Anyone else a bit concerned re: care?

[mildred37]

Up til last week, I was more than happy with the care I was receiving from my midwife/ves. I've had a pretty much trouble free pregnancy, excepting a bit of thrush and a UTI in January.

However, last week I was sent for a glucose tolerance test. Was told if the results were high, I'd hear from the diabetic team, otherwise no news was good news - fair enough. Yesterday I saw my GP for a non-pregancy related problem, and when he tested my urine he noted there was a high sugar reading. I mentioned the GTT last week, and when he checked my results he told me that he was suprised I'd not heard anything as I definately have gestational diabetes. He showed me the results and talked it through with me, and it explained alot of things - baby measuring large++, excessive urination/thirst and tiredness. He recommended I gave my midwife a call when I got home, to get a referral done and go from there.

So, I get home, leave a message for my midwife. Hear nothing all day long. This morning I called again and she answers - never got a message? . Said she would check my results as she'd not seen them yet, and call me back after her morning clinic. Now can you see where this is going? at 4.30pm I called her again, after hearing nothing. Oooh I was just looking at your results and was going to call the diabetic nurses, she says! So 10 minutes later she calls me back, and says that while my results are high, they're at the "lower limit of high" and hasn't been able to get through to the DN for advice. However, would I like their phone number to try and call, as she's on leave from tomorrow for a week?

Now, is it me, or a) will they not accept what will technically be a self-referral, and b) why am I having to chase this? Okay, I appreciate how busy midwives are and working in the NHS myself I know not everything can be dealt with urgently. But I just get the feeling that if I hadn't called her again this afternoon, I would still be waiting, unaware she is on holiday.

I have an appointment with another midwife on Tuesday, and will talk to her about this then, but I just feel like I am in limbo now and still don't have a definate answer. and it's really frustrating!!!

Wow I've written alot...sorry, I didn't mean for this to be an essay. Is this the "norm", or am I being a bit precious about all this?

[Beatrixpotty]

Hi,just read this.You are not being over -anxious and I think they have let you down a bit; impaired glucose tolerance and gestational diabetes needs careful monitoring and dietary advice at the very least.I'm a GP (on mat leave) but if I was aware of results like that and nothing was being done I would be straight on the phone to the diabetic team & obstetric team at the hospital to arrange further input.If you are not getting anywhere with the midwives go back to the GP and explain.It just takes a quick phone call.The nhs is good most of the time but sometimes things slip through the net..I had to chase up my own 12 week scan for which the referral had been lost,if I hadn't done it myself I'd have missed the screening deadline.

[Fairy130389]

I was happy with my midwife initially, until lately. Firstly, I had to call hospital recently to confirm scan date, and was told 'the only appt we have you is with ur consultant in may'... :| sorry... Consultant?? Que freak out, can't get hold of mw, finally get through to be told its due to bmi and 'don't worry, it's a long way off yet'... Then, call the other day as have had really bad pain in pelvis, was really concerned, was told she'd call back... Nada. On my last visit mentioned it again, mentioned how I was in agony when rolling over etc, told 'all pregnant women get niggles'... Turns out I have SPD... So feel ur pain and irritation for sure!!

[mildred37]

Thanks for the replies, I was worried I was being overly pushy but you've helped to reassure me that the standard of care I'm receiving isn't good enough.

I'm back at my GP's tomorrow for whooping cough vaccination (joy) so I will make sure I at least leave a message for him, stating my concerns. I need to speak to him anyway regarding something else so 2 birds and all that....

It could be a hell of alot worse I know, but I'm just concerned that I will struggle with labour due to size and other factors. If there is any risk of anything that could have the potential to cause harm to my child, then is expect some reassurance and at least advice about it.

[WhirlingOut]

My sister who is 6 weeks pregnant got an appointment with the midwife yesterday as she's quit smoking (pregnancy was a bit of surprise), had some spotting for a few days and suffers from anxiety, and all the midwife told her was that she was covering sick for the usual midwife and couldn't help her as she didn't know how to work the computer system!! My sister actually asked her if she was a midwife and left the appointment in tears :(

Seems midwives can be spectacularly crap at any stage of pregnancy. A complaint has been made about this midwife, I hope she doesn't see her again!

It's a big contrast to me who has had nothing but lovely midwives who took good care of me.

[LuckyOwl28]

I've seen about 8 midwives so far (35 weeks now) and they've varied massively. Would be nice to feel assured by a relatively constant level of care. We've got enough on our minds!

Sounds like your midwife has started in Holiday mode a week too early! I'd def make a call and get it sorted, as well as sharing your experience with a new midwife

[mildred37]

It gets better and better....called the diabetic team this morning; left a message on their "call back" service. Apparently they call back the same day you leave a message - do they fuck. I am getting really fucked off now.

whirling that's disgraceful!!! I'm glad she's complained, what is the point of her covering sick if she won't do anything!

lucky 8 midwives!!! I thought 3 was alot but 8? Crikey. No wonder the standard of care is slipping.

[ChunkyPickle]

I'm definitely getting the impression in my area that I'm going to have to chase everything.

So far I have to book everything myself, including, bizarrely, the midwife at my booking appointment saying that I had to call my doctor's secretary to have her book my 16 week appointment with the midwife :S

If I didn't know that you get dodgy readings from using too small a cuff on a large arm I'd be down as having high blood pressure, they had me try to book a dating scan at a hospital that doesn't do dating scans (and the attitude I got from the scan unit trying to book it was unhelpful - and that's being very kind about it), and when I called the midwife to query if I'd done the right thing by booking the screening scan anyway I was cheerfully told that I had, even before I'd mentioned that my dates aren't completely certain.

It's a worse experience than my first pregnancy in another county, and night and day compared to my care at the end of my first pregnancy in Canada (not private, still state provided care, just awesome care)