Protein in urine?

[RoadBuddy]

I just came back from my 32 week appointment and there was protein in my urine. I don't have a number, but apparently it was fairly high? My blood pressure is fine, and there were no signs of an infection in the urine sample. Right now, we're just going to check it again in two weeks.

Any idea what this could be? Reasons for concern? Things to look out for?

[RoadBuddy]

Um...yes, I did. She said we'd look again in 2 weeks and that it could be an anomoly or just dehydration, or an infection or nothing.

I was hoping someone here was familiar with this and could share their experience, either as the patient or as a friend/doula/relative/whatever of the patient. Isn't that the point of a message board? To share experiences? There are lots of threads where people ask for advice or opinions. If we all just "asked our provider" and never talked to others or researched on our own, well it wouldn't be MDC would it?

[BlackSheepPDX]

Sorry...wasn't trying to be a jerk...just sometimes people DON'T follow up/advocate for themselves in the obvious ways and come running to the Internet for not so reliable anecdotal info. The way your question was phrased made it seem like you had NO IDEA what was going on, and had just been told "we'll recheck it in two weeks."

[Bokonon]

Do you know what your blood pressure #s were?

[RoadBuddy]

Something like 115/70something. Maybe 115/76 - I don't remember the exact number, but it was not high, and wasn't unusual for me. I just checked it again (on a home cuff, the other was at the doctors) and it came out at 98/69. I think that cuff might run low, but regardless, high blood pressure does not seem to be an issue.

[Bokonon]

In your shoes, I would ask for a 24-hour urine test. They are inconvenient, but waiting 2 weeks when there may already be a problem sounds a little risky to me. It may just be nothing, but IMO it's better to know for sure. You would have to be VERY dehydrated to get more than +1 or +2 without actually spilling protein. I had a preeclampsia-diagnostic level of protein and still got negative or trace dips (though when I had +3 and +4 dips with DS, I actually spilled 6g of protein in 24 hours, which is 1g more than needed for a severe pre-e diagnosis).

[Bokonon]

I also wanted to mention that (even though the protein may have been a fluke and you'll have a normal and healthy next 8+ weeks!) sometimes with preeclampsia, you can spill protein before your BP goes up. With DS, I was dipping trace and +1 when my BPs were still 100/60ish, but I went on to deliver at 32 weeks with severe PE (including BPs of 200/110). I'm NOT saying that's what's going on with you - but the test is a screening tool for just this reason, and if the results are positive and then not followed up on, then they are kind of pointless.