PRE-ECLAMPSIA & HELLP SYNDROME AGAIN?

Danielle - posted on 05/29/2011

Hi Emma, I had my first child at 35wks and 1day due to pre-eclampsia and HELLP syndrome. He was small and I was very sick but he did ok. I didn't have any previous symptoms until the day I got sick. With my daughter who I delivered nearly two years later, I NEVER had a high blood pressure, but had all the other symptoms from HELLP, so was delivered by emergency c-section at 35wks and 4days. She did well. I am now 21 weeks pregnant and was admitted to the hospital on friday for possible HELLP syndrome again. THe doctor initially wasn't concerned because my BP wasn't high, but when they ran the blood work they found my liver tests to be elevated. They said that I am too early and that the baby wouldn't survive if I got too sick right now. So I am praying that whatever is causing the elevated blood work now will resolve. So for me it has occurred in both previous pregnancies, although much more mild with my second, and now I am not sure what is going on with this pregnancy:-( PRaying that you stay healthy and do well with NO HELLP this time!!!

Danielle - posted on 02/17/2010

Emma, I had the same partner with both of my children as well...not sure why they think that matters...

Danielle - posted on 02/17/2010

Yes, I know the feeling, I was brushed off by my doctor everytime i would mention it, and then after i had the Eclampsia, she had the nerve to say "wow you weren't kidding about what happened with your first son, were ya?" I totally could have punched her right then and there. The strange thing about my situation was, with both of my children i didn't have the pre-elcampsia until my 38th week...Never was swollen or anything, it just came suddenly, and then BAM....i was down....Good luck to you Emma!

Emma - posted on 02/16/2010

Thank you so much Danielle. I know exactly what you mean. The MW's/docs say there is no chance of getting pre-e &/or HELLP syndrome again as I have the same partner however, a lady I know has had it with all 3 of her pregnancies. It's stupid that even though we've had it before they don't consider it properly again. I'm just glad I'm getting checked alot more with this pregnancy but I am still worrying about my past experience and what could have happened so the MW's and docs keep putting my 'symptoms' down to being anxious. But what do they expect when it went untreated for alteast a month with my first and also I had GD that was untreated & now I am a diabetic because of it? So, I don't really get listened to just laughed at ...

Danielle - posted on 02/16/2010

I am going to suggest that if you have a doctor who isn't worried about your concerns then you need to find another doc. I had pre-E with my first son, and started getting the symptoms again with my second son...having a new doctor this time, i asked if she would like my records and such from the previous time, she said no......long story short, i ended up getting Eclampsia....seizures, memory loss all of those things that could have been avoided if she took the proper precautions (i had plenty of symptoms), becuase she was too stubborn, and I was to naive to get a second opinion....I wish you the very best, and don't make my mistake!

Emma - posted on 02/14/2010

thank so much Cassandra this is a big help for me I am 35 weeks on weds, which is the gestation I had my 1st little girl at and hopefully it doesn't happen again. I've got an ante natal on the 22nd, an ante natal and scan on the 1st and then again on the 15th march which is 9 days before my due date. Nothing has happened recently, I just get a few pains here and there and I am constantly at the docs because I worry to much and that's what they've told me but it's better to be safe than sorry. Sometimes I feel like they fob me off. Good luck to you on your second baby, I've been ok. Bloods, BP etc are normal but like you I didn't really have symptoms until I was rushed to hospital for monitoring, steroids, bed rest and monitoring of the baby (with my 1st.) The docs main concerns this time is I'm now a type 2 diabetic because my GD was never diagnosed and treated.

Cassandra - posted on 02/14/2010

I had my son at 31 weeks with HELLPS and pre-eclampsia. But I didn't have any signs or symptoms. I went into my doc because I thought I was getting a kidney infection. They send me to the hospital to have an ultrasound. Turned out to be my liver from the hellps and I in that like 2 hr span my BP went from normal to through the roof and I was having an emergency C-section within 15min. So I TOTALLY understand you fears. I am 17 weeks along with my second. The docs big concern for me was that I got the hellps so early. They told me that the average person has a 3% chance of getting hellps. Because I have had it in the past my chance of getting it is 10%. If I was to get it again this time and tried to have another baby the % would go up again. My question is why hasn't your doctor gone over any of this with you when you are already 32 weeks?!? You are high risk. Even though 10% is so small it is more than the average person. My doc said at 28 weeks I will be in every week to 2 weeks for BP and blood work if needed. And by 32 weeks they want to give me steroids to help the babys lungs just incase it happens again. Hellps is something that can have signs and symptoms because of the pre-eclampsia, or like me can come on in a matter of hours. There is no way to tell. The only thing my doc said is that if the baby is small, as my son was, that that can be a sign that it may come on. So I will also be having alot of sonos to measure him.It sucks because there are no real answers. Just make sure you are watched closely. Little pains that are normal in pregnancy should not be considered normal for you and should be checked out. Good Luck! I hope it all works out fine!

Emma - posted on 02/11/2010

Thanks Nicole :) x

Nicole - posted on 02/10/2010

I hope it is smooth and fast too. My daughter came five weeks early, but she is doing great now!! She was slow to walk, but she is walking all over the place. She wasn't going to mess with these one and two steps at a time. She waited until she could tromp all over the place :D

Take it as easy as you can, relax, and everything will be fine :D Easier said than done, I know. Still... Take care, and do keep me posted :D

Nicole

Emma - posted on 01/30/2010

I do hope so Nicole and I'm glad everything is ok with you :)

Just another 7 weeks for me now, so hopefully it's a smooth but fast 7 weeks.

Thanks again and take care

Nicole - posted on 01/29/2010

You bet!! Good luck, and keep us posted. Glad they could stop your labor... I had to have a C section... LONG story!!! anyway... All is well now, so hopefully all will be well with yours!!



Nicole

Emma - posted on 01/29/2010

Thanks so much Nicole. I explained to the midwife about the symptoms I keep getting like the pains, the headaches etc etc and she wrote down my concerns and that if I got even more concerned to go to the labour ward so I rang them and they said I was likely to be in a slow labour and told me to go down straight away so I did. BP was fine, bloods were fine the only thing was that I had a little trace of protein in my urine but other than that they were very pleased. They stopped my labour and sent me home, saying if I was concerned again to go back. I have to see the midwife on monday so she can see if I am still measuring 'big' and if I am I don't know what they'll do.

Take care of yourself aswell and thanks again :)

Nicole - posted on 01/29/2010

Hi. I went through the exact same thing. I lost my first to prematurity because I had HELLP and Pre-E. My second was born 5 weeks early, but not due to that. I went through a HUGE Paranoia at 28 weeks, (When my son was born) and had everything from Braxton Hicks, to the shoulder pain!!! PLUS I knew my doc was on vacation. I told him after that that he was no longer allowed to go til after I delivered :D



The best thing I can tell you to do, is see your doctor if you are concerned. At least call. PLEASE!! For your own health and for your baby's!!! I always said when I called, "I know I am being paranoid but..." and he would tell me that I had a right to be!! YOu have a right to be paranoid, worried, whatever you want to call it. Call your doc, and relax. If your bp is high, lay on your left side. I know that sounds crazy, but it does lower you bp!!



Take care!!

Nicole