Preeclampsia Ladies - Question

egankn

Can you please tell me how you were diagnosed and what were your first symptoms?

 

I've been on bed rest since Wednesday with high BP with any activity, some protein in my urine (though not high after the 24 hr urine test), a bad headache, and since yesterday slightly blurred vision. They won't call it preeclampsia yet but are wondering if this is just the onset of it...

Halo79RN

same here... when I was 20 wks, I started with fluctuating pressures.. but not back... so from my norm of 90/60 up to 120s/70s.. then 28wks, n/v... mild headaches... 31wks.. I gained 7 lb suddenly and my hands puffed right up. they hurt, they'd go numb, they were huge.  I bought a size 8 fake (my rings were 5 1/2).  at my 32wk appt my b/p was in the upper 130s/upper 80s. My OB said he thought we were headed to Pree but did not diagnose it yet.  my dipstick was trace.  I was told to come in for weekly appts. by my next I was seeing stars. had blurred vision at times.swelled more.  I literally gained over 20lb from 30wk to 35wk.  my b/p steadily increased... no 24 was ordered until I was 35wks pg...  I was feeling wackadoo... like insane anxiety. I call it the Pree anxiety b/c I had it with both at the very end.  my b/p was over 140/100 and I had hyper reflexes. my dipstick was Okay... started the 24hr and it came back 1050..... then next dipstick (when I got those results) was 2 or 3+... another 24hr... 1350... next visit dipstick was 4+ and a biophysical profile was done.  started induction the next day (I was 36wk 5d)... long induction. pressures as high as 150s / 120s.... mag sulfate. the whole sha-bang. my b/p was high for over 6wks. the first 2 wks pp my diastolic was over 100... then over 90 for the next 4wk... then labile for a while.. normal by my next pg (my norm 90-100/60).  it's great they are watching you closely. just hang in there. rest.  I hope all goes smoothly.  

Karmanmsw

I am on bedrest for signs of pre-e too.  I have had it twice before in my first two pregnancies.  Sounds like you are on the route.  It is good that you were put on bedrest.  My bp started rising at 27 weeks and because of my history I was put on bedrest.  It has helped keep my pressures down, although the doctor says that it bedrest won't prevent the onset of pre-e, but if it helps with the bp, it will help keep your baby growing!  Pre-e can develop very fast so call your doctor if you are feeling worse or if you have a headache that won't go away with tyelenol or if you have visual changes!  You should be checkout out right away!  Good Luck!

DanielsWife

There are some articles/evidence that show that any form of hypertension is a form of pre-e or on the way to it.

I'm on modified bedrest b/c my BP finally crossed over into the "unacceptable" zone and I was monitored in L&D for 2+ hours after my appointment on Wednesday. There was only +1 protein in my urine and all of my bloodwork (CBC and CMP) came back normal, but they are still being super cautious, mainly b/c my mom had pre-e with me from 20w on - and had a seriously bad L&D experience (can we say BP of 210/137??). Even with the "sparks" in my sight being gone, and the intense headaches disappearing weeks ago when I quit exercise, they are still being proactive with me, talking about induction for this week.

If you are having vision issues and bad headaches, definitely get checked out right way! You don't want to mess with pre-e - it can advance rapidly and lead to seizures and stroke. 

BrainySmurfette

My BP started creeping up after 20 weeks.  It hit 150/105 at 23 weeks, and I was put on Aldomet.  It kept going up slowly, and my doctor kept increased my dose of aldomet.  (Diagnosed PIH at this point.)

At 30/31 weeks, I started getting major swelling.  I put on 30+ lbs from week 30 to week 34.

At 33 weeks, my BP spiked into the something over 100s range.  Dr added Procardia and sent me home on strict bedrest.

Over the next week, I felt super lethargic, continued swelling, and had headaches.  I also wasn't peeing much.

At 34 weeks, I had a peri appt.  My BP was 150-160/115.  I was sent to L&D where they check my urine and blood.  I was spilling massive protein, my platelets were too low, and my liver enzymes were too high.  I was diagnosed with severe pre-e and HELLP.  I was admitted for delivery that evening, and my daughter was born via c/s the next morning.

sweetpea18

I had a sudden onset of severe pre-e.  I had a dr appt on a monday and things were fine.  On Tues, I noticed I had some swelling in my feet.  On Wed, my feet were so swollen, it hurt to walk and I felt a little funny, so I took my bp at work.  It was high, so I went to the hospital for monitoring.  My bp continued to be high and I was contracting.  They checked me and I was 5cm dialated, so i was admitted.  They weren't going to stop labor, but they weren't going to encourage it either, unless something happened. At about 10 that night, my bp shot up to 140/110 and I started dropping protein in my urine, so they started the mag and pitocin.  I delivered the next afternoon. 

orthomom

I was in almost the identical situation to you with my DD 4 years ago.  I was 33 weeks PG with a BP of 180/100.  They started freaking out at the L&D and I signed emergency c-section consents and got steroids to mature her lungs.  But all the lab work came back fine and I had very acceptable levels of protein in my urine.  I was placed in the hospital twice for monitoring but never truly progressed to pre-e.  My DD was delivered at 36 weeks (was to be induced but my water broke anyway and started labor).  She was small (didn't grow at all the last 3 weeks of pregnancy) but was otherwise perfect and is perfectly healthy now.

My only difference was that I had no headache or vision issues.  I would buy an at home blood pressure monitor...that's what I did.  It helps to know if the bedrest is working.  Call your doc with any/all symptoms...especially if they worsen.  Don't panic though...stress will send your BP higher.  Everything worked out great for me.  Good luck!  For future reference...there is some data that shows taking baby Aspirin during pregnancy from the start lowers the risk of PIH and pre-e...jsut in case you have another pregnancy later.

jonsdeedee

I had bad swelling starting early - around 14 weeks.  Then at 24 weeks my BP was 150/90 and I was immediately pulled from work and put on bed rest.  I stayed on BR for the rest of my pregnancy (I delivered at 35 weeks.)  At 30 weeks my bp went up and I was sent to L&D.  A 24 hour urine showed some protein in my urine.  Then at 34 weeks, my doctors office urine test showed more, so I had to do another 24 hour urine and was told that I would have to come to the high risk doctor twice a week and the regular ob once a week and at each appt I should bring my bag because I may be admitted to the hospital.  The next appt I was admitted and I delivered the baby the next night via c-section after 29 hours of trying to get my induction to work.

 

That said - I felt perfectly fine through out my pregnancy.  The end was a bit scary as progressed to HELLP and my kidneys shutdown at one point, but until the very end I felt normal.  It made bed rest kind of hard because I didn't feel bad.

Good luck