blood pressure creeping up again....pregnancy issue

[ktgrok]

Ugh..so Friday I noticed my feet swelling, but blood pressure was fine. Saturday I planned to rest, and did get a pedicure, but then ran errands all day in the heat. Sunday still swollen, and it was my baby shower. By the end of the day Sunday quite swollen, with no improvement yesterday. Now I have pitting edema in one foot, and blood pressure is up to 133/78. Still not high enough to be called Hypertension, but high for me. I want to blame the worsening on the many servings of take out macaroni and cheese I had on Sunday and MOnday...I had it for at least 3 meals and a snack, only to find out it has almost 1,000 mg of sodium per 1 cup serving. OOPS! I'm really sensitive to MSG, and I'm sure it is in there.

 

I took my magnesium yesterday and today, and last night had dandelion leaf tea as well. Also coconut water. Today I juiced a cucumber with a stalk of celery, and some carrot and apple for flavor (midwife's recipe).

 

Trying to rest, but I am uncomfortable on my left side, and the baby and the teenager are sick, and my house is trashed.

 

Going to try to ignore it and read a book while the little one watches too much tv. Oh, and will call the chiropracter when they open after lunch.

 

Also, I'm hungry, but I hate cooking when pregnant, and take out is too high in sodium. Any suggestions would be great.

 

Prayers would be great.

[lisamarie]

I assume you already know this, but when I had preeclampsia with my first two, they told me to drink a lot of water and to lay on my left side as much as possible. It almost always made my BP come back down after a half hour of rest.

 

At this point, I would just keep an eye on it. But if you start having the PE symptoms (bottom number over 90, blurred vision, headaches, major swelling) then I'd strongly suggest the need for a high risk OB vs a midwife. Preeclampsia is not something you want to mess around with. It can strike like lightening (hence the roots of the name) and can kill you or the baby or cause permanent liver and/or kidney damage. I have more than one friend who wasn't as lucky as I was in catching it early. You should get base mark blood work done--the HELLP panel--and a 24 hour urine test to make sure you aren't spilling protein. And this should be repeated regularly until you deliver.

[ktgrok]

I assume you already know this, but when I had preeclampsia with my first two, they told me to drink a lot of water and to lay on my left side as much as possible. It almost always made my BP come back down after a half hour of rest.

 

At this point, I would just keep an eye on it. But if you start having the PE symptoms (bottom number over 90, blurred vision, headaches, major swelling) then I'd strongly suggest the need for a high risk OB vs a midwife. Preeclampsia is not something you want to mess around with. It can strike like lightening (hence the roots of the name) and can kill you or the baby or cause permanent liver and/or kidney damage. I have more than one friend who wasn't as lucky as I was in catching it early. You should get base mark blood work done--the HELLP panel--and a 24 hour urine test to make sure you aren't spilling protein. And this should be repeated regularly until you deliver.

 

Oh, I agree. If things continue to go up, or I have protein in my urine, or other signs, I will be transfered to an OB's care, and out of the midwife's care. That's what I want to avoid, really. I'll be 37 weeks on Friday, so if heaven forbid the baby HAD to come he wouldn't be particularly early. But I don't want to have to travel that road.

 

I'm check pressure twice a day, and have an appointment thursday when she will check the urine again, etc. Last time my numbers were about like this too, but never spilled protein or had any other problems, and oddly my blood pressure was normal during labor. Then it went back up and I almost had to go on meds, but it never quite reached that level.

 

If i get over 140/80 I'll go in before Thursday.

[Robin M]

I had preeclampsia as well and it didn't go well. Be sure to check with your doctor and have blood test done.

 

As far as food is concerned, stick with low sodium, natural foods and drink lots of water. Stay away from take out - too high in sodium and preservatives. I have high blood pressure and gave in to pizza craving. After having it and the leftovers a couple days in a row, not feeling too great. Yuck. Go with salads, natural foods. Get some hamburger - premake some hamburger patties and meatballs. Also if you all like tacos, make some tacos. Baked chicken so easy - just throw some melted butter on top. Or put some chicken breasts, sliced potatoes and carrots in a pan, pour low sodium chicken broth on top and bake for 1 hr at 3:50. Easy.

[dbmamaz]

i had preeclampsia w my first, and my midwife lent me . . . practically a text book - written by a man who did extensive work . . he found that SUPER high protein diet plus a variety of green and yellow vegetables was good for bringing down blood pressure, I ate protein constantly my next two pregnancies and i was fine. well, and avoided salt. taco bell made me swell up every time so i had to give it up, even with all that meat and bean protein! hummus and chips, leftovers, roasting a chicken is pretty cheap and easy, nuts for snacks, pnut butter . . tons of protein

[Bensmom]

I had preeclampsia too. Staying on my left side really helped. If I moved around, up it went. Even if you are uncomfortable, I suggest resting on your side.

 

Best wishes.

[celticmom]

:grouphug:

[Canadianmumof5]

Sorry no advice but just wanted to say I hope you are doing better by the time you read this.

:grouphug:

[ktgrok]

thanks all. Swelling is better this morning, pressure according to my home monitor is still up around 130/80. However, this monitor barely fits my arm...so I'll check it at Publix later today. I also have a chiropractic appointment today, and I hear that can help. Midwife checks me tomorrow.

[BlsdMama]

It's the celery in that recipe that will help. If you have a juicer, juice some more celery juice and drink it too. Beets also lower blood pressure.

 

While traditionally they have told us to AVOID salt, studies are beginning to show that we should use salt in moderation and that avoidance can actually be a contributing factor. That won't help you now but something to keep in mind in the future.

 

Upping fiber intake is shown to help.

 

You might want to ask her about epsom salt baths. Epsom salt is magnesium sulfate - the same thing they give women with severe pre-eclampsia intraveneously. It is slightly absorbed through the skin (in a bath) and is suspected to help some. It could alleviate some of the swelling as well.

[ktgrok]

It's the celery in that recipe that will help. If you have a juicer, juice some more celery juice and drink it too. Beets also lower blood pressure.

 

While traditionally they have told us to AVOID salt, studies are beginning to show that we should use salt in moderation and that avoidance can actually be a contributing factor. That won't help you now but something to keep in mind in the future.

 

Upping fiber intake is shown to help.

 

You might want to ask her about epsom salt baths. Epsom salt is magnesium sulfate - the same thing they give women with severe pre-eclampsia intraveneously. It is slightly absorbed through the skin (in a bath) and is suspected to help some. It could alleviate some of the swelling as well.

 

thanks, I will keep up with the juicing. I had to borrow a friend's juicer last pregnancy (same reason) and this time bought one ahead of time, lol, just for this purpose. From what I understand the cucumber also helps. The apple and carrot are so that it tastes better...I can't drink it otherwise. And the baths are a great idea...I have a magnesium spray I'm using topically, and taking the oral to bowel tolerance (or a bit beyond) but should be doing the baths too. It is just that a bath full of bath toys doesn't sound pleasant, and kneeling and bending over to get all the toys out doesn't sound fun either, so I keep putting it off :)