should I be worried about pre-eclampsia?

[jinglebellyalltheway]

have been swollen (hands, feet, face) on and off from about 35 weeks - quite painful feels almost like an allergic reaction
get occassional visual disturbances (seeing stars at times) but am usually mildly anaemic which is what I put it down to

have had 2 MW appointments since both started, both times BP fine and urine samples fine - is that enough to rule PE out and stop worrying about it?

was given a blood form to check for anaemia at last apt, but the blood clinic hasn't had space over the holidays, will go to the drop in tomorrow, MW says the swelling and visual disturbances is probably anaemia

have no more appointments till after my due date

Is BP and urine enough to rule it out?

thanks

Hi please ring your midwife number and talk to an experienced mw and go through everything you have mentioned here. If then you are not reassured then don't worry about not having an appointment til after due date - see your GP and/or speak to another mw and get someone to agree to get you tested by the bloods clinic.

I was told seeing stars was not something to wait around for but I also had raised bp, urine which they tested for something else and they took blood
tests.

So I found it reassuring that they went through all my tests and said at present I was not at risk of pre- eclampsia but then they also spent a good deal of time making sure I knew all the signs and not to wait around.

I'm sure you will be aok but if you are worried then check it out and keep asking until you speak to someone who is going to help you out.

Good luck!

I have been checked out by two different midwives, both said "probably anaemic" and second one gave my blood form for iron levels

so to call up would be to seek a 3rd opinion - is that OTT?

"Probably" just isn't good enough I'm afraid. I think you nneed some proper tests, phone diagnosis my arse.

Fwiw I had very severe PE, I thought it was normal to be tired and swollen... Could so easily have lost both our lives.

weren't phone diagnosis, were 2 face to face appointments with BP and urine tests, haven't been able to take the blood form anywhere yet but will take it to drop in tomorrow

what more would they do if I called up? are there any other tests apart from BP and urine?

ok, if I see stars again I'll go in for urine test, my fundal measurements were a bit behind but within normal varience (measuring 36 at 37.5ish), have a BP machine at home so can keep an eye on that, it's never been high, if anything I have faint-ey drops

DH just took BP, 100/50, but I have been lounging around on the sofa on mumsnet gettting a start on the thank you notes for the last hour

Elizabeth yes 100/50 is normal for me, I do tend to be a bit faint-ey but when it is much lower than that

BP at home is more accurate than my GPs as it's a manual not an electric like my GP uses (DP uses manuals at work)

last seeing stars was yesterday morning after rushing in after church and not having a lot of sleep christmas eve night, feel fine today but hands and feet still swollen, no more than they have been for last 2 weeks though

My advice would be to checking your BP regularly. I had swollen hands and feet for a month before my DS was born and felt so so heavily tired, but that was all. Then 10 days before I was due a had a routine MW appt (my last) and my MW found my BP was sky high and my urine was plus 4. I was sent straight to hosp for an EMCS. I hadn't had headaches or VD or anything like that.

Just telling you this because I don't think waiting for other symptoms is a reliable way to diagnose PE - I think BP is the best way, and that can go up quite suddenly. In hospital they checked mine every 2 hours for about a week afterwards.

Hope all goes well, and that you get lovely snuggles with your new baby soon!