pre eclampsia scare, what's going on?

[RedPony]

I had my routine midwife appointment yesterday morning (I'm 37 weeks) she wasn't happy and refered me to the day assessment unit as my blood pressure was very high, I had protein and lucosites(sp?) In my urine and my feet had become quite swollen. I got to the day unit and had a urine test, blood tests, they monitored the baby for about 20 minutes and took my blood pressure lots of times. After a few hours they told me that everything was absolutely normal and I could go home but to call them straight away if i started to show any more signs of pre eclampsia or if I didn't feel right.
Has anyone else had this before? I have the midwife coming out again tomorrow to check my blood pressure and urine again to be on the safe side so i can ask her then, but I am really confused as to how I was showing quite a few signs of pre eclampsia at my appointment but by the time I had got to the hospital they a had all disappeared? Is it something I should be worried about or just one of those things that comes with pregnancy?

Swollen feet is not a sign of pre eclampsia.
Significant headaches, particularly frontal that don't reduce with paracetamol, sleep or increased fluids; visual disturbances, ie. flashing lights in front of your eyes; sudden onset of swelling, particularly in face (hands and feet are relatively normal in pregnancy, particularly when it's been so warm); protein in the urine is part of pre eclampsia, but you can also get protein with contamination, dehydration and infections (if you had leukocytes, more likely non BP related, but not to be ruled out) - they should have sent it to be tested properly to see how much actual protein is in the sample; epi gastric pain - so pain where your liver is; persistent high BP.

Make sure you stay well hydrated, rest well and note any symptoms you feel. Fingers crossed it's not pre eclampsia, may just be a blip on an off day. Your BP must have been fine in the day assessment unit otherwise they wouldn't have sent you home with no follow up.

Just popping in to say that I had preeclampsia in my last pregnancy (significant enough to be hospitalised for the last 10 days of my pregnancy) and the only symptoms I had were:

Swelling up (feet, legs, hands, face) - when i pressed on the swollen bits my fingers left dents.

High BP and protein in urine.

No headaches, no visual disturbance, no epi-gastric pain.

I would have v regular (daily) monitoring of BP if I were you.

I've been being monitored for pre-eclampsia too.
As MummyMidwife said - swollen feet isn't necessarily a sign of pre-eclampsia. The high BP and protein in urine is. But as you had leucocytes it could be due to an infection. Are they treating you for a UTI?
Blood pressure can settle on its own - likely that is what happened in day unit.
I had bloods taken and my urine sent off for a more detailed analysis of how much protein was in it when I was in hospital - all came back normal for me.
For me, my symptoms have been borderline high BP, protein in urine, constant frontal headaches that don't settle with pain relief and visual disturbances. But as my bloods are normal I'm just having follow up with community midwife.
Do make sure you go back if you develop any more symptoms - but try not to worry (that will only push your BP up!)

The thing I'm confused about the most is the fact that I had protein and leukocytes in my urine at my midwife appointment and then just under an hour later when I did another sample at the hospital it was completely normal? My BP was also really high on all 3 times my midwife took it over 45 mins but that was also normal by the time I got to the hospital. Wierd! I probably should have asked more questions yesterday but I was so hot and bothered and just wanted to go home I just accepted it when they told me everything was normal and I could go. Thanks for the advice :) will keep an eye on symptoms today

Could've been the heat. They don't take any chances. I swelled up massively and had a headache one afternoon, went to the hospital, they found protein in my wee and a ridiculously high blood pressure and they decided to induce me. They don't take risks with pre-eclampsia, so try and rest assured and get some rest! You'll miss it when baby is here

I'm hoping it's the heat! And rest? I have too much to do before he gets here :)

I've been referred to the PAU twice by my midwife for showing signs of pre eclampsia. Both times I've been monitored, prodded and poked only to be sent home. The last clinical midwife that saw me made me feel as if I was wasting her time. I explained that my midwife had sent me but that wasn't good enough. She also repeated that they won't induce me as if I was making symptoms up to be induced (I can assure you this isn't the case)

I now see my midwife weekly to monitor my symptoms. I get visual disturbances, headaches, elephant sized swelling, high blood pressure (which occasionally drops) and ive had protein in my urine on numerous occasions. Ive been assured its not not pre eclampsia but that I need to keep and eye on it.

Did they take your blood pressure when you were lying down at the hospital? I had high blood pressure when sitting standing but acceptable blood pressure when lying down.

Did you see the urine tests? I had protein in my urine and was often sent to the hospital for check ups but it was classed as being in the normal range, maybe you did have protein in your urine but it was only mild so they decided it was normal.

I had borderline pre-eclampsia from 37 weeks until 42 weeks when ds was born, the constant hospital and midwife visits were a huge annoyance as they were telling me I just rest bit I was having to go to appointments which were half an hour away on the train every day, then my blood pressure was high so I would be sent to the hospital which was another half an hour away, I'd have to wait around so they could check me, then they'd eventually send me home ( which was an hours bus journey away) telling me to fucking rest, but to go to my midwife for a check up the next day. I also had terribly swollen feet and the only shoes which still fit me were sandals, it was December and thick snow. Sorry about the rant!

I really hope your blood pressure is normal tomorrow

Yes ikea they took my blood pressure 5 times when I was on the bed at the hospital. I wasn't completely laying down but I was reclined with my feet up with the monitor on listening to baby. When my midwife took it before she sent me in I was sat up in a chair. With the urine sample I just had to do the mid stream wee thing in a bowl and leave it in the toilet for someone to go and test so I didn't actually see it tested. I saw my bloods being sent off as they told my midwife to take them before I went and I had to take the tubes of blood in with me to give them.
My feet have swelled up like balloons today! When I walk they wobble like jelly it's horrible :( will be phoning in soon anyway as they were supposed to call today to let me know if I needed to go in or if someone would come to me and they haven't yet

Also feel free to rant! And thanks for sharing :)

I think lying down can make a huge difference and obviously lying down constantly isn't really an option for most people especially if your having to go to appointments.

Be warned that after the birth you'll wee so much! But the swelling goes down quickly :)

With your water, it can. Come and go throught the day as the more you drink the more you dilute it. For it to be showing on one dipstick and not another sounds like you might have a slight infection or it could just simply be contamination Tbh. I have mild preeclampsia, and i always have protien in my pee, no lukocytes. Plus i have headaches and dizziness etc. i am monitoring my bp at home daily wich is always low thank gawd but theyve told me if it goes up and stays up im to come in straight away and they will have baby out as they dont want to take any risks.i wouldnt be too worried but i would ask for bp monitor at home.

Thanks Boogles I did drink quite a lot In between seeing the midwife and getting to the hospital. We didn't go straight there either as I was worried I hadn't finished getting my hospital bag ready so we had a mad dash round asda first so it probably was diluted straight away. Il do a sample first thing in the morning so the midwife can test from that one when she gets here :)

Yes I've been to the assessment unit a few times now but only symptom was swelling and high bp but have been monitored every other day since about 34 weeks. The few times I've been sent to the unit my BP has been better apart from the last time.

The protein in your urine could have been contamination like someone else said (such as discharge) so make sure you clean well before doing your sample.

I was being monitored every week for pre eclampsia 3 times my urine has had protein in and bp through the roof, at midwife appt then they say I'm ok at dau! Ifeel like a fraud even the dau are sick of me! But I now have been allowed two weekly obsx and been drummed into me that if my flashing lights or headaches get worse I'm straight in only tobe told I'm ok go home

They weren't worried about the swelling In my feet today (even though I have to waddle like a duck as they are so swollen my ankles don't bend!) BP was normal but still traces of protein in my urine the midwife was happy enough thouugh but I still have to be checked every other day which I supposed Is a good thing