Pre eclampsi & BP...

[Twitchy]

Hi all,

Sorry, this isn't strictly a diabetes question, but as there does seem to be a link between diabetes & PE I'm going to be cheeky & post in the hope of some advice!...

I had severe PE last time I was pregnant, being admitted at 33 weeks causing the consultants to have a major panic about how to stop me fitting & how to prelong the pregnancy...up until about a week or so before, I'd had fantastic Blood pressure results & hadn't really paid attention.

This time round, when I asked about PE I was breezily reassured that given my past history I would be issued with a home BP monitor from 20 weeks to keep an eye on my levels & see if things started to heat up again... nothing has been said since, & I haven't had the bottle to say anything as I feel like I'm always wrangling with them about the diabetes anyway & don't want to just look like trouble!!!

We have a BP machine at home, so I've been keeping an eye on my levels myself...My BP started out as borderline low again, but over the last week or two has been consistently nudging upwards & is now borderline "high normal"....I'm now 31 weeks pregnant, so getting to where it all went a bit pear shaped last time... I'm just not sure whether an increase in BP is perfectly normal in pregnancy (ie stop fussing!), and the fact that the BP is not technically high is good, or whether it's the trend that is more important? Is there any benefit to spotting a rising trend early anyway, or should I just wind my neck in & wait until clinic next week in case someone decides to spot the trend?

Any ideas anyone? Sorry this is a bit random...local midwife is not terrifically helpful & the diabetic team, well... 🙄

 

[allisonb]

Hi! Personally I think you should get it checked out by your team, or at least speak to them about it. It might be nothing to worry about but also it might be something that they'd prefer to act on quickly.

As you know, I've had probs with my blood pressure in this pregnancy and my consultant did say that it's easier to treat high blood pressure when it starts to get to borderline rather than waiting til it's very high.

Do you have a DSN in your antenatal team that you could speak to, or a named midwife?

Allison x

 

[Northerner]

Hi Twitchy, I think you should mention it. I know nothing about pregnancy, but those BP machines for home use are generally lower in their readings than at the docs (not just due to 'whitecoat syndrome'). The wrist ones are the least accurate, so worthwhile getting it done with a big expensive machine.

 

[Cate]

I'd definitely mention it - do you have a maternal assessment unit at your local hospital you could go to? If you do, then I'd turn up there and see what they say. If you explain your history and home BP monitoring then I'd have thought they'd be OK with checking you out.

 

[Twitchy]

The wrist ones are the least accurate, so worthwhile getting it done with a big expensive machine.

The wrist one is what they use at clinic! 😱 (Says it all really...) The one I have at home is a Lloyds pharmacy job - so probably not any more accurate admittedly!

I must admit I'm a bit (ok very) worried that they'll decide to just keep me in if I go near the place now - and I really REALLY don't want that...it will just be a butt covering exercise on their part & from experience (mine previously & a friend's who was in there recently) I know it is still a horrible, stressful place to be - not conducive to keeping BP down! (You can't get much sleep as the night shift don't make any effort to keep noise down, & even if they did, the women who come in mid labour bless them can't help yelping etc, the food isn't carb countable so diabetes control goes haywire, and it's generally just a really, really horrible place to be! (I won't list all the stress raisers - I'll run out of space lol!) I just know I'll get more rest & peace & quiet at home & will also be with hubby & my little one - the thought of being seperated from them just makes me want to cry at the mo.

I guess maybe I ought to give the midwife a bell & try & ask generally what if type qs to see if maybe they'd either not want to take me in or could give me meds for the BP if needed without admitting me... Really, really don't want to go in until I really have to. I've an appt in a week's time...guess I'll not be able to dodge that!