Thursday, September 16, 2010

Follow-Up Doctor Appointment

I had a doctor appointment on Monday that was a follow-up to my hospital stay for Pre-Eclampsia and Pancreatis.

Ever since coming home from the hospital, I've been taking blood pressure medicine to make sure that my BP stays where it should be. Will has been monitering my BP from home with a bp unit.

It's actually been doing really well, between 107/60 to 120/70. So even though I was supposed to be taking it twice a day, I would sometimes only take it once a day or not at all.

At my doctor appointment, it was 120/70. My doctor told me to take my BP at home every time I'm due to take the medicine and as long as it's 120/70 or below, I didn't need to take it. If after 4 days in a row I'm not taking the medicine, then I don't have to take it anymore.

Today is the 4th day, and so far so good. It looks like all of the pre-eclampsia after-effects are gone and by tonight I will officially be off the BP meds. That is a good feeling.

As for the pancreatis, they took my blood on Monday to test the Lypaise and Amalaise levels (fats and sugars enzymes). I called them yesterday and got the results back. My Lypaise levels were only 350'ish or so, and the amaliase were 80.

This is good.

When I was in the hospital, my lypaise levels were 2000+. Normal levels are 280 and below. So I'm only slightly elevated. When I left the hospital, my L levels were 1020. So as you can see, I've made a dramatic improvement since then as my points have dropped by 670.

I have to go back next Monday to get the levels checked again. Hopefully they will continue to go down and down.

What does this mean?

Well, I've been eating a lowfat diet, which puts less stress on my pancreas so it's not secreting tons and tons of lypaise in order to digest fats. I would need to check with the gastro-intestinal doctor, but my impression is that this problem was definitely induced by pregnancy and as more time goes by, the problem is disapating. Hopefully.

I still have stomach issues with digestion and stuff, so I know that it's not completely back to normal. Obviously, because the levels are still slightly elevated. But the good news is that it looks like I am definitely on the mend. Yahoo!

3 comments:

Dan Thomas said...

I am so glad your appointment went well. Things should just get better and better for you.
I am glad that Will is monitering your blood pressue. That is very good. I have to watch mine pretty close also. Mine however just has to stablize when I get up or I am like a drunken sailor and the room goes around and I fall down!

Sandy said...

Sounds like you're getting back to your real self again. That's got to feel good. We're so excited to see you in a few days. YEAH!! Tell Taylor to stay little till I get there.

Brian & Veronica said...

Yay! That makes me happy. Still, it's curious why and how you developed any problem at all, and I'm sorry for your stomach issues, but I'm so glad you're on the mend! Love you! V p.s. I laughed really hard at your dress post. you're SO funny! :)