High BP & Pre-E

jrthomas14 · July 2015

I've been on twice weekly biophysical & non stress tests since 32 weeks (now 34w1d) due to mild protein levels (443) in my urine and high blood pressure (140s/90s). I've also been put on strict bedrest (which super sucks!). Our doctor has already told us that our little Lincoln will be born by at least 37 weeks, if not earlier, and I had received both steroid shots last week to inflate his lungs. He's perfectly healthy and growing like a weed.

I'm so thankful for a healthy little boy, but I'm scared that my end-of-pregnancy health will cause complications during labor. My question is: How many of you mommas had pre-e and high BP, and went on to have non-complicated natural child births (with no pain medication)? My desire is to have our little guy naturally, but I am not opposed to medical intervention if complications arise, of course. I have already asked my doctor about her take on me delivering naturally, and she has said she believes that I won't have any trouble, but this was a week before my numbers were elevated.

Sorry for such a long post. Just thought I'd reach out to you ladies for opinions and past experiences. Thanks!

carriebelle77 · July 2015

Following! I'm in a similar situation and I'm starting to freak out a bit!

Shine2015 · July 2015

I was induced last time due to high BP and pre-e. I decided to have an epidural but I see no reason why I would have needed any pain meds should I have decided to go that route. That being said, the induction did take awhile and we had to try a few different things because DS just wasn't ready yet!

ameshulsy · July 2015

Also following, in the same situation as of 2 days ago.

cg0112358 · July 2015

Not really able to answer your question since I've ended up with a c/s twice (1: breech, 2: fetal distress) but I have a suggestion that could maybe help.
I have high BP and protein in my urine 1300 mg at 24 weeks) but I've managed to control both through meds (for the BP) and diet (for the protein) so my doc has no plans to induce at this time. I recommend looking into the renal diet, it helped lower my protein levels from 1300 mg to 400 mg in 1 week and I've only registered a 1+ on the dip test at my past 2 appointments. If you're able to get your protein and BP down (renal diet is low sodium so can help bp, too) maybe your doctor will be more open into letting you go into labor on your own.

PixelPosy · July 2015

With my first I was diagnosed with mild pre-e at 36 weeks and was put on strict bed rest until 37 weeks, at which point I was induced. So I didn't have to deal with it as long, but your situation sounds very similar to mine.

You probably won't go into labor naturally, but will be induced. So if it helps, I'll share how my labor went, but with the caveat that everyone is going to respond differently to the induction drugs/methods. My experience most likely will be different from yours.

I was admitted into the hospital at 6PM on a Sunday evening to receive an overnight cervical softening drug. It is inserted like a tampon and left in. It did nothing. For some lucky women, this is enough to get labor started naturally. My body just wasn't ready yet.

I had to stay laying on my left side and was hooked up to monitors for the baby and for contractions, as well as a BP cuff that went off like every 20 minutes and was so freaking annoying to sleep with. I could not move about freely and was allowed only small breaks to change position from the point I was admitted until it was time to start pushing. This makes a big difference when you think about managing pain naturally. Not saying it can't be done of course.

Around 7AM Monday they put me on Pitocin (through an IV) to start contractions. I was kept on Pitocin for my entire labor. The amount was progressively increased over the course of that day and at 4PM not much was happening. I might have been dilated a 2 and was feeling fine. They gave me the option to stop the drugs, allow me to eat some food, and we'd start the whole process all over again that night. OR... they would break my water for me, which they said should get things moving faster. After nearly a full day of being uncomfortable on my left side with little sleep and no food, I decided to let them break my water (looks like a long plastic crochet hook). There was a gush of fluids mixed with blood which surprised me.

Things did start moving faster. I was still on Pitocin and IV fluids. By 7PM I tapped out and elected to have the epidural. Pitocin contractions are regular and hard and it was too much for me without being able to even move from my left side. I wanted a natural labor too, but the entire experience was not what I had expected at this point and I have no regrets about electing the epidural. The epidural caused my BP to drop too low, so I was given something to even that back out.

Because I was still stuck to laboring on my left side, a lot of the epidural medicine went down that left leg making it feel dead. I had zero control over it and my husband had to hold it for me while pushing. My right side though I still had feeling and manageable pain as well as control of the leg. Around 2 AM I was finally dilated enough to start pushing. It took 3.5 hours to push her out, she was face up.

I spiked a fever while pushing and was given antibiotics and told that the baby would be taken to NICU as soon as she was born to monitor for infection. I was also told at this point I was being given 30 more minutes to push her out on my own or was headed for a c-section. I was really tired and the pain on the right side was getting to me, so I asked if I could turn up the epidural, which the doctor agreed to. Thankfully the relief allowed me some good pushes and she was born vaginally. She also thankfully did not have an infection and was discharged from the NICU before I was even discharged.

I was told to keep to a wheelchair for the first day for any trips down to the NICU to see baby and was put on BP drugs for the 6 weeks post delivery. At which point my blood pressure returned to normal. I remember feeling awesome after birth, with so much more energy. I didn't realize how off I was feeling.

Good luck guys. I am interested to know if you do make it pain med free, what helped you get through it without being able to move freely.

carriebelle77 · July 2015

Just got put on bed rest due to pre-eclampsia.....totally bummed! Was hoping for a VBAC this time, but my chances aren't looking good.

jrthomas14 · July 2015

Thank you, ladies, for taking time to read my post and respond. I hope that for those of us who are dealing with this, that it all turns out the way we desire. And, in the end, all that matters is our healthy babies.

jrthomas14 · July 2015

carriebelle77 said:
Just got put on bed rest due to pre-eclampsia.....totally bummed! Was hoping for a VBAC this time, but my chances aren't looking good.

love your heart. I'm hoping for the best for you!

jrthomas14 · July 2015

PixelPosy said:
With my first I was diagnosed with mild pre-e at 36 weeks and was put on strict bed rest until 37 weeks, at which point I was induced. So I didn't have to deal with it as long, but your situation sounds very similar to mine.

You probably won't go into labor naturally, but will be induced. So if it helps, I'll share how my labor went, but with the caveat that everyone is going to respond differently to the induction drugs/methods. My experience most likely will be different from yours.

I was admitted into the hospital at 6PM on a Sunday evening to receive an overnight cervical softening drug. It is inserted like a tampon and left in. It did nothing. For some lucky women, this is enough to get labor started naturally. My body just wasn't ready yet.

I had to stay laying on my left side and was hooked up to monitors for the baby and for contractions, as well as a BP cuff that went off like every 20 minutes and was so freaking annoying to sleep with. I could not move about freely and was allowed only small breaks to change position from the point I was admitted until it was time to start pushing. This makes a big difference when you think about managing pain naturally. Not saying it can't be done of course.

Around 7AM Monday they put me on Pitocin (through an IV) to start contractions. I was kept on Pitocin for my entire labor. The amount was progressively increased over the course of that day and at 4PM not much was happening. I might have been dilated a 2 and was feeling fine. They gave me the option to stop the drugs, allow me to eat some food, and we'd start the whole process all over again that night. OR... they would break my water for me, which they said should get things moving faster. After nearly a full day of being uncomfortable on my left side with little sleep and no food, I decided to let them break my water (looks like a long plastic crochet hook). There was a gush of fluids mixed with blood which surprised me.

Things did start moving faster. I was still on Pitocin and IV fluids. By 7PM I tapped out and elected to have the epidural. Pitocin contractions are regular and hard and it was too much for me without being able to even move from my left side. I wanted a natural labor too, but the entire experience was not what I had expected at this point and I have no regrets about electing the epidural. The epidural caused my BP to drop too low, so I was given something to even that back out.

Because I was still stuck to laboring on my left side, a lot of the epidural medicine went down that left leg making it feel dead. I had zero control over it and my husband had to hold it for me while pushing. My right side though I still had feeling and manageable pain as well as control of the leg. Around 2 AM I was finally dilated enough to start pushing. It took 3.5 hours to push her out, she was face up.

I spiked a fever while pushing and was given antibiotics and told that the baby would be taken to NICU as soon as she was born to monitor for infection. I was also told at this point I was being given 30 more minutes to push her out on my own or was headed for a c-section. I was really tired and the pain on the right side was getting to me, so I asked if I could turn up the epidural, which the doctor agreed to. Thankfully the relief allowed me some good pushes and she was born vaginally. She also thankfully did not have an infection and was discharged from the NICU before I was even discharged.

I was told to keep to a wheelchair for the first day for any trips down to the NICU to see baby and was put on BP drugs for the 6 weeks post delivery. At which point my blood pressure returned to normal. I remember feeling awesome after birth, with so much more energy. I didn't realize how off I was feeling.

Good luck guys. I am interested to know if you do make it pain med free, what helped you get through it without being able to move freely.

sounds like you had quite an eventful birth. thankful for a healthy baby and returned energy though.

jrthomas14 · July 2015

cg0112358 said:
Not really able to answer your question since I've ended up with a c/s twice (1: breech, 2: fetal distress) but I have a suggestion that could maybe help.
I have high BP and protein in my urine 1300 mg at 24 weeks) but I've managed to control both through meds (for the BP) and diet (for the protein) so my doc has no plans to induce at this time. I recommend looking into the renal diet, it helped lower my protein levels from 1300 mg to 400 mg in 1 week and I've only registered a 1+ on the dip test at my past 2 appointments. If you're able to get your protein and BP down (renal diet is low sodium so can help bp, too) maybe your doctor will be more open into letting you go into labor on your own.

thank you for the suggestion on the renal diet. I'll definitely check it out!

jrthomas14 · July 2015

Shine2015 said:
I was induced last time due to high BP and pre-e. I decided to have an epidural but I see no reason why I would have needed any pain meds should I have decided to go that route. That being said, the induction did take awhile and we had to try a few different things because DS just wasn't ready yet!

I've heard induction slows down the process. hope things go better this time around

daniellepanda · July 2015

If your dr is telling you that you will deliver before 37 weeks that means they intend induction due to the pre-e. I had signs of pre-e from 22 weeks on with my son and was finally induced at 38 weeks due to the pre-e. They tried to induce me earlier but I refused because I did not feel it was nessasary. Like the PP mentioned pitocin induced contractions are no joke. I also had the epi because you are pretty much stuck to the bed with that.

they ended up having to break my water as well, but I never progressed past 4cm after 24 hours from breaking my water. I was exhausted as it had been 2 days on pitocin and magnesium at that point and they gave me a c/s. I don't regret it because my son was perfectly healthy and within a day of delivery I was fine again with the exception of healing from surgery. I will be going into this birth knowing there is many things I have absolutely no control over and that's ok as long as both of us are ok in the end, how they get here really doesn't matter as much anymore. Planning for a vbac since I have no pre-e signs this pregnancy and I'm already at 36 weeks this weekend but you never know, things could change! Best of luck !

jrthomas14 · July 2015

daniellepanda said:
If your dr is telling you that you will deliver before 37 weeks that means they intend induction due to the pre-e. I had signs of pre-e from 22 weeks on with my son and was finally induced at 38 weeks due to the pre-e. They tried to induce me earlier but I refused because I did not feel it was nessasary. Like the PP mentioned pitocin induced contractions are no joke. I also had the epi because you are pretty much stuck to the bed with that. they ended up having to break my water as well, but I never progressed past 4cm after 24 hours from breaking my water. I was exhausted as it had been 2 days on pitocin and magnesium at that point and they gave me a c/s. I don't regret it because my son was perfectly healthy and within a day of delivery I was fine again with the exception of healing from surgery. I will be going into this birth knowing there is many things I have absolutely no control over and that's ok as long as both of us are ok in the end, how they get here really doesn't matter as much anymore. Planning for a vbac since I have no pre-e signs this pregnancy and I'm already at 36 weeks this weekend but you never know, things could change! Best of luck !

I assumed I would be induced, but I'd rather not have an epidural or any pain medicine. But I'm not against medical intervention if my BP starts raising and causes problems for my little guy. Just hoping I can keep it down. Thanks! And good luck to you, as well!!

jesicabrennan · July 2015

Mine was easy but I think I'm the exception not the rule. I was induced at 38 weeks for preeclampsia. I was not dilated at all so at midnight they gave me a pill called Miso that is just supposed to thin and ripen your cervix so pitocin could be administered in the morning (I was told pitocin works best if you're dilated to at least a 3). The miso did what it was supposed to as 4 hours later my water broke and I was basically in labor on my own. I labored with no meds of any sort for the next 24 hours at which point I broke down from exhaustion and asked for the epidural because I was only dilated to a 6. I had the epi and pitocin to keep labor going, slept for 3 hours then woke up to push the baby out. Pushing only took 45 mins and I had no tearing. Not short by any means at 29 hours but considering it was an induction at 38 weeks it went really well! I hope something similar can happen for you, good luck!

sjra1028 · July 2015

I'm in the same situation and will deliver in 2 weeks. No info on having a natural birth bc I'll be having cesarean. I just wanted to say good luck and you're in my thoughts!

jrthomas14 · July 2015

jesicabrennan said:
Mine was easy but I think I'm the exception not the rule. I was induced at 38 weeks for preeclampsia. I was not dilated at all so at midnight they gave me a pill called Miso that is just supposed to thin and ripen your cervix so pitocin could be administered in the morning (I was told pitocin works best if you're dilated to at least a 3). The miso did what it was supposed to as 4 hours later my water broke and I was basically in labor on my own. I labored with no meds of any sort for the next 24 hours at which point I broke down from exhaustion and asked for the epidural because I was only dilated to a 6. I had the epi and pitocin to keep labor going, slept for 3 hours then woke up to push the baby out. Pushing only took 45 mins and I had no tearing. Not short by any means at 29 hours but considering it was an induction at 38 weeks it went really well! I hope something similar can happen for you, good luck!

thank you so much for your story! i hope to have a similar experience

jrthomas14 · July 2015

sjra1028 said:
I'm in the same situation and will deliver in 2 weeks. No info on having a natural birth bc I'll be having cesarean. I just wanted to say good luck and you're in my thoughts!

I'll be delivering in 2.5 weeks. good luck to YOU!!!!

katehenton623 · July 2015

I'm in the same boat. I saw my maternal fetal medicine doc last week and he said everything looked pretty good but to watch my bp at home and if the diastolic got to 100 (I'm having twins so it's allowed to be slightly higher) to let my regular office know. I went in the next day for my regular appointment and they admitted me for observation and now I have a mild pre-e diagnosis with bedrest. I had the steroid shot for the boys' lung development and was told that our goal is 36 weeks (we are at 34 and 4 days). I have had a really healthy pregnancy so this blindsided me. We were also planning a super laid back natural birth and I am terrified of induction and mag sulfate. I'm a control freak and this is so far from my comfort zone and our original plan. Glad to know I'm not the only one!

jrthomas14 · July 2015

katehenton623 said:
I'm in the same boat. I saw my maternal fetal medicine doc last week and he said everything looked pretty good but to watch my bp at home and if the diastolic got to 100 (I'm having twins so it's allowed to be slightly higher) to let my regular office know. I went in the next day for my regular appointment and they admitted me for observation and now I have a mild pre-e diagnosis with bedrest. I had the steroid shot for the boys' lung development and was told that our goal is 36 weeks (we are at 34 and 4 days). I have had a really healthy pregnancy so this blindsided me. We were also planning a super laid back natural birth and I am terrified of induction and mag sulfate. I'm a control freak and this is so far from my comfort zone and our original plan. Glad to know I'm not the only one!

hopefully everything will work out for you

I also had a smooth pregnancy & this has made me feel like I've done something wrong, but the doctor assured me that it happens to even the healthiest women. best of luck to you, dear

erinmh88 · July 2015

I'm 33 weeks and one day..no protein in urine but the baby hasn't moved as much today... my.blood pressure.is.high.. was 140/93 & 30 Min. later was 144/101 ... I was told bed.rest and come.to l&d if.I.need to... idk if I.should go. I'm worried.. not about myself but my baby.

royn3819 · July 2015

Am in the same situation, have been monitored closely and my Dr has made the decision to induce me at 37 weeks which will be the 14th of July. I have high BP, the only thing that would make the date change would be if my son decides to come early himself or my BP rises. I'm nervous only 9 days left!!

jrthomas14 · July 2015

erinmh88 said:
I'm 33 weeks and one day..no protein in urine but the baby hasn't moved as much today... my.blood pressure.is.high.. was 140/93 & 30 Min. later was 144/101 ... I was told bed.rest and come.to l&d if.I.need to... idk if I.should go. I'm worried.. not about myself but my baby.

I surely hope everything turns out ok. My BP is usually in the 140s/90s even while taking medicine. My protein did go from 443 to 185 after being on bedrest. Hopefully bedrest will help you, as well. It sucks, but it makes me feel better to know our little one is doing so well. Good luck!!

jrthomas14 · July 2015

royn3819 said:
Am in the same situation, have been monitored closely and my Dr has made the decision to induce me at 37 weeks which will be the 14th of July. I have high BP, the only thing that would make the date change would be if my son decides to come early himself or my BP rises. I'm nervous only 9 days left!!

We'll be induced on the 22nd at 37 weeks! I just told my husband we had 17 days left. He freaked a little

Good luck and I hope everything goes great!

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