Heartburn A Symptom Of Pregnancy
Q: I was at the doctor, my BP was 100/60 - no
protein in my urine, and I had *normal* swelling. Well - last appointment
my BP had crept up to 108/70, and the swelling was getting much worse.
Well - today, at my 37 week checkup, my BP had gone up to 134/80, and now
there is some protein in my urine. My swelling has gotten much worse, and
I've been seeing spots every now and then. No headaches, but I've been
getting some really dizzy spells and have been feeling REALLY drowsy and
tired. The doctor scared the crap out of me this morning when she said that
"I'm showing early signs of toxemia". She said it's not in the danger level
yet, but it's definitely something to keep an eye on. She said that
maternity leave starts today - no choice there.
My question is...have any of you ladies out there gone through this...where you're at the "still safe, but need to be
monitored closely" stage? How did it turn out? Did you not get any worse
and wind up delivering on your own? Did the symptoms just get worse? Is
this normal for a jump in BP and protein in the urine? It kind of knocked
me off my can this morning because it was the last thing I was expecting...I
know when my mom went into labor with me, she had to be given some sedatives
because her BP went sky high in early labor...I guess pre-eclampsia can be
hereditary? This is my first pregnancy (37w2d along today...).
Do you have any experience to share with me?
A:B-vitamins and folic acid. Because they help your body cope with stress and
are vital to a healthy pregnancy.
Magnesium. Most pregnant women who are taking calcium are getting too much
calcium relative to the amount of magnesium they are consuming, particularly
if they are using Tums for heartburn. Tums has the added effect of reducing
the body's ability to absorb nutrients, which can also contribute to blood
pressure. Try switching to Super Papaya Enzyme for heartburn and making sure
you're getting as much magnesium as calcium (1:1 ratio) if your blood
pressure is creeping up. You're fine with levels up to about 1,200 mg per
day. Even a 2:1 Calcium:Magnesium ratio is okay compared to taking Tums with
no magnesium at all... Magnesium also helps balance the clotting factors to
reduce the problems that can crop up for women with a predisposition to
clotting.
Things which can cause high blood pressure in pregnancy:
1. Factor V Leiden and other clotting related genetic and autoimmune
disorders. (all of the above recommendations are valid for people with
clotting problems, but may require adjustment for those who are already
being treated medically for clotting problems.) As many as 1 out of every 20
white American women have Factor V Leiden...don't think that just because
you've never heard of it means you don't. Multiple miscarriages,
preeclampsia, abruption, stroke, heart attack, DVT and pulmonary embolism in
your family or personal history, when combined with preeclamspia symptoms
are a really strong indictator that you may have a genetic clotting
disorder. It's not a death sentence, simply one more thing to be aware of.
My mother, daughter and myself all have FVL and have been symptom free for
years and years.
2. Snoring. Yep, snoring. Or more specifically, sleep apnea. My blood
pressure dropped 20 points when I started using a CPAP after having a sleep
study done. See if you can get your doc to put a rush on a sleep study for
you if your partner reports that you are snoring. Get him in to the doc,
too, while you're at it if he's snoring a lot. Sleep apnea is the kind of
snoring where it is very loud and stops and starts. People with sleep apnea
often feel tired all the time, may have a sore throat in the morning, etc.
And research has associated snoring with pregnancy complications. A CPAP
will improve your oxygenation at night and help you feel more rested during
the day.
3. Stress. Stress places an extra demand on your nutritional reserves.
Adrenaline resources reduce oxygenation to the placenta and baby. This is
one of those unfortunate realities where sometimes women have to make a
choice between slowing their work load to stay healthy and working
themselves into the hospital with preeclampsia or preterm labor.
4. Poor nutrition. Without sufficient calories from carbohydrates, your body
will burn protein for fuel. Without sufficient protein, your blood volume
cannot expand appropriately. Without sufficient salt and protein, your
bloodstream cannot "hold onto" fluids, and they leak into the surrounding
tissues, causing swelling and raising your overall blood pressure. Without
sufficient fluids present, your body has a much harder time processing out
toxins, expanding