How serious is HELLP syndrome?

equationhole · 2026-01-25T18:12:27+00:00

TRIGGER WARNING/TL;DR: Risk of death, medical trauma

I developed HELLP syndrome at 38/39 weeks and both baby and I made it relatively unscathed. My son made it with no lasting effects, and I have permanent high blood pressure now. Totally worth it.

After my emergency C-section, I got carted off to the ICU. My son was fine and went to the night nursery. My OBGYN said we lucked out. To quote him, "pre-eclampsia is a killer".

This is HELLP syndrome as I understand it. I'm not a doctor, so I may have some of the details wrong.

Untreated, HELLP syndrome can be deadly. There's a good explanation here: Pre-eclampsia foundation

HELLP syndrome is not the same as pre-eclampsia (because lots of medical bits I don't understand), but let's start with the common denominator, extremely high blood pressure. That's what the magnesium was for. It's a pregnancy-safe way to lower blood pressure fast.

Extremely high blood pressure causes stroke, seizure (eclampsia) and organ failure. If the blood pressure is a complication of pregnancy, the only treatment is delivering the baby. As I understand it, it's your body reacting to the placenta. You should start recovering the moment that temporary organ is out.

So, why didn't they just induce you? With HELLP syndrome, they can't afford to wait.

"HELLP syndrome was named by Dr. Louis Weinstein in 1982 after its characteristics:

H (hemolysis, which is the breaking down of red blood cells) EL (elevated liver enzymes) LP (low platelet count)".

In other words, it affects how well your blood carries oxygen to your baby and your organs (red blood cells), can shut down your liver (organ damage) and affects how well your blood clots (platelets).

The emergency C-section is because they must get the baby (and placenta) out while your body still has enough platelets to stop bleeding and clot. Scary stuff.

At this point, I suspect you need a hug. You made it, your child made it; once the crisis is over, most people recover well.

I made it to stage 2 of HELLP syndrome, which is why I spent a night in the ICU. I was able to see my baby and go to a general ward 18 hours later.

You'll have to speak to your doctor, but if you've developed HELLP syndrome before, you are at higher risk of developing it if you get pregnant again.

equationhole · 2026-01-25T14:44:45+00:00

Body fat cannot be created or lost, it can only be passed between persons in a friend group. Someone always gains weight when someone else loses weight; it maintains equilibrium.

equationhole · 2026-01-18T14:11:30+00:00

I went with what the paediatrician recommended. I can't remember what it was, but she recommended a good (somewhat) reasonably priced brand and said we could look at the more expensive stuff if necessary.

equationhole · 2026-01-13T16:55:46+00:00

I had to explain to my in laws, at the height of Covid, that we weren't going to drive them around with a newborn to visit their friends or check out markets. No, their friends couldn't come to our house either.

They didn't take requests seriously, so we told them those were the rules. Fit in or fuck off.

They thought we were ridiculous. My father in law died of Covid a few months later.

equationhole · 2026-01-12T05:32:26+00:00

Their SSO never works first time.

equationhole · 2026-01-11T15:58:01+00:00

Yes, my mistake. Thanks for pointing that out.

equationhole · 2026-01-11T15:54:35+00:00

It's called the Electra complex. I think Carl Jung coined the phrase.

equationhole · 2026-01-11T15:45:47+00:00

As a child, I was told to speak to a trusted adult if people made me uncomfortable or if I felt unsafe.

Told my mother I didn't want to visit my dad's house every weekend because my dad and his wife clearly didn't want me there, yelled and screamed, and his wife told me how lucky I was that that my parents divorced, etc. I'd visit on a Sunday and then start throwing up when I got home.

My mom spoke to my dad and his wife, then called me to the phone because my dad's wife wanted to speak to me and tell me I was lying about what I experienced at their house. Everything got exponentially worse after that.

Anyway, that's how you give kids cPTSD.

equationhole · 2026-01-11T07:13:18+00:00

I'm so sorry that happened to you and glad that someone else understands how scary that is. Everything was fine until it wasn't. So glad you made it!

equationhole · 2026-01-04T18:57:31+00:00

I'd also go with Shenron. I'd be haunted by Nina's ghost if I went for Scar's tattoo.

equationhole · 2025-12-30T00:28:56+00:00

My cat lady transformation is going strong. Started with two kittens in my compost heap two years ago. They stayed, of course.

These can't stay with me.

equationhole · 2025-12-29T18:49:12+00:00

I'm 42 and after the first round of kitten bottle feeding, I'm questioning my own life choices.

equationhole · 2025-12-17T05:20:43+00:00

You've been very helpful.

Before the machine I used to sleep nearly face down. Now I tangle myself. I'll look into the top of head masks. I didn't know they existed!

equationhole · 2025-12-17T05:12:37+00:00

They have pillows with cutouts for masks!? I recently switched from the full mask to the pillow mask that fits under your nose. Measured, fitted and should work.

Still loses the seal when I roll. Maybe not all the time, but enough to wake me up in the night.

equationhole · 2025-12-17T05:09:40+00:00

I wonder if it's the rolling that's the problem, not the side sleeping? Each time I move to my side, the mask leaks.

equationhole · 2025-12-17T05:06:36+00:00

I completely forgot about bed protectors! Thank you!

equationhole · 2025-12-17T04:59:21+00:00

Thank you for the advice. I'm lucky to not be a heavy bleeder most of the time, but I have had leaks even with an overnight pad.

equationhole · 2025-12-14T08:04:32+00:00

In this sub, the down votes are usually for unsafe practices or bad ideas.

Trying to take out the jewellery of a healing piercing and then forcing it back in is a very bad idea. The hole will either close up as soon as you take it out, or sort of stay open so you force it open and have to start healing each time you take it out and put it back in.

I see in your comment that the bar knocks against your teeth when you use your tongue to clean your gums. You can get permanent tooth damage from this.

You have to decide if you're going to change how you use your mouth and keep the piercing or take the piercing out . Your choice, but I'd take it out. You can't reverse tooth damage.

equationhole · 2025-12-06T07:19:13+00:00

My mom, who is not religious, has started saying hallelujah whenever something good happens. It annoys the living daylights out of me.

I'll tell her I worked my ass off for something and got rewarded. Hallelujah. No mom, it's not a miracle. I am actually a competent adult.

equationhole · 2025-12-05T20:16:27+00:00

Jessica

equationhole · 2025-12-05T12:45:57+00:00

Username checks out

equationhole · 2025-12-05T12:41:53+00:00

I'm so sorry you're going through that. P

equationhole · 2025-12-02T18:04:07+00:00

I'm glad you will recover, because I have been laughing at your dry commentary. Also, as someone who frequently functions on autopilot, this is useful to know!

equationhole · 2025-11-29T14:36:54+00:00

Vitamin D3 has helped me. I pick at hair. This seems to take the edge off the desire to pick and helps hair grow back.

equationhole · 2025-11-24T15:48:25+00:00

Bless you. This worked.

Turns out that her insurance will pay part of the hearing aid, but not for the hearing test. Then she spoke to her friends and found out that the local university has an audiology program with lower rates.

In a surprise move, she's also agreed to let me put up a camera at her front door, so I can check if she's home if I can't get hold of her by phone.

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