I Am 11 Days Postpartum. After 2 Days Of Being

Posted on Tue, 28 Apr 2020

Question: I am 11 days postpartum. After 2 days of being out of the hospital I began to have high blood pressure .. I went back to the hospital and they prescribed me labetalol 200 mg. After about a week I developed a rash .. on my stomach and my legs ... I told the doctor right away and they told me to stop taking the medication and see if the rash goes away. My blood pressure is beginning to go up again today it was 133/91. And my rash is getting worse what should I do ?

Also I have a history of lupus

Answered by Dr. Ilir Sharka (33 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
I would recommend as follows:

Detailed Answer:
Hello!

Welcome to 'Ask A Doctor' service!

I passed carefully through your question and would agree with your doctor on the decision on stopping labetalol, considering your rash, which could be related to an allergic reaction to this drug.

Coming to this point, I would recommend taking methyldopa for high blood pressure, which is quite safe during breastfeeding.

Regarding the rash, you may need to start an antiallergic drug, like antihistamines or steroids.

But, before coming to this conclusion, considering the fact that you are post-partum, I would recommend performing some tests (fasting glucose, kidney and liver function tests, blood electrolytes), in order to exclude possible HELLP syndrome.

Hope to have been helpful!

I remain at your disposal for any further questions whenever you need!

Kind regards,

Dr. Ilir Sharka,
Cardiologist

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Ilir Sharka (19 minutes later)

Should I take a benadryl for the rash for now ?

Answered by Dr. Ilir Sharka (0 minute later)

Brief Answer:
I would recommend as follows:

Detailed Answer:
Hello again!

Yes, taking benadryl can help improve the rash, if it is just an allergic reaction.

But you should know that this drug is not a good option while breastfeeding, because it can pass through the milk in considerable amounts. In this regard, loratadine would be the best treatment option, as it does not pass through the milk and it is much more safe during breastfeeding.

Hope you will find this information helpful!

Let me know in case of further uncertainties!

Wishing all the best,

Dr. Ilir Sharka, Cardiologist

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Ilir Sharka (3 hours later)

If the rash isn’t an allergic reaction then what could it be?

I know you said to do all the test .. my Obgyn has done test and all she said was my labs were normal ...

Should I get a second opinion or do what she told me to do..

Which is stay home and monitor my blood pressure , if it goes up she says to call her and that’s it

Answered by Dr. Ilir Sharka (12 hours later)

Brief Answer:
I would explain as follows:

Detailed Answer:
Hello again!

Thank you for the additional information!

Based on the fact that your blood lab tests are normal, we can exclude HELLP syndrome.

So, the most probable cause is an allergic reaction.

Coming to this point, I would recommend trying loratadine as it is safe during breastfeeding.

There is no reason to go to the ER. Just keep monitoring your blood pressure values. In case of high blood pressure, I would recommend discussing with your doctor on the possibility of starting methyldopa for high blood pressure.

Hope you will find this answer helpful!

Let me know if I can assist you again!

Wishing all the best,

Dr.Iliri

Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Nagamani Ng