x-post: please help me figure out what these funky late pregnancy symptoms mean

[josephine_e]

okay, i'm going to ask about this here and x-post it in the "childbirth professionals" section. i'm really at a loss, here.

so, right before i went into labor with ds, i started having some really strange symptoms. i started seeing halos around things as well as some little sparkley dots floating around. i also started getting disoriented, mixing up my words (i was hanging out with dh and my little brother, i called db by dh's name and couldn't figure out how to finish my sentences). i went home and laid down for a little while and started feeling better. but i was still feeling a little "fuzzy" and ds wasn't moving around as much as he usually did, so i decided to play it safe and go into the ER. by the time we got there and got checked in, i was pretty much feeling fine, except for a slight headache. they ran a gazillion tests on me. 18 vials of blood, CAT scan, heart ultrasound, etc., and came back with nothing. they said that those could be minor stroke symptoms, but that didn't look like it was the issue. they also said that they could be migraine symptoms -- i don't know, i've never even gotten headaches, really, let alone migraines! i went home the next afternoon and that night i went into labor. i didn't experience these symptoms again until about two or three weeks ago when i started getting them, but much less severe. i just went home and laid down and was fine.

today i got a little bit of the sparkley stuff in front of my eyes, but none of the other stuff. i feel like it has something to do with blood flow(?). i've been up-ing my iron (lots of spinach smoothies, alfalfa, red meat, rasberry leaf/nettle tea, etc.) and protein and water over the past few weeks. my blood pressure has been fine (just took it: 104/65) and other than that i've felt great. the baby is moving normally and is in a good position (just had that double checked this morning by a former OB -- just as i thought: back against my left side, feet sticking out the right, head down).

has anyone had this experience in later pregnancy? any ideas? it isn't something that i'm particularly concerned about -- that is, i don't feel that there's any emergency going on, but i would like to figure out what's going on here!

tia!

[Jane]

sparklies, headache, stomach-ish pain, high blood pressure, swelling, esp. facial swelling, decreased urine, decreased fetal movement - all these can be signs of pre-eclampsia. Although your low blood pressure is reassuring (how'd you take that - some accurate way, I hope) pre-e can happen with low blood pressures. Do call your midwife tomorrow ASAP. Your good health can be accertained pretty easily with a few blood tests and some more questions - and onward to a happy pregnany.
Any "worst headache eva" is sometime to page over, IMO. Heck, just the sparklies is on my "page" list.

[nashvillemidwife]

I would also be very concerned about preeclampsia. Just because the presentation isn't typical doesn't mean it isn't a presentation. The other signs and symptoms may be lurking just around the corner.

[balancedmama]

Yep, I'd go ahead and get checked out.

[josephine_e]

thank you for the advice. i'm UP/UC, so i'm actually currently not employing a midwife (though i do have access to one about an hour and a half away if i feel i need her help).

i've been researching my butt off about pre-eclampsia over the past two days. based on what i've been able to find, i don't feel (right now) that i'm at risk for pre-e, but i will be sure to keep an eye out over the next weeks. i've also been doing research on migraines and am starting to think these symptoms are hormone related migraines.

sparklies, headache, stomach-ish pain, high blood pressure, swelling, esp. facial swelling, decreased urine, decreased fetal movement - all these can be signs of pre-eclampsia.

i don't have any of these symptoms (or any other pre-e symptoms i've been able to find) other than the sparklies, which are also symptoms of migraines.

Although your low blood pressure is reassuring (how'd you take that - some accurate way, I hope)

i'm not really sure what you mean. i took my bp like i always take my bloodpressure: with an electronic bloodpressure cuff from the medical supply store.

Any "worst headache eva" is sometime to page over, IMO.

actually, i only had a slight headache when this happened the first time (in my last pregnancy), and none this time. which is why migraines seemed so unlikely to me. after doing some research, though, i now realize that migraines aren't necessarily painful.

anyway, thank you all again for your help. i've gained a lot of info about pre-e and will be keeping a close eye out in case i do start to develop worrisome symptoms.

[Jane]

I wasn't trying to imply you didn't take your BP right, I just know that the Walmart machine is often inaccurate. If you're gonna use a measurement to make a decision, it needs to be an accurate number - not one with a too-small cuff, or the walmart machine. I suspect your BP cuff takes nice, accurate measurements.

I didn't know you were UP. Sorry to sound like I was telling you to find a midwife. It's nice you have someone in mind if you need one.

[nutritionistmom]

I suffer regularly from migraine and those are classic symptoms you're describing so that was my instinctive response. Do be cautious though, as people have pointed out, the symptoms may also fit pre-e.