Under Presshah

So we're in the second trimester! Yay!! Things are going well. We went to the doctors last Monday and we heard the heart beat again by doppler. Everything sounds good. I don't know if I am just bloated or if I can actually feel something but I swear there are some hard spots amongst all my chub. hahaha

Monday the nurse aides at the doctors office took my blood pressure, as they usually do when I visit, and it was 150 something over 80 something - which is unusually high. Apparently, every time I have gone to the doctors my blood pressure has been this high. Mind you, they are using old BP cuffs and sometimes doing the measurement over my shirt.

My doctor is concerned so she prescribed a light dose of labetalol - a BP medicine - that she wants me to take. Paul and I went to Walmart and got a very well reviewed BP monitor for home use and we decided we would monitor my BP until today to see what it was. I have also been taking it at work every day when I have a chance since there are BP cuffs on all the anesthesia machines. Then, I would start the meds on Friday night to give myself the weekend to see how it effects me.

So far from our home measurements, my blood pressure is anywhere from 117/76 to 135/76. The 135/76 is a little high - a normal BP is supposed to be below 120/80 - but the thing is my blood pressure has been averaging around 124/76 all week! I don't know if taking this medicine is really something I need! I have decided to call my doctor on Monday - I haven't started the BP meds yet, but I want to be healthy and I know taking BP meds isn't something you can just start and stop whenever you want to. It can have serious effects on your body.

I feel weird. I feel like I have questioned everything my doctor has told me to do. The progesterone and now this blood pressure medication. I know she is just doing what she was taught to do and what is safe as a precaution for the baby. High blood pressure is very bad for pregnancy and can have severe and serious effects on the babies blood supply and the placenta blood flow. I just want to do what is right for me and the baby. I do think it's important to follow my feelings. Not enough people in today's world listen to their own bodies. If we listened to our own bodies more we would be a lot healthier I think... instead of taking pill after pill after pill prescribed by someone who is going off of averages and doesn't know our feelings.

I think working as a nurse and seeing some of the things I have seen has made me trust doctors a little less. Not that I haven't seen some amazing doctors that I would trust my life with, but I have seen some REAL quacky kooks!

I wish I could KNOW this was the right thing to do. Anyway, so I am supposed to go see my doctor again in 2 weeks because of this BP thing and then the plan is to see the baby again on ultra sound and find out if it's a boy or girl around 18-19 weeks. I am so excited!!!!!