High blood pressure?

Ok I went to the OB today and I'm 34 weeks. My bp was 170/70 and I am already taking 20mg of Procardia 5x/day. My ob wants them to check my bp next Wednesday when I go to the peri. If it is still high they are going to go ahead and schedule a date to get these little boys out. So I figure that by the time I actually get a date I will be about 35 and a half weeks. Does this seem too early? Has anyone else that is on meds still have high blood pressure and what are they doing about it? They said they weren't terribly concerned because my bottom number wasn't that high, but what concerns them is that I am on so much medication and my bp is still high, what would it be if I weren't on it?

 

i can't imagine what it'd be if you weren't on medication! i have had high b/p this entire pregnancy. granted, i am only fifteen week. my highest was 154/96. the norm is 146/84ish. i am afraid of what it's going to be like when i am as far as you!

 

35,5 weeks doesn't sound too early!
Besides your health is very important, so I would obey whatever my OB says in this situation.
I wish you the best of everything.
I believe everything will be just great.
Good Luck!

 

I'm sure you are worried. 35+ is great, I know I will personally feel "there" at 34 weeks. I know it would be best to carry longer, but considering all we go through for these babies, 35 weeks is quite an accomplishment!

I'm curious if you've had other recent high bp readings. While 170 is definately high, the bottom number is more important. Just wondering if you felt "off" or have had multiple high readings. I had some BP issues with my first pregnancy, and I could definately feel that something wasn't right. Hoping it was a fluke!

Jennifer

 

I have to agree with the PP -- with your bottom # so low...your top one could have been "situational high bp". I've had high bp since about 10 weeks (they claim is "couldn't" be pregancy induced, but really, I had totally normal bp prior to pregancy -- and now I have it....??) Anyways, my highest reading was 150/100 (right after they told me it was twins :icon_biggrin: ) I've started out on procardia 90mg (extended release) -- but it didn't seem to do anything for me (my readings were like 140/96) -- so I'm now also on Labatalol 100mg 2X a day, which seems to be keeping everying under control. My peri honestly doesn't seem too worked up about it...he's always telling me how low a dose i'm on (for the labatolo) -- and how we will just have to adjust as needed throughout the pregancy. Obvously, you are much farther along...so possibly the risk of a slightly early delevery is better then dealing with the bp...which for me is not an option (at 18 weeks..)

I'd be willing to bet your BP is looking better at your next apointment!

 

I think you'll do great. With your bp creeping up like that, the risks of pre-e to you as the mama would be higher than the prematurity would to them. You're doing a great job, how exciting to be so close to meeting them!!!

I was on mag sulfate already when I was dx with pre-e. My bp stayed pretty manageable until they took me off at late 33w. then it went through the roof, quite literally. my peri took one look at the reading and sent me to l&d, do not pass go, do not collect $200. I delivered 6 hours later at 34w6d and my kiddos came home with me!

 

Are you spilling any protien? Have you done a 24 hour urine? (btw the 24 hour is the ONLY way to accuratly know how much, if any, protien you are spilling) Have you had labs? Check out the preeclampsia foundation site www.preeclampsia.org there are many women who have not only faced pre-e but also PIH (pregnancy induced hypertention).

With the twins I was put on bp meds, they tried procardia since I was contracting as well, so they tired to stop both the high bps and contraxs at the same time, well I had a horrible headache from procardia so they switched me to labetalol. It worked at first, but my bp continued to rise over the next week so they kept upping the dose. At one point it stopped working all together, and that was because I had finally progressed to pre-eclampsia and HELLP syndrome.

make sure you are watching for increased swelling, sudden wieght gain, headaches, blurred vision, pain under the right breast, or anything that just feels off.

As for your gestation, it sounds great to me...my 32 weekers came out breathing on their own