My new pre-eclempsia journey.

[TheEdge266]

Today has been such a whirlwind.

Last Monday I was having absolutely awful pains high up in my stomach. "It's muscular" said the doctor and sent me home from triage with antibiotics. 😐

Thursday rolls around and was driving along with my son in the car. At that point I was 36+6. The pain was worse than ever and I had to pull over and call an ambulance. The antibiotics clearly hadn't done much and it was definitely not muscular.
I was admitted and spent the next few days dosed up on morphine. I had my kidneys, gallbladder and appendix checked and there was no sign of what was causing the pain. I started to feel like the doctors and midwives didn't believe me. I met with my consultant on the Friday and she wasn't worried and booked my elective c section for the 2nd of January. Only 3 days before my due date. Throughout my stay my blood pressure which started ok, started to creep up. They decided to monitor this. Then the blurred vision came. I thought the morphine was just making me a bit tired. On Sunday I woke up and my feet and hands were like balloons. They said because of the swelling and high bp they were gunna keep me in. I just wanted to get home to my boy.
Today I had a routine growth scan as my baby has shown quite big throughout and the consultant who did it said that there seems to be an issue with blood flow. She said she would send the report to the doctors on the ward and they would discuss it on the ward rounds. Later on the Dr come to see me and said they will look to deliver some point soon. She said 37 weeks was a good gestation but wanted to give me steroids injections as a precaution. 6 o'clock comes and I had my injection. Started to wonder what else might be thrown at me. An hour later and the midwife comes to tell me a test on my urine has shown I have preeclampsia! One of the signs is abdo pain! As worried as I was, I was so relieved there was a reason to all this! They said abdo pain is usually far from the first symptom. I'm so glad I didn't give up at "pulled muscle". Here's hoping me and my little girl are home in time for christmas!

Oh you poor thing. Hope you’re starting to feel better? Thank goodness they finally caught it although it should have been much earlier.

You poor thing. It’s really scary and beyond uncomfortable. I was rushed in at 35 weeks with similar and induced. Was told same scary stuff about blood flow to baby and him
measuring small which was awful. In fact, he arrived safe, could breathe fine and put weight on really fast - all was well. Also, I felt more or less instantly better after the birth which was a huge relief. At 37 weeks the baby will be fine- remrmber that. One thing though: listen to your body after the birth and when you go home. Don’t hesitate to go in if you think symptoms are returning. I met a mum in the NICU who had a very scary BP spike a few days after going home and she told me this cautionary tale - which I now pass on.

Thank you. I'm lying here wide away with awful palpitations. Dr isn't concerned but that doesn't help me. My scan isn't until late tomorrow afternoon. My bp and heart rate haven't been too bad today but I've had a lot of pain and vomiting. For some reasons I feel like such an unconvinance to the Drs and midwives today. Yday I was a "high priority patient" today I've just been on the back burner a but. I have this terrible feeling that they will just stick with he original c section date of the 2nd of January. I don't know if this is the case or it's hormones and anxiety over everything. Protein been showing in my wee along with keytones as I'm dehydrated. Hmmph

I apologise if that was slightly incoherent. Not feeling my best.

Sorry you’re having such a tough time. Will they keep you in now until after the birth? Good you’re in the right place, I know it’s not easy but try not to stress about getting home for Christmas. Much better to be there, safe and looked after.

I'm so sorry. Pre eclampsia is scary. You're in the right place now though and they won't be putting you on the back burner - but stabilising BP is a good sign so sometimes they like to wait until they've given two doses of steroids to boost the baby's lungs. Don't feel like an inconvenience either - monitoring and watching doesn't mean they don't care.
I was induced with my daughter at just before 35 weeks and she was fine - 37 weeks is full term so your baby will be ready to come.

Watching and waiting isn't a bad thing - they just want to get you both in the best position for delivery. I'm 33+2 today and in the same position, just started getting the pain in the last hour so think we'll be on for delivery today but it really is a case of day by day, hour by hour. Fingers crossed for you.

God I'm so bloody hormonal. I should have just been patient for ward rounds😂. The consultant I had for my 1st born has just been around to see me. I've got a scan today to check the blood flow to the baby. If any changes then delivery is imminent. If not then it will be Friday as I've had both my steroid injections now.

Hope everything goes well for you OP! Xx

Hope it all goes well and well done for not letting it go as muscular!

Hope you're okay. I know this is scary but actually this is a very good thing. You're in the right place and they can monitor you and keep you and baby safe.

When I was pg with my twins protein started showing in my urine at 28 weeks but my bp was okay. At the same time my little twin's growth slowed but they weren't concerned. I was having my urine and bp checked twice a week but it stayed borderline. At my 32 week scan he dropped below the 5th centile for leg length but the consultant wasn't there that day - I had a call the next day and was told he'd checked it and was fine.

At 35 weeks my bp and protein were creeping up then one night I couldn't sleep and just felt so ill and wrong. It felt like my head was 10 times its normal size and I was leaking but couldn't tell if it was pee or fluid, then it stopped. Midwife came round the next day and was unconcerned but suggested I go and get checked out for peace of mind. Went in at 5:30pm. Twin 2 not moving at all and had a static heart rate. Although my bp was borderline it's generally very low, and my protein levels were off the charts.

They were born by 8:30pm despite it taking 40 mins to get my spinal in. They'd had no steroids and despite being 35+1, the fact that he had undiagnosed growth restriction meant he was less than 3.5lb and not breathing. Both boys needed resuscitation and CPAP. He ended up needing two months in nicu because of issues relating to the growth restriction. Fortunately they're now 15 months and generally doing very well, despite little one having a rare illness.

As scary as this, I wish to goodness they'd figured out what was going on with me and my babies in advance, given them steroids and performed a section before he got into such difficulty. 37 weeks is a great gestation and I'm sure you and your baby will be absolutely fine - plus you get a couple of bonus weeks with them and a great Christmas present :)

Hang in there

Today or Friday sounds good! Not long either way. This is one of those times to be thankful for modern western medicine - you’ll be looked after throughout and they know what they’re doing. X

Friday it is. Things didn't look too bad today, but I am all booked in for then and all being good I can be home for my little boys birthday and Christmas on Monday! Thanks for your stories everyone.

@TammySwansonTwo that must have been such a touch time for you. I'm lucky I've only had to wait to get things sorted for a week.

Tomorrow marks a full week of being stuck in hospital and missing my toddler like mad. They've said I have to be here tonight but they might let me spend the evening at home tomorrow and come back Friday. Here's hoping.
Shower, Corrie and bed for me how.