Preeclampsia Postpartum???

Did you know that one can have preeclampsia postpartum?  Yeah...me neither.  Well...it has come to my attention that women can have preeclampsia up to 6 weeks postpartum.  I was one of the unlucky few.

The last day I was in the hospital after giving birth to Zachary, my blood pressure was up higher than normal.  They watched it for a couple of hours and it didn't go up any further so they released me with no medication.

I have a blood pressure cuff at home and because of my history with high blood pressure during pregnancy (although I didn't have any trouble with it for THIS pregnancy) I decided to watch it.  Steadily over the last 2 weeks my blood pressure was going up.  Should I have called the Dr. sooner...perhaps.  But I didn't want to.  Last Wednesday I had a headache I couldn't get rid of.  I checked my blood pressure and sure enough...it was in the 170's over 90's.  NOT GOOD.

Friday morning I called my Dr.'s office and they told me to come right in that morning.  Darren took me to the Dr. and after taking my blood pressure (it was now 180's over 90's) and realizing that in my urine sample I spilled protein, they admitted me straight to the hospital at 10:00am for a day and a half.  They put me on Magnesium Sulfate (which is Epsom Salt delivered intraveniously) which is supposed to keep me from seizing.  They also gave me Lebatelol (oral pill) for my blood pressure.  I was to have no food or water for 24 hours.  UGH!

They put me on a catheter even after I asked if I could decline.  The Dr. said he wanted to watch my I's and O's (In's and Out's) closely.  The WHOLE TIME I was on the catheter not ONE nurse or Dr. checked my catheter bag to see what the level was.  I was LIVID!  Oooooooh.  I could go on and on about this, but will stop here for sanity sake.

Finally they got my pressure under control and I was allowed to leave the hospital at 7:00pm Saturday night.  With all the poking and prodding they did to me in the hospital, I felt worse after leaving the hospital than I did before I went in.  So ridiculous!!

It WAS a blessing however that my Dr. worked out with the charge nurse that I could have Zachary in my room during visiting hours so I could at least nurse him during the day.  I only had to pump at night.  This was REALLY helpful as the hospital policy is that NO CHILDREN under the age of 16 are allowed in the hospital.

So, I am back home now with my guys and very grateful.  Just another bump in the road I guess...SO GLAD it's over!!