Pre-Eclampsia Watch Dog on the loose. - Page 24

[2 in August]

Well, I went to my appt today and she has me scheduled for an induction on Friday. I had a nst today and baby is fine, my bp is still good too. So we'll have him before anything has a chance to go wrong.

[shannon0218]

Oh Jen!! That's so great!! You be sure to let us know the wee guy's stats once he's born!!
Congrats on gettiing to the end

[chilliepepper]

Hi all, I'm new here. I read pages 1-11 of this thread, and plan to read the rest when I get a chance, but I'm just wondering if someone could give me a quick checklist of things I should be talking over with my midwife/perinatologist now, given my past experience and current circumstances:

DS#1 was born last July 1. I developed severe pre-eclampsia and HELLP during labor (or at least that's what the ob claims---I wonder if I had undiagnosed pre-e before that, as DS was born full-term weighing only 5lbs5oz). Thank God, everything turned out fine. DS had great apgars, didn't spend any time in NICU, and they got my bp, platelets, etc. back to normal within a couple of days. It wasn't until reading part of this thread a couple of months later that I realized just how serious this condition was.

I had none of the symptoms, until I showed up at l&d at 40 weeks with high blood pressure (168/91; it later escalated to 180/100).

Fast forward to now, I'm 11 weeks pg with #2. I've had one appt. with a new midwife at which I told her about what happened with #1, so she referred me to the perinatologist, who I saw today. I'll be seeing him again in 2 weeks to have blood drawn and screened for the blood disorders that can predispose a person to pre-e.

Today, I forgot to ask him how often they would be doing labs on me. And now I'm just wondering, how soon do we need to start monitoring everything really closely...now? Given that I had no symptoms last time, I'm really scared that it could come on again with no warning. And when we do start monitoring, what all do we need to be looking at, and how often, etc.?

When I wondered these things aloud to my midwife at our first visit, she didn't seem to think we would be doing much extra monitoring. Should I be looking for a different midwife, or is she just leaving all that to the perinatologist?

Yesterday, I felt kind of "contractiony" all day. It felt kind of like the BH contractions I had very often from about month 5 of my first pregnancy. It got worse when I climbed the stairs, lifted DS, or had a full bladder. Today, I've felt like I've had a big rock in the pit of my stomach all day. The perinatologist said not to worry, my cervix was small on the u/s, it was probably just my bowels or who knows what. Do you agree with him, not to worry?

Well, I guess that's enough questions for now. Thanks in advance.

[gossamer]

I would suggest asking for a base line 24 hour urine and complete liver panel while it seems obvious that you don't have pre-e. I had a 24 hour urine and complete liver panerat least every trimester and an ultrasound every month with the perinatologist to make sure the baby was growing because my daughter also suffered from IUGR (Intr Uterine Growth Restriction). I think your midwife is probably expecting yout perinatologist to deal with anything that falls outside the range of an uncomplicated pregnancy.

As far as how you feel today, have you had enough water to drink, even slight dehydration can cause contractions.

Please post if you have more questions or want some clarification.
Gossamer

[taradt]

After having HELLP with my daughter. I am so thrilled to announce my new baby boy born yesterday after a very very uneventful pre-e free pregnancy

tara

[chilliepepper]

Originally Posted by gossamer

I would suggest asking for a base line 24 hour urine and complete liver panel while it seems obvious that you don't have pre-e. I had a 24 hour urine and complete liver panerat least every trimester and an ultrasound every month with the perinatologist to make sure the baby was growing because my daughter also suffered from IUGR (Intr Uterine Growth Restriction).

Thanks for answering...and by the way, like everybody else, I want to thank you for starting this thread and posting so much info. I looked at your pictures of Mary Rose and I can't even imagine. Thank you for bringing something good from such a devastating event.

Just a couple follow up questions:

I'm pretty sure my regular doctor did a complete liver panel last August when I told her I had had HELLP. That would work as a baseline, right?

Dumb question here...what is 24 hour urine? I get that it would test urine throughout the day instead of just getting one sample, but how is it done?

My insurance deductible is $2000, so I guess I'll be paying for every ultrasound out of pocket.

[gossamer]

With a 24 hour urine you take a container home, save your urine for 24 hours and then return it to the lab. It is far more accurate than a urine dip at the Dr's office. If you were not pregnant in August, that blood work would work as a baseline.

THank you for sharing my Mary Rose with me.

taradt,
caongratulations on a pre-e free pregnancy and a beautiful new healthy baby. That is the best news I could ever get.
Gossamer

[chilliepepper]

Traveling late in pregnancy?

Here's a follow up question. I'm trying to decide if we should travel for the holidays in Nov. and Dec. as is our normal custom. If we do it, it would mean flying cross-country and being on the opposite coast at around 31-32 weeks. Given the 1 in 4 chance of developing pre-e again, do you think I should stick close to my medical team here?

Last time, it didn't show up till I went into labor (as far as we know, see above post), and I think that makes it less likely that it will develop early in this pregnancy...but I know it is possible.

What do you think?

[2 in August]

Hi all,

Sorry to be MIA for so long. Ian was born 8-4-06 at 7:39. The induction took about 12 hours. My bp stayed stable the whole time so I didn't end up having mag this time (yay!!!). There were a couple scary dips in his heart rate but he was fine. He ended up with jaundice after we came home and we had a portable bili-light here at home (we just barely made the cut-off for not getting admitted to the hospital). He's nursing really well. Thanks for all the support the last couple months mommas!!!

[MicheleVet]

Thank you for this thread. I had very mild pre-e symptoms that could easily be "just pregnancy" (swelling, occasional lightening bug floaters, mild hypertension 135/95) and saw the doc. They sent me home for a 24 hr urine to return in 11 days at my next regular appt. The day I collected the urine I started feeling a little crappier and figured I had overdone it the day before trying to help paint the nursery...I was more swollen (but it was hot!) and tired and started having what I thought was gas pain in my upper abdomen (it waxed and waned like gas). I went to my regularly scheduled appt the next morning to turn in my urine and be checked out...instead, I was admitted and had an emergency C-section that night. My 24 hr urine protein level was crazy high (25g) and the pain was epigastric pain from the HELLP syndrome. My BP was 180/120 and I never had any headaches. I'm doing better now (sx was Tuesday the 22nd), and my baby boy is doing ok for a 31-weeker. It was scary to say the least.

I wanted to bump this thread, and encourage anyone who isn't sure about their symtpoms (or lack there-of sometimes) to talk with their health-care provider.

Michele

[2 in August]

Michele,
Glad to hear that you and baby are doing ok. It's scary how pre-e can sneak up on you like that. Keep us updated on your little guy. I hope he grows up big and strong so you can get him home soon.

[catgirl1007]

Hi ladies, I definitely need to join this thread! Another mama recommended it to me and I'm so glad. I'm afraid I have HELLP and that my OB's are brushing it off...

They told me that I had mild pre-e with my DD - erratic BP and swelling, never spilled urine or any other symptoms.

This time around my BP was 110/upper 60s until about 3-4 weeks ago (I'm 32 weeks PG right now). Since then it's been low 140s/mid 80s. If I lay on my left side for awhile, it goes down (that's happened twice). I'm now going weekly for NSTs. At my last 2 appts I was spilling protein into my urine - it was 1+, so they have me doing a 24 hour urine collection. I take it in tomorrow. I had blood drawn on Monday and will have another draw tomorrow. Oh, and my urine collection has been pitiful. I drank 60 ounces of water today and the collection bottle is only 1/4 full. I've urinated 6-8 times and haven't spilled any of it. What's up with that?? It's 8pm and I'll probably only go 3 more times.

So all the pre-e stuff is being monitored. I'm very concerned about this upper rt abdominal pain I've had. It started the last week of August and occurred everyday for about 1 week. I saw one of my OBs and she thought my abdominal wall was tearing from polyhydramnios (excessive fluid - which has now regulated itself). Well, I still occasionally have that pain... probably 2-3 times/week. It's a stinging/burning pain and sometimes it's so bad I have to clutch it and sit down. Today and yesterday I've also had really bad low back pain.

What do you all think? I'd appreciate any feedback/suggestions. TIA!

Gossamer ~ I'm crying over Mary Rose. I read your post and looked at her beautiful pictures. She's a precious little angel.

[gossamer]

Thank you for your kind words about Mary Rose. As high as your blood pressures are, I think you need to shake your OB and request a transfer to a high risk OB or Perinatologist. My only symptom for aobut 3 months was high bp. BY the time anybody did anything about it, It was too late and they delivered Mary Rose the first time I visited my perinatologist.
Gossamer

[catgirl1007]

Thank you, Gossamer. I'm going back today to drop off my 24 hour urine collection, meet with a nurse practitioner and get another blood draw. The two nurse practitioners there seem to be much more conservative/cautious than at least the one doc I've been the last 3 times. I'm going to talk with her and see what she can do to help. I'm also going to mention HELLP to her. BBL with hopefully a good update.

Thanks again!

[catgirl1007]

Thankfully I had a really good appt today. I went in, dropped off my 24 hour collection, a nurse drew blood and said I could leave. I asked if I was meeting with a nurse prac and she said, "no", but I insisted.

So I met with a nurse prac, told her all of my concerns, and she assured me that everything is fine. From my bloodwork on Monday she said that my liver antigens (I think that's what it was) are great. They are normal and even on the low side of normal which is good. So no sign of HELLP from the bloodwork. She said the pain that I'm feeling in my abdomen is probably from DS pushing on my diaphragm. I only had a "trace" amount of protein in my small urine sample from today and my BP was 138/86 the first time and 127/78 the second time they took it.

I feel reassured. I feel a lot better after I hear the results from my 24 hour collection tomorrow. The OB that I saw on Monday had me totally freaked out. I don't want to see him anymore.

[lenore80]

Thanks

Im a little late on this, but wanted to thank Gossamer (and everyone else) for starting this thread.

My doctor was very worried that I was about to come down with preeclampsia. I had all the symptoms of spilling protein, swelling, high liver levels, BUT I did not have the high blood pressure or headaches.

Honestly, I didnt think it was a big deal before reading this thread. I didn't have all the symptoms, and I was following the Brewer Diet. From what we understood from our birthing classes preeclampsia was rare, and it didn't happen to people who followed this diet.

We decided to induce labor August 2nd, based on the information I read from this thread and preeclampsia website. That was such a hard decision, since I was hoping for a natural childbirth. The baby's head got stuck (DH could see her head & hair) and I had an unplanned csection.

I later found out from my mother that most of my cousins have had preeclampsia. One of my aunts lost her child to this, and almost lost her own life. Is there research about this being hereditary?

Just wanted to share my story.

[gossamer]

I am so glad you and your baby survived pre-eclampsia. I am sorry you did not have the birth you wanted, but thank goodness you got to bring your baby home.

SInce you have such a strong family history of pre-e, I would suggest asking your OB-Gyn for some genetic testing to see if you have any blood clotting disorders.
Gossamer

[lenore80]

Would they be able to test me for the bloodclotting disorders? Technically I could not be diagnosed with Preeclampsia because of low bloodpressure.

[StrongSingleMama]

Wow I just found this thread. I had pre-e with my daughter and she was born at 28 weeks. I had a very severe case. I was diagnosed at 22 weeks with pre-e and spent the following 6 weeks on strict bed rest until having my daughter via emergency c-section. It was horrible. I felt so sick. Before having her I had horrible headaches that wouldn't go away, lots of pain in my rib area, very high bp, saw lots of spots, was dizzy all the time, my entire body was swollen and I gained a lot of weight very fast. I gained about 15 lbs in 3 days right before I had my daughter. After I had her my bp went up even more and I was put on 3 different bp meds plus Lasix...not to mention it was so hard to see my tiny little baby that was struggling and sick and couldn't even breathe on her own. It was such a scary experience. I am now 15 weeks preggo with my second and as I am approaching 20-22 weeks I am getting more and more nervous. I know pre-e is usually more common in first pregnancies but in my case it is hereditary. My mom had pre-e with me and I was born at 28 weeks. She also had it with my sister but made it to 38 weeks. I am REALLY hoping to have a less severe case this time if I do get it.

[gossamer]

Originally Posted by lenore80

Would they be able to test me for the bloodclotting disorders? Technically I could not be diagnosed with Preeclampsia because of low bloodpressure.

I think because of the strong family history and your experience with your first pregnancy, they would be willing to do the tests. There are a lot of mommas on the board who have been diagnosed with a blood clotting disorder after losing a child and then go on to have a full term pregnancy with proper treatment.
Gossamer