Gestational Diabetes Symptoms

ok- i had a 24 week prenatal visit today- I gained 13 pounds in 4 weeks! and i watch what I eat- no fast food very little junk food. then they take my blood pressure with the automatic machine 168 / 86, I have never had my blood pressure that high! usually 115 / 65 give or take ( we have a blood pressure cuff at home and I will check it occasionally). when my dr. came in he checked my BP again with the manual stethescope and said it was lower about 140/80 but that was still too high too. The Dr. did not tell me if there was too much protein in my urine but they ordered a 24 hour urinalysis where I have to carry a jug around with me for 24 hours to collect my urine so they can test it. He told me to take it easy and stay away from salt and that he wanted to see me in 2 weeks. Did anyone else have these symptoms that turned into preclampsia? Hypertension? I will know more i guess after they test my urine but I am currous and a little worried, It is too early for my blood pressure to shoot up that high. any personal accounts of what you went through might just be helpful for me as I am laying on the couch- hopefully the more i rest now the less I will HAVE to later – I can not stand the thought of bed rest but I can handle a few hours off my feet! thanks for your answers.

Well I hate to tell you this but what you are describing sounds almost exactly like my experience with preeclampsia, only mine developed a little further along, with the first symptoms starting at about 30 weeks. 24 weeks is a bit early to be seeing preeclampsia/hypertention readings but it is possible too.

As for the blood pressure reading… Were you under a significant amount of stress that day at work? Running late for your appointment? Anything that would have gotten you extra worked up?

Are you noticing swelling in your hands and feet and/or your face?

Any history of preeclampsia on either your side or your husband’s mother’s side? One of the things I found out in my research was that preeclampsia can be hereditary and is thought to be based off the genetic makeup of the baby, so it can come from your husband’s lineage as well. I found out that my mother in law had pre-eclampsia with all three of her pregnancies, so it might have been passed on to my baby from her.

The urine analysis will be the "official" test because they will be able to see if you are spilling protein.

For the next two weeks until you get checked again really watch your salt intake. Also take that bed rest seriously. I ended up in the hospital on bedrest the last two weeks before I delivered because my blood pressure got so high, and I remember even just getting up to go the restroom by the time I got back my BPs would soar up just from being on my feet a few minutes.

If you do end up being diagnosed with preeclampsia they will probably put you on bedrest at home with frequent checkups for blood pressure readings. They might move you to the hospital if the blood pressure gets to high so they can monitor you closer to make sure it doesn’t develop into eclampsia, which is where the seizures starts. They will probably induce you early once your baby gets a little further along. Mine was induced at 36 weeks and she was born very healthy with no NICU stay.

I’m sure everything will be fine! Good luck to you!