Anyone want to talk to me about high blood pressure?
dhreczuck
member
I had a regular OB appt today and my GD test. Let me preface this by saying I'm wayyyyy stressed at work, been working 12hr days since New Year's and then I work some more when I get home, this should all subside slightly by the end of this week.
My blood pressure today was 143/94. My OB was slightly concerned, I explained to her about work ect, so since I was there for the GD test, she just wanted me to retest after the hour was up to see if it went down. It did go down to 130/90, but they still want me to do the 24hr catch and come back next week for another reading and she's pushing my appts to every 2wks now.
She said worst case scenerio, she'd put me on bedrest/work from home for the rest of my pregnancy. I'm glad it went down, but those numbers could be better. I'm glad to know my OB is being super cautious, whatever I have to do to keep LO and myself healthy is more important.
Me 41 DH 46 Not actively ttc, surprise BFP on 1/6/11! 4/1/11 m/c our sunshine at 16wks after complications from CVS test. TTC #2 **5th cycle 12/6/11 BFP! Missed m/c at 9 weeks 1/21/12, trisomy 14. Two Chemical PG 3/12&7/12
** BFP 8/16/12 beta #1 148! beta#2 407 beta #3 4000 u/s 9.10 1 lovely hb 126, Baby Boy is due 04/28/13!!
Re: Anyone want to talk to me about high blood pressure?
Over-40 parents...what we lack in vigor, we make up for with cunning.
The Daily Nugget
Cycle 12, IUI #1 - 33m post wash 10/15/10 = BFN
Cycle 13, IUI #2 - 15m post wash 11/16/10 = BFP, missed m/c, D&C 1/3/11
Cycle 15 - 18, IUI #3-6 = BFN
Cycle 20, IUI #7 = BFP!, missed m/c 9/14, D&C
DE-IVF Aug. 2012: ER 8/30 11R, 7M, 4F; ET 9/4 returned 2
Beta 9/18 #1-820, #2-1699, #3-7124
10/1 1st u/s measuring right on track, 125 bpm
I had preeclampsia with my last pregnancy, so I know all about pregnancy-induced HBP. I normally have very low blood pressure though. I'm sorry you're having to go through this, but it does sound like your doc is on top of things. Although, I'm not sure bed rest really helps, but a lot of docs still prescribe it.
I second the PPs suggestion that you buy an at home monitor. Not just to see if it matches the doc's numbers, but to keep tabs on it more often than every few weeks. You can get a good one for about $60. If it spikes up, it helps to lie down on your left side. That will bring it down at least for the moment.
Melissa
Thanks Ladies, I have a cuff buried somewhere in my closet from an episode of HBP I had several years ago when I was on birth control, stopped birth control and blood pressure returned to normal in a few weeks, ever since then my primary care has monitored it and it is typically normal but anything can throw it off, lack of sleep, a cold ect. I guess it's time to dig it out.
This sounds ridiculous but it scares me to monitor at home, I'm afraid of what I'll find out! But it's clear that many of you are managing this well with medication ect, so it's best for me to be proactive. I'm kind of resigned to the fact I unfortunately inherited my dad's hbp and of course not his ridiculously high metabolism!!!
Me 41 DH 46 Not actively ttc, surprise BFP on 1/6/11! 4/1/11 m/c our sunshine at 16wks after complications from CVS test. TTC #2 **5th cycle 12/6/11 BFP! Missed m/c at 9 weeks 1/21/12, trisomy 14. Two Chemical PG 3/12&7/12
** BFP 8/16/12 beta #1 148! beta#2 407 beta #3 4000 u/s 9.10 1 lovely hb 126, Baby Boy is due 04/28/13!!
I definately notice mine is affected by alot of factors, I didn't drink much water at all before my appt today and had horrible night of sleep last night!!! Good luck Gundy, I hope its staying low, you're getting so close, time is really flying by!!!
Me 41 DH 46 Not actively ttc, surprise BFP on 1/6/11! 4/1/11 m/c our sunshine at 16wks after complications from CVS test. TTC #2 **5th cycle 12/6/11 BFP! Missed m/c at 9 weeks 1/21/12, trisomy 14. Two Chemical PG 3/12&7/12
** BFP 8/16/12 beta #1 148! beta#2 407 beta #3 4000 u/s 9.10 1 lovely hb 126, Baby Boy is due 04/28/13!!
I am getting so frustrated with my BP. Today I clocked in at 164/103. The 24 hour urines are so gross and I am sick of doing them. I have tried everything to get it down. I have handed over all of my work responsibilities. I am just an advisor now while the people taking over for me will start doing the real work. I took a relaxation class. I am on a very very low sodium diet. When I get home, I lay on the couch until DH gets dinner ready. Then I eat and lay down again. Even the BP meds don't seem to be touching it. I say that to say, don't blame yourself for your BP. Sometimes it just runs in families. My doctor did tell me that if I went on bedrest it would be hospitalized.
I feel better just getting that off of my chest. If you want to vent about your BP, I am here.
Over-40 parents...what we lack in vigor, we make up for with cunning.
Funny you mentioned this....I was sent to L&D yesterday after my OB appt. because my bp was a little high (137/97). The higher number was borderline, but the diastolic (lower #) remained high. I stayed in L&D for just an hour because while laying down and relaxing, my bp readings were perfect - 120's/70's. So I was sent home. My doctor says I'll probably be a frequent visitor to L&D. I'm being monitored for my bp from the very beginning because I developed pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH) after gving birth to DD. So I'm having to take my bp at home daily, and if I get consistent readings of of 140/90, I have to get myself to L&D. As PP said, you should get yourself a bp monitor to measure at home. I'm surprised your doctor hasn't instructed you to monitor at home. So far, my bp readings haven't been consistently high, therefore I haven't been diagnosed as hypertensive yet. My fear is developing pre-e or being put on bed rest this early. I don't mind the bp because there are ways to treat it, and hopefully bed rest will be much later. But you can't mess around with pre-e.
Me 41 DH 46 Not actively ttc, surprise BFP on 1/6/11! 4/1/11 m/c our sunshine at 16wks after complications from CVS test. TTC #2 **5th cycle 12/6/11 BFP! Missed m/c at 9 weeks 1/21/12, trisomy 14. Two Chemical PG 3/12&7/12
** BFP 8/16/12 beta #1 148! beta#2 407 beta #3 4000 u/s 9.10 1 lovely hb 126, Baby Boy is due 04/28/13!!
Make a pregnancy ticker
Hello,
I have had high blood pressure for over 2 years (obviously unrelated to my pregnancy). I can tell you with 100% certainty that being wayyy stressed will cause your BP to be high. I know others have mentioned this, but you can purchase a digital BP cuff at any drugstore (CVS, Walgreens, etc.) for $20 or so. 130/90 is considered (according to my cardiologist) to be pre-hypertension so it's something that they would want to monitor. There is BP medicine that is safe during pregnancy. I am taking one referred to as HCTZ...I forget what it stands for but a quick search on google would tell you the actual name. I was previously on Maxide but once I started TTC they changed my meds to HCTZ because it is one of a few that is safe for pregnant women. As far as doing a 24 hr catch, I'm not familiar with that but if you buy a cuff, the doctors have asked me to take my bp around the same time everyday for 5 days straight and report those to help them know if it was a fluke that one day it was high. Also, I was told to always make sure my bladder is not full before they take my BP because apparently it will read higher if you have to go to the bathroom (don't we always have to go to the bathroom during pregnancy
Also, if your BP is high when you are at a doctor's office, ask them to take it manually...I had a cardiologist tell me that the manual check is MUCH more accurate. Good luck and if there is anything you can to reduce your stress, try.
That's interesting, because my PCP took me right off of an HCTZ medication. Maybe mine was in combination with something else. Now I'm curious and want to go dig around.
The Daily Nugget
Cycle 12, IUI #1 - 33m post wash 10/15/10 = BFN
Cycle 13, IUI #2 - 15m post wash 11/16/10 = BFP, missed m/c, D&C 1/3/11
Cycle 15 - 18, IUI #3-6 = BFN
Cycle 20, IUI #7 = BFP!, missed m/c 9/14, D&C
DE-IVF Aug. 2012: ER 8/30 11R, 7M, 4F; ET 9/4 returned 2
Beta 9/18 #1-820, #2-1699, #3-7124
10/1 1st u/s measuring right on track, 125 bpm
Not all high blood pressure is related to stress. Pre-e is often a herediary condition. The manual check is not more accurate than the auto cuffs that are now available over the counter. I was an emergency cardiac nurse and I can assure you that we almost never used manual cuffs. I worked in the third highest ranked cardiac unit in the country so we knew our stuff. Taking BPs once a day is really not appropriate if pre-e symptoms are starting to emerge. To get a true indication of what is going on it needs to happen much more frequently. HCTZ is a diuretic or a water pill so it will not help all kinds of hypertension. There are more appropriate meds for those that only have high BP during pregnancy.
Rebaann,
I was originally on Maxide which I thought was the same as HCTZ but was told that Maxide contains HCTZ and something else. I know Maxide has other names too. Was told HCTZ is completely safe...definitely doesn't hurt to look into it further though.
Country Girl in the City,
You are absolutely right that NOT ALL HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE is related to Stress and if my post gave that impression, I apologize. I was not at all referring to Pre-e, I know there are other BPs that are UNRELATED to stress but know that stress absolutely CAN affect your BP so while reducing stress helps for a lot of reasons, it won't get rid of hypertension. Regarding the manual check vs auto cuffs, that is interesting to hear that they are not more accurate...it has always been in the cardiologist offices that they have used the manual vs automatic and that is where I was told manual was more accurate. Based on your experience as an emergency cardiac nurse, I'm sure you are better informed on which cuff works best. My point in mentioning the cuff initially was that it's a good idea to get one and monitor your BP regularly. As for HCTZ, you are absolutely right that it is a diuretic but it is very effective for some hypertension and has worked very well for me. My advice was not intended to tell someone to take the medicine I'm taking, but to talk to their doctor as they will give the best advice. The doctors know what is safe during pregnancy and what is not.
Rebaann,
I posted this info in another question about BP today, but there is a website called www.drugs.com that will give you info about various medications - basically just what category the drug is considered (category A, B, C, etc.) if you type in the medicine that you were on, it will say which category it is. For HCTZ, it is category B which states, "FDA pregnancy category B. HCTZ is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment. Hydrochlorothiazide can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use HCTZ without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby." I guess I'll be sure to talk to my doctor before the baby is born to determine if I should use another medicine while breast feeding. If you read something on this website that concerns you, talk to your doctor. On you and your doctor can make the best decision for you. I will say I have no medical training and my previous posts were based on my personal experiences.