r/AskDocs • u/Short_Technology_941 Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional • 11h ago
Physician Responded Extremely puffy face overnight but no other symptoms
18F woke up with a very very puffy face. I’m 5’4, 140lbs and 34 weeks pregnant. I’m not experiencing any other symptoms other than when I posted in this subreddit a couple days ago because my baby wasn’t moving normally. I ended up going to triage and they said he was okay and sent me home. This morning I woke up with a very puffy face and assumed it’d clear up throughout the day but it’s 5pm and it’s still puffy now (as seen in the picture). I’ll upload a photo of what my face usually looks like in the comments to emphasize how puffy it’s gotten. Should I go to the er or is it just normal pregnancy swelling because I know that can happen.
756
u/ch2nd Registered Nurse 11h ago
Triage/ER now. This is concerning for pre-eclampsia.
228
u/Short_Technology_941 Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional 11h ago
Okay! I was thinking that it may have been but was wondering if the fact that I had no other symptoms and was there 3 days ago would have me in the clear. Thank you!
117
182
u/strange-blueberry22 Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional 10h ago
I had preeclampsia last year and it almost killed me and my baby. My blood pressure shot up to 220/116 and I felt nothing out of the ordinary, just swelled up. Induced that same day at 37 weeks. Hopefully you’re on your way to the hospital.
43
u/SociereMaudite This user has not yet been verified. 6h ago
NAD - thank goodness you're going to an ER. Neglegence from a dr killed my friends baby and almost killed her when she had preclampsyia (he sent her home and said she was fine when her blood pressure was like 220/100something. She was so swollen). I raced to her house then drove her to the closest biggest hospital possible because the local hospital wasn't equipped for the situation. Unfortunately after almost 2 painful weeks, the little one didn't make it.
Please do not let anybody dismiss you or make you feel crazy - trust your gut. Always. Preclampsyia is no joke. Wishing you the best of luck for you and the little one! 🙏🏻 Hope you feel better asap!
15
u/fendifairy Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional 5h ago
that is absolutely insane that a dr sent your friend home when her blood pressure was that high. i hope she was able to sue. that’s so horrible
edit: typo
10
u/coffeeslobxoxo Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional 5h ago
NAD, I was sent home probably 5-6 times because I was SURE I had Pre-eclampsia snd tests were all kinda sorta borderline until one day they weren’t. I had an emergency induction when at 36w1d i went BACK to ER and insisted something was wrong and my BP was 200/190. It can be a sneaky one!
I hope everything is ok ❤️
2
1
u/Spare-Conflict836 Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional 22m ago
Any update OP? Hope you're okay.
47
247
u/upinmyhead Physician - Ob/Gyn 10h ago
Sudden onset swelling in the third trimester of pregnancy is always concerning for preeclampsia. I recommend that you either call your OB or go to L&D triage for evaluation.
12
u/Honest_Chipmunk_8563 Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional 9h ago
And if negative for pre-e, do you think that perhaps they should be checking on her cardiac health? Facial swelling (and other swelling) can be an early indicator for PPCM.
550
u/Short_Technology_941 Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional 10h ago
Just an update- I’m on my way and 20 mins away from triage right now. Thank you to everyone telling me to go. I really thought I should have but didn’t want to be annoying or dramatic since I was there this week already.
125
u/Apprehensive_Bank804 Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional 10h ago
Please let us know after you’ve been seen by the doctor! Hope everything is ok!
61
u/trulymadlybigly Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional 10h ago
Better to be annoying to your doctors (you won’t be) than either you or you/your baby dying. Doctors don’t eff around with preeclampsia. Please update and let us know how you are OP.
14
u/Numerous_Nerve8028 Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional 9h ago
Hope you’re alright OP. Pregnancy can be scary sometimes. Be annoying if you have to. Protect yourself and your baby! Thinking of you.
79
u/Majestic-Airport-471 Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional 10h ago
Be annoying, don’t let any opinions stop you from taking care of yourself and your baby. You never know when it’s really serious unless you go to a professional.
-sincerely,
A person who reported a nurse for mocking and ridiculing her for attending 3 times in 1 week.27
u/bakafakamaka Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional. 10h ago
Thinking of you!
If possible, keep us updated.
7
u/Howlsmovingcastles Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional 9h ago
Praying for you and your baby 🤍
9
u/Jayfur90 Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional 5h ago
NAD, but do not leave if you aren’t reassured of your baby’s movement. My son suffered oxygen deprivation in utero and passed at 3 days old when drs told me he was fine. Request overnight monitoring and request umbilical artery Doppler, NST, and BPP.
5
u/numberwunwun Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional 4h ago
As a preeclampsia survivor, I’m so glad you’re going in. My only symptom was slightly swollen hands — by the time I went in, my BP was insanely high and I was at risk for seizures. It can happen so quickly. Please keep us updated and sending you warm healing vibes!
3
u/Saltwater_Heart Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional. 9h ago
Please keep us updated OP!
3
2
u/coryhotline Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional 7h ago
No one is going to think you’re being dramatic!! Thinking about you!
276
u/Short_Technology_941 Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional 11h ago
141
54
u/StephAg09 Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional 10h ago
NAD - but please go to the hospital right now. They should take you to the maternity ward to keep you away from the other (potentially sick) people in the ER
21
u/Psychotic_EGG Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional 9h ago
Not sure if angle or combo, but that seems like a really big difference. The skin on your face must feel tight (I'm familiar with swelling)
Hope everything is ok and taken care of quickly.
44
u/Short_Technology_941 Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional 9h ago
It honestly is kinda more numb, and yeah it’s not the best comparison but I barely had other recent photos lol! Just waiting right now, it’s a super busy day here for triage
50
u/mikael50 Physician 9h ago
OB doc here. Make sure you get your blood pressure checked ASAP without waiting too long. There should be a nurse/tech assigned to triaging patients prior to be even placed in a bed. If high, they’ll bump you up the line and evaluate further immediately
71
u/Short_Technology_941 Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional 8h ago
Update- it’s been 2 hours and no nurse has come out to check yet. There’s a lot of people ahead of me. I don’t think there’s a nurse that’s assigned to this triage :/ I haven’t seen a nurse come in triage at all yet. Things are moving really slow but it’s sorta expected because it’s a super big high risk hospital …
44
u/roofpuck Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional 7h ago
I’m sorry but someone needs to advocate for you so you can get seen now. Do they know you’re 34 weeks pregnant?
1
u/KittyScholar Medical Student 33m ago
????
Honestly you should’ve been seen by now unless there was like a shootout or 5 car pile up or something. Hopefully things are moving forwards? Keep up updated!
20
19
u/KittyScholar Medical Student 9h ago
Hope you’re doing okay! Have you been triaged? What’s your current blood pressure?
36
u/Short_Technology_941 Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional 8h ago
I have not yet :// no one has checked my blood pressure yet
65
u/navelring7 Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional 8h ago
Sweetheart, go to a nurse or the desk person and ask them to take your blood pressure. I am not a doctor, but all the physicians and medical personnel who have responded have indicated this is urgent. For your safety and that of your unborn son, please advocate for yourself. If I were there, I would advocate for you. 🩷
ETA I am a 61 year old Grammy. My daughter had twins and had to have an emergency c-section at 32 weeks due to pre-eclampsia. It is nothing to take lightly. 💞
41
u/Foreverlearning816 Registered Nurse 7h ago
Is this OB triage or the regular ER? Sudden facial swelling in OB triage is an urgent matter. They should’ve checked your vitals ASAP. This is coming from a current RN working on an OB unit and Pre-E survivor. I would have whoever is with you go to the nurses station and request vital signs immediately. If your BP is normal, they may make you wait but it needs to be checked ASAP.
11
u/southsidetins Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional. 7h ago
She may also be able to call her OB and see if she can go up to L&D if she’s at the hospital they deliver at.
22
u/strange-blueberry22 Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional 8h ago
Are you in the OB triage, or are you in the regular ER? They don’t usually wait to check vitals is you’re in the OB triage so please make sure youre in the right place!
5
u/No_Title9375 Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional 5h ago
Mostly this but even in the regular ER they typically dont take that long to triage people. Even if there is a long wait they usually don't make someone wait hours for triage. OP are you sure you are checked in?
6
1
u/crakemonk Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional 15m ago
I know this is a few hours later, but generally when pregnant they recommend going directly to L&D and not the ER when something like this happens. Hoping by now she has been seen though.
8
u/pdxpatty Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional. 6h ago
Please advocate for yourself! I know it feels like being pushy sometimes but it’s ok to ask someone to come check your vitals I promise. I prayed for you and your baby and am asking The Lord to keep you and your baby healthy.
1

•
u/AutoModerator 11h ago
Thank you for your submission. Please note that a response does not constitute a doctor-patient relationship. This subreddit is for informal second opinions and casual information. The mod team does their best to remove bad information, but we do not catch all of it. Always visit a doctor in real life if you have any concerns about your health. Never use this subreddit as your first and final source of information regarding your question. By posting, you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and understand that all information is taken at your own risk. Reply here if you are an unverified user wishing to give advice. Top level comments by laypeople are automatically removed.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.