Had a horrible scan -epic moany post sorry

[destructogirl]

I'm 31 weeks, had another growth scan today and it was horrible.
I've been having lots of scans because baby had a cystic hygroma at 12 weeks. CH is supposed to have gone now, no heart/chromosome problems found so they are just checking on growth.

Had panic attack on way in cos I couldn't find the clinic, waited 2 hours past my app time and it turned out they hadn't put my name through so I had to wait while they went off for lunch. Then I was rushed through, midwife doing the scan clearly didn't want to be doing it and was going as fast as she could. Had consultant app but she was rushing as well so I couldn't tell her anything I was worrying about.

Have been worrying that maybe my waters were leaking, a lot of watery discharge I have to wear a pad every day.
Once I got home I saw on my notes the amniotic fluid level is lower than on my last scan so now I'm really scared.

I'm worried about my blood pressure, but they insist it's ok. I had pre-eclampsia on a previous pregnancy, they kept insisting it was ok that time too until I had to get rushed in to hospital.
BP usually 100/55, today was 128/76. I know this isn't a high reading but it's such a big increase.

When she was scanning, there was a fluid area that she measured. She said it was fluid on the baby but didn't say anything else. There is nothing on the notes, but I'm worrying the Cystic Hygroma could be coming back.

And to top it off my boss is annoyed with me cos the delay meant I had to have the whole day off instead of just the morning.

I'm so miserable now and just sitting here crying.

Does anyone have any advice on BP or amniotic fluid levles? Does anyone know if cystic hygromas can come back?

Oh, what a horrible way to treat you. I'm angry on your behalf. Would you be able to call the hospital tomorrow and ask to speak to someone senior to discuss your concerns?

Hi, I didn't want to leave your post unanswered, although not sure how helpful I can be!

I too have had pre eclapsia, and low amniotic fluid, and a cystic hygroma (although not all in the same pregnancy). Basically, your BP doesn't look really high, although it is something they should be keeping a close eye on. But, it was probably affected by you being stressed.

Amniotic Fluid levels go up and down during pregnancy, and when they measure them it can be quite hard to get a true measurement, as they are only measuring pockets of fluid. If the levels were abnormal, it would be on your notes.

And again, I'm sure if the cystic hygroma had returned that would also be on your notes. Although it sounds as though the person doing the scan should have been clearer on what they were measuring, and the consultant should also have been clear on what was happening with the hygroma.

I'm sorry you've not had a good ante natal appointment today though. When is your next one? If you are still worried or unsure about anything, can you contact your midwife and get her to look through your notes?

Sorry, I don;t know anything about the conditions you mention but I do think you need to speak to the clinic about the way you were "handled" and your concerns. Can DP / DH go with you, or a friend? I hope all is well and that you are able to make yourself heard.

Thanks for replying Tiger and Country

That sounds reassuring, about the fluid levels. I had been googling and scaring myself. Level is 36mm now and at last scan was 56mm.

My BP is usually nice and low but I know it jumps up when I get anxious.
What I don't know is, is BP just a symptom of pre-eclampsia or can high BP atually cause pre-eclampsia? So if I keep getting these panic attacks, will it cause PE?

I'm seeing normal midwife tomorrow so I don't have long to wait.
I just know I won't sleep tonight though

Thanks trixie, I wasn't sure whether I was just being over-sensitive or not though. I am very hormonal at the moment and get het up at the least thing.

I think you do need to speak to someone at the very least about how your appointments were handled especially in light of your last pregnancy.

Whereabouts are you? If you are near London and could afford it (think it is around £150) you could get a private scan at the FMC:

www.fetalmedicine.com/fmc/

They are just brilliant (and take their time) and picked up something at a scan I had there that the NHS hadn't spotted and then helped with the referral back into the NHS and worked closely with them.

Otherwise, I would insist on being re-scanned on the NHS. Go and see your GP if necessary too and tell them how upset you are.

I think high BP is a symptom of PE, and not a cause. In fact, I don't think there is any definite known cause, but I was told it is something to do with the placenta.

I was taught some relaxation techniques to try and keep my BP down. Maybe worth trying to do that - deep breathing etc, to try and keep calm?

It's hard though when you're so worried, and also made harder when the medical practitioners looking after you aren't communicating very well with you. It's awful that they rushed you through and have left you in this situation with unanswered questions.

I've been to the FMC in Birmingham, when they first spotted the cystic hygroma I was sent there.
They are brilliant.
I've been discharged from the FMC though and just going to my local hospital now. I am considering asking my midwife if I can go back there. It's a lot further to go though.

Sorry this was so upsetting for you. You need to screw up your courage to be super assertive, and then call and ask to speak to someone senior (clinic manager or similar). If you get fobbed off, say you will go straight to putting your complaint in writing but you had wanted to discuss it with them first. If that gets you through to the manager, explain calmly all the things that weren't done very well and say you would like another scan asap. Again, say you will formally complain if this can't be done within the next couple of weeks - and then do it if they aren't helpful. If all this sounds imposibly hard, get an assertive friend/relative/partner on board and do it together.

I have an app on Thurs with a mental health person. Hopefully they can advise me on relaxation techniques.
This pregnancy has been one long panic, it's my last one and is supposed to be the one where I do everything right and everything is perfect

Thanks everyone for the sympathy. I feel a bit better now I've had a moan about it.

FWIW Natal hypnotherapy involves relaxation.

There is no known direct cause for PE. There are theories that it is caused by clotting on the placenta, the mother's blood being too 'sticky' or 'thick', the babies genes not being compatible with the mother's etc. It has also been (dubiously) linked to bad diet.

One thing PE isn't caused BY is high BP. High blood pressure is a symptom. But it isn't always a symptom. I had PE with dd1 & I had high BP with dd2 & it was just that, high BP. I didn't develop PE with dd2.

The worry with a PE BP is when the lower figure, so in your case the previous 55/76 reaches 90+. Then they look at other symptoms, headaches that won't go, swelling, nausea, liver function, protein presence in urine. Pain high on the bump.

In the light of your leaking & your crap treatment & your previous history, I would be demanding to see someone pronto to get some questions answered. Don't goggle, it will drive you mad!

Ring the clinic that saw you, tell the manager that you felt rushed through because of their error & you need to see someone asap as you have concerns.

Write everything down, and make sure you get answers.

And this is one of the main reasons I won't have any more.

Dd2's pregnancy was overshadowed by worried of PE and it did me no good. I have 2 children & I am happy to never to have to experience pregnancy again!

I have no protein in the urine, but I have nausea and my ankles, legs and hands are swollen. Had pains high on my bump last night when trying to sleep. I do get headaches but they go away with painkillers.

I'm going to write a list of all my worries now to take in to the midwife because I know I'll just forget everything once I'm in there.

I keep thinking my bump looks smaller this morning but it's quite possible I'm just paranoid.

I'm going to stop googling PE and low amniotic fluid for now and google natal hypnotherapy instead.

Thanks everyone

Hi destructogirl,

I don't want to freak you out but if I were you I would insist on being seen again. My midwife told me that with BP they shouldlook at the comparison with your own baseline, not just the figure itself. So if your BP is high for you you should maybe get checked. I had a BP higher than usual although not especially high, and swollen fingers and feet, and it turned out that DS was very small and I possibly had the beginnings of PE. Probably all is fine as you have had the scan but I would say you at least need another appointment with consultant so they can explain everything properly.

Hope all is well.

I'm so crap. Midwife thinks I'm worrying over nothing and maybe I am.
She says if there was any problem with the baby, the scan would have showed it.
She says the amniotic fluid decrease is nothing to worry about cos it's still in the normal range and the leaking I have is normal discharge.
BP was 100/80 and she says it's fine. But why is the bottom number still going up? I checked it when I got home and it was 119/87.

Yes Willbean, that is exactly what I thought!
And that is the info I get when I google.
But everyone I see just says no, no it's fine.
They said that before, when having my first DD my grandma told me I had PE 2 months before the midwives did.

You aren't crap. It is only natural to be worried. Can you talk your GP into checking your BP more frequently, say every couple of days? Then if the numbers get more worrying you could insist on being tested again. Maybe if you go to a walk-in centre and say you're concerned they would do it, too?

I have one of those home blood pressure checkers. I bought it because I was 21 weeks before the midwife got round to checking my BP.
I think sometimes I get a bit obsessive checking my BP all the time though. I've even started a spreadsheet with a little graph

This constant worrying will not help your BP, stress can raise it & you are under some stress at the moment. Tbh, I think all these home doplers, BP testers etc do more harm than good.

Swelling in hands, feet & ankles can be normal in pregnancy too, if you have swelling in the face, that is more of a concern wrt PE.

I think it would be worth calling labour & del after hours & tell them something to get you seen. I don't know what you tell them, but tell them anything!

Regardless of if you have PE or not, sitting at home & fretting about this will not help.

How often are you being seen now? If you have had PE previously it is normal to be seen more frequently in subsequent pregnancies.

Your treatment has been crap so far!

The pains high on your bump...what was that like & did it go eventually?

I keep looking at my face to check for swelling but can't tell. I remember on my first pregnancy when I had PE I swelled up massively all over. I went from one of those waif-like skinny Kate Moss types to the stay-puft marshmallow man. My weight nearly doubled.
Definately not that bad this time. I've put on about a stone so far.

My high pains tend to come on in the evening. It's quite likely that it's indigestion/heartburn but I can't tell, I take Gaviscon but the pains carry on for quite a while but do go eventually.

I'm getting another scan and check-up in 2 weeks. They check up on me frequently because of the cystic hygroma but the midwife thinks I'm low-risk for PE.

I daren't call to be seen earlier, I think they are already starting to think I'm paranoid and hyperchondriac and it's possible they're right.
They said at my 12 week scan that this baby probably wouldn't make it, they have since changed their minds and now everything is going fine and baby is fine. The problem is I mentally prepared myself for the worst to happen and now I can't let go of that.

Luckily I have my mental-anxiety appointment this evening. I'm hoping they can help me let go of this stress.