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Swelling?

post #1 of 16
3/29/06 at 3:12pm
Thread Starter 
I've noticed my hands and ankles/feet are swelling a LOT lately -- way worse than a week ago even, and I've gained like 3 lbs in one week?!? I thought you were sposed to LOSE weight at the end?

When I went to the m/w last week my BP was really low (second # was like 60).

Is the swelling normal? What about the weight? I'm afraid it might be pre-eclampsia but have no clue what high BP feels like. I see my m/w tomorrow but after last night's tummy trauma I'm paranoid.

Would you be worried? I'm 38w1d.
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post #2 of 16
3/29/06 at 3:44pm
That's an easy one. Worrying will increase your BP - so don't do it! If there's something wrong, your mw will tell you tomorrow. Until then, worrying won't do you any good.
post #3 of 16
3/29/06 at 3:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Citykid
That's an easy one. Worrying will increase your BP - so don't do it! If there's something wrong, your mw will tell you tomorrow. Until then, worrying won't do you any good.
:

DRINK!

Ok, drinking and RR seem to be my answers to everything........
post #4 of 16
3/29/06 at 4:15pm
I agree - don't worry! I think swelling is pretty normal, and I have heard that is does not necessarily mean pre-eclampsia unless it is accompanied by other symptoms of pre-eclamp (blurred vision, headaches, high blood pressure, protein in the urine, etc).

I am also suffering from swollen ankles and feet. Sometimes, I fear I am going to outgrow my shoes. Because I have been having trouble sleeping laying down, I find myself sleeping sitting up and then waking with extra swollen hands and feet.

Make it a practice to put your feet up a few hours each day.

It will be over soon!
post #5 of 16
3/29/06 at 4:31pm
Forgot to mention - I just bought 2 new pairs of bigger shoes yesterday myself. So what? We're carrying a lot of extra blood and it pools at the extremities, especially for those of us with hereditary poor circulation. I saw my mw the day before yesterday and she wasn't concerned at all.
post #6 of 16
3/29/06 at 5:11pm
Lots of women get very swollen in their extremeties in the last few weeks of pregnancy with no BP problems. As long as it isn't SEVERE sudden swelling, is only in your hands and feet, you can't see an indent that stays when you push in on the swollen part and isn't accompanied by any other warning signs I think its fine to wait to see your MW tommorrow. My BP is normal (after my little panic attack in the MWs office last week that made it high) and I'm fairly puffy in my hands and feet. I find drinking very large quantities of water does help, as does resting with my feet up, avoiding processed foods and taking epsom baths. I gained 4lbs this week (which does only put my pregnancy total at 8lbs though ) which my MW said is all baby and fluid and completely normal. Some of us are just more prone to that annoying swelling! My MIL (a former RN) swears that alot of women swell in the couple weeks right before they have their babies so hopefully that means that we will both be having our little ones soon!
post #7 of 16
3/29/06 at 5:16pm
I have just started swelling a lot too. My shoes are feeling tight. I know for me staying away from salty food and too much junk food helps. I think its normal to get poofy in the last weeks. ICK.
post #8 of 16
3/29/06 at 5:31pm
I've been swollen since 34 weeks when the baby dropped. Actually, it's wierd, but my swelling and foot pain (it hurts to feel like my skin is stretching that much) have decreased now.

My midwife said as long as I don't get swelling in my hands not to worry. Baths and exercise (for circulation) help. I elevate my feet all the time. And I have horrible medium grade compression hose I'm wearing now, as I'm hoping to decrease my ankle size to be able to wear something with a strap around my ankle this weekend. UGH... They are really hard to get on the first time.

Like other people said drink a lot. Watch out for salt and junk food too.

Good luck!
post #9 of 16
3/29/06 at 5:50pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks, everyone. I'll try to follow the advice here and to not to worry about it.

I think I was just still freaked out because I had such a bad night. But I've been taking it really easy today (long epsom soak, eating healthy, light foods, etc.) and have my feet propped up so I think it'll be okay.

Thanks for the reassurances.
post #10 of 16
3/29/06 at 6:28pm
EAT SALT, eat protein, drink water, put feet up. I have major swelling for the past while too, so hang in there! I was gaining 3.5 lbs/week for a few weeks there, it was scary!!!
post #11 of 16
3/29/06 at 8:12pm
Wait now... you're supposed to eat salt? I'm so confused.
post #12 of 16
3/29/06 at 8:37pm
¥es, most definitely, salt regulates water levels and if you don't have enough you get fluid retention and high blood pressure, so it's very important to salt your food to taste. Tom Brewer, an MD who did a lot of research on pre-eclampsia said that salt, water and protein were the most important things for pregnant women to have free access too to avoid PIH.
post #13 of 16
3/29/06 at 9:26pm
Thread Starter 
I knew about the salt thing (I feel bad for mamas who limit it only to find it worsens their swelling), but Becca made a comment on pushing in and it leaving an indention and I just tried it, and it does on my ankles

When you push in it stays in for a couple seconds.

That can't be good. But no fuzzy vision nor blinding headaches (bit headachy off and on but not terrible ones).

Though I do feel flushed a lot. But I assumed that was because i'm GINORMOUSLY FAT AND PREGNANT :

*laughs*

Anyway, I'll see at the m/w tomorrow -- I've had trace amounts of protein in my urine the last two visits but the nurse was quite unconcerned about it and made some comment about iron even at one point so I assumed it was part of the whole being anemic/taking loads of iron supplements thing and kind of blew it off.

I'll see what she says though about the indention thingy.
post #14 of 16
3/29/06 at 9:59pm
Oh another thing is magnesium supplements . They are also good for swelling and high blood pressure. I've had trace protein in my urine the last visit, not the previous one, but the one before that.
post #15 of 16
3/29/06 at 10:17pm
Swelling suddenly here, too! (((((HUGS))))) sandi
post #16 of 16
3/29/06 at 10:44pm
I'm swelling a lot in the past couple weeks too, and quite a bit more in the past few days. I'm out of most of my shoes and took my rings off. Just as it's getting warmer and my legs and feet look like hell, and my pregnancy shoes are little summer slides that are the only thing I can be comfortable in! How glorious. Blah!!

Marian