Pre Eclampsia - stories and experiences

[OnNaturesCourse]

I'm 33 weeks and today, I'm not sure if it's Christmas exhaustion, but I'm not feeling 100%. I had sinus pain yesterday and today I have no pain but my face feels puffy. DP says it's not swollen. Still can't breathe through my nose either. I have carpel tunnel pain in both hands, they are slightly puffy but my rings still go on etc. I've got no appetite. BP at last check was 118/73 (christmas eve).

I suffer health anxiety so although I'm pretty convinced I just have a stuffy cold and carpel tunnel syndrome I am worried about pre eclampsia.

It’s best to go get checked if you are worried. When I had it my BP was 175/120 (I didn’t have symptoms but probably would have developed them, if I hadn’t been put on medication). The only way it can be diagnosed is if there is protein in your urine and then a blood test.

Symptoms tend to be blurred vision, awful headache, pain at the top of your ribs and being swollen.

I had my baby at 34 weeks because of it and although he was in NICU for 2 weeks, he’s completely fine.

I've done my blood pressure again and it's 120/75 after running up the stairs. My face is feeling better after using a sinus spray from the GP previously.

I just panic. I know I shouldn't but I do.

I had Pre eclampsia with 2 of my 3 DC and no noticeable symptoms. I discovered I had it at 39 weeks with my eldest at a routine appointment, there was protein in my urine and my BP was raised, but they didnt tell me what it was. I had no other symptoms, I went into hospital and went into labour naturally the next day. My DS was fine although hungry which I think is connected.

I then had it again with my youngest DD, (missed having it was my middle son) and this time it was picked up at 32 weeks and I was induced. She came out weighing 3 pounds but healthy. Again no symptoms myself only the protein in the urine and raised BP.

I would ask for a check with your miwife if you are worried, I wanted to share my stories as both had positive outcomes so hope to reassure you even if you do find you have it.

I've usually got sticks at home to check my urine but have ran out. I've got some more arriving soon tho. I normally use them to check for UTIs which I am very very prone to.

Thank you for sharing your stories.

@jenasaurus

Were you in hospital for long with your 3rd? Were you both okay after?

My main concern at the moment is baby arriving too early, and us both needing hospital care (I have serious anxiety about hospitals, I had to stay in for a week with DC1 and DP had to stay with me to calm me unfortunately that's not at all possible now)

I had it and was hospitalised for it before being discharged with daily monitoring until delivery.

I was diagnosed at 37 weeks after going in to triage for reduced movements and was induced there and then - I didn't have any immediate symptoms (although my blood pressure was through the roof) but I'd had the pain at the top of the ribs and vomiting the week before, and protein in my urine at my midwife appointment 2 days before I was diagnosed. I'd taken my rings off but I didn't have really noticeable swelling and no sight problems, and just a mild headache on and off. When I went to triage that night I actually felt fine, I wasn't sure I really even needed to go in, but there was just something, I knew something wasn't quite right.

There is a blood test they can do to check if you are at risk of developing pre eclampsia, so if you do have concerns call triage and they may be able to do the test for you. Before I was pregnant I didn't really go in for all that 'listen to your body' stuff but that night, I just knew something was wrong. I'm so glad I made the call to the hospital.

[quote OnNaturesCourse]@jenasaurus

Were you in hospital for long with your 3rd? Were you both okay after?

My main concern at the moment is baby arriving too early, and us both needing hospital care (I have serious anxiety about hospitals, I had to stay in for a week with DC1 and DP had to stay with me to calm me unfortunately that's not at all possible now)[/quote]
I was in hospital for 3 weeks, and I was OK but had a bit of an emotional breakdown as the flood of hormones left me, the nurses were wonderful, they allowed me to sleep in the nurses room on a sofabed with my DD next to me, she was initially in an incubator but I managed to breast feed her which is unusual in one so early, she had a feeding tube as well in her nose but she did latch on and snuggle, I think the nurses wanted to make sure we bonded as I was so upset about being robbed of the last few months of the pregnancy. I was admitted after the BP was raised and they did a scan I think it was a doppler scan and they said the baby hadnt grown since 27 weeks so they gave her steroids to ensure her lungs were developed and then induced me. The Consultant came to see me by my bed the day before and said he couldnt promise a good outcome, I remember this as very distressing as my DP was at home with our 2 boys and my parents were on holiday so I was all alone with this consultant covered in blood splatterd wellingtons (think he had just carried out a C section) and I just cried and cried.

There was a young girl in the bed next to me who was in because she had diabetes and a difficult pregnancy, I called her Kylie as she looked like a young kylie Minogue, her mum was with her when I was told the news and she came over and rubbed my back when I had contractions, she was so lovely, they both were, and then when I had my DD, she was perfect and didnt need any help breathing or anything, she was just small, and soon caught up. I think they have to prepare you for the worst but in both my pregnancies when I had preeclampsia I had good outcomes.

I had no need of any medical care after her birth, they did monitor me, and did keep me in with her and we both went home together, she weighed only 3 pounds 10 when we left but they said she was feeding so well and apart from a touch of jaundice which she had to have vitamin K for she was and is fine (she is 25 now :) The only issue I had was emotional and I think its all down to the hormones when they leave your system when you give birth.

I dont know if this is connected to the Pre eclampsia but with my DS I went from stone to 13 stone in the pregnancy, Having said that when I had my DD I didnt put much weight on, I have a photo of me the day before I was induced and I dont look pregnant.

8 stone to 13 stone

I have the midwife next week so I'll bring it up, and call triage if anything changes in the mean time.

Thank you for the stories.

I'm paranoid about things going wrong, but so far everything has been fine and my blood pressure is OK.

If it develop I assume they'd try keep baby in the womb as long as possible?

Update. It was at 129/77 upon waking today. I've to test again in 4 hours and call back if no improvement 😭 they've got me at panic stations

@OnNaturesCourse I knew someone who's baby was born at 24 weeks. The baby is well and loving life.

A baby born at 33 weeks is moderately premature but should be fine. I know it's scary. Midwives are trained for this and will have your best interests at heart.

My panic station seems to have gone to the "what will be, will be" stage where I'm panicking inside and running around sorting the house and getting things ready just incase I go into hospital after this next check.

Hi I had it with my twins and my main symptoms were swollen hands and feet. They were born at 34+5 weeks and we had a 1 week SCBU stay. 33 weeks isn't a bad gestation (mine were small too because there was 2 of them!) I'd go in and get checked just in case because if it is PE it can get serious very quickly and it would be better to be on the safe side.

I developed it at 32 weeks. Well, I'd probably had it much longer but my midwife cancelled one appointment and didn't even turn up for the rebooked one!

Main symptoms were exhaustion and I occasionally got tiny, sparkly little 'floaters' (in my vision if I stood up too quick or went upstairs too fast. Finally I got a banging headache the day of the rebooked rebooked appointment and was told my BP was v high. I had no swelling of ankles etc though. I was sent straight to Delivery Suite, they tested and monitored me (no protein in urine at that point) and admitted me to the Antenatal Ward.

I was in there 3 weeks on Labetalol for the high BP, monitored constantly. Protein in urine appeared after a week or so, Labetol was increased when my BP crept up again and eventually they decided it was time I needed a c section. All went fine, DS was small as a bit early but we were both well v quickly afterwards.

I was so paranoid about my BP during my second pregnancy but it was textbook throughout and no issues whatsoever. My ex was a bit offended when every midwife at every appointment asked if the father was the same as my first pregnancy, until I explained the medical reason why (though why they couldn't just note it instead of asking 50 times I have no idea).

My follow up reading was 108/something, and it was the same a hour later so they are putting it down to feeling so ill and run down in the mornings with my sinuses. But I've to keep monitoring it 🤔

Please get checked, the hospital won’t mind and they would rather check a healthy worried mum than miss a poorly one. I felt ‘off’ and swollen having my first, but I came and went on and off so I didn’t get checked until my mum arrived home from abroad having not seen me for months and made me go. A very poorly baby was delivered to a very poorly mum the next day. We are both fine now but please don’t ignore a gut feeling something is wrong

It's triage that is advising me.

Your BP is fine, I don’t think you need to worry.
I had pre-eclampsia, my mother had eclampsia with me and it seems it can be hereditary. My BP was 145/90 when I was admitted and I had protein in my urine, I was 39 weeks so they tried to induce me right away but when that failed I had a c-section.
Try not to worry about it, your blood pressure is good and it sounds as though all is well.

Thank you.

I've to continue with the monitoring, and check for protein in my urine but they are happy with me doing that at home.

@Roomba

I developed it at 32 weeks. Well, I'd probably had it much longer but my midwife cancelled one appointment and didn't even turn up for the rebooked one!

Main symptoms were exhaustion and I occasionally got tiny, sparkly little 'floaters' (in my vision if I stood up too quick or went upstairs too fast. Finally I got a banging headache the day of the rebooked rebooked appointment and was told my BP was v high. I had no swelling of ankles etc though. I was sent straight to Delivery Suite, they tested and monitored me (no protein in urine at that point) and admitted me to the Antenatal Ward.

I was in there 3 weeks on Labetalol for the high BP, monitored constantly. Protein in urine appeared after a week or so, Labetol was increased when my BP crept up again and eventually they decided it was time I needed a c section. All went fine, DS was small as a bit early but we were both well v quickly afterwards.

I was so paranoid about my BP during my second pregnancy but it was textbook throughout and no issues whatsoever. My ex was a bit offended when every midwife at every appointment asked if the father was the same as my first pregnancy, until I explained the medical reason why (though why they couldn't just note it instead of asking 50 times I have no idea).

I had the same when I didnt develop it with my second son. He came into the world a whopping 10.7 0z baby, (althought it was a struggle getting him out I had no health issues or raised BP) and people did ask if the father was the same. Then I got it with my 3rd child, its weird isnt it, as you normally get it each time with the same father.