u/Intrepid-Hunt-8132

Hello! I am a FTM and my baby is 2.5 months old. I recently moved to the Katy area from NYC and would love any recommendations to go to with my husband and baby. Food, activities, outings, highly appreciated!!

Hello loves,

I'm a first-time mom who is now 8 weeks postpartum and struggling after developing severe postpartum preeclampsia. I had a completely healthy pregnancy and chose an elective induction at 39 weeks because I was planning to travel for my doctoral graduation. During labor I developed gestational hypertension, a fever, and chorioamnionitis, but overall both my baby and I were doing well and were discharged home.

Three days later, I suddenly developed a severe headache and my blood pressure was 164/111. I went to triage, where my labs and urine tests were normal, my blood pressure came down, and I was sent home. The next day, after my OB nurse advised me to watch for warning signs, I developed the worst headache of my life while at my baby's first pediatrician appointment.
Within a short time, I could barely feel my legs and my vision became blurry. I returned to triage and was admitted and diagnosed with severe postpartum preeclampsia.

I was on blood pressure medication for about a month and thankfully have been off of it for several weeks now. Physically, I've recovered somewhat, (still have elevated ALTs and found out i have extremely high bp and heart regurgitation), but mentally I'm struggling. The experience left me terrified of dying young and leaving my baby behind.

During those weeks on medication I checked my blood pressure constantly, and now my thoughts often revolve around death, mortality, and fear about the future. I find myself looking at people and wondering when they'll die, which then spirals into fears about my own mortality. It feels like I'm stuck in a loop that I can't shut off.

I've spoken with a psychologist informally and have tried coping strategies, but both of us feel it may be time to explore anxiety medication. I'm scared to start medication, but I'm even more scared of continuing to live with these thoughts.
I desperately want more children, but l'm frightened by what happened and scared it could happen again. I'm looking for advice, positive stories from others who overcame postpartum anxiety, or experiences from anyone who went through severe postpartum preeclampsia and came out the other side. What helped you heal mentally, and how did you know it was time to seek additional treatment for anxiety?

Hello loves,

I’m a first-time mom who is now 8 weeks postpartum and struggling after developing severe postpartum preeclampsia. I had a completely healthy pregnancy and chose an elective induction at 39 weeks because I was planning to travel for my doctoral graduation. During labor I developed gestational hypertension, a fever, and chorioamnionitis, but overall both my baby and I were doing well and were discharged home.

Three days later, I suddenly developed a severe headache and my blood pressure was 164/111. I went to triage, where my labs and urine tests were normal, my blood pressure came down, and I was sent home. The next day, after my OB nurse advised me to watch for warning signs, I developed the worst headache of my life while at my baby’s first pediatrician appointment. Within a short time, I could barely feel my legs and my vision became blurry. I returned to triage and was admitted and diagnosed with severe postpartum preeclampsia.

I was on blood pressure medication for about a month and thankfully have been off of it for several weeks now. Physically, I’ve recovered somewhat, (still have elevated ALTs and found out i have extremely high bp and heart regurgitation), but mentally I’m struggling. The experience left me terrified of dying young and leaving my baby behind. During those weeks on medication I checked my blood pressure constantly, and now my thoughts often revolve around death, mortality, and fear about the future. I find myself looking at people and wondering when they’ll die, which then spirals into fears about my own mortality. It feels like I’m stuck in a loop that I can’t shut off.

I’ve spoken with a psychologist informally and have tried coping strategies, but both of us feel it may be time to explore anxiety medication. I’m scared to start medication, but I’m even more scared of continuing to live with these thoughts.

I desperately want more children, but I’m frightened by what happened and scared it could happen again. I’m looking for advice, positive stories from others who overcame postpartum anxiety, or experiences from anyone who went through severe postpartum preeclampsia and came out the other side. What helped you heal mentally, and how did you know it was time to seek additional treatment for anxiety?

Hi world,

I wanted to ask for your thoughts regarding some ongoing symptoms since being diagnosed with postpartum preeclampsia.

I am currently about 8 weeks postpartum. When I was diagnosed with postpartum preeclampsia, I had two echocardiograms. One done when i was diagnosed, and one 7 weeks later. Both were essentially normal, showing normal heart function (EF 60-62%), with only mild mitral regurgitation, mild tricuspid regurgitation, Mild pulmonary regurgitation, and a small pericardial effusion.

Because of persistent shortness of breath, chest discomfort, and upper right-sided pain under my ribs, I recently went to the emergency department. They performed a CT scan, which did not show any acute abnormalities, and I also had an abdominal ultrasound that showed no liver inflammation or other significant findings. My CT scan did however show that i still have pericardial effusion and effusion around my left lung.
Both trace. However, my ALT level was elevated.

I have also recently learned that my cholesterol levels are elevated. Despite the reassuring cardiac testing and imaging, I continue to experience shortness of breath that does not seem to be improving, along with occasional chest pain and the persistent upper right-sided discomfort.

Given these ongoing symptoms, are there any additional tests or evaluations you would recommend? Could the elevated cholesterol be contributing to these symptoms, or do you think further cardiac, pulmonary, or other testing would be appropriate? My cardiologist suggested i start Zepbound for weight loss as well as my endocrinologist. They attributed my symptoms to weight gain (I am a 25F 250 pounds 5'8). i moved recently so i will see a new PCP next month (she's on vacation for this entire month).

Hi world,

I wanted to ask for your thoughts regarding some ongoing symptoms since being diagnosed with postpartum preeclampsia.

I am currently about 8 weeks postpartum. When I was diagnosed with postpartum preeclampsia, I had two echocardiograms. One done when i was diagnosed, and one 7 weeks later. Both were essentially normal, showing normal heart function (EF 60-62%), with only mild mitral regurgitation, mild tricuspid regurgitation, Mild pulmonary regurgitation, and a small pericardial effusion.

Because of persistent shortness of breath, chest discomfort, and upper right-sided pain under my ribs, I recently went to the emergency department. They performed a CT scan, which did not show any acute abnormalities, and I also had an abdominal ultrasound that showed no liver inflammation or other significant findings. My CT scan did however show that i still have pericardial effusion and effusion around my left lung.
Both trace. However, my ALT level was elevated.

I have also recently learned that my cholesterol levels are elevated. Despite the reassuring cardiac testing and imaging, I continue to experience shortness of breath that does not seem to be improving, along with occasional chest pain and the persistent upper right-sided discomfort.

Given these ongoing symptoms, are there any additional tests or evaluations you would recommend? Could the elevated cholesterol be contributing to these symptoms, or do you think further cardiac, pulmonary, or other testing would be appropriate? My cardiologist suggested i start Zepbound for weight loss as well as my endocrinologist. They attributed my symptoms to weight gain (I am a 25F 250 pounds 5'8). i moved recently so i will see a new PCP next month (she's on vacation,no sooner availability).

Hi everyone,

I’m 8 weeks postpartum and was diagnosed with postpartum preeclampsia shortly after delivery. I was hospitalized, treated, and am now off all blood pressure medications. My BP has been stable, usually in the 120s/80s range.

One thing that’s still bothering me is persistent upper right rib/upper abdominal pain. I went to the ER and had an ultrasound done, which didn’t show any liver inflammation or other obvious issues. However, my ALT levels are still elevated, and I’m not sure if that’s related to the pain or not.

I’ve also been having some strange chest sensations that are hard to describe. When I was first diagnosed with preeclampsia, I had an echocardiogram that was considered essentially normal except for a trace pericardial effusion and mild mitral and tricuspid regurgitation. I had a repeat echo 6 weeks later, and it showed only trace regurgitation and a trace pericardial effusion. It’s now been about 2 weeks since that second echo.

For additional context, my BNP was 860 when I was admitted with postpartum preeclampsia, but by the time of my 6-week follow-up appointment it had dropped to 42.

I also recently had blood work showing elevated cholesterol levels. My doctors weren’t overly concerned and basically told me to focus on weight loss, diet, exercise, and starting a GLP-1 medication, but I’m finding it hard not to worry given everything that’s happened postpartum.

Has anyone else experienced persistent right upper quadrant/rib pain after postpartum preeclampsia even when imaging looked normal? Did your liver enzymes take a while to return to normal?

Also, would you push for another echo this soon because of the chest sensations, or does it sound reasonable to wait given the improvement in BNP, the reassuring follow-up echo, and the fact that my blood pressure has normalized?

I’d love to hear if anyone has had a similar experience or lingering symptoms after postpartum preeclampsia.

I’m currently spiraling a bit. About 7 weeks ago, my echocardiogram showed mild mitral regurgitation and mild tricuspid regurgitation, and trivial pericardial effusion. I otherwise have normal heart function. I have a repeat echo tomorrow. (My EF was 62%)

Recently I’ve been experiencing shortness of breath and went to the ER. They performed a CT scan that noted borderline heart enlargement and trivial pleural effusion. There was no pulmonary embolism, my lungs were otherwise clear, my bloodwork was reassuring, and I was discharged with a cardiology referral.

What has me anxious is that my BNP was over 800 when I was admitted postpartum with preeclampsia, but it has since improved significantly and was recently in the 40s. I was also able to come off nifedipine about 3 weeks ago because my blood pressure normalized. Despite all of that, I’m worried that tomorrow’s echo will somehow show things have worsened since my last one.

For those who have had repeat echocardiograms, especially after postpartum preeclampsia or a CT mentioning cardiomegaly, did your results stay stable, improve, or worsen? Is it realistic for an echo to change dramatically over a period of about 7 weeks?

Any insight would be greatly appreciated while I wait for the test tomorrow.

Age: 25

Sex: Female

Height: 5’7”

Weight: 250 lbs

Medications: None currently. I was on nifedipine for about 3–4 weeks postpartum due to preeclampsia but stopped it approximately 3 weeks ago per my doctor’s instructions.

Smoking Status: Former vape user (vaped for approximately 1–2 years)

Medical History: Gestational hypertension during labor, followed by postpartum preeclampsia with severe features after delivery 7 weeks ago. Treated with magnesium sulfate and nifedipine postpartum. BNP was over 800 during admission and has since decreased to the 40s. Previous echocardiogram showed mild mitral regurgitation, mild tricuspid regurgitation, and a small pericardial effusion with otherwise normal heart function.

Duration of Complaint: Shortness of breath for the past several days.

Question:

I’m currently spiraling a bit. About 7 weeks ago, my echocardiogram showed mild mitral regurgitation and mild tricuspid regurgitation, but otherwise normal heart function. I have a repeat echo tomorrow.

Recently I’ve been experiencing shortness of breath and went to the ER. They performed a CT scan that noted borderline heart enlargement and small pleural effusions. There was no pulmonary embolism, my lungs were otherwise clear, my bloodwork was reassuring, and I was discharged with a cardiology referral.

What has me anxious is that my BNP was over 800 when I was admitted postpartum with preeclampsia, but it has since improved significantly and was recently in the 40s. I was also able to come off nifedipine about 3 weeks ago because my blood pressure normalized. Despite all of that, I’m worried that tomorrow’s echo will somehow show things have worsened since my last one.

For those who have had repeat echocardiograms, especially after postpartum preeclampsia or a CT mentioning cardiomegaly, did your results stay stable, improve, or worsen? Is it realistic for an echo to change dramatically over a period of about 7 weeks?

Any insight would be greatly appreciated while I wait for the test tomorrow.

Age: 25

Sex: Female

Height: 5’7”

Weight: 250 lbs

Medications: None currently. I was on nifedipine for about 3–4 weeks postpartum due to preeclampsia but stopped it approximately 3 weeks ago per my doctor’s instructions.

Smoking Status: Former vape user (vaped for approximately 1–2 years)

Medical History: Gestational hypertension during labor, followed by postpartum preeclampsia with severe features after delivery 7 weeks ago. Treated with magnesium sulfate and nifedipine postpartum. BNP was over 800 during admission and has since decreased to the 40s. Previous echocardiogram showed mild mitral regurgitation, mild tricuspid regurgitation, and a small pericardial effusion with otherwise normal heart function.

Duration of Complaint: Shortness of breath for the past several days.

Question:

I’m currently spiraling a bit. About 7 weeks ago, my echocardiogram showed mild mitral regurgitation and mild tricuspid regurgitation, but otherwise normal heart function. I have a repeat echo tomorrow.

Recently I’ve been experiencing shortness of breath and went to the ER. They performed a CT scan that noted borderline heart enlargement and small pleural effusions. There was no pulmonary embolism, my lungs were otherwise clear, my bloodwork was reassuring, and I was discharged with a cardiology referral.

What has me anxious is that my BNP was over 800 when I was admitted postpartum with preeclampsia, but it has since improved significantly and was recently in the 40s. I was also able to come off nifedipine about 3 weeks ago because my blood pressure normalized. Despite all of that, I’m worried that tomorrow’s echo will somehow show things have worsened since my last one.

For those who have had repeat echocardiograms, especially after postpartum preeclampsia or a CT mentioning cardiomegaly, did your results stay stable, improve, or worsen? Is it realistic for an echo to change dramatically over a period of about 7 weeks?

Any insight would be greatly appreciated while I wait for the test tomorrow.

Hello all,

Has anyone here had an echocardiogram done because of postpartum preeclampsia, shortness of breath, or concerns about their heart? If so, what did it end up showing?

I’m currently spiraling a bit. About 7 weeks ago, my echo showed mild mitral regurgitation and mild tricuspid regurgitation, but otherwise normal heart function. I have a repeat echo tomorrow.

The reason I’m worried is that I’ve recently been experiencing shortness of breath and ended up in the ER. They did a CT scan that mentioned borderline heart enlargement. There was no pulmonary embolism, and my bloodwork was reassuring, but now I’m terrified that tomorrow’s echo is going to show something much worse than it did 7 weeks ago.

For some background, I had postpartum preeclampsia with severe features after delivery. My BNP was over 800 when I was admitted postpartum, but it has since come down significantly and was recently in the 40s.

I’m trying not to panic before the test, but my mind keeps jumping to worst-case scenarios. Has anyone had a repeat echo after mild valve regurgitation findings? Did things stay the same, improve, or worsen? I’d really appreciate hearing your experiences.

Hi everyone,

I’m 7 weeks postpartum and have a history of postpartum preeclampsia with severe features. When I was admitted after delivery, my BNP was elevated (over 800), and I was treated with blood pressure medication. Since then, my BNP has steadily come down and was in the 40s last night (went to ER due to shortness of breath).

Around the time I was diagnosed with postpartum preeclampsia, I had an echocardiogram that showed mild mitral regurgitation, mild tricuspid regurgitation, and a small pericardial effusion, but normal heart function. These results gave me anxiety due to regurgitation.

Last night, I went to the ER because I’ve been experiencing shortness of breath. They did a CT scan that showed baseline heart enlargement and trivial pleural effusion and pericardial effusion. My lungs were otherwise clear, there was no pulmonary embolism, my bloodwork was reassuring, and I was discharged with a cardiology referral.

I have another echocardiogram tomorrow, and my anxiety is getting the best of me. I’m worried that somehow the echo could show significantly worse findings compared to the one I had about 7 weeks ago, despite my BNP improving so much.

Has anyone had a CT scan mention heart enlargement or pleural effusion but then had an echo that was stable or normal? Is it realistic for echo findings to worsen dramatically over a period of just 7 weeks when symptoms and labs seem to be improving?

I know I won’t know for sure until the test is done, but hearing others’ experiences would really help while I wait. Thanks.

Hi everyone,

I'm now off all blood pressure medications and my readings have been pretty consistent in the 120s/80s, sometimes high 120s/80s, with an occasional spike around 130/90. For those who had postpartum preeclampsia, when did your blood pressure finally level out and return to what it was before pregnancy?

I also wanted to ask if anyone experienced shortness of breath for a while after stopping their blood pressure medications. Was this something that eventually resolved on its own, or did you have it checked out? Unsure if it’s true shortness of breath or just anxiety.

Another thing I've noticed is intermittent sharp pain in my upper right abdomen. Has anyone else experienced this? I'm trying to decide if it's something worth getting checked out sooner or if it can wait until my OB appointment in about 2 weeks.

Lastly, has anyone needed anxiety medication after being diagnosed with postpartum preeclampsia? Ever since my diagnosis, I constantly think about death and have a heightened sense of my own mortality. I'm scared of dying, even though physically I'm doing much better. I've scheduled an appointment with a therapist, but unfortunately I won't be able to see her for over a month.

I'd really appreciate hearing others' experiences. This diagnosis has been one of the hardest things I've gone through, and sometimes it feels like nobody around me understands how much it can affect you mentally long after the blood pressure improves.