Pregnant with abnormally high levels of vitamin K??

candessg
on 5/9/11 8:23 am, edited 5/9/11 9:27 am - plymouth, MN
I am supposed to be induced tomorrow at 37 weeks because my baby has IUGR (inter uterine growth restriction) and there are doppler flow issues...if she stays in too long it  can result in stillbirth. My surgeon may want me to hold off on induction because they found that I have abnormally high levels of Vitamin K in my blood. A normal range is between 80-1160 and as of last Monday it said mine was 4301...my surgeon has never even seen that before... the concern is this can cause heart problems, blood clots, and strokes if too high. The other problem is it's toxic for baby. SO its probably best for her to get out right now, but may be dangerous for me to be induced. They are hoping this is some kind of a mistake. I am so frustrated and scared once again. 
Has anyone seen this before? Also, I am wondering how the heck they could lower my K levels anyway in time for her to be born soon? I am SO CONFUSED! 
My OB doesn't seem too concerned, but my surgeon wants to look into this a little further. Does anyone know what the toxic levels are for vitamin K?

Thanks!

newyorkbitch
on 5/9/11 8:51 am
Have they therefore considered a c-section instead of induction?  Why not repeat the lab test immediately to double check to be sure it wasn't an error?
candessg
on 5/9/11 9:18 am - plymouth, MN
 They are repeating them tomorrow but at the hospital at my army base it takes 2 days to get them back. The issue is it's getting dangerous for the baby to stay in too long as well. My question is what exactly can they do for me if it is too high? I mean how would they lower K and how long would it take? Also, I have wondered also if a C section is better, but I am wondering why would that be safer than induction? I mean it crossed my mind, but I don't know what the benefit would be to c section than induction... 
newyorkbitch
on 5/9/11 9:22 am, edited 5/9/11 9:25 am
You mentioned above that it would be dangerous for you to be induced - I was thnking because you mentioned cardiac issues and stroke from the high K that labor (especially induced labor which can be even more intense) might be risky for you...that's why i thought c-section might be preferable.  YOU MUST ASK THESE QUESTIONS AND UNDERSTAND.  IMMEDIATELY.

My gut is telling me that you should get that baby out NOW.  IUGR is reason enough even without the K issue.

I had a baby in January,  had an urgent c-section because my water broke a month early.   T c-section and recovery was like a mosquito bite compared to the DS.






candessg
on 5/9/11 9:31 am - plymouth, MN
 I see... what you are saying really makes sense. I will talk to my OB tomorrow about it. I asked my surgeon's nurse if it's better to do a c-section and she said no not necessarily.... I just want everyone on the same page..I am highly reactive to medications. They gave me steroid injections for the baby at 30 weeks and it caused a heart arrhythmia. (they believe it was due to that) I am already worried about the pitocin so you are right, this may be even more cause for a concern..

Good to hear that the c section was so much better...DS was ROUGH on me!
newyorkbitch
on 5/9/11 9:41 am, edited 5/9/11 9:59 am
Stop talking to the surgeon's nurse - is this a DS surgeon's nurse?  What the hell does she know about IUGR?

TALK TO YOUR OB IMMEDIATELY.  ONLY TO YOUR OB.  NO NURSES,  NO OTHER DOCTORS. 

TALK TO HIM ABOUT DELIVERING AT A HOSPITAL THAT HAS A NICU.  4.5 LBS AT 37 WEEKS IS NOT GOOD.


candessg
on 5/9/11 10:23 am - plymouth, MN
 My surgeon is the one who ordered the labs...they have been working with the OB to make sure we are doing ok...they were actually the ones who helped me put on the weight and got my labs up. My OB looked at my labs (vitamin K) and still wants to go ahead with the induction. I will talk to her about the c-section though. As far as the NICU I have to deliver here on an army base for insurance purposes. They will move her to a NICU 45 minutes away if necessary. Though the baby is small she has done quite well and has had steroid injections so her and a perinatologist who has monitored my care and done all the scans feel that it's safe to deliver here. I have been seen numerous times a week and baby has always gotten her 10 out of 10 points for all of the testing. I am at the mercy of my insurance. I am nervous but baby is doing quite well for being IUGR... I  hope and pray that she will do great through this.
newyorkbitch
on 5/9/11 10:31 am
That's great that your surgeon was able to help with your weight gain etc but those things are no longer at play here.  What matters now is only getting that baby out and getting you out of the delivery okay.  Your surgeon is NOT the expert now - that's the perinatologist and ONLY the perinatologist and your OB should be involved.  And not their nurses either.

TALK TO YOUR OB FIRST THING IN THE MORNING ABOUT HAVING  A C-SECTION VS BEING INDUCED AND WHAT IS THE LEAST RISK FOR THE BABY AND FOR YOU.










(deactivated member)
on 5/9/11 9:13 am
 I'd be all for repeating the vitamin K levels before getting concerned.  Are your coagulation studies normal despite the vitamin K?  

For what it's worth, if you already have a pediatrician picked out you might give them a heads up.  They usually give vitamin K shots to babies after birth to help with clotting issues.  If there's any chance baby's levels would be high (I don't know one way or the other), they might want to check before reflexively giving more vitamin K per standing orders.  

Hope all works out well for you.   
candessg
on 5/9/11 9:24 am - plymouth, MN
 Thanks for you input..I know they will have a pediatrician there when she is born to monitor and possibly send her to a NICU because of the stress she has been under.. she also will only be likely around 4.5 pounds if all the scans are correct.  I will mention this to them though! Thank you for telling me that! 
I am having the vitamin K labs repeated in the AM, but it won't be back for 2 days..My OB still plans on going forward with the induction I guess. My surgeon may want to put a stop to it though.. I am confused on what is best! The only other things they tested were zinc, vitamin a, d, e, k, calcium, iron, and prealbumin and albumin.. I have been getting labs pulled almost weekly and suddenly this last time (2 weeks between labs) there was this huge jump. That's why my surgeon wonders if it's correct. I have been getting IV fluid with extra multivits two times a week though so Im not sure if that caused the increase. 
Anyway, my OB I guess doesn't really look at the K but at my platelets.. It's all very confusing to me!
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