Cradling my newborn daughter Lily, I gingerly approached a midwife on the hospital’s busy maternity ward and pointed at the fluid pooling in my feet.
I felt vulnerable and exhausted. I was also convinced that something was not right. Lily was my second child and I had not experienced this symptom before.
The midwife reassured me: ‘Go home. I’m sure you’ll feel better soon.’
She was wrong. I had postpartum preeclampsia. I grabbed no more than an hour of sleep during those first few days at home.
I had a crushing headache that painkillers couldn’t touch, along with nausea and constant anxiety. My feet continued to swell. It became uncomfortable to walk.
I was shocked to see a home blood pressure monitor reading was sky high – around 180/95. The following morning, my blood pressure was hovering around 190/105.
I gingerly approached a midwife on the hospital’s busy maternity ward and pointed at the fluid pooling in my feet (Stock photo)
I had postpartum preeclampsia. I grabbed no more than an hour of sleep during those first few days at home (Stock photo)
Initial blood tests at A&E found I had elevated liver enzymes and there was some protein in my urine. To lower my blood pressure, I was put on a drip with a drug called nifedipine.
After two days, my blood pressure was slightly lower but my headache and insomnia had not improved.
Doctors began a high dose of beta blocker labetalol and after five days my blood pressure had come down enough for me to be discharged.
I began to wean myself off the beta blocker but suffered awful palpitations and tachycardia, a raised heart rate. I ended up in A&E on two more occasions.
Six months later, I developed terrible anxiety and began counselling.
Taking part in a hospital trust study to help others with preeclampsia certainly helped towards giving me closure.
