Posted by Liz McDevitt on May 05, 1999 at 22:59:31:
In Reply to: high blood pressure posted by Amy on May 05, 1999 at 14:59:11:
Hi - I had preeclampsia with both of my pregnancies. My older daughter was born at 25 wks. (1#5oz) and my younger daughter was born at 30 weeks (3 lb). My blood pressure was up to 195/135. Even when they woke me from a dead sleep I would have a bp of 160/100. After both pregnancies - it took a month for my blood pressure to come down. I even remember a nurse in the perinatal unit tell me that I would certainly now have chronic high blood pressure for my life. Well fortunately that didn't happen. The internist I saw in the hosp and after for my bp told me that preeclampsia and PIH is a disease that affects blood vessels, not a reaction to stress and that it is too bad that it is called hyper - tension.
I would continue to take medication - this disease takes quite a toll on our bodies and it does take even up to a year before we are back to "normal"- at least that is what my ob has told me. Good luck and I hope you will not need your bp meds soon!
-Liz, mom to Maura (25 wks now 3.5 yrs) and Maeve (30 wks. now 11 mo.)