My pre-eclampsia is beginning....

[kimberlylibby]

I am so sad, but it's okay.

I knew that I had a very high risk of getting it due to how severe I had it with my first pg.

I am getting major swelling with edema at night.... yesterday was the first day I had it and today is already just as bad at 5:30, so I am intelligent enough to know this is how it starts.... just like last time..... it gets so bad at night I can't move my toes because the swelling is so bad!!

I am glad I learned to knit... now I will sit in bed all day long (dh is a teacher and will be home starting next Monday) and knit the day away.....

Kimberly

[Trishy]

I don't have pre-e, nor did I have it with my previous two pregnancies but my feet and legs have been very swollen for over a month now. I try to drink as much fluid as I can, avoid caffeine, put my feet up when I sit and try to lay down a couple of times a day. I can tell when I overdo things because I start to loose feeling in a couple of my toes and I just force myself to lay down for a couple of hours so it gets better.

[kimberlylibby]

I can keep hoping mine doesn't turn into pre-e, but I'm having other questionable things that are making me think it's coming... like a big bad nasty freight train...

it's good to hear that others get the swelling this early and DON'T develop pre-e though!

[Solange]

:hug Kimberly
I hope it does not end up to be pre-e..take good care of yoruself and let hubby do some TLC.. I am glad he will be home

[shine]

You might want to try this. Don't know if you've seen it before. Anne Frye recommends it in her "Holistic Midwifery" textbook.

http://www.blueribbonbaby.org/ifyouarepregnant/4-goodnutrition.shtml

The theory is that more protein is needed to help your body build up your blood supply. There is a physiological theory behind this.

Good luck to you.

[mommycaroline]

I'd do some research, if you can, while you keep those tootsies up! I've been reading that swelling is *not* a sign of pre-eclampsia, until you are well into kidney failure. Swelling is just normal for some women. And, it could be coincidental that you're having it again.

Don't give up hope! And, don't let a doctor tell you the only answer. You always have choices. You just have to make the ones that you can live with. If you don't like the choices your doctor gives you, there are plenty more.

I'm struggling against bad odds myself, and I'm finding that I'm getting better at it the more I practice. You can do this!

[rochellep3]

I had pre-eclampsia with number 1, and swelling with NO pre-eclampsia with #2, so I know just how scary this can be! Definitely try to up your protein ala blue ribbon baby, and push the fluids. For me, Gatorade helped a ton. My midwife wasn't super thrilled about it, but it has less sugar than juice (though it's less natural too, of course!) You could always drink Propel instead, or make your own concoction to balance your electrolytes. And I was super thrilled with the results-NO bad urine samples, NO rise in blood pressure, NO headaches, less swelling, and NO 8 pounds a week weight gains like the first time.

So far, so good this time, and I haven't even been watching my diet as well, though I am much more accustomed to eating a high protein diet now.

Both babies were 8 lb 8 oz, delivered after 12+ hour labors, happy and healthy, but #2 was born at home, not induced, and noone was freaking out like the staff was when #1 was born!

Good luck to you! Try and keep a positive attitude-it really helps with the blood pressure :thumb

Rochelle
Mommy to Meg 5/00, Peter 6/02, #3 due 08/04

[tboroson]

I've got my fingers crossed that it doesn't turn into pre-e for you! :hug Last time 'round, I had a *ton* of water retention, starting right about 26-28 weeks, and was worrying one of my midwives. But, it never became pre-e. For all that one midwife worried it, she assured me that without high protein in my urine, it couldn't be pre-eclampsia. And I never spilled high protein. This time 'round, I'm starting to feel a little bit of water retention - I'm not wearing my rings much anymore - but it's not nearly as bad so far (I'll be 28 weeks in a couple days.)

Anyway, not to hijack your thread ;) But, I just wanted to offer assurance and an example that high water retention doesn't neccisarily mean pre-e.

[starrynight]

I'm so sorry to hear about your pre-eclampsia. One of my best friends had it with her first pregnancy and it was not fun. Hopefully, you're just having some swelling and that is all. Swelling can be so common in pregnancy.

I've never had pre-eclampsia, but I wanted to tell my story here in case it's of any use. With my first pregnancy I did not have pre-e, but I did get quite a bit of swelling in my feet, legs, and hands. It happened when I was in my seventh/eighth month. At the same time I also wound up catching a cold. The cold really freaked me out because I had had a VERY nasty cold during my fifth month that knocked me out. At one point my eyes got so swollen I couldn't even open them, it was bizzare. Anyway, (I do have a point with all this!) when I caught the second cold I immediately changed my diet to be as healthy as possible. I cut out all refined sugar, white flour, dairy, etc. I tried to eat nothing but "clean" food - whole graines, steamed veggies, fruit, etc.. I'm already a vegetarian, so I don't eat meat. I did this because I was desperate to avoid a repeat of the earlier cold. The change in my diet did help with the second cold (it was much less severe) but the biggest surprise was how much it helped with my swelling. After the first day of my diet change my swelling had gone down noticably. By the second/third day it was completely gone!

I know this goes against the whole brewers diet which recommends tons of protein. I've only heard good things about that diet too. Maybe it was just a fluke that my swelling went away? I don't know. I just remember being amazed at how fast it went away. The timing seemed more than coincidental.

Anyway, I thought I'd mention it in case nothing else is working - it might be worth a try. I know that if I have swelling again in my current pregnancy I will definitely clean up and simplify my diet (good-bye chocolate chip cookies!) I do remember reading a study about The Farm in TN (a vegan community) and how pre-eclampsia is basically un-heard of. Also I should mention my first baby was a healthy 8 lb boy delivered at term, without drugs, after 13 hours of labor.

[shine]

Actually that doesn't go against the model of high protein at all -- whole grains are quite high in protein and mixed with legumes they become the BEST form of protein. With all the fruits and veggies you were also getting high folic acid, fiber, vitamin c, vitamin A, minerals. Vegetarians are not more likely to develop pre-e IF they are consuming enough calories and mixing whole grains with legumes and/or dairy. The only thing a vegan needs to consider is adding B-12.

[kimberlylibby]

Hey guys.... well, I was right, blood pressure is starting it's upward climb.... and I gained 10 lb in 3 weeks... yikes.

It's alright, I've been this road before....