Water retention or swelling or same difference? When to worry?

[Doublebubblebubble]

Hi all. Haven't slept much so am probably over thinking things way too much but anyway here goes... I am due to have a "fairly" large baby. I am prepared for this and might I add massive. Anyway the last few weeks probably days I have noticed that my fingers and ankles have started to swell up. I told my midwife (and I am under consultant care but have, as yet been unable to contact her about this) and she said that some swelling is "normal" especially at this stage (still seems pretty early to me). Anyway, because of this delightfully close warm weather I have taken go sleeping in the nuddy (sorry if tmi, but I've got to do what I've got to do) and as I've been lying here I just thought I'd give my thighs a bit of a poke as you do... And it is taking a noticeable amount of time for my skin to go back to "normal" (almost as if I were dehydrated although I can categorically tell you that I'm not lol). My baby is an active boy and has been wriggling around appropriately... So am I just over thinking things. Also, I did have a bit of a headache yesterday but that has since went away (I am a bit of a hypercondreact) so basically my question is this when should you get in contact with a medical professional about swelling and headaches???

Oh and I'm 34+4 x

*hypercondriac (sorry lack of sleep) x

I had really bad pregnancy swelling (was swollen everywhere, legs arms, hands , face) it was awful I went to GP and as no high blood pressure it was diagnosed as oedema (pregnancy swelling. Unfortunately there's nothing you can do apart from drink well and post natal it can take up to 6 months to fully settle. So don't expect to have the baby and for it all to disappear overnight , mine didn't anyway!!

I think these are symptoms of pre-eclampsia. Please get in touch with triage asap. It is probably nothing, but you must get it checked out.

Did you see the midwife or just have a telephone consultation? Did she examine your legs, take blood pressure?

Pitting oedema is not "normal" and with the headache, I think you should be checked out - your blood pressure needs checked as you have son symptoms of pre-eclampsia. If you can't see your consultant, or midwife today, I'd ask for an urgent GP appointment. It may be norhing, but I think it should be checked out ASAP.

Firstly i have called the au and theyve advised me to come up.

raw I saw her. My blood pressure was fine then. I know things can change. This was on the 19/8/15. I see my midwife and consultant (every other week) every 2 weeks (because of history) And the headache was only yesterday and went away. Ive had headaches all through yhis pregnancy hormones!!! Not making excuses at all as i am really very concerned - i wouldnt have posted otherwise and I am absolutely going to get checked out today as my obstetric history is far from great. Its just that i dont feel unwell (this is probably my niavety but it i thought that for preeclampsia there had to be some unwellness, along with swelling, along with bp etc or can it be as simple as ^^) and am genuinely curious as to what defines water retention and or swelling throughout pregnancy like newly.

It's definitely best to get checked out but it is normal to have swelling at this stage too. My last pregnancy and this one (I'm 33+5) my swollen feet started around 30 weeks. Last time my legs were like tree stumps unless I sat with my feet up but I was fine, not so bad this time but I do have noticeable swelling and am otherwise fine.
Hopefully it turns out to be nothing but definitely get checke.

I was told you could have pe with only the swelling as a symptom and none of the others. This happened to me in my last pregnancy and they did a blood test to rule it out and it did turn out to be just swelling but after that I was very closely monitored in the final few weeks.

OP- I had terrible pitting oedema (where the skin has delves that stay after you press it) from about 28 weeks. They weren't worried at first and then at about 37 weeks my BP went up a bit and I got headaches. They did multiple blood tests and it wasn't pre-eclampsia despite the symptoms, however they did decide to keep a very close eye on me after that. So don't worry, it may be nothing, but please get checked out HTH x

Just an update: Everything is and was fine :) yay! touch wood
As much as I felt a wee bit silly I'm glad I went, and they are going to keep even more of an eye on me x thanks guys xx