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Original poster

Hospital wants to send me home after PPROM. I don’t want to go. Help.

780 replies

CatsEye99 · 15/10/2018 12:20

Posting for traffic. My waters broke at home and were bright red, and I was 26 weeks with DCDA twins. I called an ambulance and was rushed to hospital where I had a huge gush of red fluid. I was counselled about preterm birth and given steroid injections. I saw a neonatal doctor who stated the most important thing was to deliver at a hospital with NICU cots.

Despite severe agonising pain, a week has passed and I haven’t given birth. Twins aren’t distressed and my observations are fine.

However I feel incredibly unwell. I keep burning hot and turning red but my temp is not raised. I feel like I have the flu or another illness. I have no energy and can barely move due to pain. Codeine won’t touch it. A midwife told me to have a hot bath which I am sure is contraindicated.

The staff want to send me home. I have stated I do not want to go home due to me living an hour from the hospital and the risk of infection, cord compression, preterm delivery and stillbirth. I do not want to lose my babies. I want to remain in the unit with NICU like the doctor advised.

Can anyone give me any advice? I can’t find any info on this anywhere and feel like the staff are fobbing me off.

OP posts:
Tiredofit · 15/10/2018 13:23

Does the hospital have any patient accommodation you could stay in. Our hospital has flats on site for patients who need be close for various reasons and also parent accommodation for parents who want to stay whilst their children are in. However we do have patients who have to travel a long way so it may be different.

Original poster
CatsEye99 · 15/10/2018 13:26

The pain is in my bump, back, and on my cervix. It feels like a cross between period pains and diarrhea pains. Midwives have felt my bump and agreed it was contracting but I am not dilated at all.

OP posts:
eelbecomingforyou · 15/10/2018 13:28

I'm surprised that the hospital is happy to let you go after your waters went a week ago... normally, if this happens, they like you to start labour within 48 hours because of risk of infection. Have you aksed them to explain this to you?

However, if you have been in for a week being observed and babies monitored, they can't keep you in for weeks on the off chance you will give birth if you have no medical needs.

Have you been tested for GBS and sepsis? Where is your pain?

AnElderlyLadyOfMediumHeight · 15/10/2018 13:29

Absolutely ask for an assessment for sepsis.

eelbecomingforyou · 15/10/2018 13:29

X-posted. So you're contracting - and the hosp wants to send you home? That doesn't sound right at all. Who's managing your care? Can you talk to them and ask why they want to discharge you?

everythingthelighttouches · 15/10/2018 13:32

I am so sorry you are in this situation OP. It is awful being in such a dire situation and feel like you are not being listened to.
I wanted to second everything that **no squirrels said and add to this that you should ask to see a NICU doctor again. You are already a high risk pregnancy and this is not a minor event that has happened.
I would want to understand why they felt the need to keep you in for a week and now suddenly want to discharge you when your symptoms have got worse.
Can i ask what level NICU the hospital has?

Original poster
CatsEye99 · 15/10/2018 13:32

I haven't been told about GBS but I will ask.

OP posts:
Original poster
CatsEye99 · 15/10/2018 13:33

Level 3 NICU I think.

They're saying as my waters aren't leaking much (just spotting on wiping vs constant gushes) its not as risky.

OP posts:
Original poster
CatsEye99 · 15/10/2018 13:34

When I was admitted, I was soaking beds every 5 minutes so it has lessened but everything else is more severe.

OP posts:
VelvetReVulva · 15/10/2018 13:37

Sorry to jump in, butnhave yiu been rested for a urinary tract infection also? It can cause some symptoms like this and definitely should also be ruled out.

VelvetReVulva · 15/10/2018 13:39

*tested!

VelvetReVulva · 15/10/2018 13:41

Also - have they discussed steroid injections with you?

Original poster
CatsEye99 · 15/10/2018 13:44

No UTI.

I've just been to the loo and my pad has brown streaks on it. My first had meconium aspiration so now I'm bloody terrified.

OP posts:
TheSteakBakeOfAwesome · 15/10/2018 13:49

I wouldn't be going anywhere - that sounds like how my "labours" were... I contract but don't dilate until right at the end where I literally go 0cm to baby in minutes (so I never get any fun with the gas and air either). With you having a history of doing that in a previous pregnancy as well I'd be flagging that fact up to the medics. It does catch them out - the midwife who delivered DD2 was very sheepish and admitted I was one of the few at the end of a very long career she'd mis-called completely.

DD1 was premature and I was getting exactly the pains you describe then as well.

Topseyt · 15/10/2018 13:50

I was in a similar situation when I had DD3, although much further on, at 35 weeks.

My waters had begun leaking during the night at home. Not much at first, but it happened again in the morning so DH drove me to the hospital. There, I was initially seen by a lady doctor who didn't seem to believe that the waters were leaking. She stated pretty categorically that it would be a bladder leak because apparently us women cannot tell the difference. I was equally insistent that I did know the difference and my waters WERE going. She didn't believe me until late in the afternoon when they suddenly went with a massive gush and wouldn't stop, so she somewhat begrudgingly admitted that I had been right.

I live 40 minutes from the hospital. I refused to go home even though one or two attempts were still made to persuade me over the next few days. I am very glad I stood my ground there because a couple of days later my DD became very distressed and had to be delivered speedily by emergency c-section. I truly don't think she would be here now (she is a strapping 16 year old) if I hadn't stood my ground.

I think you should refuse to go home. Contact PALS as already suggested. Absolutely insist on seeing a consultant. After all, it is actually what they are there for. At least see an ob/gyn doctor and explain very firmly to them what you have told us. Say firmly that this is why you will not be going home. If they can't treat you in the hospital you are in then they will have to transfer you to another which can treat you. This was what happened to me.

Topseyt · 15/10/2018 13:57

My guess is that they are under pressure from the hospital bed managers to free up beds.

Stick to your guns and refuse to budge. You are now a high risk pregnancy and you and your twins are at significant risk here. Don't let them push you around.

Eatmycheese · 15/10/2018 13:59

This seems madness to me. Especially given you are an hour away. Things can change in the blink of an eye.

I would echo what others have said about sepsis and GBS.
I’m so sorry you’re going through this it must be unbelievably stressful.

SinkGirl · 15/10/2018 13:59

You need to speak to the senior obstetrician. If they are still saying you can leave, ask them what the care plan is for you between now and labour starting. Twice weekly scans won’t cut it because of your risk of infection / sepsis with broken waters.

I had an emcs with my twins at 35+1 - I thought I was leaking waters and then I felt very unwell but hard to explain. Turns out one of my twins wasn’t moving and I had no idea. It’s impossible to monitor movement yourself when you have twins so that immediately makes it more difficult to be at home and know if there’s a problem.

Ask them for a list of things you need to look out for and when you need to call. Remind them that you live an hour away. Ask them - if you develop sepsis at home, will you have time to get back?

Yes, ideally you need to give birth in a hospital with a nicu - is there a hospital with no nicu closer to you, one you could go to if you’re unwell and they could transfer you?

Original poster
CatsEye99 · 15/10/2018 14:00

I should also add my BP is usually 95-100/58-60. The last 24 hours its been 115-124/70.

They've been telling me it's normal but it isn't normal for me. I've told them mine is normally low but they aren't taking it into account.

OP posts:
SinkGirl · 15/10/2018 14:03

I don’t think they’ll be concerned about your BP to be honest - from my experience it’s pretty normal for BP to increase as you progress especially with twins.

If you do go home make sure you have a good thermometer and BP monitor at home as you’ll need to check them yourself.

MulticolourMophead · 15/10/2018 14:06

I've just been to the loo and my pad has brown streaks on it. My first had meconium aspiration so now I'm bloody terrified.

Time to push hard for a discussion with a senior obstetrician. I don't think you should go home.

AllHallowsQueen · 15/10/2018 14:07

Insist on seeing a consultant and getting a clear answer on what their plan is and make sure that is written clearly in your notes. You need to know why they think it’s ok for you to go so far away when your membranes have ruptured and there is a risk of infection.

Have they got you on antibiotics? The trouble with that is that it can mask signs of sepsis in you but they don’t reach the babies so you dont know they are ill until they go into distress.

Eloisedublin123 · 15/10/2018 14:12

Try and stay calm OP. Try and meditate and breathe deeply too. Xx

Original poster
CatsEye99 · 15/10/2018 14:14

Yes I'm on erithromycin.

I just asked a midwife to look at the brown pad and was told theres not enough of it to say what it is but it's not a lot so don't worry about meconium. I had NO leakage of anything with my first son and he had meconium in the waters.

Midwife again told me to have a bath for the pains.

I've photographed the pad because it doesn't look right at all to me.

OP posts:
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