I had my OB appointment today and my blood pressure was a little elevated, this is the second week in a row that it's been high. Today it was 130/100 on the first reading, he then had me lay on my left side and it came down considerably. I've been trying to recall WHY this makes it go down so much but can't remember, can someone tell me?

Also I've been having episodes where I hear kind of a "white noise" in my ears, could this be because of the blood pressure being up a little high? I didn't think of it until after my appointment but not sure if it's revalant or if I should call them back and let them at least be aware. I don't go back until next Monday.

By Dawnk777 on Tuesday, November 4, 2008 - 12:37 am:

I would want to call, just for my own peace of mind.

It's possible that laying on your left side keeps your uterus off your main blood vessels, in your torso, and lowers your blood pressure that way, but I'm not sure.

I once had a blood pressure of 180/110 and felt nothing unusual. I wasn't pregnant though and my bp meds were changed, after that episode.

By Kernkate on Tuesday, November 4, 2008 - 07:54 am:

Ditto Dawn, I would call to.
A year ago my pressure was 110/100 and I was put on pressure pills and since then it has been very good.
With my pressure I was getting headaches in the back of my head and thats when I called the doctor.
Keep a check on it.

By Bobbie~moderatr on Tuesday, November 4, 2008 - 09:18 am:

The vein is called the inferior vena cava. It is the vein that returns the unoxygenated blood from the lower body to the right atrium of the heart. When you lay/sit so that this vein is compressed then the heart has to pump faster to get the blood back up into the heart, thus the increase in BP. You lay on your left side and it takes the pressure off, the blood flow increases and the BP drops. Which is why they generally have you lay on the left to see if this is the issue causing the increasing, your considerable drop would imply compression is the case. This would be extremely typical, as in it happens to the majority, especially towards the end of pregnancy.

I would call the GYN's office and let them know about the white noise. The white noise could very well be your BP.

I would try to rest as much as possible and lay on my left side as much as I could. Take care...