Oh hell - they've admitted me

[ImpYCelynAndTheIvy]

I was so smug that I'd finally got them to take my 16 weeks of headaches and migraines seriously. I had an appointment at the consultant clinic today and they've admitted me for an urgent neurological assessment.

I'm now so worried. I really wish I'd not said anything :(

There's going to be nothing wrong right? I've caused a fuss for nothing.

Im sure its nothing, and if its something its nothing too big and can be easily fixed. Its better to get sorted rather then suffer in silence, you're doing whats best for baby.

Good luck. :)

Oh gosh I hope so. Thanks Crosshair :)

How is your blood pressure? I have had headaches due to my raised bp, I had a nice afternoon in hospital due to this. I am hopeful it is something as simple :)

120/72 so not that unfortunately.

The reg has just been. No obvious neuro problem and they don't want to do a CT because of the baby. Which I agree with.

So cause still unknown and he's gone to see the consultant for advice.

Thanks though :)

Did you have migranes before the pregnancy or are they pregnancy related?

I had them throughout pregnancy of dd1, midwife kept fobbing me off. Did end up with Pre eclampsia in the end though

I had some on my teens but nothing for about 7 years. So I think they're just pregnancy related.

I've had either a migraine or a bad headache two or three times a week for the last 16 weeks, plus nausea and vomiting when they get really bad, and I'm so exhausted with it.

I had one a week or so ago that lasted 6 days, it was hell :( I just wish they could do something to help.

Sorry to hear that Lisa :( I can't bear the thought of another 19 weeks of this. How did you manage?

Oh bugger. The midwife just told me the Dr wants me to stay overnight and they're trying to arrange an MRI for me.

I want to go home :(

I ended up in for 7 weeks in the end meds helped but dd1 was born small and very little waters. I know it's a pain but another lady suddenly went downhill with her Pre eclampsia and lucky enough was already there

Oh yikes, poor you :( glad it ok in the end.

I know it's better to stay but I so wasn't expecting it.

Just an update.

I stayed overnight on Thursday and til late Friday night. There was a huge cock up. Loads of doctors out for some kind of assessment thing, including the ones meant to be responsible for me, so I didn't see anyone until 7.30pm on Friday.

Apparently I had to see an obs consultant to get the referral to the neuro team, who can then do the MRI referral. None of that happened due to the above.

The neuro team only come once a week from another hospital so rather than have me sit there for a week they've sent me home and are trying to get me seen as an outpatient. Unfortunately the SHO who I saw at 7.30 (one and only time I saw a dr) mentioned that their concern is that I have a blood clot. And then dropped off a load of codeine and sent me home saying I'd get a letter. That was it

Since then I had a medium headache Sat and Sun, which has eased off the last couple of days. But I've been really nauseous ever since. Threw up everything I ate on Sat, couldn't eat on Sun, was okish yesterday (mum had DS for me which helped, I basically stayed in bed all day) and have thrown up breakfast today. I thought I'd picked up a bug in hospital, but now I'm wondering if it's not just stress related.

I put DS down for his nap this morning and laid on my bed and cried for half an hour. I'm completely freaked out and I have no idea what's going to happen.

Part of me thinks they wouldn't have sent me home if they'd thought I might drop dead (although they said nothing has happened for 16 weeks so it'd probably be ok to leave me a bit longer) and surely they'd have given me something like blood thinners if they really thought that. But then I'm not sure.

The dr I saw on Friday night said I didn't look ill enough for a blood clot - probably true (I'm hoping so) but she saw me on the one day last week when I didn't have a headache or was really nauseous/vomiting - typical.

I'm so frustrated. I just don't know what to do. I'm so worried.

And I'm being a crap mum to DS1 :(

Hi Impy, I'm really sorry to hear what you are going through.

My simple advice would be to go back and ask a lot more questions ASAP, get things moving today if you can so you can start to set your mind at rest.

It sounds like your management/treatment to-date has been chaotic to say the least, and it's not really on to leave you hanging like that. Don't be afraid to really assert yourself if you need to and insist to speak to someone in neurology now. An emergency appointment with your GP may be a good first port of call to help you work out the best plan of attack - I know mine will phone through directly to a hospital department for advice if he feels he needs it, and that authority makes the difference if they won't deal with you direct.

Explain how worried you are, how you were left with the impression you may have an undiagnosed blood clot, and that it is causing you a huge amount of stress. I would also make sure you inform your GP/neuro team of the new symptoms of nausea and vomiting - it could be something totally normal (or stress, poor you) but it is still a significant symptom.

I've learned through various experiences with the NHS that often you have to take control yourself as much as you can, keep pushing and don't take no for an answer, especially when you have urgent concerns. As long as you're respectful and don't lose your temper I find it normally works one way or the other in getting to see the 'organ grinder'!

The other thing I suppose you could do if all else fails is present yourself at A&E of the hospital where the neuro team are. Better chance of seeing someone straight away, and being as you've already been admitted for this I'd expect them to take it seriously.

Good luck and let us know how you get on. Sure you'll be ok xx

I don't know who to ask for more info though. I was on the ante natal ward, but I'm not sure whether they'd be able to tell me anything. I don't know if I can contact the obs team directly, and if they've now referred to outpatient neurology I don't know if I can contact them (I certainly don't know how to).

I think the best thing might be to try to get a GP appointment.

I'm being pathetic, but I have no car and the GP surgery is a 45 min walk away and I feel rubbish. I'm being far too self-pitying today.

I might phone the GP surgery and see what they suggest.

Thanks for replying HotPinkGingham - I've worked myself into a state and can't think clearly at all.

Hello - so sorry to read you've been having an awful time. You could try calling PALS (patient liaison service) every hospital should have one. It sounds like you should complain about your treatment so far. They really shouldn't leave you not knowing what is going on. I've heard good things about how PALS have dealt with problems like yours and you should get an answer quicker.

Thanks DeckTheHawthers. I might try that next.

I just called the GP and spoke to the receptionist (only just stopped myself from breaking down to her ). She said they've had nothing sent through from the hospital yet but she's going to speak to one of the GPs and ask them to call me back. So hopefully they'll be able to suggest something.

Feel shouty on your behalf. Well done for holding it together but sometimes showing how upset you are gets fast results . Hope you get some answers soon x

Great - hope the GP comes up with a plan of action. Try not to let them fob you off with having to wait for the letter, I know some GPs are more proactive and sympathetic than others. If they don't explicitly offer you a solution that's going to address your concerns, make sure to ask what your options are in terms of next steps - can the GP call the neuro team and ask for you to be seen immediately?

I agree with Deck that PALS should be your next port of call after that, really good idea.

Just so sorry you're having such a hard time - I wish I could sort it out for you!

Thank you both :) I really appreciate the sympathy!

I will try to be forceful with the GP and if not I'll try PALS.

Thanks so much!

Ok, I'm rubbish and not forceful at all.

Spoke to GP who said as they've had nothing from the hospital they can't help for now, so I have to phone the ward as they'll tell me if they've made the referral and what kind it is.

Phoned the ward and they said they can't help, I have to phone outpatient neurology.

Phoned the switchboard and asked to be put through. There's no neurology today, and you can't speak to them unless it's the one day a week they are there. But they did put me through to "new appts", who said that no appointment has been made.

So they put me through to the obs consultants secretary. Which went to voicemail, which said "Do not leave a message on this phone".

I want to scream

Did you ring PALS? Tell them you don't know what's happening with your care and can't contact anybody, please can they help you!

imp, did you speak to the actual GP? And tell them your symptoms.. and how worried you are, blood clot risk that you were told about etc etc?? My dh is a GP and he has gone on home visits (even though occasionally fuming about it- 'I don't want to get the bus with my three kids' was one child he visited, pushchair age child who wouldn't have had to walk, with bone idle mother!!) if people can't get there. He has chased up many, many hospital letters/ queries for patients- I know because I have to hear him complain about why he's home at 9pm so often!!!! Mention a lot your hadache and puking!!! You poor thing. But yes, totally agree, if they think there's anything urgent you need monitoring for, they wouldn't have sent you home, you'd be sat there admitted for a week being cross about that"!!! And really? The ward have no discharge summary for you? I don't believe it. Ring back, maybe add in tears???

Hope you get somewhere, poor you...

Thanks Northerlurker. I just spoke to PALS who said it's too late for them to do anything today but that they'll have a go at finding out what's happening tomorrow morning and let me know.

dreamfeeder - yes, it was the actual GP. He said they needed to know exactly who I'd been referred to and what type of referral before they could do anything to help, although that they will help once they know that. BTW (just to calm down your DH) I would have walked there if I'd had to see a GP, I just phoned on the off chance that as it was an admin question (sort of) to start with one of the secretaries might be able to help.

I told him I was worried, stressed, that they'd said a blood clot, that I was puking and he just said "sorry to hear that, I can see it would be very stressful" etc. To be fair, I suppose he probably thinks someone else should be sorting it, which they should!

I'll wait and see how far PALS get tomorrow and then phone the ward again. I have a discharge summary (I think) here and it quite clearly says "refer OP investigation by neurology team".

I suppose the best hope is that in that case they don't think it's serious at all, and not a blood clot, if they'll send me home and aren't worried about referring me quickly. I just wish they'd bloody told me that!

I meant he would visit you imps, a genuinely ill person who'd have to walk 45 min under her own steam, and would have been helpful (I'm sure, he seems to go above and beyond, home visit 8:30pm instead of packing for early morning flight and letting out of hours gp go springs to mind!)

Really hope you feel slightly better and pals and your gp can help tomorrow. Xx

Thanks dreamfeeder - sorry, get your point about your DH now but I would feel terrible calling out a GP anyway, I feel like enough of a nuisance as it is. He sounds lovely though if he's doing visits that late! I don't think many would.

I'm also going to call my MW team tomorrow (between the hours of 8am and 8.01am ) and see if I can get them on the case a bit. Hopefully if I involve enough people someone will manage to do something.

I'm feeling a bit better now, mum took DS for a walk when she got home from work so I've had a bit of a sleep and managed to eat some noodles. To think I used to hate living in walking distance of my parents... it's been a lifesaver.