postpartum hypertension anyone?

kimberm0511

I've had normal BP throughout my pregnancy. Low to normal actually. But now, ever since giving birth last Wednesday it has skyrocketed. I've been to the er twice and was tested for postpartum preeclampsia, but that was negative. I'm on BP medication, but it doesn't seem to be keeping it down. It's scaring me and I keep having anxiety attacks. Anyone else experience this?

jennybean80

I haven't experienced it myself, but I've seen patients develop it (I'm a L&D nurse). How high are your pressures? Are you having any other signs/symptoms? Headaches, visual changes (spots or blurring) or pain in the right upper abdomen are all big red flags.

kari.sandall

I was induced due to preeclampsia. It took medication and a few weeks for my BP to get back to normal. I hope it goes down soon!

eandk18

I was also induced because of preeclampsia but my bp skyrocketed even higher after giving birth. I almost didn't get discharged from the hospital.  My OB had me on 2 bp meds and a water pill.My bp went backto normal a week later.  I also lost the 30lbs of water weight I gained . Good luck, hope it goes down soon!  It's frustrating..... my OB said its bc your body still thinks its pg.

chickaboo1974

I had high BP that led to pre-e before birth and continued to have pre-e after.  I initially took 2 BP meds (Labetalol and Methyl Dopa) and a water pill.  I was discharged at 5 days post c/s with my boys in the NICU( and with orders to stay on bedrest and only visit the NICU for a hour once a day).  My BP got better on the meds.  My boys came home at 17 days old, and then 2 days later my BP started drop so I had low BP then- so we dropped the Methyl Dopa and started to wean off Labetalol (you have to do this or you will get rebounding) a week later stopped the water pill ( I had terrible swelling).  I had an episode of rebounding while weaning off Labetalol but I was off of it  3 months after delivery.

what kind of symptoms are you having? I had high BP for 3 weeks, did several 24hr urine catches that showed no protein then the last one showed protein then 2 days later I was in L&D with other symptoms (headache and vision issues).  It is not uncommon for pre-e to develop after birth- our NICU nurse was discharged and had to be readmitted (without the baby) for 5 days after delivering her son with pre-e when she had no issues while pregnant.

kimberm0511

chickaboo1974 said:

I had high BP that led to pre-e before birth and continued to have pre-e after.  I initially took 2 BP meds (Labetalol and Methyl Dopa) and a water pill.  I was discharged at 5 days post c/s with my boys in the NICU( and with orders to stay on bedrest and only visit the NICU for a hour once a day).  My BP got better on the meds.  My boys came home at 17 days old, and then 2 days later my BP started drop so I had low BP then- so we dropped the Methyl Dopa and started to wean off Labetalol (you have to do this or you will get rebounding) a week later stopped the water pill ( I had terrible swelling).  I had an episode of rebounding while weaning off Labetalol but I was off of it  3 months after delivery.

what kind of symptoms are you having? I had high BP for 3 weeks, did several 24hr urine catches that showed no protein then the last one showed protein then 2 days later I was in L&D with other symptoms (headache and vision issues).  It is not uncommon for pre-e to develop after birth- our NICU nurse was discharged and had to be readmitted (without the baby) for 5 days after delivering her son with pre-e when she had no issues while pregnant.

The only symptom I've really had is a persistent headache. It isn't even a bad headache...just always there. I've had no sleep and I've been so emotional, so that doesn't really help the headache. It does usually go away with Motrin, but comes back. No vision issues or anything like that.  I actually went to the ob today for a followup and my BP was normal in the office. I don't want to take it anymore at home because I feel like it is just stressing me out. Hopefully these meds are working since it was normal in the office. I go back next week for another followup

kimberm0511

I meant to ask...how high did everyone's get? The highest I've seen mine was 160/106. It has been hovering around 150/100 a lot. But, it seems to go down everytime I go to the ER or the office. It's so frustrating.

eandk18

Mine got to 180/100 at one point.  

4510heather

I had preecamplsia with my twins and my BP resolved within a few days after they were born.  My my singleton, I had perfect BP my entire pregnancy and then developed postpartum hypertension (160/110 was highest...hovered about 150/high 90's).  I was told that, without additional symptoms, that this was totally normal and should resolve itself within 2-3 weeks as the body started to rid itself of fluids, etc.  I was put on a very very low dose of BP meds for a few days, and it did resolve itself by about 2 weeks after delivery.  I can also say that I retained a TON of water after delivery - I came home from the hospital weighing more than the day I delivered!  I lost all but 2 pounds of my baby weight in the 2 weeks after that.