Blood Pressure - advice....

[looneytune]

Hi

Just got back from delivery suite where was checked for infection down below.

Whilst there they checked blood pressure, urine etc. Urine had protein and when I see GP, they should tell me more about it (presume doing tests between now and then?). The question I have about blood pressure is what is high and low?

Since I was 5/6 weeks pregnant, I've been told my blood pressure has been more on the low side, last time told to be careful as pretty low. Readings have been:

?? low (5/6 wks)
100/58 (8 wks)
98/50 (12 wks)
95/55 (16 wks)
90/50 (19 wks)
110/80 (tonight at 25 wks)

I was just wondering if my latest reading is my blood pressure being more normal or if it's classed as getting high due to it being lower before?

I'm sure it's absolutely fine but because I've recently starting swelling round ankles etc (like I got later on with ds), I just wanted to see whether this is normal.

I'm not worried as off to GP for check on Tuesday anyway, just thought I'd ask you helpful ladies

hi looney

the top of the normal scale is 120/80 over that is definately high. looking at your history it has had quite a jump, which is what they measure the most. how much it's jumped, that and the protein in urine, and the swelling.

watch out for headaches and seeing spots, and go straight to hospital for check up if that or swelling increases.

I'm not a dr. but I think with your symptoms you may be put on blood pressure medication. did you get pre ecampsia with ds?

I had it twice and had lots of monitoring due to history, as long as you get lots of care, you'll be fine. good to put your feet up and take up some offers of help now.

Uki - thanks for your message. This is what concerned me, the fact it jumped. I was certainly at rest when they took it yesterday (been sat over an hour in the waiting room watching tv ). I never had pre ecampsia with ds, just very bad swelling towards the end so was signed off a couple of weeks early, but no high blood pressure or anything.

I haven't had headaches but I did feel very unwell on Friday. I felt weak, spaced out, stars in eyes on occasions etc. which is why I actually thought my BP might have been lower.

The swelling isn't too bad atm, I actually feel it more than I see iyswim. I press and it's nowhere near as bad as with ds but then I'm only 25+6 atm. I did have one day where it seemed pretty bad and my loose socks made marks round my ankles and dug in a bit but it's calmed down a bit.

I'll talk this through with GP on Tuesday and see what they say, thanks for the advice.

As for putting my feet up VERY difficult as I'm a childminder and am constanting rushing for school to group, feeding, doing nappies and lugging heavy babies around!!! Obviously if I'm told there is reason for concern then I will have to do something about that.

Thanks again

it's actually technically still not 'high'...the second reading needs to go over 90. It's common for blood pressure to go low in first and secind trimester, only for it to rise in the third. You need to keep getting it checked to make sure it doesn't keep rising. If you have a home test machine, check your pressure at different times of the day as it changes all the time. I would definately mention the swelling, seeing spots, feeling spacey thing at an emergency appointment on monday though to rule out pre-ecl but with those BP figures, I wouldn't panic too much.
I had high blood pressure on my 5th month with pregnancy #1 and it came down after a couple weeks of resting. My reading was over 90 though. I didn't get pre-eclampsia and also had alot of swelling from 5th month onwards...this time the swelling just started and I'm 36 weeks. No high blood pressure this time either.

MrsMacaroon - thanks for that, I wasn't sure what was normal so that's reassuring As said before, not had the headaches or anything, just feeling faint but then again, I have a cold atm, nothing major but maybe just affecting me more than normal? (plus bending down and picking heavy babies up when pg will also do it ) I won't bother making an emergency appointment as have an appointment first thing on Tuesday anyway, will see what the protein in urine is about and the results from the swaps I had at the hospital.

Thanks again

take it easy LT x

I'll try x

My BP is always high when it is taken in the hospital, because I am stressed when there. Normally it is the top number that indicates stress but for e the bottom figure goes up to. Throughout pregnancy and before my blood pressure has been 120/80 when I go to the hospital it goes up to 140/88 but it is right back down when I see the midwife

Interesting! I wasn't stressed at the hospital this time (i'd been chatting an hour with another lady whilst watching tv too) but the very first time when they warned me about the low BP when I was only 5/6 wks (no record of exactly what it was), I WAS stressed yet they commented on it being low Anyway, I'm cool about it all now, just going to have a casual chat when I'm having my check on Tuesday. I'm thinking the protein in my urine is probably due to a water infection.

Hi again

looney, you sound well sorted and i hope your appointment clears up some things. i just have to mention that there is a lot of misconception about bp going up due to stress this is not true, you cannot stress yourself into high blood pressure. Sure it can be a little higher at dr's than at home known as 'white coat syndrome' but this is only by about 10 points so not enough to make a difference if it really is high, I have been told by several dr's including the senior dr of renal dept this as i was feeling guilty it was my fault , which just shouldn't be the case. That's why they take 2 readings as the 2nd will be most accurate.

just had to mention that, putting feet up does help the swelling though, and you'll probably notice swelling is worse at the end of the day.

It also depends on the cuff that they use. If it is unusally high ask for them to use the bigger cuff. When pregnant with ds2 I was to triage and they were talking about possible induction all because the nurse in the office a cuff that was too small. Needless to say the nurses at the hospital called my doctor and asked why he was wasting their time.

Also if it's high ask them to leave you alone for 10 minutes while you just lay down and relax. Even talking while it's being taken can send it higher than normal.

Thanks for all the extra advice. Will chat it through with GP tomorrow and see what she says. I keep getting horrible pain on the left hand side of my back which does NOT feel muscular or anything like that, I'm pretty sure it's my kidney in which case it could be because I've got a urine infection hence the protein? That's what I'm thinking anyway and will see what I'm told tomorrow.

LT- during pregnancy, a kidney infection is very serious so if you suspect it- call NHS 24 and they'll probably get you an emergency hospital appointment...don't piss around with bladder/kidney infections- it can cause pre term labour.

Thanks for that.

Well, no protein in urine today so she's putting it down to being as a result of the infection. The results from hospital weren't in but she's going to phone me to confirm all is ok on that front. BP was down to 90/60 so I'm not worried, all seems ok

Thanks for the advice though everyone.

Glad to see it is back down suspect it was just the situation that put it up back where you know with someone you know it is back down Us nurses are often right about these things

I must admit I'm still confused about the whole thing with BP readings.....my BP was very low on my very first hospital visit and I was mega stressed, tearful etc. as was sure I was loosing the baby, so you'd think that would make it higher???

Anyway, doesn't really matter as all is ok I just like to know how these things work and there seems to be differing opinions

Pain sometimes increases bp other times it makes it drop especially if you are also bleeding.