Can anyone explain...How can you get Pre-e if your BP is managed and normal?

bride711

Hi ladies,

I have come to understand that you can still get Pre-e even if your BP is under control and normal.

Can anyone explain this to me so I can better understand how this can happen?

Thank you!

mrslovebug

If you start exhibiting other symptoms like swelling and protein in  your urine, it could mean that you are at risk for pre-e.  My bp has been in the normal range, but my OB says he expects it to turn into full blown pre-e any day now.  Good luck!

searcy7

 Your blood pressure goes up even when you are taking meds., you have protein in your urine, swelling, severe headaches (with pre-e). With E you have nasea/vomiting, headaches, siezures, decrease in kidney function.

Mine did not turn into pre-e well eclampsia until 2 weeks PP and my OB and the midwife warned me it probably would because after delivery my BP skyrocketed even on meds.

 So hang in there and you may not get pre-e its just that with pregnancy induced hypertension or chronic hypertension these cases just make you more suceptable I guess. I had PIH from 25 weeks on and did 2 24 hr. urines and still did not get it until after I have birth which is rare.

EmilyGrosnong

Pre-e is not just high blood pressure. Your body is basically rejecting the baby. So I was told. If your protiens are being dumped into your urine, your uric acid and creatin levels are high you have signs of pre-e. My BP has only been a little high once during this pregnancy but they still consider me pre-e and have me on bedrest.

bride711

EmilyGrosnong:

Pre-e is not just high blood pressure. Your body is basically rejecting the baby. So I was told. If your protiens are being dumped into your urine, your uric acid and creatin levels are high you have signs of pre-e. My BP has only been a little high once during this pregnancy but they still consider me pre-e and have me on bedrest.

Thank you for clarifying. The weird thing to me is that when I had PP pre-e, I had elevated BP, trace protein, and the start of HELLP. Is there a reason as to why I would have only shown trace protein and not a spillage of large amounts like 3+. Is there just different presentations of it?

The crazy and scary thing is is I had tons of swelling and everytime I asked they always said "thats just a normal part of pregnancy". I also had severe heartburn and mild headaches leading up to delivery but they just chalked them off as nothing. Then I had this crazy pain in my right upper belly under my ribs that they said was just the baby's feet. Ugh....sigh!! I think my pre-e was there all along just waiting and then all of a sudden the delivery and IVF just exaberated what was already there. It's scary to even write this as the outcome could have been dangerously worse. The symptoms of Pre-e can be so hidden in a sense. Even after delivery I was having intense neck/shoulder pain. They kept medicating me with Vicodin and complaining that I had bad posture from breastfeeding and sure enough my Pre-e presented itself full force that night. Once the pre-e went away so did the neck pain, right belly pain and the other symptoms as well.

Thank you for your post!

bride711

searcy7:

 Your blood pressure goes up even when you are taking meds., you have protein in your urine, swelling, severe headaches (with pre-e). With E you have nasea/vomiting, headaches, siezures, decrease in kidney function.

Mine did not turn into pre-e well eclampsia until 2 weeks PP and my OB and the midwife warned me it probably would because after delivery my BP skyrocketed even on meds.

 So hang in there and you may not get pre-e its just that with pregnancy induced hypertension or chronic hypertension these cases just make you more suceptable I guess. I had PIH from 25 weeks on and did 2 24 hr. urines and still did not get it until after I have birth which is rare.

I have been following your posts. How are you feeling?

EmilyGrosnong

I would deffinatly find a different OBGYN if you plan on having anymore children in the future.... because it sounds to me like they were not listening to your symptoms which were all clearly pre-e related. I had a simillar experience with DD and almost died because of their lack of attention at the doctors office. Plus I think alot of it had to do with being seen by four or five different docs that never really paid attention to my chart or what the doc the time before had written. I'm sorry you had to go through all of this. 

bride711

EmilyGrosnong:

I would deffinatly find a different OBGYN if you plan on having anymore children in the future.... because it sounds to me like they were not listening to your symptoms which were all clearly pre-e related. I had a simillar experience with DD and almost died because of their lack of attention at the doctors office. Plus I think alot of it had to do with being seen by four or five different docs that never really paid attention to my chart or what the doc the time before had written. I'm sorry you had to go through all of this. 

Dh and I have been looking at different MFM's and hospitals in our area that are more comfortable with high risk patients. It was beyond rough. Well I don't have to explain you being a fellow pre-er. But I would never want anyone to EVER have to go through what we went through. Now, where we are talking about baby#2 and doing alot of research and getting our questions and concerns I feel like I am now dealing with what really happened to me/us. I of course knew but where I was so sick I never really had to chance to face it. You know. And now I feel like that is what is happening.

How are you doing this time around? How do you cope with the fears and anxieties? What have your BP's been? Are you on meds?

 

ZAngel

I had severe pre-e and HELLP (3+, low platelet 55k, mild jaundice 24hr, etc).  The scary part... I had absolutely no physical symptoms.  I never had a problem with blood pressure, no swelling, etc.  The only reason the doctor caught it was because I had a routine doctor visit and the urinalysis showed alarming levels of protein.  The doctor thought it was a mistake but sent me to the L&D just to be sure.  She was certain I would be going home.  The next thing I knew I was going into an emergency delivery.

It is definitely important to find a doctor that will look closely at everything and not ignore anything... even if it does turn out to be nothing.  The symptoms don't always fit "the norm".