I had Class I HELLP with my first pregnancy.  I didn't have protein in the urine or swelling, so I wasn't diagnosed with preeclampsia during the pregnancy.  The HELLP occurred postpartum and my severe abdominal pain was dismissed as normal post-birth pain...  A prick test finally gave the doctor a clue what was going on (my blood still had not clotted after 5 minutes).  But it wasn't until a scan of my abdomen showed severe liver damage--24 hours after I first experienced the pain--that the medical personnel realized the severity of the situation.  They cleared a spot in intensive care and moved me there.  I spent 3 days there, on IV mag sulfate, and had to receive a transfusion of platelets before I was well enough to be moved back to a regular room. My hope is that no other women experience the pain and fear I went through during what should be a joyous occasion.