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atvlady
Junior Member
US
333 Posts |
 Posted - 11/03/2009 : 8:02:52 PM
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Ok ladies. I have to ask this. It has been burning on my mind for some time now and I just have to ask. I have set and thought back on my pregnancy with Darren and I know "see" that my body was trying to tell me something. I want each of you, if you want, to think of the ways your body was changing leading up to the delivery. You don't have to contribute but I am so curious as to the way my body was talking to me, I wanted to see if any of you had the same or symptoms you had.
-When I was about 12 weeks I told my husband I was having a girl and that I was going to have her early, that she would be premature. It was a girl and she was born at 20 weeks.
-When I was 17 weeks I began to nest....BAD! I drove myself crazy and when my dad's g/f came up to see me, she recognized it and told me I better tell my dr about it. My house had to be spotless!
-When I was 18 weeks, I tried to eat a potato chip and it was SO SO salty, it was like eating salt out of the shaker. I couldn't eat ANYTHING with salt in it. It was salt free and good or if it had one peice of salt, it was beyond salty. Has anyone else had this?
I know pregnancy does weird things to your body BUT these "signs" stood out. Call me weird but I swear I think it was my body telling me what was going to happen.
Thank you for your input.
OH....and do tell if that pregnancy was preeclamptic or not. |
Delissa(36) Hubby(43)
#1 Rissa-Janelle "Darren" King born 6-6-09 10:33 p.m. passed 6-6-09 11:53 p.m. Twenty weeks one day gestational, 192 grams (6.8 ounces), 9 inches long. Severe HELLP, severe Pre-e and severe PIH.
#2 TTC as of October, 24 2009. HELLP, pre-e and all your ugly buddies, STAY AWAY!
Learn from the past, build for the future. |
Edited by - atvlady on 11/03/2009 8:24:42 PM |
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lilliputianmama
Junior Member
USA
255 Posts |
Posted - 11/03/2009 : 8:23:03 PM
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| This is the only pregnancy where I've been sensitive to salt and I made it the furthest. With both my girls, I felt fine and normal up until a couple of days before both were delivered. |
Shannon & Jeff
Darsie - 9/19/04 - born at 28 weeks, 1lb. 12oz.
Elise - 04/29/07 - born at 33 weeks, 3lb. 7oz.
Robert due 11/19 with c-section scheduled 11/4 - 25mg atenolol daily |
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Trish
Moderator
1939 Posts |
Posted - 11/03/2009 : 9:12:24 PM
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| I just went back & checked my journal for the exact date: On Nov. 2nd I wrote that I heard from my OB & she'd gotten an inducton date of Jan. 9 set up (I was due near the end of January). But then (and this is the weird part) I wrote that for some reason I think she will come on or around Dec. 28. Ali was born Dec. 27th. Weird? I think so! And this was before my BP got bad or any of my L&D trips for headaches started. |
Trish: Mommy to 3 little Princesses
Elizabeth 11/6/03, 6 lbs 13 oz @ 37 weeks for PE
Katie 4/14/05, 6 lbs 6 oz @ 38 weeks for PIH only!
Allison Nicole 12/27/07, 5 lbs 9 oz. @ 36 weeks for PE, still dealing with BP issues from PP PE |
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atvlady
Junior Member
US
333 Posts |
Posted - 11/03/2009 : 9:17:43 PM
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| Trish....you know....my experience wtih pregnancy and pre-e, when yor body tells you something....IT IS TRUE! I think it is odd yet comforting to know I am not the only one. I told my husband all this time I feel like a nut-o or something by having these feelings but glad to know I am not the only one! Thanks for your input! |
Delissa(36) Hubby(43)
#1 Rissa-Janelle "Darren" King born 6-6-09 10:33 p.m. passed 6-6-09 11:53 p.m. Twenty weeks one day gestational, 192 grams (6.8 ounces), 9 inches long. Severe HELLP, severe Pre-e and severe PIH.
#2 TTC as of October, 24 2009. HELLP, pre-e and all your ugly buddies, STAY AWAY!
Learn from the past, build for the future. |
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rosalinda
Junior Member
USA
289 Posts |
Posted - 11/03/2009 : 10:16:54 PM
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| When I was around 15 weeks pregnant, I started panicking that because I was born at 28 wks, my baby would be born preterm and that there would be something wrong with her. I didn't know then why I was soo worried, I guess now I know I somehow 'knew' something wasn't right. |
- I'm a 28 week baby myself, 2.2 lbs, due to preterm labor
-My beautiful little girl Elissa born sleeping at 25 W 4d, 420 grams, January 19,2007. Severe PE
- As of November 2007, I'm chronic hypertensive
- Missed miscarriage: Feb 2009
- Third pregnancy: due July 2010 |
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JMom08
Junior Member
US
165 Posts |
Posted - 11/04/2009 : 12:17:55 AM
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I was anxious from early on, but I think in the 1st and 2nd trimesters it was because of specific events unrelated to the PE (although I've since read posts that made me wonder if the false positive on our 1st trimester screening might have been PE related). I did have a feeling that DS was going to come early, but I think my MFM gets credit. When we got the OK amnio result, without mentioning PE, he said that sometimes with false positives the baby later has slow growth and needs to come out a bit early. After that, I expected DS would be early, and had the nursery ready a couple of days before I ended up on bedrest.
With regard to body signs, my swelling was gradual but it was pretty severe. By 30 weeks I was having wrist/hand pain & numbness, and my feet were getting huge. I definitely felt like something wasn't right.
We made the decision to test DS's lungs because of heart rate decelerations he was having while I was in antepartum, and we never found out the cause of the decelerations. For the 2 weeks in the hospital my PE stayed mild/stable, but if I remember right, my BP had just started to climb again right as we did the amnio (which broke my water, & decided the delivery timing for us).
So, long answer to your question (sorry!), I do think that in some ways my body was trying to tell me something, and I've wondered whether the unexplained things might be related to the PE as well. |
Emily
mom to DS, born Feb 2006, 36 weeks - PE, c/s
expecting # 2, due June 2010 (lovenox, lda) |
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Kara
Parents of Preemies Moderator
USA
6052 Posts |
Posted - 11/04/2009 : 12:58:25 AM
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I presumed I'd be a past due momma, since my mom went past 40 weeks with both me and my brother. But the day I ended up in the hospital, something in my head told me to shave my legs that morning!! Seriously. I made sure to shave well, and sure enough. I was admitted that day and remained hospitalized until dd was born...and didn't get to shave again for like another 4 days.
On a serious note, I didn't realize I was sick until I felt so much better in the days after delivery. I also look back and see things like the blurry vision I'd have and have to "sleep off" around 24+ weeks, and other things that I wouldn't dismiss in another pregnancy. |
Kara
National Awareness Walk Coordinator & WI Group Coordinator
Mom to Avery Ann born 11/11/05 @ 31 weeks, 2 lbs., 7.5oz IUGR, Severe Pre-e, Lupus Anticoagulant - which is NOT the same as Lupus (SLE) Systemic lupus erythematosus, Possible Antiphospholipid Syndrome, Heterozygous MTHFR, Hyperfiltrating kidney's
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jules2
Junior Member
UK
147 Posts |
Posted - 11/04/2009 : 04:20:40 AM
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Hi there,
Early on in my last pregnancy I felt very down and was utterly convinced it was going to go wrong for me, and that something awful was going to happen to the baby or myself or both of us. My Dad was taken into hospital just after I found out I was pregnant, and died when I was about 8 weeks, so everyone told me that I was just feeling so low due to the grief, nothing to do with that pregnancy. I was also telling everyone that this baby was going to come early and that my body just wouldn't last out 40 weeks. I also thought she was a girl - but that was because I kind of knew I was swimming in female hormones, didn't have to shave my legs any more for example!
The problem is, maybe a lot of women have these negative thoughts during pregnancy but don't like to admit to them because we are supposed to be happy and excited about it all (whilst I was a nervous wreck). When something goes so badly wrong, maybe we are more willing to admit we didn't feel right about it all from the start? So I'm still not sure that I really "knew", but maybe I am just prone to ante-natal depression which I'm now willing to talk about. Who knows?
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Mother to Alice, stillborn on 05/09/09 at 26+1 weeks
Missed miscarriage at 8 weeks, Nov 2009 |
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alexa5
Junior Member
US
226 Posts |
Posted - 11/04/2009 : 08:01:06 AM
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I agree with Julia's thoughts about having the negative thoughts but not admitting them until after something went wrong (or attributing those thoughts as knowing something was up after the fact). In my case, my first pregnancy ended in miscarriage, and I had miscarriage as a worry in the back of my mind, but I honestly don't think it was a sign--I was just one of those that wasn't going to feel "safe" until I heard a heartbeat or saw the baby moving around on ultrasound. So, when I actually had a miscarriage I was kind of shocked even though it was something I thought I was prepared for.
Same thing with pre-e....I kind of feared it as "the thing I didn't want to get", and always felt a little on guard and wanting to be prepared early in case the baby came early. When I actually got pre-e, like the miscarriage, I was kind of surprised as I didn't really think it would happen. That said, I do think there was something that kept running through my head to have everything done by a month ahead so I would be prepared for an early delivery.
As for symptoms, I do think I had a few that were somewhat telling but hard to determine if they are regular pregnancy things or pre-e related: a lot of swelling in the feet and ankles, shortness of breath when active, fast weight gain for no real reason. So, I did have some body related things that I know now were most likely pre-e related, but even though I paid close attention they were not enough to really tell me for sure since a lot of pregnant women have some of those things. |
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my3tatertots
New Member
US
50 Posts |
Posted - 11/04/2009 : 10:53:55 AM
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| With my last pregnancy I started swelling bad at 19 weeks. My midwife was pushing me to eat tons of protein and drink half my body weight in ounces of water each day. I just didn't feel good after doing this. It made me feel sick to eat and drink so much. I felt like my body was trying to tell me the mw's diet was wrong for me but she assured me it was a tried and true way of beating PE. Having had PE at 40 weeks with my first, I really wanted to avoid it again so I dismissed the signs and gut feeling somethng wasn't right. I started getting sick at 30 weeks and my baby was born a preemie at 35. I think the diet stressed my kidneys and brought about PE even sooner. This pregnancy is going so much better. I'm already 34 weeks and no signs of PE. I eat what I want within reason most of the time. Sometimes I over indulge though! :) But things are going great and I listen to my body first and foremost this time around. |
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atvlady
Junior Member
US
333 Posts |
Posted - 11/04/2009 : 1:01:56 PM
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| Thanks to all of you. I have read in my journal at what was going on everyday in my pregnancy with Darren. It was like my body was telling me something was wrong adn that she was going to come early but I guess the reason I didn't pay attention to it is cause I had never been that far along before nor had I had any pregnancy complications. Thanks for all of your input. I think it is very fascinating how a woman's body acts when she is pregnant. I know for myself I became someone else as far as protecting myself from harmful things, etc. I had to protect my baby but never thought this in my mind. ( I am a go getter....no holding me back and hate to be idle.) |
Delissa(36) Hubby(43)
#1 Rissa-Janelle "Darren" King born 6-6-09 10:33 p.m. passed 6-6-09 11:53 p.m. Twenty weeks one day gestational, 192 grams (6.8 ounces), 9 inches long. Severe HELLP, severe Pre-e and severe PIH.
#2 TTC as of October, 24 2009. HELLP, pre-e and all your ugly buddies, STAY AWAY!
Learn from the past, build for the future. |
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mother bear
Junior Member
US
226 Posts |
Posted - 11/04/2009 : 2:40:05 PM
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About the salt thing... for the entire month before my preemie, I literally couldn't taste salt. I'd eat the saltiest potato chips, and complain to my friends and family that the manufacturor messed up because they forgot the salt. They all thought I was nuts, and that the chips were just as salty as they usually were. And then, of course, after the birth, I couldn't touch anything with the slightest speck of salt on it for an entire month. So, anything that messes up your salt taste is definitely a sign that something's up.
I was also really swollen, exhausted. I was trying to do simple yardwork like clipping blackberries off the fence for the winter, and I had arms made of lead and couldn't do it. I wasn't sleepy, just had no stamina. It made me feel better, last week, to be clipping blackberries off the fence, and while still more exhausted than I'd like, still able to actually get the task done without arms made of lead. While still not as good as the second pregnancy, where I made it to term and actually had energy to do everything, I'll make it farther this time than the first.
I agree with the diet intuition thing though. My MFM wants me to eat lots of protein. Heck, I'm anemic, so it makes sense, right? But... I just can't. When I want my pork chops and hard boiled eggs, I'll eat as much as I want. But sometimes, I just don't want to, and I respect my body's homeostatic mechanisms enough to go with my instinct for what I eat. Like, instictively avoiding the Halloween candy. |
Mommy to Michelle 1/06 - 31 weeks due to Severe pe, placental abruption, IUGR
homozygous MTHFR C677T
Nicole 9/07 - 39 weeks 2 days PIH and white coat tachycardia, but NO PE!
#3 is a boy! C-section scheduled 1-14-10, on 2 LDA, 4mg folic acid, extra iron, synthroid, and 12.5mg Atenolol once a day. |
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Farahsmom
Starting Member
CA
9 Posts |
Posted - 11/04/2009 : 8:43:44 PM
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It's funny I never really thought about these little signs before, but I had them.
I had a feeling from about 30 weeks on that DD was going to be early ( she was 35 weeks). At about that time I shaved every week (it happened to be every thursday and DD was born on a Saturday). Again at 30 weeks I made sure everything was ready for DD and that nothing more needed to be done (thank God because I had a c section).
Then there were the medical issues, at 32 weeks I started to gain a lot of weight and quickly but since it was summer and I was wearing flip flops I never really noticed my feet swelling, I also didn't gain much weight up until then, so I figured it was just happening later for me. I had somewhat blurry vision at that time and then at 34 weeks is when I could no longer sleep on my side I was in so much pain, I waited a few days before going to the emergency room (such a stupid thing to do). |
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MellyBute
Junior Member
US
135 Posts |
Posted - 11/04/2009 : 11:18:28 PM
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For me with this last pregancy I felt "off" from the get go. And I had my first no complications pregnancy to compare it to and I felt completely different with the PE pregnancy. It seemed like I immediately gained weight and felt miserable. My swelling was ridiculous and during my 9 day hospital stay (c-section & then readmittance into ICU) I lost about 40-50 lbs. of fluid. I was so swollen I hadn't felt me shines, ankles, or feet in months. It was so strange in the hospital when my feet started to resemble feet again and I could feel them and wiggle my toes and feel it. I realized then how bad it had been and I had forgotten what my feet really looked like. By the time I delivered my face was so swollen I didn't even look like myself. I had my husband bring me a photo album while I was in ICU and so sick, so I could see how different I looked. It was crazy.
I too completely felt like he was going to come early. So much that we had my baby shower 3 months before due date and I told my friend that hosted it, we had to do it then because I didn't want to wait too long. I was miserable and VERY swollen at that point.
After I was feeling better at home a few weeks post partum and cleaned my kitchen floor I realized what a chore this had been my entire pregnancy. I too had NO energy for even the smallest task like putting food in my dogs bowl. I didn't do that for months. My husband had to. And the crazy thing is I didn't even realize it until after the fact.
There were MANY times during the pregnancy that I told my sister I could feel my heart racing through my whole body. I could feel my pulse like I had never felt it before. And my bp was good. It didn't go up until 37 weeks, the day I was admitted.
I also ate ice from the time I got up until I went to bed. All day long. My machine was empty all the time. I couldn't get enough in my mouth and it wasn't cold enough. After delivery I tried chewing just a piece or two and couldn't, it was too cold. Everytime I went to my OB they asked me if I was drinking enough. I told them all I do is drink water and eat ice all day.
I also vomitted in my third trimester for a couple of days, but I thought I had just eaten something bad. Looking back, I think it was part of the PE.
I saw silver floaters in the shower but crazy me thought it was my mascara or something. It was actually really pretty. I look for them now but they are not there (which is a good thing!)
All I can say, is this PE pregnancy was completly different then my first pregnancy. I knew the day I was admitted that he NEEDED to come out. I kept telling everyone before I went to the hospital. Thank goodness my baby was not affected by it. I know how lucky we are. |
Melissa - 35 yo
Hubby is Patrick - 33 yo
Mom of
Boy - Koen 4/3/06 no complications
Boy - Levi 8/2/09 severe pp preeclampsia, still on bp meds |
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jend01
Junior Member
US
138 Posts |
Posted - 11/05/2009 : 08:59:55 AM
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| Very interesting. I have talked about this with my therapist, but I didn't really think that this was something that others expierenced so much. I had a very bad feeling from the begining of my pregnancy. I always thought that I was going to die after delivery. I could never imagine myself with a baby at home or picture my son growing up. I didn't really know about PE so I wasn't looking for any signs. Turns out that I did get PE and had eclamptic seizures. I flat lined, once as far as I know, my husband thinks it was more. So my bad feeling happened. I always thought that it was just my normal "what-if" thoughts. Looking back on my pregnancy now knowing the sypmtoms of PE, I probably should have been induced a little earlier or at least put on bed rest. I had severe swelling in my hands and face along with my legs and ankles. I also had very bad URQ pain and throwing up that I thought had something to do with having my gall bladder removed the year before. If there is a next time I am going to be completely open with all of my thoughts and any symptoms. |
-Jennifer
Mom to Eian Marshall born 07/08/08 36+ weeks due to borderline PE symptoms. (healthy baby 6lbs 1oz, no NICU) :)
led to eclamptic seizures and cardiac arrest 4 days PP and 6 days in ICU to stabalize. Chronic hypertensive and PTSD today, but getting better on the meds. |
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love_the_daschies
Junior Member
US
277 Posts |
Posted - 11/05/2009 : 2:30:43 PM
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I started getting worried about pre-e specifically at 12 weeks. I became convinced I was going to get Pre-E at 20 weeks. Unfortunately, no one shared my worries.
I started getting worried at 12 weeks because my BP had gone up slightly, and I had had severe wrist/hand pain since week 11. I was worried something would happen with my BP but was assured medication would help.
At 16 weeks my feet were so swollen I couldn't wear any of my shoes. I was assured this was normal.
At my 18.5 week u/s we found out he was a BOY! I was estatic - then 2 days later I started freaking out that maybe he wasn't moving as much as he should be on the u/s and I wanted the AFP test to see if there was a spinal problem. I called the OB office over and over again - yelling and crying about why the test was never offered to me (well you had a normal first trimester screen....blah blah blah). When I got in touch with the dr. she told me it was too late for the test since I was a little over 19 weeks at that point. I KNOW the afp would have showed issues - I wonder if that would have got me in to see the MFM sooner - grrr......
My very first post on this board was at 21 weeks. At this point I realized it was silly to keep saying "if". "If" the baby makes it. "If" everything works out o.k. I was convinced I would get PE at some point - but convinced the doctors would make it o.k. I registered for all the baby stuff I could find and started to relax a bit.
1 weeks later I was at the OB - BP was 160/100 for the second week in a row!!!! She figured I would be seeing the MFM in a week so she just assured me not to worry (how I wish I just went to L&D on my own). 3 days later I noticed sleeping didn't bring down the swelling in my feet and calves. I showed teh medical director of my lab (a nephrologist) and he insisted I call my dr. immediately. I went n to be seen and BP was 198/110 and urine showed +2. I started crying then because i knew everything was all over.
Many people have apoligized to me about not believing me for weeks when I said something was wrong. Obviously I just tell them - hey my dr.'s weren't concerned - why would you be? Also, as my friends your job was to tell me everything was going to be o.k. I feel bad my mom , my hubby and my nest friend especially felt so guilty for not believing me - but I kept assuring them even if they believed me - it wouldn't have made a difference.
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Jamie - 28 Hubby - 30
Mom to Vincent ~ b/d 4-29-09 @ 22.5 wks due to PE.
* I miss you little boy *
#2 : EDD: 4/23/10
http://definingme-ramblingsofaneurotic.blogspot.com/
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kmaley9
Starting Member
US
1 Posts |
Posted - 11/09/2009 : 02:01:54 AM
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| I agree that your body tells you before you are actually diagnosed. At 28 weeks I started going crazy nesting at home. I cleaned out every single closet, made my husband organize our whole garage, and we had a huge garage sale to get rid of some of the excess. At 32 weeks I was put on bed rest for preeclampsia and have not been able to do anything around the house since (I just hit 36 weeks yesterday). I am so thankful that I went thru my nesting phase when I did, otherwise I would be going even more crazy than I already am on bed rest. |
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Your own preeclampsia symptoms..
