Long-term health issues after PE?

[caryn]

The thing about this forum - and this is what I meant when I said that most of us probably had some underlying something - is that it collects worst-case scenarios. The vast majority of women who have PE have a mild case at term, and don't have it with their subsequent children. But the PF forum virtually collects the HELLP syndrome cases who went through all the blood in the tri-state area, and the women who have a TIA before they ever attempt pregnancy because of their APS, and the women who lose their babies. The more severe earlier onset cases are statistically more likely to have something underlying their presentation.

But yeah, my grandmother's 86, and the only thing wrong with her is malignant hypertension. She still lives on her own. And once I recovered from the acute illness, I went back to being generally fine - it's just that I know I've unmasked my oncoming hypertension. Hypertension's easy enough to control with meds and a lot of people get it (and whether or not I worry about getting it, I'm going to get it - I don't want people to blame their worrying for causing their illnesses, either!)

[brismom]

i can relate.

[jgrumet]

I have always pick the most unsettling titles of posts to look at-
So, I'm hoping that other people that are doing the same thing as me (fear of finding doom and gloom) will have some sort of comfort in reading this.

We're fine! I know someone who had HELLP that is very obsese and she's still can't find an underlying disorder- oh and still eats awful and doesn't exercise and her heart still seems okay! And I know another mom in the peak of health that had PE and HELLP with all of her pregnancies and she is doing great. She stopped having babies after three because that was too hard on her, but other than that she is healthy. She adopted from Ethiopia a few months before us.

My biggest regret in all of this is allowing my fear to hinder parenting my children. I know I've wasting time worrying when i could have been enjoying my sons infancy. I also am so sad that I was in such fear that they hadn't "caught" my secret disease I was sure I had, that if I flew to Ethiopia to pick up my son with my husband, I would die in a poorly run hospital over there, leaving my children orphans. So I stayed at home. We need to stop being afraid of dying so we can start living- because living in fear is no life at all.

You know what? Most of us are so on top of our health after finding this, we're going to outlive most non-preeclamptics, just from maintaining what we have better than everyone else.

[brismom]

I can relate.

[jgrumet]

I have to disagree that most people have something wrong. I've met several elderly ladies in my community that had Preeclampsia and not one of them has an autoimmune disease or any sort of cardiac issue that they are aware of (and I am shameless enough to ask)...

Heart disease is the leading killer of women in the US. People are getting autoimmune problems left and right, and almost everyone is not exercising or eating properly. So, yeah, most of us will probably get something like this in the future, but the majority of people without PE will, too. Something in our bodies clearly didn't work right, but I think there are too many variables we don't know yet to say everyone here is unwell...(like higher BMI increasing your risk for PE and being obese is not a great thing for your heart)....

For me, I think that the anxiety and fear that came from having HELLP with no risk factors, other than it was my first pregnancy, was the hardest part. After coming home from the hospital I read (this board) that there is probably something awry with my body and it made me feel like a ticking time bomb. I went to every specialist possible, had extreme anxiety, depression, and the verdict was that I was healthy. I didn't believe them because I felt it was only a matter of time before they would find something, and I turned into a severe hypochondriac.I think that a lot of women here may feel the same way. I made it a point to talk to every OB and specialist I could and they all had to reassure me I wasn't in failing health. I actually talked about PE with everyone I came in contact with I went so crazy for awhile (that is how I met so many people with it!)

I don't feel like we should ignore our health, but if you know your body and find a trusted GP that you see regularly, eat right and exercise! I wouldn't waste your time worrying about the future. There actually are PE people that remain healthy their entire lives.

I met a woman who had PE with all of her children (7!) and nearly died with her last. She lived to 105 years old and died of pneumonia. The only reason she stopped having babies is her uterus prolapsed with the last.

Obviously, Caryn is a science genius, but I know for a fact that if you are one to stress about the future of your health you WILL develop health problems because of it. I think the research showing a connection between cardiovascular disease and PE is important, but only for the researchers to possibly allow PE patients to have preventive treatments at an earlier age. Not for us to feel like their is something wrong with us. Also I think the testing for underlying disorders after a HELLP pregnancy is great, but I think the stress that comes along with not finding a single astricks on their labwork when we have convinced ourselves the boogie man is living inside of us, is detrimental on our well-being.

And I'm just writing this because I wish someone would have said this to me three years ago.

Relax and be like 105-year-old Mabel who lived a very LONG carefree life.

[caryn]

Preeclampsia can "unmask" underlying conditions like autoimmune disease or chronic hypertension; the fact that you developed PE could have been a warning that later in life you'd develop other conditions. I think most of our posters probably have some sort of long-term health issue, but not caused by the PE, just unmasked by it. PE's kind of a warning signal that stuff isn't working properly.

[jjones1333]

I had the same feeling! The first year after I had pre-e I went to the ER 2x for chest pains and shortness of breath. I was seen by a cardiologist and a pulmonologist. At the ER I was diagnosed with pleurisy, but my other doctors didn't find anything. It's been 3 years and am still looking for a reason for my chest pains.

[cmccaffrey]

I actually have had the same feelings you were talking about. I had PE and then a DVT back in October and went to the ER for the same symptoms you are explaining in November. They gave me a diagnosis of pleurisy, but I feel as though it was the FREAKIEST feeling ever. Anyways, I have not had the feeling again since. I would be interested to see if anyone else had this.

[dja]

Hello ladies. It has been quite a while since my last post. My little boy Malcolm is now 6, and my angel baby Amelia would be 7 now. (It is hard to believe how the time has gone by.) Here is my question. I had PE with elevated liver enzymes and my bps got up to 200ish/100+. This was in 2004. I was eventually diagnosed with antiphospholipid antibody syndrome and I now take warfarin daily. After PE, I did not apparently have any lasting damage to my eyes, liver, etc. But I've had a couple of weird episodes in the last few years involving shortness of breath, a feeling of pain in my chest, arms, and collar bone, and general malaise. THe last episode was a couple of days ago and I went to the ER. I've now had EKGs a couple of times, which show no abnormality with my heart. The chest CT showed no lung blood clot. Frankly, I have been convinced both times I was having a heart attack - totally relieved that wasn't the issue, but it is perplexing. Anybody else have something like this. The ER findings were inconclusive or pointing to pleurisy as the cause of the chest pain. I'm concerned that there is a link to my PE with this - that maybe it doesn't show up on machines or whatever, but that something is still off kilter. Any ideas out there?