Preeclampsia?

I’ve had a bad headache for the last ten days.  I thought it was just due to being sick, but I’m finally getting better now and the headache is still persisting.  I tend to write this kind of stuff off, but I’m starting to wonder if something could be wrong.  I’ve never had a headache like this before.  Usually I feel okay first thing in the morning (as long as I slept well) but then a few hours later I feel it starting and within about half an hour I’m dying.  All I can think about is my head and I have to take three Tylenol (two doesn’t really do anything) and lay down until it kicks in.  It doesn’t always get rid of the headache completely, but it makes it manageable.

I also got back my liver test results in the mail.  My OB doctor told me some of the results were elevated, but it really hit me to see the high numbers on paper.  Some of them were about twice as high as the upper limit should have been.  They tested me on the 23rd and again on the 25th.  Dr. Wright said Wednesday at my non-stress test that the second round was still elevated but not as much so she thinks things are headed down back to normal.  Still they’ll probably test me again this week to see what’s happening now.

Liver problems along with a persistent headache can be signs of preeclampsia.  There’s usually high blood pressure too but my heart medication is keeping my blood pressure down.  Preeclampsia can be dangerous for the mother (affecting major organs) and baby (affecting the placenta) and the only way to “cure” preeclampsia is to deliver the baby. 

There’s no point in worrying about all the what-ifs because we’ll just have to wait and see.  Part of me would like to have her here early, but I know it’s better for her to grow inside for another four weeks.  All the non-stress tests show that she is still doing great so far.  If she does need to come early at least we’re at 36 weeks in a couple days.

My next check up is on Tuesday so we’ll see what the doctor is saying then.