Booking-in/ first scan - surgery has let me down - feeling out on my own

[secondtime]

I'm eleven weeks pregnant with my second child. My first pregnancy and birth were very traumatic. My GP knows this, not least because I cried when I went to see him. I'm crying now, because I've just found out that they forgot to send the referrral letter to the hospital until I called them today.
They are very sorry, but don't know when the (very busy) hospital will be able to see me for a scan/booking in. I don't even know if
I will be seen in time to have the option of a nuchal fold test (I would be in the ccategory offered it- not that I necessarily want to act on it). I had pre-eclampsia last time, and no one has done any tests this time, let alone counselled me about the birth or talked to me about the options,
I feel very alone, and just wish after last time that someone was looking this pregnancy. Is there any point in talking to the hospital of the letter has just gone? Sorry this is long. I hope you can help.

Can't your GP follow up the referral with a call explaining your special circumstances? I believe they do have some power of special pleading on referrals.

I would follow this up. They have made a mistake but it should not be you that has to bear the consequences. Good luck.

if you would like to be debreifed about your birth, have a look here....birth trauma support..

you are coming up to the optimal time for a nuchal scan, so maybe call docs on monday and get them to sort it, or call the hospital directly and explain....

your docs should be helping you

there is nothing that can be done now about pre eclampsia, it might develop again, it might not, but only becomes apparent, on the whole, in the second trimester....

it might not recur

i am sorry you are feeling scared and alone, did you get any support at all after your first birth?

He called to say that he did, but that they are very busy and can't promise that it will make a difference. I guess it's because they are so busy that I'm so worried. It's not even certain that they will be able to book me in...I just feel so upset that this has been allowed to happen, but don't know what I could have done differently...

Where abouts are you. If you are within travelling distance of Kings College Hosp in London and you phone and explain, there is a very good chance they will see you.

Please try not to take the issue personally IYSWIM, sometimes there are failings in the referral system and it really could have been anyone.

Now it's happened however it would be well worth asking your GP to make up for their mistake by telephoning the relevant departments and telling them that you are very worried and can they please fit you in asap. As soo as you have been assigned a midwife to you can ask him/her to chase up the scan for you and explain how importnant it is to you that you have ample time to think about your decisions so a late scan is not an option for you.

Healthcare professional are mot the big bad people we sometimes think they are, you need to tell them how you feel or they won't know to do anything. Good luck with the pregnancy - if it's any help I had a very difficult first one but number two turned out to be so much easier, hope you find the smae thing.

Sorry, my typings useless tonight. Other thing I'd say is that as soon as you know which hospital you'll be at get on the phone to them - midwives in my area have always been lovely about making time when I needed it. I did have someone retrieve my notes from the first time too and it really did help to go through them - well worth doing IMO.

Thank you, lovely messages. I don't even I realised how badly I've been affected by last time; it was a mess, but I was just grateful to have my baby and get out in one piece, so didn't seek - and wasn't offere - any support. I will try lulumama's link.
Thank you for the info about pre-eclampsia - sounds like that, at least, won't have been affected by this. I will keep pushing for the nuchal fold test, tho, since the timing sounds critical for that. The hospital is unlikely to know anything about me since the letter only went today and I don't know how calls get logged - but it's good to know that you think it;s worth trying, at least.

now is a good time to come to terms with your first pregnancy and birth. before you are ready to birth this baby !

Kings could be an option - thank you, UCM. Have you had experience of them?

If you are in London, the hospitals are good at fitting people in on short notice. I was booked at one and changed my mind at 14 weeks so GP had to get me into another. I was seen by the second one at 18 weeks and there was no particular urgency in my case (had already had a booking scan at the first one). Do call the hospital (or Kings as UCM says) but also try to get your GP properly on the case. If he's crap try his receptionist - mine has been a very useful ally from time to time!

Hopefully you are getting all your rough luck out of the way now and the rest of the pg will be smooth sailing!

Don't be afraid to push and tell them how you feel. IME health professionals are keen to help if there are special circumstances involved but they need you to tell them how you feel.

Yes and I had a similar problem, once they know your surgery would have referred you they will fit you in usually. Good luck.