High blood pressure at 23 weeks

[dukegirlsc]

Hi ladies, I'm hoping someone can give some insight or talk me off the ledge. I saw my OB yesterday. Since I had just had a scan with MFM on Monday I know babies look fine, but she checked heartbeats via u/s and commented on their movement (there is a lot, they are very busy)

She did have some concern over my blood pressure which was 140/80. My BP is normally 116/68 or somewhere in there. I haven't had any crazy swelling or horrible headaches and told her my BP must have been fine Monday because the MFM didn't mention it (it was 120/60, I called to check). She said I am risk for preeclampsia due to IVF, twins and my weight (thanks fertility treatments) so she sent me for labs (CBC, CMP) and I have to do a 24 hour urine collection Sunday to check for protein.

Anyway, I'm freaking out. It's so early for complications and I feel like I can't do anything to make this better. I'm trying to rest but that's very hard with all the anxiety I'm feeling over this. Can anyone offer BTDT advice?

[callmeKD]

Did your OB's office only check it once while you were there? Were you anxious? Running late etc? Mine was a little high 138/66 around 20 weeks so I started working from home 3x week. At my 24 week appt it was back to normal 128/78. I notice that it's a better reading when I've been sitting for a while (and its higher when I've had a u/s and have been tipped back).

[callmeKD]

I hope it was a fluke and you can get some relaxation in.

[dukegirlsc]

@callmekd and HeyMrsPotter thank you so much for replying. They did only check it once and I was a little peeved at DH that morning so maybe it's just a fluke. PAIF is just killing me with this! I talked with my sister a MFM NP and she said they are just establishing baseline labs so they can watch me carefully and to try and rest as much as possible. So that's what I'm going to try to do. Thanks again!

[lastkiss]

I'm glad your sister was able to explain a little more for you dukegirlsc.

FWIW, when I was pregnant with DS I had a check in with similar blood pressure as yours. It turned out to be a fluke and I was fine at recheck and didn't have any issues for the rest of my pregnancy.

Fx it's just a fluke for you too

[Deleted]

With my first (singleton) !baby I had a few weeks of higher than normal BP- it was during my grandmas passing. They did watch me pretty close but I did go back to normal. I think the few visits I right after I was high only because I was stressed/nervous about having another high BP. FX just a one or two time occurrence for you too!

[schmella]

And all this worry isn't helping you either! PAIF anxiety is so hard. I was high risk for everything. I started to swell at 16 weeks- so many people commented on it, but my MFM wasn't concerned. I started having high BP readings around 25 weeks. I would definitely ask that they check your BP twice, just getting my giant belly to the appointment was usually enough to spike mine. Have them check it a little later in the appointment, after some deep breaths and trying to calm yourself. Starting around 26 weeks I think, my BP would spike or I'd have a questionable urine test that would trigger a 24hr stay in L&D with BP and urine monitoring- my BP always came down and my urine always came back fine, but I did an overnight stay every 3 weeks or so. Annoying, but I usually slept pretty well in the hospital beds (I was so uncomfortable in a regular bed!) and I would rather be safe than sorry. At 35 weeks, one of those stays resulted in a gestational hypertension diagnosis: they put me on blood pressure meds and had me monitor my BP at home, and sent me home with a scheduled c/s date of 37weeks.
At 36+2, I experienced a neurological event: my hand and then face went numb progressively on one side. MH drove me to the ER (we live a mile away, it's actually faster) and it completely resolved before we got there. But it got me a diagnosis of severe preeclampsia and had an "emergency" c/s the next afternoon. We were just 4 days shy of full term. No NICU time, W came home with me 4 days later and A stayed an extra 4.
Aside from the swelling, which my MFM was completely unconcerned about, I didn't have headaches or dizziness and I felt fine. While I think it's great that your OB is being proactive, I'd check in with the MFM. A high risk pregnancy is different, and I know mine expected a slightly higher BP with a twin pregnancy, and only got concerned if it continued to rise. Your MFM is more accustomed to seeing things like this, for your OB it might be rare and concerning, KWIM?
I would say, a home BP machine is like $30, and is money well spent if it helps your peace of mind.

[dukegirlsc]

schmella, thank you so much for letting me know how things went for you. My biggest fear is super preterm birth and so knowing that elevated BP can start early but still be managed until 35-36 weeks really helps with my anxiety!

I am having some headaches but nothing debilitating and when taking my BP at home I'm getting a reading of around 136/74...it's still a little high for me but not in the danger zone. I am waiting to hear back on my lab results and will see the MFM on 12/12 for a growth scan. I will be able to discuss all of the findings with them and see what they have to advise. If I can rest as much as possible and still work (I have a flexible schedule and my office is at home) then do whatever extra monitoring they want me to do I will be thrilled. As long as babies are growing and safe!

[schmella]

Dec 5, 2016 12:49:03 GMT -5 dukegirlsc said:

schmella , thank you so much for letting me know how things went for you. My biggest fear is super preterm birth and so knowing that elevated BP can start early but still be managed until 35-36 weeks really helps with my anxiety!

I am having some headaches but nothing debilitating and when taking my BP at home I'm getting a reading of around 136/74...it's still a little high for me but not in the danger zone. I am waiting to hear back on my lab results and will see the MFM on 12/12 for a growth scan. I will be able to discuss all of the findings with them and see what they have to advise. If I can rest as much as possible and still work (I have a flexible schedule and my office is at home) then do whatever extra monitoring they want me to do I will be thrilled. As long as babies are growing and safe!

It is completely in the range of normal to have an elevated BP during a twin pregnancy- if you're talking about YOUR normal, then maybe it would be helpful for you to know that MY normal was actually very low blood pressure, but it was high my entire pregnancy.  My MFM expected this.  My work situation was pretty flexible and that helps A LOT.  I didn't spend much time at my office after 30 weeks- I was able to WFH a lot and I did stop working at 35 weeks, but that was mostly because of a miscalculation by HR- I had to take the time off or I would lose it at the end of the year. My doctor never told me to stop working.  
I was totally on board with the extra monitoring.  Once or twice they offered me the option of 24hr urine collection at home instead of the hospital stay, but TBH I was too nervous to do it at home.  Its good to be cautious, I just didn't like that your OB had you so scared.