I just got told today by my OB that I have preeclampsia. She put me on bed rest and I now have to start going to the doctor 3 times a week. My proteins in my urine were 400. I'm really freaking out, because I truly dont know if they are going to send my husband home from Iraq. I"m going in on Friday for a doc appt with a new doc because my OB doesn't handle preeclampsia cases this early in the pregnancy. Well by what they say I"m still like 28 wks. I have to have questions to ask the doc on Friday, my mind is still boggled and I think it will be until I dont know when. Does anyone have any suggestions on questions I should ask. Please let me know. I would greatly appreciate it.
I just got told today by my OB that I have preeclampsia. She put me on bed rest and I now have to start going to the doctor 3 times a week. My proteins in my urine were 400. I'm really freaking out, because I truly dont know if they are going to send my husband home from Iraq. I"m going in on Friday for a doc appt with a new doc because my OB doesn't handle preeclampsia cases this early in the pregnancy. Well by what they say I"m still like 28 wks. I have to have questions to ask the doc on Friday, my mind is still boggled and I think it will be until I dont know when. Does anyone have any suggestions on questions I should ask. Please let me know. I would greatly appreciate it.
Hello Army Wife:
First of all, I had this, but the only difference is that I was at 34 weeks and had him early. Chances are that you will never make that far from where you are now. Do you have h.b.p. along with swelling and protein? Is that how she diagnosed you? Don't be scared. The only way to solve this is by delivery, and unfortunately if your b.p. and protein gets worse, they will have to deliver your baby and usually it is done by c-section. It sucks I know, but don't be scared as long as they are keeping close watch on you, they will know when they cannot let you go any longer and have to deliver your baby. It is the best thing for both of you if it gets worse. Best of luck to you!
Thank you very much, that actually helped a lot. Well we had thought that my hbp was just coming and going because it would be high than a lil lower and what not. But the protein this time in my urine is what did it. Because it wasn't even a week ago that I did a 24 hour test and it came back at 298 and now it's up to 400. I guess it will be interesting to see how far I will actually get to carry him. I didn't know that they would delivery by c-section. That scares me because I wanted to have him naturally. I really dont have much swelling at all I guess it was just the high protein, and the hbp that made her diagnose me with it. I am going to start going to the doctor 3 times a week, so I think they are going to keep extra close eye on me. Thank you for the info. It has helped.
Since you're on bedrest, do you have any family nearby to help you? Pre-eclampsia can be dangerous and it's good your doctors will watch you carefully, but I think you should not be alone.
This might be the time that you really need your husband could come home on a hardship leave or something, Maybe you can talk to the Red Cross or your doctors can arrange it? I think if it were me and our baby could come early, I'd hope he could come home ASAP! Would that be a problem for him?
Thank you very much for the concern. I actually dont have any family close by, my mom actually is going back to Cali tomorrow because she has to. So I'm hoping that Friday my doctor will say that he will put in the red cross message to get him home. He wont have a problem at all coming home. He's been worried since I"ve started to have problems. I am lucky though that I have friends here on post that will help to do things for me if I need it till he would get home. I really do hope that he will be able to be home by Monday just so that I dont have to go through this alone. I'm hoping that our son can hold out or I should say that my body can hold out till at least 36wks but for some reason I dont see it happening. It will be easier I think too with my husband here just because I wont worry as much. It's nice to know I think I will make some good friends from this board. I cant thank you enough. All the added support helps. Thank you agan.
courtney: I was put on high blood pressure meds early on before 28 weeks. and then I took the 24 hour urine test around 28 weeks.... and was fine... they took me off the meds around week 31 or so and I am back on them.. (methyldopa) or something like that is the name of the drug. they really make you swell... are you on blood pressure meds yet? I am sure you are... they can really make you RETAIN water!!! its terrible..... I don't have the protein in the urine so I guess I am diagnosed with "hypertension" and I am supposed to rest a lot.
I am not in your situation - and I am sorry you are on bed rest. but really listen to the doc and maybe you can carry as long as you hope to! you never know.... wishing you all the best - and I really hope your hubby comes home - really press for that!!
XXOO Friday, 35 weeks tomorrow.
Im actually not on any hbp meds. I tell you this pregnancy makes me wonder if I truly want to have any more. It scares me because I dont know if they are going to send my husband home. If they dont I truly dont know what I am going to do. It seems that is just putting even more stress on me because I have to wait until tomorrow to talk to my new OB to find out if he will send the message or what not. I know my husband is now on edge with everything. I'm just doing my best to relax, it's just hard when it's only you, and you have to do everything. I tell you it makes me want to go nuts more than what I already am. But thank you very much for the advice. I have to say I'm looking forward to going to the doc tomorrow to hopefully that he will tell me something good. Like he's sending my husband home. Well thank you again.
It's funny you mention wondering if you will have more children given the stresses and problems of this pregnancy. I am feeling the same way! Thing is, I have quite a few friends that swear they "just loved" being pregnant. When I ask them what about the pain, the sickness, etc., etc.. They all say, "oh, yeah - I had that, it was horrible". One of my "I loved it" friends had pneumonia twice, severe round ligament pains, and was hospitalized for her asthma at least once per month! She is now TTC their second. So it seems once baby is here with us it is so wonderful and worth it that we will sort of forget all of these things we are going through! I guess nature makes us that way or there really wouldn't be so many people on Earth!
I believe with preeclampsia you have to deliver via c-sec because the stress of bearing down to deliver vaginally could give you a stroke? If you do ask your OB about delivery options with preeclampsia please let me know. I don't have it (knock on wood), but I am curious.
Good luck! It will all be soooo worth it (or so my friends tell me)!
Hi there sorry to hear about your situation, but from one army wife to another, Im not sure if they will send him home for preeclampsia, I guess it depends on the unit, we had a lady in our unit who had PROM and they didnt send her dh home until the baby was born....but its all upto his captain, also I have heard bed rest helps, is there anyway that once you have it it can go away? I personally have never had it I wish I could be of more help..Good luck just thought I would share some info about red cross
You know I've heard the same thing from so many people it's unbelieveable. I sit here and cry at nite because I cant talk to my husband if we want to have other kids now. I know I"m just scared to death about it. I guess that it does all pay off in the end. I'm hoping so. LoL. I always thought too that younger people didnt' have as many problems during pregnancy but h*ll I'm having so many that it's unbelieveable. I will for sure post and let you know tomorrow after my doc appt what they say about that. I think that is one of my biggest questions.
Valerie~
I am lucky that my husband is in a great unit. The thing is, being on bed rest I have no one who can really do the every day things that I need people to do for me. I talked to a nurse again and she told me that with the way things are sounding that they might send him home. Just because I have no one close enough to help me out with anything. The thing is though too is things are getting worse with this pregnancy, that I need someone to drive me to my doc appts, and if I do end up going into labor early I have to have someone drive me off post to the hospital since our hospital doens't have a NICU. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed.
I just wanted to post something positive for you to think about. I have never had preeclampsia, but my best friend has had it with both of her babies. They were both born early and had to spend some time in the NICU. Her daughter was born vaginally at 33 weeks. This was about 6 weeks after they diagniosed her as having preclampsia. Her son was delivered at 32 weeks by ceserean as soon as they diagnosed preclampsia. She is very healthy today, and has two healthy wonderful children. She is even thinking about a third! Preclampsia is a awful condition, but with prenatal care you and your baby have a great chance of being fine. I could only imagine how stressful this is for you. I hope that things work out for you as well as they did for my BF.
army wife you are a very brave woman being alone at the moment my dh is banned from working away longer than for short trips as i have been so worried about things whilst being pg. i hope things with the pre eclampsia look up soon and dh is here asap to give you big hugs and support. Also i agree i have felt crap almost all of my pg and seriously say if we ever have another child then it will not be for at least 5 years i will be in no hurry to go through this torture any time soon. thinking of you
angelbaby~
Thank you so much for telling me that. That actually really helped to lighten things a little bit. I'm just hoping that I can hold out till at lieast 32 wks to have my son. I'm just scared I dont want to have a c-section because I know that it will take me even longer to recover. I just hope that I'm going to want to have another child to the other 3 children that we want to have.
weepy~
I thank you for saying I'm brave. Trust me I dont feel it. There are times when I just want to cry because he's not here for me to cry on his shoulder. I'm scared to death I just want him to be home to help me through this. His mom now wants to come out, and I'm fine with that, BUT it's just different that your dh being there and your mil ya know. I'm just praying that my doc says he can come home.
Thank you everyone for the kind words and the support. It really helps a lot.
Well, Army, I have been complaining about my bedrest on our April moms page and now I am sorry I did that! I cannot even imagine how I would get through all of this without anyone being there to help out. I am whining when I have my husband here with me and all of my family within 15 miles of me! Believe it or not, you are really helping me put things in perspective. I know it stinks for you right now, but you are a great example to me and I appreciate it! I'll be praying that your husband gets to come home soon!! Keep that baby in there!!!!
I had it with my daughter. You will swell up big time and retain a lot of water. My bp was very high and I ended up being induced a over a month early. Bed rest is the best, but you should ask you dr if there is some kinda meds to help you or something you can do to help it. I was told walking and eating greens helps, I didnt know this when I had it before but when I got pg again(sadly it ended in miscarriage) but my dr told me to eat a lot of greens and try to walk more. I dont know what I would have done without my Dh around you are very brave for going through alone. Your also very lucky that they caught it early on, if they didnt you would have major probs. I do know when I was 34 wks along they said if it got any wrose they could induce me or give me a c section. They said at 32 wks they can do it. Good luck and hang in there.
when you were doing all the swelling etc. - how much water weight were you retaining in a week etc? I am just curious... I am on bp meds and I just recently blew up 5 lbs in a week and it freaked me out - and I feel so bloated now.
Armywife-
Boy, do I feel ya and my heart goes out to you. I think being a military spouse on bedrest and being alone is one of the hardest things I've ever done. After two weeks in the hospital and almost 8 weeks on bedrest I'm almost at the finish line. Dh isn't deployed, but with all the stuff they have him doing, (don't want to say too much on this board), lets just say sometimes I feel like he might as well be cause he's never here. I'll be surprised if he makes it to the birth!
My advice would be to stay strong and accept any help that anyone is willing to give you--people wouldn't offer if they weren't willing to help. It sounds like you're at a point in your pregnancy where if the baby were to come, he'd probably be ok--and your doctor will keep a close eye on you to make sure you can make it as long as possible. One of my friends here had preeclampsia and she just delivered vaginally (she was induced), so I don't think it necessitates a c-section--I know that was one of your worries. Take care, and let us know how things are going for you and dh!
Irguyer~
It's really no big deal. Trust me it was something I didnt' want to end up on, but I guess they do it for good reasons. I'm soo stubborn that this is going to be hard for me to follow till I have someone here to stay on my a** about it. I'm glad that I"m able to help.
chysmom~
I have yet to retain any water, that is why I'm like wondering. But I injest so much water and not all of it comes out, and so we have been wondering where it all has been going, so i think before long I'm going to be swollen up like the state puff marshmellow man. That scares me. It's hard to do a lot of walking because of the weather here right now. And with being on bed rest I cant do anything. I really wish that I could because trust me I would be, but with the snow it's just purly impossible. And I try not to go against what my docs say.
friday~
See I havent' been retaining any water...it's maninly my bp's and my protein. My protien in my urine is up to 400. which I couldnt' believe it when I found it out.
Sallyz~
I think it would be easier if this wasn't my first one. Than I would know what to expect and everything, but since I just dont know what to expect and everything else I think that's why it's freaking me out so bad. And this is our son, and I know my dh really doesn't want to lose him. And god knows I dont want to either. I understand everything, the military will just do that to ya. They love to keep em away. I am going to accept any help that I can get right now till I know what they are going to do. But the problem is, everyone works, goes to school and has kids so I am one that doesn't want to really ask because they are all tired and what not at nite. I really do hope I can have him vaginally. I guess that will be something my doc and I talk about tomorrow when I go in. I will post again tomorrow once I find anything out. Thanx so much everyone for caring. It really makes a person feel good. It's a nice support system.
Well I told you all that I would post a responce to what happened today when I went to the doctor. Well I can tell you I dont like my new doctor. He told me that this isn't a cause to send my husband home. So I'm waiting to hear back from my old OB since she was the one to diagnose me with me I'm going to see if she will send the red cross message. I'm overly stressed about it right now and when my husband called me today when I got home from my doc appt I just balled. This doctor seemed that all he could tell me was that he doesn't understand why my protein shot up so much in less than a week. I'm worried I have a severe case of preeclampsia that will lead to eclapmsia but he wont tell me anything. About the only thing that he could tell me is that I'm not going to be going to my due date and they are sticking with April 10th as the due date. So I"m all like I tell you doctors really are starting to get on my nerves. I had e-mailed our rear d commander (which for you not affiliated with the military is pretty much the command here still on post that takes care of things) and they said the only two reasons for him to get sent home are complications and high risk. Well get this, this new doctor gives me a Statement of Pregnancy sheet to prove I"m pregnant and hand written on it he has "pregnancy COMPLICATED by preeclampsia." Okay so tell me again why they aren't sending my husband home. He told me it's time for me to turn into Mrs. Royal B*tch. And it's happening, if I dont get answers from my old OB well I guess rear d and his command over in Iraq will get involved and that wont get pretty. If I find anything out from my OB I"ll let yall know.
Friday13
I will tell you when I pg with my dd I gained over a 100lbs with her, and about half of that was water weight. I cant say how much I gained in a wk because I dont really know. I do know I had to be put on pills after I had her because of the water weight not wanting to come off.
Army
Like I told Friday, I gained over a 100lbs with my dd and about half of it was water weight. I am glad to hear you are not ballooning up right now that is always a good sign! Try to hang in there, ask your dr what you can do, and see what he can put you on. Good luck!
Preeclampisa 
which I couldnt' believe it when I found it out. 
I tell you doctors really are starting to get on my nerves. I had e-mailed our rear d commander (which for you not affiliated with the military is pretty much the command here still on post that takes care of things) and they said the only two reasons for him to get sent home are complications and high risk. Well get this, this new doctor gives me a Statement of Pregnancy sheet to prove I"m pregnant and hand written on it he has "pregnancy COMPLICATED by preeclampsia." Okay so tell me again why they aren't sending my husband home. He told me it's time for me to turn into Mrs. Royal B*tch. And it's happening, if I dont get answers from my old OB well I guess rear d and his command over in Iraq will get involved and that wont get pretty. If I find anything out from my OB I"ll let yall know.
