Experiences with high blood pressure and medication?

[StephyRose]

Hi everyone,

I am a FTM, 38 and 3 today and had my 38 week midwife appointment. Despite my MW checking a few times, my blood pressure was high and I got sent in to my local Maternity unit for checking.

This is the second time I have been referred after high blood pressure at my 36 week appointment but both times, today included my urine sample and blood tests have come back fine, aswell as no other worrying symptoms. Baby was monitored both times as well and was absolutely fine.

However the doctor prescribed me 100mg of Labetelol twice a day until I give birth ... possibly now even being induced, which I never thought I'd say this but I would actually prefer to taking medication for a longer amount of time.

My worry is that I've got mind over matter with this and I feel like everytime I take a tablet I am poisoning my baby. I took my first tablet this evening and have been avidly feeling out for fetal movement since. I know that sounds ridiculous - why would they give me something harmful? But sometimes we can't help the way our minds work. I've even been funny about taking paracetamol this pregnancy.

I just wanted to hear from you lovely Mummy's that have positive stories about having to take medication for high BP when pregnant ... just for extra reassurance.

I didn't feel like it this morning but definitely done with being pregnant now. Hopefully the end is nigh.

I don’t have a positive story.
I had high BP from the get-go and was on a MASSIVE dose of labetalol (& another 2 tablets that I forget the name of now lol) 4 times a day for 30 weeks....then I had my DD due to pre-eclampsia.
You are not poisoning your child!

Hi. I had high bp in my last pregnancy and was prescribed 100mg of labetalol which was then upped to 200mg from 34 weeks onwards. As it brought my blood pressure down it did make me feel a bit rubbish but my baby was fine. I was made aware it can (I assume depending on the dose) lower baby’s blood sugars when they’re born which is nothing to worry about but they would just need to test them. My baby’s blood sugars were absolutely fine. It is safer to take the medication and have your blood pressure under control than to leave your blood pressure higher.

I was told I’d be induced at 40 weeks (pushed forward to 39 due to reduced movements which had nothing to do with high bp or medication) but I imagine if you don’t want to be induced they may discuss options of allowing you to go into labour naturally but with baby being closely monitored. As I was to be induced at 40 weeks anyway, I asked if I could have sweeps regularly when I went in for monitoring from 38 weeks which was agreed by a consultant. The sweeps didn’t make me go into labour and I was still induced however I do think they helped speed things up. I only needed the pessary to get my labour going in full swing so there was no need for the hormone drip - I was dreading that part of induction.

Hope all goes well!

Hi @FelicityPike, bless you. I take it you and DD were okay in the end?

Thank you for your experience @Whatthedoodle. Do you happen to know if I am now considered high risk? Were you? I am glad your experience wasn't bad and little one was perfect.

Going in to have BP and Urine checked again on Thursday, hopefully all is okay. :)

I had pre-eclampsia picked up at 36 weeks, and was on labetalol until induction at 37 weeks. Though I did also take it beyond birth as apparently you need to be weaned off it. 🤷🏻‍♀️

I was on the minimum dose (I guess 100mg bd) which was enough to keep my BP under control. I did have a wobbly, near fainting moment while I was having a hot shower, so do be careful doing things that might lower your BP further.

As PPs have said, there is a possibility baby might have low blood sugar a few hours after birth, which will be checked. In my case, DD's bloods were absolutely fine. Though it's horrible hearing them cry after having their heels pricked.

Good luck for Thursday.

Yeah we were absolutely fine. A wee EMC under general for me and a 7 week NICU stay for toty-butt.
Hope you get on ok. Just try to remember, the medical staff won’t do anything they don’t NEED to do. Good luck.

@StephyRose I spoke with a consultant who said technically I was high risk because of high blood pressure but as I had no symptoms of pre eclampsia and my bp was controlled I was at the bottom end of high risk. Which meant I had to go in for monitoring twice weekly and growth scans every 2 weeks as the high bp started at 33 weeks and is common for it to creep up further near the end.
It basically meant I couldn’t give birth on the maternity led unit and it had to be on the delivery suite which I didn’t mind.

Hi @Dyra, thanks for your story and support. Yes I heard about that... Google is my best friend 🙈 so I read the Patient Information Leaflet online yesterday and saw that your not meant to drink with them either. Shame as I was looking forward to an ice cold Prosecco a few days after baby is born, when safe to do so! But I can wait a little longer :)

Thanks for the heads up about the shower. I'm really enjoying hour long baths at the moment but I will be sure not to do that until DP is in the house. Thanks again :)

Good to hear @FelicityPike :) and you are so right. Feeling a bit better about it this morning :) thank you.

I have been on BP medication for years. Before I got pregnant my obstetrician explained they would swap me to labetolol for the duration of my pregnancy and until I stopped breast feeding. It's the drug of choice for pregnant ladies as it has been around for so long and known to be safe.

Ah right @Whatthedoodle, makes sense. It basically means that my carefully considered and preenly worded birth plans has gone out the window 🤣 but that's okay. As long as baby gets here safe :)

Thanks again x

Thank you @hyglop. Sometimes I just need a human who has actually been through it and said "its okay" to reassure me, rather than a random article on the internet Haha! X

Hi @StephyRose I am not pregnant but TTC!

I was diagnosed with hypertension last October and being treated by a professor at my local hospital. I take 1600mg a day of labetalol which can be increased if needed. I have been told that this is the only blood pressure medication that should be taken in pregnancy and the only 1 I will be prescribed whilst TTC. I will also have to take this dose if not higher throughout any pregnancy.

I did have some horrible side effects when drinking whilst taking the medication but once my body was used to the medication drinking in moderation has been fine.

Although I cannot answer your questions since I am not pregnant I wanted to share my experience on Labetalol and hope that this helps. Hopefully not long for you x

Hi OP

I was put on labetalol recently too, I'm 36 weeks. I felt a bit disappointed as it means I won't be able to give birth in the MLU and my baby will need blood glucose tests as mentioned by PPs, but other than that it doesn't seem to be a big issue. My midwife said she sees lots of women on labetalol and it shouldn't cause any issues with breastfeeding or anything. Try not to let it worry you, as PPs have said, the most important thing is that you and your baby are healthy. My BP was only slightly raised and I think it was mostly down to stress or white coat syndrome, but the doctors told me they have to err on the side of caution with this sort of thing, and they didn't seem hugely worried. They said BP issues are fairly common in pregnancy.