Anyone else avoiding pre-eclampsia?

[Guyropes]

Just had the consultant review my booking and been put down as high risk for developing pre-eclampsia. I'm 13 weeks.

I've been given aspirin to take daily.
I'll need my blood pressure monitoring more closely and growth scans.

Anyone else? It would be great to exchange information about this, and to know I'm not alone!

Due to health issues and sudden medication change when I found out I pregnant ive struggled with high bp, im taking metholdopa and regular hospital visits and growth scan. im 31 weeks and have been told they wont let me go past my bue date due to the risk of complications. Its nice to hear other peoples experiences as though this is baby no 6 its my first since becoming unwell and being considered higher risk.

Mine was the same, my last baby was born by C-section safely at 38 weeks, seeing the consultant next week, but this will probably be the same.

Dances hope you get bp lower and can go home. I had 2 weeks in hospital after Dd and it was horrid. I just wanted my own bed. Only + was being closer to dd who was in scbu.

I'm boarderline for being admitted. Bp 140/90 range and only let home as live very close and could go through every little thing that was sign I should go back in. Not on meds but think will be lucky if still at home by end of week.

Sorry to hear about the permanent high blood pressure, number3... It's such an unpredictable and potentially dangerous condition, I really hope everyone on this thread manages to deliver safely with no further on-going health implications. I just didn't realise how difficult it is fir doctors to manage the first time: I put my head In the sand and told myself its just hypertension... The HCPs could see the potential for it to develop and I was so naive. This time I can hear what they're telling me better.

Hi Shelley, hope your bp is keeping steady now... All the best for the next few weeks! (No 6! Wow)

Catnip... Hope you manage to keep well this week and below that threshold.

Dances... You ok? Has it come down a bit? Hope you're getting on ok.

What's everyone doing about work? Surely the stress can't help? Have you been signed off sick, or are you keeping going?

My consultant was quite clear that life should continue and wouldn't really make any difference. But my pe is due to rubbish placenta and poor blood flow so may differ if due to existing hypertension. Family would have had me on bed rest weeks ago if they had their way! I've finished work now but they were great. Once knew likely to get pe again they were happy for me to take a sick day whenever I needed. Didn't take piss with it but prob had 4 days over 8 weeks just due to feeling like crap.

I did find it worse being home alone with own thoughts and worrying about worst case ... Much better with other things to focus on.

I had a week off sick at about 28 weeks when the protein showed up in the urine, but we settled the BP by upping the labetalol.

I worked right up until 5 days before baby was born (at 38 weeks)

Intend to work up until the day before this time.

Personally found being at home made me worse as I constantly thought about it.

I was diagnosed with suspected pre eclampsia at 35+6 and was induced so DS was born at 36+3. All throughout my pregnancy my BP and urine was perfectly normal. I went in to hospital in the end because I'd been having horrendous pain in my ribs at night and kept being really sick and that was when they found the protein and my BP was really high.

I felt really crap all throughout my pregnancy so I was wondering if it could have been linked to the pre eclampsia even though I wasn't showing signs of it until towards the end? Also how long were you all on the labetalol for? DS was born on 3rd Jan and I'm down to 1 a day now as my BP has been normal at my last 2 check ups. Got my next check up at the end of next week to see if I can come off them totally.

With DS I didn't have any signs of pre-eclampsia, the first thing we knew was when I was in labour (pushing) and had seizures.
My arm started twitching, I then started hitting myself in the face (which at the time I strangely didn't find odd!) then went in to full seizures.
The next thing I was in ITU and it was the next day, baby was next to me.
F8cking scary is not the word. I was put on Mag sulphate and wasn't allowed to drink more than one stupid medicine cap full of water per hour, I had a chest infection too which was awful and my face looked like a moon. Very attractive!

With DD it started with high BP as soon as I was pregnant (same this time).
I was on labetalol until she was 1, then I saw a cardiologist who did the echo, ecg, and 24 hour blood pressure monitors. I was put on to bisoprolol after that, and remained on that until I fell pregnant with DC3 (Oct/Nov time) Immediately the blood pressure shot up again, but it is now (fingers crossed) controlled.
I haven't been put on to Labetalol yet, but I am sure it will be inevitable further down the line.

I tried everything to keep the BP down outside of pregnancy, diet (lost 5 stone) exercise, cutting out salt. Even when I had a BMI of 18 it was still stupidly high, so I knew I had done everything I could but it wasn't down to me.

I remember someone banding about a figure of 6 weeks for your BP to go down or it could permanently remain high, but don't quote me on that.

I have a different partner this time and have been told pre-eclampsia can be worse with a new partner, I really hope that is rubbish, but I will keep you posted.

Clearly I am the only one!

Ignore that, I tried to post it on my Eclampsia thread and failed!!

Hi ladies, thought I'd write an update.

So, just to recap, I was admitted on Friday night with high bp and protein +1. Spent Saturday and Sunday being monitored and then on Sunday evening things took a turn for the worse. They did a ctg monitoring of the baby, which wasn't exactly concerning, but the midwives felt they couldn't tick it off as reassuring due to the lack of accelerations in babies heartbeat over two hours. At 3am midwife came to do a bp check and she was not happy. It had risen to 140/120 and she paged the registrar, I had felt it was going to have risen because by this time I had a headache and flashy lights and once the midwife left me to get the Dr I started to have a nosebleed. I think the panicking made things worse! The next bp check it was 150/120 and I was sent to delivery suite for closer monitoring. Meds were given, blood was taken and eventually (four hours later) I was sent back down to the ward with bp stabilised at 140/90.

I was terrified. When the Dr came to see me on the ward on Monday morning I asked some difficult questions because it is looking increasingly likely that this baby is going to be born sooner rather than later. I was monitored again for 24 hours and then discharged yesterday morning with strict instructions to see the midwife twice a week and let Labour ward know if I feel things are deteriorating. I am allowed to stay home if my bp remains below 150/100 at the moment!

When I spoke to the Dr on the ward I asked about premature birth. It appears that the likelihood is that they will have to deliver early. Ideally they want me to get to 34 weeks before delivery as our local hospital only has facilities to take care of babies from 32-34weeks and I don't want to have to go further afield. Today I am 29+2 days but I have been told that having had the steroids if they cannot control my bp or the baby becomes distressed then delivery will be seriously on the table.

So now I am home, and planning my hospital bag as it looks likely we might need it sooner than I would like. I have a midwife check on Friday and am on so many pills I must rattle when I walk. But at the moment, baby is safe and I am resting.

Dances, thank you so much for the update, I have been hoping you got stable and allowed home. I really hope everything stays stable for the next month, and you don't have to deliver any time soon. It sounds really scary, but good that the medication has helped. Good luck with the appointment on Friday; I hope it's reassuring. And hope that resting helps!

Dances it is good you've had the steroids and fingers crossed you can go another 2+ weeks to make 32. I'm the same - ok to be at home and twice weekly monitoring as long as bp below 150/100 (I also check it at home) and no other symptoms. But am not on meds yet (which is ok as post dd they made me zombie like). You just need to be really strict with yourself and get back as soon as any sign of other symptoms - and that includes just not feeling quite right (although hard to tell if you get lots of side effects from the meds.

Another one here. I normally suffer with low blood pressure but it got me last time and had emergency c section at 38 weeks. New partner this time which increases risk.

What do you guys reckon on pre-eclampsia and stress - I am sure that was it for me last time.

Been put on aspirin but they not discussed much on it really

I don't want anymore only being allowed to pee in measuring jugs like last time!!!!

Hi super shock... I was surprised and reassured that up thread people had been advised to keep working, as life goes on; I felt that when I had p.e. stress was a big factor, and am working less at the moment (self employed so flexible) but concerned about big projects coming up and how the stress will affect me..

Some info about aspirin here...

action-on-pre-eclampsia.org.uk/pre-eclampsia-information/fact-sheet1-low-dose-aspirin-for-high-risk-pregnancy/

Doesn't really indicate the blanket prescription which seems to be happening though...

Super shock - I had an incredibly stressful pregnancy. Also a new partner here so we will see the difference!

I worked last time (which was unstressful) but I moved house to many, many miles away (without any help!), and relationship was already breaking down with partner which was where my stresses and overdoing it came in. Until I had PE had a very easy pregnancy.

Not working this time. Trying to keep up with pregnancy yoga and just remind myself to breathe! I am a big worrier so trying to train my mind otherwise. this time pregnancy not so smooth - morning sickness, exhaustion - I wouldn't be able to cope working if I did have a job. Last night my indigestion was so bad I threw up so I'm now scared to eat this morning! Think positive....

Hi super shock, hope your stomach settles this morning. It can be a worrying time; I'm much more anxious this time round. It's because I'm older, know more about the potential problems, and I think I had the certainty of youth last time! I'm looking forward to starting an antenatal yoga class next month, so Hoping that will help. If I had the same job as I did last time I would have been off sick a LOT. It was a very stressful job, and it's for the best that I'm now self employed. But the financial insecurity is another stress!

Another update:

I am currently on magnesium sulphate and labetalol ivs and being transferred with a view to premature delivery. Today has not been a good day! Bp has finally stabilised enough for me to be moved to hospital with a better nicu but is still really too high

Sorry to hear that dances. Every day makes a difference at this stage so hope you can keep going a little longer. A prem birth is scary but you are in the right place and sounds like they are doing all they can for you and baby.

My dd was 32 weeks and I know from nicu and SCBU what a difference that makes. If you've not already maybe post on the prem board for advice.

I was far sicker post delivery and my one piece of advice is don't over do things. Poorly mum is no use to baby so you need to look after yourself as well.

Sounds scary dances hope you hang on in there a few days longer. I'll be thinking of you.

Thanks ladies, well I'm still here, and still pregnant. Don't think I will be leaving hospital still pregnant. Blood pressure is still too high and not really responding to anti hypertension drugs. I asked this morning how long they will let me carry on with my bp not behaving and they said about a week. I am now 30 weeks so another week will be an advantage, but I am so bored of hospital already!

Was trying to post earlier to see how you are. It's just that fine balance now between what's best for baby (if cgt ok staying in as long as possible) and what's best for you (high bp obviously not good).

Looks like my little one will be here very soon as well. Had steroids too and cs booked for 37 weeks exactly. Bp still just about behaving but baby stopped growing. As long as cgt and movement are ok they are happy to wait a few more days.

I had 2 weeks in post natal and was very fed up too. Despite needing to sleep a lot (meds made me a zombie) and the rounds of expressing milk and visiting Dd. So you have sympathies.

Fingers crossed for you.

You're in the best place.

dances I had DS at 31 weeks due to HELLP syndrome. It's scary, but as others have said, you are in the right place, and they really know what they are doing these days. My bp went down once I wasn't so sleep deprived and is now normal without medication, and DS is a bright and sparky two year old, meeting all his milestones. All the best for you and your baby. x