly from now. Blood pressure is low at the mo - 110/60 a week ago - but then it was at this stage last time. Still scared that it'll suddenly shoot up but apart from taking my baby aspirin, what can I do?

Hope everyone else with preeclampsia worries has lovely long full-term pregnancies this time (me too please).

Hello ladies, after my first baby was born at 35 weeks (severe PET) at 4 lb currently on second pregnancy at 36 weeks going well, just tired which is normal.

Bp behaving and I was CERTAIN I would get it again. I monitor myself very closely and ready for it to come again but this time the baby is nice weight for gestation. SO it CAN be done and you don't necessarily get PET again (crossing fingers).

Seeing Consultant at 37 weeks to confirm elec sec at 39 weeks. Will be over the moon if I get there!!

Good luck to every-one!

Lovely to hear your update, newby and great that you'll meet your baby soon!

I got PE & HELLP syndrome at 28 weeks last time - I've been told it's about 30% chance of me getting it agin - if it does happen it will be on average of 2 weeks later & less severe - so here's hoping not.

I'm on aspirin too & taking calcium supplements as there's some evidence that it can help in the NICE guidelines, for severe, early PE.

Here's to a long & boring pregnancy for us all!

Lotsofcheese- best of luck. I have really been self aware and protective of this pregnancy and whilst I worked incredibly hard the last time and generally burnt my candles, this time Ive taken it really easy. The times where Ive been a bit silly, Ive felt really rough and put myself at risk so if you can do very little!xx