Moms with High Blood Pressure?

[seekermage]

Are there any other moms with high blood pressure? What meds are you on and what testing is your dr doing?

Ive had high blood pressure for a while and am taking Aldomet for it, and heck my blood pressure when Im pregnant is much lower then when Im not. Go figure! So far the extra testing Ive had is today I have to do a 24hr urine test and bloodwork and eventually will have to do the 24 hr bloodpressure monitoring. I will also have more ultrasounds later on.

Anyone else in the same situation....how attentive is your dr?

Im really wondering because Im thinking about changing drs and Im really worried that I will get one that isnt as agressive.

[mcimom]

Well, I've only had pregnancy induced HBP including full blown toxemia with dd1. When I delivered her I was more than 200/100 - I was never put on any meds - only mag sulf after I had an induced delivery.

With dd2 and dd3, my BP was considered "high" but never really went above 140/90 and I was never medicated for it.

Sorry I'm not more help :shrug

[augustmom]

My blood pressure typically goes up during pregnancy mainly during the first and third trimester. I have not been medicated for it, though. My plan this time around is to nip it in the bud with natural remedies like cal/mag. raw garlic, passiflora, etc. etc. Aviva Jill Romm's The Natural Pregnancy Book has great remedies for reducing your BP.

B

[katiejon1]

I've been put on high blood pressure meds this time around too. I'm on 250 of Aldomet 2ce daily. I see a m/w and am considering a homebirth, so we decided to be proactive and make sure we got the bp under control now, rather than waiting to see if it went up at the end. (with my first, I started out normal and then shot up at the end, this time, I was starting high and we didn't want it to get higher in the end). I have a bp monitor here at home and take it if I'm feeling bad (headachy or something). Since I've been on the meds, I've noticed it's been VERY good. Lower, in fact, than it usually is when I'm not preggo. But my m/w said that the 2nd trimester should give you the lowest bp readings in your pregnancy b/c of the increased blood volume and something else...

When my m/w sent me to the dr. he put me on the meds and did the bloodwork. My m/w got the results and said that they were "perfect" and absolutely nothing to worry about and that she would do a homebirth if the numbers stayed like they were. Towards the end, if the bp #s start to creep up, we'll be doing blood draws and making sure that the numbers stay good, or I'll be delivering in the hospital with the ob. (my m/w can't officially catch the baby at the hospital) This is the ob that delivered my first though with the m/w there too, so I'm not worried if it comes to that.

Just curious, why do you have to have more ultrasounds later on? I'm sure that since it's a possiblity that I'll deliver in the hospital, that I"ll have to see the dr. more often, but nobody has mentioned anything other than that.

[seekermage]

Im assuming that mine is because I had high blood pressure to begin with, its not just pregnancy induced. So far my dr has been saying the testing and such is because the blood pressure being high can cause problems with the kidneys (that was for the 24hr urine) and they want to keep an eye on the baby etc. My first one had problems with movement (she barely moved at all!) so I had a lot of NST and ultrasounds with her....Im assuming he is just keeping an extra eye because of that...or he just likes to do lots of testing Im not sure. Thats one of the reasons I wanted to see what other people were doing. My dr is kinda expensive and we really cant afford it this time around. Im about to be put on Kidcare supplemental insurance but my DR doesnt accept it. Soo Im worried that the new dr wont be as agressive etc. My main concern is not only do I have the high blood pressure ( though its really low when Im pregnant) but Im also overweight and we have major heart/blood pressure issues in our family so its a concern. :( I really really love my dr, but the money is just killing us! That and too my babys health is more important then anything, I would rather spend the money and get the extra care then not enough and have something happen. soo confusing!

[katiejon1]

I totally understand about the money. :( It sucks when we have to worry so much about something like that! If you need to find a new dr. maybe you could list all the things you need for him/her to do to make you feel comfortable and turn them into questions to see if you can find one that will still give you the level of care that you need, but will be more cost-friendly. Good luck with whatever you decide.

You're right the extra tests are probably b/c you had it before you were pregnant. I'm still worried about all the things that could go wrong at the end, but my m/w said that since the blood work numbers looked good, that she thought that mine was pregnancy related hypertension, which is different than pregnancy induced hypertension. She said of the 2, the one that I have is the one you want to get (if you have to get it at all). I'm going in for the 20 week ultrasound on Fri, I'm also going to get the doc to check my bp while I'm there for his records. I guess I should ask him if I will need any extra tests b/c of it.