Labetalol during pregnancy

[Jessican]

Hi so I went to have my blood pressure took and it was high and I had my bloods done and they said there’s a medium chance of me developing pre eclampsia and they’ve put me on labetalol to lower my blood pressure but I’m so scared to take them as they make me feel so poorly and weak I spoke to the midwifes about it and they said it’s normal for the first week but I just can’t bring myself to keep taking them as I feel so much worse has anyone else had this experience I need reassurance so much I don’t even know why I’m so scared of them

I’m on labetalol and did feel better after a week. I don’t feel 100% now and getting quite a few headaches but now not sure if that’s the labetalol or just pregnancy. The other BP medications that you can take during pregnancy seem to have worse side effects so don’t really want to try switching.

Taking the tablets is better than living with the risks associated with high blood pressure.

I was on labetalol in the last 2 months of my pregnancy ongoing until my baby was a month old and found they really helped. I can't lie and say I remember the side effects as I had so many other things going on at the same time but I would definitely say try and persevere with them x

It's crazy that the medical professionals saw you had high blood pressure and then decided to medicate you. I had high blood pressure throughout my pregnancy (from my first check at 16 weeks all the way through to delivery) and they just kept saying come back next week for another check. They sent me to the antenatal ward twice to be admitted because my BP was 150/100 but still no medication. My baby is 5 months now and I was put on amlodipine 3 weeks ago because it was still high despite not being pregnant anymore. Not really relevant to your problem I'm just cross 😂

I feel a bit rubbish on my BP medication, headachy and nauseous, a bit like a hangover I guess. I think if I were you I would probably continue taking it because it's best for baby and hope I didn't need it after delivery. How many weeks have you got left?

I was on increasing doses of labetalol (got up to 120mg per day) and also nifedipine in my pregnancies and I’m only just off them now. Awful stuff, made me feel dreadful, really weak and exhausted (as if pregnancy wasn’t bad enough). But they’ve now saved two of my babies’ lives as in my case high bp means small umbilical cord and small baby needing to be induced due to slowing growth. (Nb it doesn’t in all cases.) In the second pregnancy where it was picked up earlier my baby wasn’t quite as small.

In short: they suck. Take them.

I mean 1200mg per day!!

I had labetrol and amphlodine(can't spell) when hospitalised due to crazy blood pressure a week after birth... They are the drugs of choice for pregnant and breast feeding women.

To be honest my GP described me as 'really quite poorly', I felt terrible, the junior midwife calmly left the room and then ran to get help....so I really didn't notice the side effects too much... The drugs saved my life....allowed my child to have mum.

As PP says... Take them...be reassured many women have had this issue and they are following the correct guidance/medication for you.

I wish you luck

@haveaday I have 7 weeks to go x

Thank you all for the advice I guess I was just scared about taking them but I know it’s for the best to take them

I currently take this medication on a low dose and notice nothing else. I’d rather have the medication than my BP be high, which can endanger you and your baby x