Cat C BP meds this late? Alan..anyone?

-Warning Long -

Hey there,

I've had a bad week due to some BP meds I have been prescribed and I was wondering if this seems weird to anyone?

I was hospitialized a week ago due to high BP, but it is not PE (well yet). I have had this BP creeping up for many weeks now and I was being monitored closely. It kind of peaked last week so I was admitted and I was 38+5weeks. They let me go home but wanted me back for daily, or second daily monitoring which was just impossible as the hospital is a 3 hour round trip, I don't drive and I have small children, not to mention we have a business and we just can't take days off, and hell, we've got to eat. Going back that often and having my partner taking out a whole day to do so was not going to work.

So, I said to them, I can't. If it's that bad, go ahead and induce, but if not, let me go home and be monitored close to home.

Their solution - BP meds. I had repeatedly asked for these meds 4 weeks ago when the BP started going up as I wanted to avoid all this stress with monitoring and going in so much, but was told that they dont' like prescribing them to women close to term (this was at 36 weeks).

So I started these awful things, this pregnant and I was unable to tolerate them. They made me feel sick, anxious and I had 'head crawling'. So I stopped them and went back into the hosp. on Saturday. My BP was high again and I was told I was risking my babies life by stoppping these meds, and I shouldn't have done that. So the doctor prescribed a different BP med and said it wouldn't be that harsh. The scare tactics worked about risking mine and bubs life, so I decided to give another a go, despite having a bad feeling about it.

I started this new one, (which was a cat C) at HALF the dose they gave me because it seemed like a lot and I had an adverse reaction. I rang the pharmisit from where I got it and she actually rang my GP herself as she was extremely concerned that I was having this type of reaction and told me that the next dose could be life threatening to me or the baby with this type of reaction (something to do with liver). I got unbearably itchy, particularly my head and had chest tightening. She rang back and told me to go straight to my GP who in the end wasn't there, but I saw another one and by this time the reaction had settled down, and I decided to wait till tomorrow to see the hospital. BP was still high anyway so the damn things weren't doing what they were supposed to anyway. But in no certain terms, GP said I was not to take anymore.

So tomorrow, I will be 39+5 weeks when I go in for day monitoring and I've been told instead of inducing, they are likely to want to try another drug.

Does this just seem insane to anyone???? If my BP is that bad to risk reactions in my body (I react to many new drugs, I have many drug allergies), why the hell at this late stage are they not inducing? I don't want to be induced, but after the hell day I've had today, I'd much much rather that than go through trying yet another drug and expecting my heavily pregnant body to cope with it and the poor baby. And why would they wait till now when my BP has been high constantly for 3 weeks, why wait till I'm term to try these tablets?

I've also had a show over the last few days and many contrax, so I'm sure it's all close, but the stress of this situation I am absolutely sure is holding up what should be coming naturally.

Hi Tara
Wether to induce or not would depend on how high your BP is. Also Without knowing which medication and the dose you are on I can not give advice on this.

Sorry :rolleyes: You'd think I'd put those things in.

My normal BP at beginning of pg was 110/60-70, now it ranges from 140/95 - 160/110. It sits on 145/90 most of the time when I'm being monitored, but I have never had it measured when I can't see properly and I get 'that' headache, and I assume it must go even higher.

They prescribed labetol 200mg twice a day at 39 weeks and 2 days pregnant. After yesterday though, I am not taking them under any circumstance. I have a big list of drugs I cannot take as I have an allergy or adverse reaction to them. This reaction was identical to the one I get from morphine which I am written up as being allergic to. That's why I'm unwilling to try any others, I'm not putting my body through what it went through yesterday again and risking the baby. No one can tell me that's safer for the baby than the BP.

Hi Tara
Your BP is a little too high and the problems with your vision would give me cause for concern. Considering that you are allergic to so many drugs and because you are 39+ weeks I find it quite strange that they won't induce you. I think for your next pregnancy you should find a mew OB it was very naughty of them to say that you are threatening your baby’s life, and in fact you could say the same thing to them for not inducing you. The only thing I can advise is to keep nagging them for an induction and if they refuse ask them why they are refusing.
If I can be of any more help please let me know

I would push for an induction!
I was in the same position, at 36 weeks my BP went to 160/110. My OBGYN put me on the same meds you were first on and they dropped my BP to 130/90 for 2.5wks, after which I ended up being induced at 38+5 because my BP went back up to 160/110. If my OBGYN had tried another drug and let me go a bit longer I would have ended up with an emergency ceasar and possibly lost my son as his placenta had started to detach, to the point where after my 3 hour labour he bought his placenta with him when he came out.

I hope they do whats best for you!

Thanks so much for the advice Alan.

I spoke about the induction and refused more drugs and they agreed, but I'm not getting it till Tuesday as there is simply no room in the hospital before that. This suits me perfect as long as bubs is safe in the meantime as I really didn't want to be induced again if possible and this gives me time to go in naturally. I have to go in for monitoring again tomorrow. This time I had the high BP with ++ protein, and the test came back at over 30, but one doctor said that's fine, another rang me from the hospital and said it's too high and to get reviewed. I can't choose which OB or registrar I even get, there is team of doctors and I most of the time don't even see the specialist, the registrar that reviews me just rings him.

Anyway, she did an internal, my first this pg and found I was 3cm and almost fully effaced. Did an S&S too, but I don't feel it did much, didn't hurt like the ones I"ve had in previous pregnancy. I have a strong feeling my body can do it on it's own again so I'm really hoping.

Thanks so much for your advice, and thanks too for sharing your experience Anna, its a hard one but unfortunately out of my hands. I'm guessing they wouldn't be gambling with mine or bubs life though, they must know what they are doing, it's a very good rep hospital.