Post birth Oedema, high BP & possible PE?

[Fleur]

Just wondering if anyone has any experience of this.

DD2 was born 8 days ago, and since birth my fluid retention has gone through the roof. My feet, legs etc are worse than while PG and my breasts are retaining so much fluid it has made BF impossible (it set in in the breasts about day 4 - along with my milk).

BP is around 130-140/80-90, which in itself isn't hugely high but is for me iykwim (usually I am 110/70).
I have suffered mild headache on & off over the last few days, no visual disturbances, no pain in upper abdo.
The hospital drs were iffy about letting us go home but as my BP wasn't really high by normal standards - just for me - we went home & have follow up home visits.

The nurse came out yestersday & BP was higher, she took 4 readings before she got one she was happy with, and left with strict instructions to rest (due to other issues I was getting about 2 hours sleep every 24). The highest reading she took was 130/95, she said if the diastolic hits 100 it's back to hospital.

SO... I have been resting heaps and I'm feeling better, my fluid is starting to recede & she's coming agian tomorrow to check my BP - I'm to go & get it checked at docs this afternoon.
I really don't think there's anything wrong with me..?.. given that I am feeling better...
but I am curious, I never knew you could develop PE after giving birth and I am wondering whether anyone has experienced this or anything similar? And what did you do?

TIA

[~Kim~]

Yep, it can. I had pretty much the same symptoms as you, on about day 6 with Darcy. Though my bp was 210/110. I also suffered mild kidney and liver failure, so it's definitely worth taking seriously and keeping an eye on. I had to go on meds for 6 months and still to this day have regular bloods to cjeck function
My doc this time told me it does usually coincide with the milk and is often accompanied by a late onset PUPP rash - which I got on day 9.
Good luck hun, praying it goes down for you.

[Fleur]

Thanks Kim for your reply.
Can I ask how was it treated? Did you need meds to correct it or was rest the main thing? And what is a PUPP rash? I had a red rash across my breasts yesterday which I forgot to mention to the nurse I thought it was related to the fact that they were so swollen. It has faded today.

[~Kim~]

Yep, meds for 6months afterwards.
Had it with this preg too and was supposed to be on bed rest for the last 15weeks
PUPP stands for Pruritic Uticarial Papules and Plaques of Pregnancy and usually women get it in the last tri.
It looked like measles and spread from my chest to everwhere else. Went away by itself though.