Talk to me about pre-eclampsia

[Flutterby8]

Im a bit worried about pre-eclampsia.

A few nights ago I felt a bit unwell. Light headed, a bit floaty and just not quite right. I'd had a busy, short staffed day at work and put it down to that. I have facilities to take blood pressure at home so did so assuming it would be low, but to my surprise it was 160 something over 90 something (cant recall the exact values).
I checked my urine too and had a slight trace of protein. Everything else was normal. I have urine dipsticks on GP suggestion due to previous urine infections and was asked to monitor if i felt unwell with UTI symptoms again.
The light headed feeling didnt last long and I soon felt fine again.
I had an appointment with the midwife the day after so discussed it with her.
Blood pressure was much better when she checked it, a bit high but not significantly. No protein in my urine.
Hands and feet are swollen and have been for weeks which she has has been aware of.
No headaches or visual issues.
Shes put me on weekly monitoring. Im 37 weeks.

She mentioned that because I am at term, there is a chance I could be sent for induction if my blood pressure increases further.
She has told me to continue monitoring blood pressure at home where I am relaxed to get an accurate reading and where concerned, go to triage. This is absolutely fine.

Can anyone offer their experiences with possible pre-eclampsia and early induction because of this?
I feel a bit concerned, although my midwife was lovely and helpful.
Im just looking for peoples experiences to help me get my head round it more.

Hope you are feeling ok. I know it's a worry, but it sounds like your midwife is keeping an eye on things.

I had pre-eclampsia with DD (3rd baby) and was induced at 38 weeks. I felt generally unwell, very tired, bit headachy. I was also very bloated and uncomfortable, nagging upper abdominal pain - felt a bit like I couldn't take a full breath. I had absolutely loads of excess fluid that spread from my ankles to everywhere. The midwife saw me about 10 days after DD was born and said I looked like I'd been deflated (I'd sweated it all out by then - gross). BP was very high - I remember it being 220/108 or something like that - I had to be admitted for observation/to get BP down and was induced straight away - pessary, which didn't work and then drip. If the drip hadn't worked I would have needed emcs, but it was fine. A lot of drama, but DD and I were both ok and the birth was straight forward. I had to stay in hospital for a couple of nights til BP stabilised.

When do you finish work? Maybe you could do with taking things a bit easier if you can (easier said than done).

I had pre-eclampsia and early induction at 37 weeks. All I had was the blood pressure and protein as symptoms. Admittedly I did also have swelling, but like you it was there prior to the high blood pressure.

Once it was picked up (the day before I was to start maternity leave! 😭), I was admitted, put on medication to bring down my BP, and had regular 4 hourly monitoring of my BP. Once I hit 37 weeks, induction was started. As with PP, pessaries did naff all, but the drip worked. Labour was mostly uneventful, a few very minor hiccups, but nothing scary. Also had to stay in a couple of nights for monitoring (BP remained stable) and also to check baby's blood sugars (labetalol can cause low blood sugars). Baby was mildly jaundiced (probably due to being early), but not enough for concern or treatment. Postnatally, I remained on the labetalol and was weaned off over 6 weeks.

Wishing you all the best.

Yes, I also stayed on the labetolol for a couple of weeks (I'd forgotten!) And DD had to get sugars checked while we were in hospital.

I had all the symptoms for a while but they got worse quite quickly over a few days, so just keep an eye on things.

Thank you for your replies @Dyra @Atla

I have finished work now which is a bonus as I dont think it had been helping as I have an active and stressful role.
Ive been monitoring my blood pressure today and it has been higher although not at the threshold to call triage from what the midwife told me. No dizzy spells though.

How did you find your inductions? Did you get kept in hospital long before you were induced?
Did your induction take a long time?
Im so worried about being induced that any insight would be good because ive just heard horror stories about it.

Slightly different here as I was diagnosed with pre eclampsia at 41 weeks. I had swelling and a two very bad headaches in the fortnight prior but as my BP was under the threshold (although had steadily climbed throughout my pregnancy) and no protein in urine until the 41 week app no one really mentioned pre eclampsia as a possibility until then and it was a shock after a low risk pregnancy. I was absolutely determined to resist induction but my body had other ideas. I was admitted and induced. My induction went on a few days and as time went on my BP really rocketed and they struggled to control it with medication. (They were giving me my pills every 2 hours rather than every 12 hours by the end). By the time I went into active labour 3 days later my BP was very high and baby & I were very tired. I opted for a c section and had to stay a few days whilst they got my BP under control and was weaned off the labetelol and nifedipine over about 8 weeks.
Despite induction not working out for me, we are all different and I would recommend accepting an early induction before you end up in my position if things continue to escalate because whilst your body is still strong and healthy a smooth labour is much more likely. Good luck, it’s a worry but it will all work out fine xx

Hi OP, sorry you’re going through this.

I had pre-eclampsia, similarly swollen hands and feet for weeks then protein and high BP picked up at the 38 week midwife appointment, was sent straight to hospital, monitored and sent home to come back for induction the next morning. Went in on the Friday, had pessary first thing, nothing happened so had the gel on the Saturday morning and another dose in the evening. Went near enough straight into labour and had DD first thing Sunday morning. So just shy of 48 hours for me.

I was pretty much thrown straight out the door after giving birth, but this was the day before we went into the first lockdown so I think that was to be expected. You will be absolutely fine, and a hand hold for you

I had pre eclampsia on my first two children but not on my third. Very serious the first time round I had an emcs at 35 weeks and had to go into into high dependency. Then an 11 night hospital stay to try and get blood pressure under control. Less serious the second time around I was only in hospital for a week and less time on medication afterwards. My waters broke spontaneously at 35 weeks that timebut I still had another caesarean. On my first pregnancy I felt great the whole way through until 33 weeks it just all happened really quickly.

I was induced very soon after getting to hospital but it was an emergency so not usual timeline.

If I remember properly I had midwife appointment at local MLU in the morning about 10.30, BP was high and protein in urine. I admitted I wasn't feeling well and got a telling off for not phoning the night before. They put me on a monitor - baby was fine. I was transferred by ambulance to hospital, saw Dr there and they said baby needed to born that day. Got admitted, had waters broken (not painful) and pessary. They explained that they would give pessary an hour to work and then start drip. I remember DH arrived and it was 12.30pm. Pessary did nothing. Drip started at about 13.30 and labour started, it was quite intense but midwife turned the rate down a bit and contractions eased. The consultant came in and said she was going to prep for a caesarian as my BP was still really high, but then I changed position, felt baby move down and she was born after 3 big contractions at 15.30. I remember midwife saying "oh shit" because she was changing her gloves and hadn't got the new pair on!

The worst thing about the induction was probably being monitored as I couldn't move about in the way I wanted to. All my labours have been quite fast and intense once they got going, and I don't think being induced was any worse in that respect.

I'm glad you've finished work. Hopefully things will settle now and you'll get some chance to rest up before the baby arrives. try not to worry, easily said I know!

Thank you @Atla @minniep @Toddleberry and @89Ann for sharing your experiences with induction.

Can I ask how high your blood pressure was when you were sent for an induction?
How did you feel health wise at the time? If you werent feeling well, in what respect?
At the moment I just feel tired which is a mixture of not sleeping well (PGP) and busy work schedule.
I have a constant uncomfortable feeling around my cervix, like baby is pressing hard and the occasional back ache. Braxton hicks has eased alot.
Ive had a bit of a niggly head this evening but I think I have worked myself up about induction and finishing work.
Im not a stressy person but i dont feel in control now and it just worries me.
I know both midwife and hospital will do the very best so happy to take on board their advice.

@Flutterby8 I think my BP was 208/100 or something similar. I know the top number was over 200. I actually felt fine, apart from the sore skin where I was so swollen and similar uncomfortable cervix feeling you describe.

I was exceptionally chilled throughout my pregnancy generally and like you, only started feeling anxious once things were being taken out of my hands as it were. Do take this as an opportunity to rest and take care of yourself x

I also had pre-eclampsia and an induction. The pre-eclampsia was diagnosed at my 36 week midwife appt. Like others, my main symptom beforehand was swelling of the feet/hands/face. Other than that, I felt absolutely fine all the way through.

At the 36 week appt I had protein in my urine and slightly raised blood pressure. I had to go to the hospital every other day to be monitored. My bp increased a bit every time, as did the protein, but no-one ever seemed that concerned. Eventually they induced me at 38+2 (mostly because they were fed up of the sight of me I think 😂). The birth was very quick once labour started, and I had a pph after. I believe both are common in women who have had pre-eclampsia, so be mindful of that.

It'll really be fine. The bad outcomes are in women who have not been diagnosed. If you are diagnosed and monitored, it's under control and you are safe.

Very high - 220/230/240 systolic and diastolic well over 100 - consistently.

I felt exhausted, pain in upper right abdomen, short of breath, headachy, sort of a heavy feeling. Sorry I know that's really vague - nearly 6 years ago now!

@bumpyknuckles that sounds exactly how mine was discovered, at 36weeks. Im being checked again next week and will see if i need hospital monitoring or not.

@Toddleberry my BP isnt as high as yours was at this stage which is a bonus. I feel it has been caught early. I do plan on doing as little as poaaible now im not working. We do have a fair bit of sorting still to do due to delayed deliveries but DH will have to do alot of it.

@Atla my BP ks nowhere near that high at the moment. Systoloc ksa between 150 - 160. Diastolic is mid 90's.
Ive been told if it creeps to over 100 diastolic to call triage.
Ive not had the abdo pains or shortness of breath but have been warned about it.
It must have been scary having BP that high!

My BP never got all that high at its highest it was about 180/100 - it was the slow increase which worried them, and the protein.

Induction was ok. I went into hospital at 8am, pessary in at 10. Contractions started at 4ish. Baby born at 6.30. Remember that with inductions you may only hear about the horror stories, people don't tend to talk about the ones which were fine (like mine).

It is scary having pre-eclampsia, but you're in safe hands now. Try to relax if possible. I did a hypnobirthing course and used some of their techniques to try and calm my thoughts, and I think it did help.

@bumpyknuckles i havent had any protein in my urine today which i see as a good sign, fingers crossed!
Your induction sounds very calm and has reassured me.
So mamy people post about their bad experiences with it that I feel it will just be terrible. As this is my first baby as well its hard to know what to expect.
Im not sure if it is too late to look into hypnobirthing now but it may gove me something to focus on for the next few weeks.

By the time I knew about it I was in hospital and things moved really quickly. I felt well looked after.

I knew I didn't feel right the night before but I thought I was overreacting and I knew I had an appointment in the morning so I thought it could wait til then.

It sounds like you are doing all the right things and that they are keeping a really close eye on you - I'm sure everything will be fine

I will add OP, even though my induction was lengthy, it was absolutely fine. I wouldn’t hesitate to be induced again if need be

I developed pre eclampsia at about 23weeks, midwife guess, I had a routine appt at 25weeks.
protein and bloods were v.high.
I was admitted to local hospital for a week.Day 6 protein and bp still getting higher .
I was taken 100miles to the hospital that could accomedate a prem baby.
After a week here, my kidneys started failing .
My DD was born at 27weeks via emergency csect weighing 1lb 13.She is now 18yrs old with no problems at all.
I too recovered.
I will say I only experienced High BP and protein and swelling of hands .
Always get checked out if you feel something isnt right.Good luck x

Great to hear there's no proteinuria. Always good. In regards to the questions you've asked in your other posts:

Did you get kept in hospital long before you were induced?
I was in hospital from 36+1 weeks. I'd had a midwife appointment the day before where the protein and high BP was picked up. As with others, it'd been creeping up over the course of my pregnancy, but hadn't been 'high' until that appointment. It was only something like 140/90, so only just into high territory. As I had no other symptoms, funnily enough pre-eclampsia wasn't suspected. Midwife only sent off bloods as a precaution, which told another story about raised liver enzymes. Everything was rechecked at the hospital, and had all gotten a bit worse (BP something like 150/100), so I was kept in.

Induction was supposed to happen near immediately. But as baby was well grown, all my CTGs came back excellent, and BP was under control with medication (plus some resistance on my part as I was 1: scared, and 2: did not want a very late August baby), it was agreed to wait until 37 weeks.

Did your induction take a long time?
No, but I was very lucky. The initial gel pessaries only just about opened my cervix to 1cm. I should have had another set the following day, but as the labour ward was near empty that night, it was opted to being me down anyway to continue the induction and ARM (artificial rupture of membranes). That didn't trigger labour either, but the drip did. A little less than 12 hours total on the drip and baby arrived.

Can I ask how high your blood pressure was when you were sent for an induction? Think it'd crept back up to high 130's by that point. There was no point increasing the medication since it was likely everything would return to normal post birth.

How did you feel health wise at the time? If you werent feeling well, in what respect? I still felt absolutely fine. Very weird being in hospital knowing I was ill, but not feeling it in any way.

Thank you for your replies everyone.
This morning my BP is much the same, no worse, no lower. Hands are still a bit swollen but have been for weeks when I first wake up. They feel better now i have been moving about.
I have a niggling headache but i think this is because i worked myself up into a state last night and had a full on crying fit because I dont feel ready to have the baby, house isnt ready, ive finished work and I miss everyone and it all got a bit much.
Im not an emotional person but last night i was a mess. I know this would not have helped my BP at all.
I still feel quite emotional today, im also blaming my hormones for this!
On the plus i dont have protein in my urine either.

Ive done some reading up on pre-eclampsia via appropriate sources so feel more clued up. While my BP is increased, its still classed as a mild increase. I will continue to keep an eye on it but wont become obsessed. If i didnt have a monitor, i wouldnt be in a position to check and i would be waiting for my midwife appointment next week. Of they were gugely worried they would have packed me off to hospital immediately.
If i do feel worried, the hospital is local and I know they are really helpful in triage.

This weekend im going to relax as much as i can. Sort out the nursery and double check my hospital bag is ready.
If i can feel more in control at gome i think some of my worry will be gone. I guess i just dont feel ready for all of this.

All of your stories about induction have been so helpful anf made me realise although not ideal, it doesnt have to be horrendous. Everyone is different and no two experiences are the same.
I need to chill out dont i!

Hi OP,

I felt ok I think, I was absolutely shattered, sore and emotional but I was overdue and it was 30 degrees outside 😂
I was still doing my 10,000 steps a day and swimming etc. so couldn't have been too bad. I think on admission my BP was around 170/100 and it basically stayed there even with meds hence why they kept having to up the dose and give me them more regularly. It did get over 200/110 the day I gave birth and following delivery. Apart from two massive headaches, one which followed some blurry vision it was just the swelling for me. Looking back the swelling was really extreme xx

If your BP is 150/90, with swollen hands and you’ve previously had protein in your urine, I’d be phoning triage now 😳😳

(Im a midwife, very very surprised your midwife didn’t send you up for bloods yesterday…)

@Flutterby8 I am glad you have done some reading, it is better to have the facts and reassure yourself. Ironically I monitored my BP alot in pregnancy as I knew it was high/normal (120/80) but I gave up at 39 weeks! So I rocked up to midwife 41 weeks pregnant and was whisked into hospital and was being induced before I knew it and I experienced that out of control feeling you mentioned.

You’ll have your baby oin a few weeks, the route might be slightly different to your ideal (i know mine was) but it’s all just noise!

Hi.
I had this with both of my pregnancies and had both my babies at 36 and 37 weeks.

All absolutely fine.

Had IUGR because of crap placenta due to pre eclampsia so had teeny tiny babies but again absolutely fine.
Both caught up fast, I bf both, healthy and weight gained quickly.

I did feel unwell, so glad about early deliveries as I knew it was the right thing to do.
They did say that 37 weeks is technically term, not early so that made me feel better.
Good luck!

My second baby was induced due to being past due date. The birth took two and a half hours and was much easier than my first non induced birth. Glad they are keeping a close eye on the pre eclampsia.