High blood pressure

[VaniDavila]

Since my last week's doctor appointment I had an elevation in my blood pressure, which seemed to concern my doctor because I was also having dizziness, nausea, and headaches. He sent me to get tested for pre-eclampsia which came back normal. At this weeks appointment my bp was normal again, but this morning I started feeling dizzy so I checked my bp and it was at 152/79. I called my doctor's office and they said they would give the message to my doctor, but he would be out after mid-day so if I had to go in it would be in the morning, which I was fine with. Well 2pm past and I still didn't recieve a phone call so I decided to call. The nurse then told me that if I'm still feeling this way to just go to L&D. I don't know if those were doctor's instructions or if it was just what she thought I should do. I am so frustrated right now because I'm so concerned. What can high bp do to me during pregnancy? What can it do to my baby? Should I go to L&D if it keeps up? I don't want to go and sit in the hall for 2-3 hours and then be monitored for only 30 mins. The hospital is over an hour away.

[VaniDavila]

It seems to be good now. During the time I was in labor it did go up to about 159/82. Good thing my baby is now here with me and she is safe and healthy.

[bjbbeauchamp]

Well I see you h ad your little one;) How did your BP do during & after delivery?

[VaniDavila]

I called my doctor this morning because I checked my bp and it was 144/79. They had me go in and when they checked it, it was 140/76. The doctor had me lay on my left side which seemed to help my bp. It went down to 130/74. She told me there was a little bit of protein in my urine. She check my feet for swelling and everything was fine. I told her my head had  been hurting and I've been feeling dizzy. She just told me to go home. I don't know what to do anymore. I'm so frustrated with them. Today I have been taking it easy and that doesn't seem to really help. Any suggestions?

[nunu1977]

if your blood pressure is too high it restricts the blood vessels and can stop baby from getting enough blood and oxygen. if it gets extremely high it can cause seizures. are you seeing spots or having blurred vision? I agree with bjbbeauchamp, try nor to stress! and if it goes up any more then go to L&D! its better to be safe than sorry!

I have had HORRIBLE swelling in my legs for months now, but no protein in my urine until the other week. BP was fine (until the other day) and blood work keeps coming back fine.
I was at L&D the other day with high BP for the first time but it went down. my dr sent me to a specialist to be monitored just in case and now they want to see me twice a week. they also are going to do another scan to check his size and see if I need to be induced (im 37W1D). It seems crazy to me that they are so unconcerned about your high BP! is there not a nurse practitioner that you could have seen there?

I cant say I have your problem with having to wait a few hours to get into L&D.  that's crazy! what if your Dr phones ahead to let them know your coming? do you still have to wait that long?

good luck, and let us know what happens!

[bjbbeauchamp]

I would call and demand them to ask the doctor or let you come in. My doctor didn't play around with it at all with my second and this time around they were pretty sure I would get it again (but thankfully I didn't), so each and every time it was up they would do it again to make sure it wasn't just nerves. One visit my bp was 140/80 and they sent me to L&D to monitor me, luckily it was just me being anxious at my appointment and it went back down within about 30 minutes. So if my doctor was concerned about mine being 140/80 then I think yours should be too. I know its still within the normal range, but they should still want to see you to make sure it isn't something else or just pre-eclampsia waiting to come on.
DId you do the 24 urine test? I had to have that done this time to see if I would have pre-eclampsia and it came back ok and like I said I haven't had any problems with it thus far. With my first I got it after delivering, which was weird, so I am praying I don't have to deal with it at ALL this time around, b/c it's just too stressful!
I will be thinking about you and just call your doctor again and really voice your concern, b/c this should never be taken lightly!!!! And if they won't answer you then I would make a trip to L&D and demand to see your doctor so you can voice your concern to him/her.
When I think back after I had all the problems, I do remember having days where I just felt out of place....weird feeling...headaches...dizziness, but never put two and two together until after I had pre-eclampsia. Guess it was my body telling me something was wrong.
Also, just another bit of advice...eat a banana, b/c sometimes that can cause you to get dizzy (as it did with me this time and I thought it was my bp) as your body might be low on potassium;) After I ate a bunch I didn't get the dizziness anymore!
Good luck!

[VaniDavila]

I keep checking it and it doesn't go any lower than 140/77. Earlier it did, but then it's back up. I told my doctor last week about what to do and he said there wasn't much. I called again today, but they don't seem too concerned about it. I was actually in the city where my doctor is at and I told them and they said most likely I would have to go in (this was earlier today) and they never called back to let me know what to do. I had to call them and that's when she told me to go if I kept feeling the same. I don't know what to do. Sometime I have a headache and then it goes away, but I still have my pressure a little high. I don't know what to do or if I should just wait it out until tomorrow.

[bjbbeauchamp]

I had severe pre-eclampsia with my second and it was horrible. If your not feeling right go to L&D, b/c it can be very dangerous as szw2008 said. My levels were so high I was at stroke level and had to be put in the hospital on bedrest from 24 weeks on til 36 weeks and my doctor was literally pushing it b/c the nurses later told me (a few of them are my best friends) that I could have had a stroke and been messed up or died. There were 4 times where they were going to lifeflight me if it didn't come down a tiny bit and was enough to monitor. Thank God everything turned out just fine and this time around I don't have it at all!!!
I would continue to monitor your BP and if it goes up GO IN!!!!! It doesn't matter about the drive or how long you have to wait, b/c it can be a very serious thing and could do harm to you and your baby. It's always better to be safe than sorry! I didn't have any symptoms and they would come in and check me every 30 minutes to an hour and kept asking me if I had this or that and I kept saying no. They were shocked, so its scary now that I look back on it, b/c if they hadn't of monitored me I could have been a walking time bomb, b/c again I had NO symptoms!!!!! Stay hydrated & lay on your left side, NO SALT, relax and don't stress, monitor your BP and take it every 15 minutes or so and see if it doesn't come down. But again don't stress, b/c the more you do the higher your BP can tend to rise. And I know its easier said than done, but it doesn't hurt;) Keep us updated!

[szw2008]

High blood pressure can be dangerous if its not monitored, but if I were you I would start drinking lots of water and increase your protein intake- I'm talking so much protein you can't stand it. I was struggling with dizziness and actually low blood pressure, but protein shakes did the trick for me in combination with constant meat consumption. If that doesn't help after a few days and you haven't gone into labor, talk to your doctor again.