Before being discharged from the hospital after an emergency C section, I brought up my concerns with the severe swelling I was experiencing. They told me it was normal, but I felt like something was going on. A week after being discharged, I was feeling off, more swollen than before leaving the hospital and then developed a bad headache. I checked my bp and it was 147/100 with a pulse of 40. My OBGYN told me to head to the ER. On the way there, I told my husband to run the traffic lights because I wasn’t going to make it to the hospital. I felt like my head was going to explode, the headache was like nothing I’ve ever experienced. It felt like there was something really wrong and I was either going to have a stroke or heart attack. My 1 week baby girl was next to me on our way to the hospital and I couldn’t help but think that I was going to die and leave her alone.,,,

At the hospital, my bp was 200/100. I was put on mag drip for 24 hours and stayed 3 days figuring out medication and stabilizing my bp and headaches. Luckily, my baby was allowed in with me so I was able to breastfeed all the time I was there. I was sent home on labetalol and it wasn’t working so I was admitted again to the hospital with a bp of 200/100. Procardia xl finally worked and I am still on it 3 months postpartum. Postpartum preeclampsia was a very scary experience and I thought it was going to kill me. I feel very lucky to be alive and have the opportunity to see my baby girl grow up. I am still concerned with the long term effects of postpartum preeclampsia. And I am also concerned and terrified if I decide to have another child and get this again.