37 weeks

I went to the ER today for elevated blood pressure. I had waited 6 hours at home to be sure my blood pressure really was high enough. I calmly took the blood pressure tests over and over and watched for errors. When I was sure they were right I drove to the ER. I got there and the nurse put on the blood pressure cuff. I immediately said isn't that too big? She said no. It's fine. She proceeded to take my blood pressure while I was lying down. I asked aren't you supposed to have your arm below your heart? She said no. My blood pressures taken were very sporadic. I dont remember the systolic but the diastolic went from 75 to 85 to 66 to 75. I was lying down doing nothing and knew this had to be incorrect. At this point, I had the cuff changed. Once it was changed the readings were more accurate to what they have been.  The first was 114/98 and the second was 141/86. Then the nurse came in, told me my labs were fine and the doctor would be in soon. The doctor came in and said "sometimes people hear the signs of pre-eclampsia so often that they start to believe they have it." I told him that I had a history of pre-eclampsia and that the nurses said I was one of the worst cases of pre-eclampsia they had ever seen last pregnancy. The doctor walked out.

This has been the absolute worst experience I have ever had as a patient. Can you believe a doctor would just dismiss your thoughts, feelings and symptoms? I have never been so upset. The sad truth is too that when he walked out of my room you could tell he had better things to do and hadn't even read my chart.

Anyway, I'm still pregnant, still experiencing signs of pre-eclampsia and waiting for someone to believe me before I have another frightening birth experience. I hope that the doctors are prepared for me this time instead of calling me urgently telling me to go to the hospital immediately like they did last time.

Sarah