Borderline high blood pressure?

katsunderthestars

Yesterday went for wk 34 checkup & my blood pressure was 148/80, which they said was borderline high.  So, they laid me on my left side for 2 min & it immediately went down to 130/70.  They said it was fine & happens often in the 3rd trimester.  They said just to keep an eye out for common high blood pressure symptoms, but I'm afraid I won't catch the symptoms & it'll keep increasing...  Anyone have this happen at a checkup?

CCLow87

I had toxemia with my first and had this at every appointment from 30 weeks on. I ended up delivering early because of toxemia, not just BP, at 38 weeks. 

With my daughter, it was crazy high at 39 weeks and nothing could get it down so I was induced that day.

id say it's a good sign that it came down with your Position change! If you are concerned, run by CVS and pick up an at home cuff. 

Christine&Chris

You can easily pick up a home monitoring cuff to ease your mind. Just be sure to get one that fits correctly and use it correctly. A tight cuff or using it wrong can result in artificially high numbers. Also, in the doctor's office, my pressures can change based on who is doing the reading so you can always ask to have doc recheck it at the end of your visit if it was high in the beginning when a nurse/MA did it.


You can also ask your Dr. what IS high....my understanding was getting readings consistently 15-20 points above your pre-pregnancy baseline as being "high." So, if you were 120/80 you would be high at 135+/95+, if you got those numbers a couple times over an hour or two. Only one of those numbers has to be "high" to be concerning, but my doc does focus on the diastolic number.  

meg_2006

Mine was high with DS and it would jump even higher at appointments. They said it could be just from the effort of walking in, or just the "anxiety" of having an appointment or knowing my BP was being checked.  Keep any eye out for major swelling and headaches. You can't miss those symptoms!

FutureMrsCaesar

I would pickup an at home monitoring cuff like others have suggested.  I was able to borrow one from my Grandma for the next few weeks, but it's nice to be able to check my BP when I'm feeling 'off.'  Also my cousin had to lie on her left side for 10 minutes before having her blood pressure checked at basically every appointment, otherwise it would be high and her blood pressure never got out of control.  I think it can become kind of a cycle where you know they are going to take it, so then you wory about it being high, which stresses you out and makes it higher, etc. But if you're monitoring at home and know it's fine, it should ease your fears at the Dr.

katsunderthestars

Thanks for the replies!  I ordered a cuff on amazon, so hopefully that will ease my worries!  

amaniupendo

Mine was high at the end unless I was laying down. I went for more frequent appointments but was not ever induced (had I gone past 40w maybe they would've induced?). I would recommend a cheap monitor to check at home just for peace of mind. Mine isn't high yet but I still check at least once a day after last time.

Uscdrea05

Nothing new to add to what the others have said, but I'm in the same boat. Have chronic hypertension so they've been monitoring me closely through the pregnancy. Went down during the first two trimesters, but within the past week or so has skyrocketed (I'm currently 35 weeks and they are planning to induce at 39 weeks because of the chronic hypertension). I went for an NST yesterday and they almost had to send me to L&D because my BP was 140/102. She had me lay on my left side and took it continuously while I was doing the test and it came down to normal levels (120/80). I monitor at home as well and this morning (after sleeping on my side all night) it was 109/79. So while we can't necessarily mimic being on our side for the rest of the pregnancy, it certainly helps to do it as much as possible. 

bntfroggie

katsunderthestars said:

Thanks for the replies!  I ordered a cuff on amazon, so hopefully that will ease my worries!  

The doctor will probably want you to bring in the cuff so they can make sure it is calibrated.  Mine did when I was diagnosed with hypertension.

BrooksMommy33

Nothing much to add, except that although a cuff is good to have, it could also wear and tear on  your anxiety and sanity. I got one this past week and for the first two days I monitored every hour to every 30 minutes depending on my reading. Each time I read it was extremely high, but I would be so anxious for a good reading that it never went down and sometimes there was no good reason, it just did not go down. In the end I was put on bed rest for the rest of my pregnancy I am currently 34 weeks. The nurse just advised me to take it first thing in the morning and when I am feeling 'off'. If the bottom number reads anywhere from 98-105 for a long period of time, I have an unmanageable headache that won't go away with medicine or sleep or if my swelling gets out of control is when I was told to worry and to go to the hospital. 

irenewslee

I am starting to get to the borderline.  I started swelling since last week and I know that the next thing for me is my bp.  Sure enough... my heart rate was at 82 when I woke up first thing this morning (I'm usually around 65-70).  I called my OB (she told me to watch out for this since I had the same situation much earlier during the last pregnancy).  She basically said call her if it gets over 90 and keep monitoring it at least 3 times a day.  I won't see her until the 22nd (currently at 33 weeks). 

I don't bring my cuff to work but my phone has the heart rate check function, I know it's not the most accurate thing but at least a reference for me and a reminder to relax and not get too excited (or mad) at work. 

bchalm

I'm 36 weeks and a similar situation. I'm a ftm and my bp was 147/98 at my appointment. As soon as they laid me on my side for 15 minutes it went down. They told me the same thing, if I notice symptoms go lay down. They said it's really only a concern if laying down on my left side doesn't help and the high numbers are consistent. 

Conky3000

I've read that having a full bladder can cause a temporary increase in bp readings as well, so make sure you pee first!

rosieschmozie

Hiya! Well... as a mom who's just delivered at 35+5 due to pre-eclampsia, I would advise to look out for other symptoms like swelling (especially of the face), protein in urine, any headache, visual disturbances and/or feeling ill in general. I started off with a borderline high bp and ended up in the hospital a week later because it kept creeping up to 150/110. 
If you don't have any other symptoms, don't worry about it too much. It's a normal thing in pregnancy and unless combined with other symptoms will not mean any consequences. Do keep an eye on yourself and go to each appointment. Is your urine being checked? Or your reflexes?

Contact someone if your gut feeling tells you something is off (mine told me and I was right). 

And don't stress too much!  

elledriver88

I went to the hospital last week because my doc said to go if my bp went over 150/90. Well when I arrived at the hospital it was 163/97, I was shocked that it could go that high! I mentally prepared myself to be induced but somehow it went down after a few hours.

The doctor at the hospital gave me some advice that contradicted what my OB told me, he said I shouldn't use the pharmacy bp tester because the results can be off. Instead he wrote me a prescription for a cuff to use at home. Does anyone know why the pharmacy machines are no good? My OB specifically told me when I asked that they are reputable.

schweitz

At my last appointment they said my bp was high and they wanted me to check it over the weekend and report back. I took it yesterday and it was 125/89!!! I'm wondering if having a cold is what's affecting it so much... I'm actually going to call them now and report it to them because they asked me to and it is kind of worrying...

*update*

They said very possible it's from being sick and that blood pressure will rise slightly towards the end of pregnancy. I don't have to be concerned unless it gets in the 130's over 90's I guess. I was told taking a warm shower I think can help lower it as well.

J234

I had high bp last pregnancy and they said oh, just keep an eye on it... if it gets over 140 or 90, call us.  Friday it went up and stayed up (143,) I called and they sent me to L&D for testing/monitoring!  Went home, rested all weekend and had a follow up appt. today.  First reading was 140/80. It went down, so they are going to have me do the 24 hour test before deciding anything else.