Thanks for the update! Good to hear that all is well. At least you know now that high BP is not the cause of the swelling. I hope you get some relief soon!
Hey shell just thought I'd add that I had extreme swelling in my feet and legs from about 20 weeks through til like 2mths post delivery!
My Obs was vigilant in monitoring BP and everything else and said that it just must have been my "weird pregnancy thing"!
What I did that helped a lot was acupuncture - I was drinking heaps of water, elevating my feet whenever I could (even working on a couch at work) but still really swollen, acupuncture helped reduce it a bit. As did pedicures that involved deep tissue massage - a bit ouchy but worth it!
So glad to hear all is well! Thanks for the update. These things are a bit scarey but I figure it's always better to have get it checked out just incase as you've done.
Take care
I had extreme swelling all over with my last pregnancy, normal BP etc. My MW suggested using a juicer at home to make apple, carrot, celery with a little bit of parsley juice. All the MW at the hosp would drink it before shifts to help with the swelling they would get in their feet. I would make it every morning and after dinner. Have to say it did work!
Swellinjg is a funny thing in pregnancy. Normal swelling is rather common, but how do we differentiate? I can't see a surefire way to do so, and I've had pre-eclampsia 3 times!
One thing to take serious note of is sudden increases in swelling. If it also appears in your hands and face, limbs, etc, then it may not be 'normal'. Anything that can be abnormal can also be normal, so please don't take anything as an absolute truth. Sudden increases in swelling in your upper body is a cause for concern and worth heading to the nearest medical facility with a reliable BP monitor. My nephrologist has insisted I always make sure it's a mercury meter, not a digital one, for risk of discrepancy. When you get a GP or emergency room at the hospital to test it, make sure you've sat still with your feet flat on the floor for a good 5 minutes. You need a stable rate. He also prefers the right arm is the one which is tested.
The headaches of pre eclampsia are strong, relentless and will not respond much to panadol. They may last for days, you may think it's dehydration or a migraine. It might be, but if you are adding up symptoms then never wait. Get checked straight away. Your kidneys can go from a trace of protein to ++++ in a very short time. Suggest also you have a 24 hour test done if you start noticing more than a trace at your checkups.
The visual disturbances are funny, and may be hard to notice at first. Usually, it is blurred vision and flashes of white spots, like fireworks, where ever you look. At nights, concentrate on the tv. Can you see the images clearly, or are you noticing it is somehow not what it used to be? Look up at a wall clock. Is it as clear as it normally is? Are the digits blurred? Look at different walls, light walls, dark rooms, etc. Are you seeing flashes of white light that are perhaps similar to what you get after you sneeze? They're the visual disturbances you need to look for.
Generally there are 3 signs for pre eclampsia, and the key urgent issues are your BP and proteinuria. The diastolic BP reading, the bottom number, is the one they are watching for. When it reaches 90 or more, you might find they begin to organise day stays in the hospital where it can be monitored for say a 6 hour period every hour on the hour. You will be asked to collect every drop of wee for a 24 hour period so an accurate assessment of how much protein you are passing can be made. If these figures are at all high, then chances are your swelling won't matter. These effects won't be ignored for too long. They will either try BP medication, like Aldomet to manage the BP or induce/caesar you - depending on your circumstances. If more time cannot be bought with medications to control the BP, then the only solution is birth. Pre eclampsia in 2nd trimester is not abundantly common, but it is a risk. You sound like you're being very vigilant which is all you can do! The swelling is not likely to abate for the rest of your pregnancy, but you really may sail through the rest of the weeks with no other signs for concern. Be vigilant, not paranoid. I know it's hard. I'm chronic at worrying. I'm starting to swell and harp on with my BP readings at every visit. It's a good thing you're taking a proactive approach.
best of luck with it! Hope your swelling isn't too painful.
I had this happen in the last few days. Swollen feet one day replaced with swollen hands the next. In my view it's better to be safe than sorry so got my BP checked and did a urine test. All fine.
Pre-eclampsia is one of those things in pregnancy that you don't muck around with - always better to be safe than sorry. I worried for about 2 seconds about becoming a pregnant lady that jumped at shadows, then got over it. I'd rather get it checked than ignore it as 'it's just hot weather' than find out down the track something is wrong.
Registered User
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks