Blood Pressure

This week's theme is hypertension and questionable pre-eclampsia.

After my last doctor appointment 2 weeks ago, when I had a higher than normal blood pressure reading, my doctor told me to take my blood pressure every day at work. Well that's not easy to do considering the blood pressure cuffs are on patients at work. I was bad the first week about doing so. Then I had one day of really bad day of swollen ankles that had me curious. So I started taking it more often at home. Here's some of the readings from this week:

Monday:
13:53 - Taken when I just got home from work. My middle finger on my right hand was numb all day despite being in a brace all day. Ankles were very swollen despite wearing TED hose all day long. 126/91*
18:16 - Rested in bed with feet elevated from 14:00-17:30, taking a 1.5 hour nap. 124/78
20:23 - Repeated after a bath, right before bed. 118/80

Tuesday:
16:48 - Taken after returning home from work and running errands. 142/85*
20:20 - Taken after eating dinner and doing dishes and watching tv. 128/92*
21:02 - Taken after a bath spent reading a book. 128/77

Wednesday:
06:57 - Taken right before leaving for work. 109/79
09:41 - Taken after getting sent home from work. Had a dull headache, may be sinus related though (post nasal drip and nasal congestion). 123/80

Wednesday at work I asked my boss about how high is high and when I should mention it to my doctor. Would it be too late to wait until my appointment on Friday? My boss sent me home from work with instructions to rest and call my doctor. I emailed and put a call in to my doctor. He told me to rest as much as possible, take it easy at work and keep track of my numbers and we'd talk about it on Friday.

Thursday's numbers were pretty all day. I didn't work that day though due to Yom Kippur.

Friday:
06:28 - Taken right before I left for work. 123/87*
15:01 - Taken right before leaving for the doctor. 123/87*
At the doctor: 135/87* (repeated twice)

At the doctor appointment I had trace amounts of protein in my urine. Coupled with my edema, and high blood pressure, the doctor said I am at risk for pre-eclampsia. So I had to get a blood test done which tests platelet count, and liver enzymes. If the platelet count is low and liver enzymes high, along with my other symptoms, it would lead to an induction relatively soon. BUT, I got a call from my doctor today with the results of my blood tests and they were okay. I still need to rest as much as possible and keep track of my blood pressure readings for my next appointment.

I had a group b strep culture done and a cervical check too. The doctor said BG's head is still high, but my cervix is open and starting to dilate. No specific numbers or % effacement or anything, but it's a step in the right direction. Next appointment is this Wednesday.

I'm starting to get into that uncomfortable state. Walking hurts due to swollen feet, hurting pelvis, baby on the cervix... Sleeping sucks with a gremlin kicking every part of my belly that touches the matress/pillow and a bladder the size of a thimble. Getting up to pee sucks with edema that pools in my achilles tendons and makes flexing the foot down right painful. Sitting in a chair or with my feet up hurts b/c BG attacks my ribs. Laying down hurts my back. A few more weeks and then I'll get a lovely dose of that mommy amnesia hormone. I can't wait!