High blood pressure

[Icklepickle101]

Hi all,

Need some advice please!!

My bp at booking & 16 weeks was 86/60 & 83/62.

At 25 weeks it was 120/90 and the last 2 days (26 weeks) it has been 130/93 & 136/92 and I've had a banging headache.

Is high blood pressure in pregnancy normal, I have no other pre eclampsia symptons just concerned it is getting rather high and I still have 3 months to go!!

Anyone had anything similar?

Hi OP

Whilst your BP isn't scarily high per se, it is high for YOU, which is what's important when it comes to pregnancy hypertension. In your position I'd be seeking to see a consultant at the very least, especially considering you're only just entering the 3rd trimester. I'm also a little concerned about the headache. What has your midwife said?

I suffered with high BP but in the last couple of weeks and ended up having to stay with feet up . See your MW or doctor and mention the headaches.

I had pre eclampsia in my first pregnancy and high blood pressure throughout my second. When the bottom number was over 90 then I was always sent to triage for monitoring. Have you called your midwife?

Yes banging headache is a sign of high blood pressure.

I also had high BP in last trimester, I just needed to rest, not have very hot baths and I found hanging out the washing made me feel faint. My BP was checked regularly by mw and urine samples for protein.

You need to make a mw appointment for next week and let them know you are having headaches and bp is high.

Hi OP, my blood pressure started going up later in my pregnancy. It only got picked up at appointments, I had no symptoms at all. Not even when it hit 210/120. As you do have headaches, I would urge you to get it checked out as a priority. Speak to your midwife or maternity triage.

I had very similar but I think it got picked up at about 32 weeks. I saw midwife or GP every week from then sometimes twice if it was high to get bp checked and wee dipped. Went to hospital for monitoring once but came home within hours fine. Had baby naturally at 39 weeks with quick and easy labour blood pressure wasn't higher enough that I couldn't go to MW unit I worried for ages that I was going to end up 'High Risk' but it never happened. My advice is don't worry about it (it will make you blood pressure go up!!)

You might need medication to bring the numbers down. Pregnancy induced hypertension is one reason which can be managed with medication , or it could be the precursor to pre eclampsia. It's important that you know the signs and symptoms of pe and keep all your appointments as even though you might not have any protein, swelling or epigastric pain now it can change suddenly
Speaking from experience and having delivered at 31 weeks emergency c section. Pre eclampsia with hellp syndrome.

Echoing what pp have all said, please get checked out. Like autumn I had Early onset preeclampsia in my last of and delivered at 31 weeks. Wouldn't recommend it!

However, I'd also recommend making sure you get BP checked manually - my BP jumps by as much as 20pts (top and bottom) when taken with one of the machines rather than manually!

Good luck op

Thanks all.

The last 2 days I've been seen by trainee gp after they found it was high at my 25 week appointment. They haven't told me to speak to triage or my midwife just to come back next Friday.

My mum had all 3 of us between 34-7 weeks due to high blood pressure so that concerned me a bit!

Think I will give my midwife a call Monday and see what she suggests!

Tired interestingly mine is always much lower with an electric machine rather than manual!!

That sounds like a good plan. Out of interest, did the GP do a urine dip?

They did the Thursday but not yesterday. Showed leuoklytes (sp?) but no protein

I had pre-eclampsia with both pregnancies. If I was you I'd call your midwife. Your BP is climbing, banging headaches and the fact your own mum had high BP and delivered early are indications that you could be developing pre-eclampsia. There are BP medications you can take in pregnancy and you'll need to be monitored more

So went back today and it was 143/91, my doctor called the day assessment u it and said there was no point me going in as they couldn't do anything about it!!

Should I be starting to worry?

Anyone?

I started this (my 3rd) pregnancy with a BP of 146/99 - that was the number recorded when I went to see GP to confirm pregnancy at 4 weeks. I was told to buy a BP monitor to keep an eye on it and that I'd be seen by a consultant in 2 weeks and was put on a daily aspirin of 75mg.

However, I have a history of high BP in pregnancy - with DS1 it was high all the way through and I had medication until c. 32 weeks. I didn't develop pre-eclampsia, but was a high risk birth. Pregnancy with DS2, BP was normal throughout...

I'd say that if I were in your shoes I'd maybe try to get someone else to see you. Can you even self-refer to the EPU? Tell them about the headaches? I'd go with your gut instinct as it sounds like you're worried. Good luck

Hi again op. Hope you've managed to speak to someone else now? Def worth trying to get into epu even if only for reassurance-I'm assuming you didn't have any protein in your urine still this time?

Keep an eye on headaches, for any pain in your chest, seeing stars, and definitely monitor babies movements-that was my biggest indicator and obviously a sign that baby isn't happy.

That's awful dau said that, I've had pe and pih in all my pregnancys.
I have to go in dau every few weeks from 24 weeks to have a BP series done.
I'm now nearly 28 weeks.
When I went to see the midwife at 25 weeks I had protein in urine but BP was just under 90 so I escaped going to dau.
Are you on aspirin at all?

You need to speak to a midwife. My bp is usually 90/60 but 80/50 in pregnancy. As soon as my bottom number hit 80, my midwife was concerned and I was very closely monitored.

I've got an appointment to see my midwife Monday and she will refer me to the consultant, she was worried my bp had gone up by over 30% and rising.

Were any of you ladies induced early/have a c section because of high blood pressure?

Yes in 3 of my pregnancys I've been induced around 37/38 weeks because of high BP.
My first was born 6 weeks early spontaneously but my BP was going up with him anyway.
My worst was my second, I had really high BP, was so swollen that I had a bells palsy as nerves in my face was compressed due to swelling.
One min I was on the ward eating lunch, next being told I had to be induced now.
It was pretty scary.
Hopefully if your blood pressure continues to stay up they can give you meds to lower it.
High BP in pregnancy doesn't always end in pre eclampsia, put you should be monitored closely.

My DS was born at 30,6 weeks after getting PE at about 27/28 weeks. Emcs due to foetal distress. Now 5yo and you'd never know he was early!

Sure all will be fine OP but do make sure you're monitored. I thought it was a load of fuss about nothing last time as I felt fine in myself, but can't think of what the outcome could have been if I hadn't been so closely monitored.