Could thi sbe pre-eclampsia, I feel like a complete drama queen....

[NatalieJane]

Does anyone know how long it takes for pre-eclampsia to set in? I know I am probably just worried about nothing, but after yesterdays midwife appointment, when my BP was up but not anywhere near danderously so, my urine was clear (but only checked by student midwife, however I don't think it is that difficult to match the colour to the side of the pot!) and babies heart beat being spot on and strong, I have now ballooned up, I can hardly move my feet and toes because they are just so big there is nowhere for them to move to! My left hand isn't too bad but my right wrist and hand are really puffed up (I have had to take my watch off which is normally quite loose) and my face - I can hardly open my eyes past half way, even the inside of my mouth feels swollen. Also I am really thristy, I mean I am literally drinking pint after pint of water and still my mouth is dry, but I am weeing loads so I don't think it is the excess water causing the swelling. The baby is still wriggling about like mad, so I am not too worried just yet, just don't know if something like pre-eclampsia can set in that quickly?

I am due for a home birth, the midwives go on call for me from today and so I don't really want to have to ring them unless I have to, I already feel like a bloody drama queen without coming across as a pain in the arse with them as well.

Any ideas?

Nataliejane,I started swelling up when I was 41+ weeks but also had a bit of protein and my bp was elevated.Midwife said the swelling was often a sign that things were about to start labour wise,don't know if she was trying to jolly me along or not.
Anyway the reason I'm telling you this is that I did go on to devlop pre eclampsia .SO the fact that your bp and wee are normal is very reassuring.
Hope you're feeling better.

Nope, she just said it is just a symptom of late pregnancy, and yes it still hurts, especially inside and around my ankles (I don't know if ankles actually have an 'inside' but that is where it hurts if they do!! LOL), but every where else that is swollen feels really really stretched, it is almost as though you have tights on that are too tight.

God, I have a wonderful way of not being able to describe things very well!! LOL

hope you are feeling better NatalieJane..must have been terribly frightening....glad you were checked out..always better to err on the side of caution, especially when you have had a difficult pregnancy....sometimes odd things happen in pregnancy and we don;t know why..the important thing is you got checked out, you and baby are ok xx

The link that abgirl posted below says that the high BP and the protein is the first sign of it, so I am sure that after having the swelling since last night, if it was p/e, then it would have showed itself in the urine at least by now.

Lulu, you are so right, my first pregnancy was so straight forward, except for being induced everything was bang on how it was meant to be, this time, it is whole different ball game! If I hadn't have seen the scan for myself I'd have sworn this was a girl with the pregnancies being so different!

if you had swelled that rapidly and quickly with PE, then your blood pressure and protein would have been through the roof!! try and rest.......!! i always had a little snigger when the midwife said that to me..felt like saying..'are you going to come round and do my ironing & make dinner?' !!!!!!

but seriously, not too long to go...reserve some energy....

Actually I don't iron, or cook dinner LOL DH has been wonderful and has taken over nearly everything in the last month or so since the contractions started, all I do really is get DS up and ready for school, sort myself out and then pick DS up after school!

I did have a bit of a splurge in town yesterday though, carried loads of bags home full of pressies and stuff, I suppose I should stick to internet shopping from now on!

did you have a bath ? I read somewhere that immersion in water (eg swimming) can help reduce swelling. And gentle exercise helps boost the circulation. And plenty of water to drink.

Combine that will complete rest (obviously totally compatible) as they always advise and you will be fine .

Seriously - I hope it reduces soon and stops hurting.

I had this in my first pregnancy,and althought he m/w sent me in to hostpital they told me I was fine and sent me home. My bp was considered normal, tho' high for me, urine clear etc.

Long story short ended up with full blown eclampsia post-natally( yes that does happen no matter what you've been told).

I was lucky and made a full recovery.
If I'd had a home birth I wouldn't be here now.

PE cannot be taken too seriously.

Sorry, lecture over!!
HTH

Nataliejane, you have just reminded me that there is a pressure type point on the inside of your ankle, just below your ankle bone. When you are very close to labour, as in a couple of days, this area becomes very painful and they advise to massage it to bring on labour. Hope it works.

throckenholt, yes I had a bit of a soak just before the midwife came, didn't do anything to bring to swelling down though, it was more comfortably in th ewater though, but then I am always more comfortable in the water!

Dreamcatcher, that sounds a bit scary, but I expect the midwives will be looking out for anything like that happening. My BP is back down to what it was when I was booked in so I am sure it is OK now.

Flopflip, does that mean I have to have DH massaging my feet all night? Oh no, how awful, how ever will I cope LOL