BP Blues
I really didn't expect anything out of the ordinary at the midwife visit today. I had some questions about my epi-pen, and our birth plan, and a few things like that. The baby's heartbeat was great, and the size was good, and all that.
However, my blood pressure measurement was suddenly quite a bit higher than usual...126/90. (It's usually, like, 105 over 70 or something--I have a history of too-low blood pressure, if anything.)
They redid it a little while later and it had come down somewhat, but still not entirely. The thing about blood pressure and pregnancy is that a suddent jump can mean pre-eclampsia. Which if you go look up eclampsia as I know you will, is really really bad. And I'm at higher risk for it because of my age.
She asked if there was something I was stressed out about, but I couldn't think of anything in particular right at that second. (Besides, my blood pressure usually doesn't fluctuate that much due to stress, I don't think.)
Later as I was driving home I remembered that earlier today I panicked because of some weird skin things that have been going on with me lately, and I had spent about half an hour looking up melanoma pictures online. So maybe that was it. Or maybe the newly arrived and unaccustomed heat. Or maybe that I was four minutes late. Or that I had been bending over to tie my shoes (which is definitely a lot harder these days.)
Anyway, I have to drink a ton of water and go back in two weeks, watching out for high blood pressure symptoms all the while.
...Then on the way home, my car stalled out in traffic three times. Now that surely lowered my blood pressure.
However, my blood pressure measurement was suddenly quite a bit higher than usual...126/90. (It's usually, like, 105 over 70 or something--I have a history of too-low blood pressure, if anything.)
They redid it a little while later and it had come down somewhat, but still not entirely. The thing about blood pressure and pregnancy is that a suddent jump can mean pre-eclampsia. Which if you go look up eclampsia as I know you will, is really really bad. And I'm at higher risk for it because of my age.
She asked if there was something I was stressed out about, but I couldn't think of anything in particular right at that second. (Besides, my blood pressure usually doesn't fluctuate that much due to stress, I don't think.)
Later as I was driving home I remembered that earlier today I panicked because of some weird skin things that have been going on with me lately, and I had spent about half an hour looking up melanoma pictures online. So maybe that was it. Or maybe the newly arrived and unaccustomed heat. Or maybe that I was four minutes late. Or that I had been bending over to tie my shoes (which is definitely a lot harder these days.)
Anyway, I have to drink a ton of water and go back in two weeks, watching out for high blood pressure symptoms all the while.
...Then on the way home, my car stalled out in traffic three times. Now that surely lowered my blood pressure.
posted by liz at
5:42 PM
5 Comments:
Nice blog. Do try to keep it up...this will provide valuable memories later on.
By
Unknown, at 6:02 PM
Not to raise the BP even more, but you _do_ know that asthma means preeclampsia is more likely -- even if your asthma is well-controlled, right? I'm sure you turned it up in your research.
By
argotnaut, at 1:52 AM
And yes, I've had doctors who wanted me to jog around the room or stand upside down or something just so I'd be on the meter.
By
argotnaut, at 1:54 AM
Well, given that the whole gestational hypertension disorder spectrum (including eclampsia) appears to be yet another over-immunity thing (that alien genetic material!), it all kinda fits together, doesn't it?
By
liz, at 7:16 AM
One related thing I remembered as I was first waking up this morning is that when my lungs are a bit tight, it affects my blood pressure and pulse rate, too--those things always go up.
During the past few weeks (including yesterday) my lungs have in fact been tight because of those lovely blooming trees and such, but I often don't notice the tightness until I lie down at night. So I haven't increased my preventative much, and I should.
Apparently I keep "asthma facts" and "pregnancy facts' in two separate boxes in my head, so I forgot about that tidbit.
So now I really think that this will be fine at subsequent measurements if I make sure to take my preventative inhaler more frequently during allergy season.
I was trying to take it as seldom as possible for various reasons, but I think this trumps those reasons.
Maybe I'll add some magnesium before bed, too.
By
liz, at 8:26 AM
Post a Comment
<< Home