to want to talk to a consultant sooner than Wednesday?

[SimplySooty]

I've been told I may have to be induced and that baby is looking a bit small. I suffer from OCD and GAD and didn't ask enough questions at the time. For my second appointment I saw a midwife who couldn't answer my questions and the consultant wasn't available to talk to me. I am the sort of person who needs things explaining to me quite thoroughly or I worry (to the point that my mental health is affected, my blood pressure goes up, I have panic attacks etc). I don't know that I can wait over another week to see the consultant and was wondering if it would be unreasonable to ask to see someone sooner to explain what the risks are to me and my baby? I should've asked more questions at the time but I was shocked that there was a problem with my baby and wasn't prepared. Really struggling and feel like I'm about to lose the plot. I've had no support for my mental health and didn't even know you could get extra support for mental health in pregnancy until today. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

You could call your midwife and say you're having problems with anxiety and would like a chat as soon as possible?

@MemoryOfSleep my midwife is the person I actually tried to speak to in the first place about my anxiety. I told her I was previously medicated for it. I told her I have suffered with it my whole life but she told me 'well it's normal to have anxiety in pregnancy' and said exactly the same last time I mentioned it. She's provided me with quite poor care throughout my whole pregnancy and doesn't look at you when she talks to you as she's buried in her computer (dreaded online notes). I just feel so uncomfortable around her.

Wednesday as in tomorrow?

Ideally nobody would need to wait to talk to a consultant but sadly that isn’t the reality because they have big case loads and very little time!

@Sirzy sorry, Wednesday as in a week from tomorrow.

I would get in touch with the consultant’s secretary and ask them to read back the consultant’s notes to you, or request a copy of them to pick up and then either read them yourself or take them to your GP to be explained if you don’t understand what is said.

Bear in mind it may make your anxiety worse. Only you know whether you’d rather sit with the anxiety you have now for a week or risk exacerbating it greatly with more info you won’t necessarily understand.

But YWBU to try and see the consultant or speak to them before next week. They have a large caseload full of other women on to care for. You can request they give you a ring via their secretary or your midwife if you like but I wouldn’t hold your breath that they can do that, or get annoyed if they don’t get in touch.

How’s your GAD atm? I don’t know if you’re aware but you can self refer to the local IAPT team and if you’re pregnant you are seen as a priority so skip the waiting list. Might be worth getting some support with your anxiety right now rather than trying to just feed it by seeking more and more reassurance (which will never be enough).

Is there any other midwife you could speak to?

@JessieLemon my GAD is awful and has been for weeks. I've never heard of IAPT but looking it up now. Thank you.

I'm not sure memory - not sure who I would call or where I would go to seek advice.

No news is good news. I get that's it's scary but if it were anything urgent they would see you earlier than that and if you are at all worried about baby you can ring the pregnancy unit, mine were always really helpful and happy to see anyone no matter how small the concern.

Hope you find your local team! It might have a different name depending on whether it’s ran by the NHS still or has been privatised, but you should figure it out by googling ‘IAPT’ and your location, or failing that ‘primary care mental health service’ and your location. Lemme know if you get stuck.

I can link you to some really good GAD self help materials in the meantime if you like. Dunno your circumstances or whether you feel you have the time or motivation but it’s an option while you wait.

Phone the conaultant's secutary tomorrow. If the numer isn't on your notes go through the hospital's switch board. Ask if it is possible for them to get the consultant to phone you to talk through your worries. They should be very used to people not taking things in properly at appointments and being too shocked to ask questions. If you know what yoy want to ask see if you can email the consultant so they can phone you with answers or phone you. If you feel you need answers sooner, stress just how worried you are and ask if someone on call could speak to you.

We often have to do this after the children's appointments with their consultants.

Respond by email if appropriate even!

I’ve registered for therapy with IAPT after my GP recommended it. It’s at least 6 months waiting time here 🙈. You can register online and self refer as Jessie says but it was 5 days before anyone acklowledged my application so it’s by no means a quick source of help. Is there a midwife who specialises in antenatal anxiety/depression who would be able to support you? It’s worth finding out because some trusts do have them. Anxiety is so awful and during pregnancy there’s a whole new level of awfulness somehow. I would ring your midwife and tell them you are really struggling. I hope you can get some info about a possible induction and some help with your anxiety,

Poisondartfrog are you pregnant or within one year postnatal? And do IAPT know that? Cos if so you should be expedited up the list, might take a couple weeks to get your first appointment but as you say, the waiting list can often be 6+ months so if you’re within the pregnant/postnatal period is a real bonus to be able to circumvent that.

Poisondartfrog also, feel free to ignore the unsolicited advice, but you could give them a ring and just make sure they know you’re postnatal/pregnant so eligible to be seen ASAP. It’s a nationwide agreement I believe, from above, that all IAPT services see women in that situation as soon as possible. Though I don’t know if that stands with the services that have been privatised.

Bless you Jessie and thank you. No I’m not pregnant/postnatal. Am a granny. But DD had very severe anxiety throughout pregnancy. She was offered support through her antenatal team but am not sure if IAPT was an option. Ive been told there’s about 6 months waiting time where I am but good to know for pregnant/postnatal women they can speed things up great deal. Thanks again