Hello everyone!
I am new to Mum's net so I will try to keep this brief. My baby is due on Thursday ( 14/04/2011) and I just wanted some input about my chances of being induced on my due date.
I am suffering from severe oedema from my toes up to my abdomen and have done for over a week. It is pitting oedema also, so every little touch leaves an impression that lasts for ages. The oedema is so bad around my knees that I am practically immobile as I cannot bend my legs. This means going to the toilet, washing or even walking all require assistance, or is just impossible. I also have SPD so a combination of the SPD and oedema means I am just still for most of the day!I have tried following the advice on Mum's net for oedema, but whenever I do go for a little walk about, the oedema seems to get ten times worse, so I have had to give up on that.
My community midwife has been brilliant at monitoring the oedema, and is monitoring my blood pressure and urine every 48 hours. I have never had protein in urine, and blood pressure varies between 80-95, so never high enough for anyone to get overly concerned, despite by booking bp being only 70, and my BP only going up like this over the past week. Whenever I see my community midwife she is concerned enough to refer me to the hospital, I go ( which is a 60 mile round trip as I live in a very rural area, and my mum has to take me) and they do the same thing, monitor by BP and urine, which come back as ?normal? and then I get booted home again for the whole cycle to start again. This has happened three times in the past seven days. I totally understand that they are testing for pre-eclamapsia, but as a result I feel that the severity of the oedma and the impact it is having on me is being ignored. I have suffered from some visual disturbances, mainly the flashing lights but this is irregular and isn?t supported by my bp so hospital doesn?t seem interested. Uric acid levels are going up but still seen as just within ?normal? so again, hospital not interested.
Yesterday, I was finally able to see a doctor at the hospital ( rather than just another midwife- who is getting increasingly fed up of me) and I said that I wanted to be able to discuss being induced at 40 weeks and as a result I know have an apt with my consultant on Tues next week to discuss this. I was hoping the doctor yesterday would have been able to discuss induction with me, but as I am under consultant care for Group B Strep I think he was uncomfortable making the decision.
So basically, what do you think my chances are of the consultant agreeing to an induction?I should add that I was examined by a midwife at the beginning of last week and I was 1cm dilated, so it?s not as if we are starting from scratch. I know all the risks of an induction, but the swelling and immobility is getting so severe I feel labour will end in a C-section anyway if it goes on much longer. I have tried so hard to stay positive, and I understand that everyone finds the last few weeks of pregnancy uncomfortable- but this is just going beyond that for me now. I can?t even feel my feet for a large majority of the evening as they are that swollen and all of my legs are stone cold.
Sorry for moaning, and any advice/experiences appreciated
XXX