Pre-eclampsia? ,.. can barely see

[Babyshine2020]

Has anybody had sudden vision loss?
It's never happened to me before.

I'm currently hydrated and I've eaten breakfast, lunch and a snack today so I can't see it being blood sugar.

At the minute I have w constant swirl/wavey spot in my peripheral vision and when I try to focus it takes over essential half my vision, to the extent I can't read my phone/see w full picture. For example, my kitchen sink seems to be missing a bit in the middle.

I can type as I have an idea where my letters are but I can't read this back to see if it makes sense so sorry if it doesn't.

Is this worth phoning triage? I don't want to phone up and it be nothing, but I'm also scared of what it could be.

Blimey, I’m a midwife and the advice you’ve been given is dangerous. If I’d spoken to someone with these symptoms I’d have called you an ambulance or at least got your dh to bring you straight in. Headache, visual disturbance and sickness are all signs of pre eclampsia Which can be fatal.

Really hope you’ve been seen, if not get to a&e, ring labour ward up, do whatever to get seen.

Make a note of what time you called, who you spoke to and the advice she gave you. Then go to a&e. Better to be safe than sorry.

Then make a complaint about the midwife.

How are you today OP?

I agree with everyone saying you should make a complaint about the midwife

I get migraines with aura which are very like this; but I’ve had them all my life, not new to pregnancy

Hope you’re feeling better

Headaches totally can be a pregnancy related symptom and can be either just a headache or related to something like pre eclampsia. I personally think the midwife was negligent in her triage of you and you should have very least been asked to go in to be properly assessed. I had late onset pre eclampsia at 38weeks with my first. The only symptom I could feel was a constant headache. I had no swelling at all. Obviously my blood pressure was raised when measured and I had protein in my urine.
Most likely you've just had a horrible migraine but until proper assessment has been carried out, with such severe symptoms, you can not assume. I would ring again or go to A&e if they don't take you seriously.

So it's come back again today, just been on the phone to triage again, spoke to somebody different than yesterday and once again I've been told it's nothing to be worried a out.

I CANT SEE PROPERLT HOW CAN I NOT WORRY??!

So I'm trying my GP - community midwife is off and her two buddies aren't answering so I've left them a message

Haven't got any headaches, I just can't see

Can someone take you to A&E - so many people have replied here saying you need to be seen NOW, including midwives.

Or you could walk into your GP surgery if that’s more accessible, but A&E are going to have the skills to diagnose what’s going on more than a gp.

Please get help soon! Xx

Having had Pre-eclampsia twice you need to be seen urgently. Go to A&E, I can't believe midwifes are not seeing this as a major problem.
Please get checked out this really is an emergency situation.

I'm really shocked in the midwives you've spoken to saying it's totally pregnancy unrelated, maybe it is but I'd have thought they'd at least want to check it out, I agree your going to need to go to a&e because limited vision without a headache is quite a worry as if it was a migraine related you'd have at least some form of headache/pain, in a bit concerned to be honest x

At the very least can you get your Blood Pressure taken - either at a chemist or buy a home BP cuff? But ideally get seen in a&e or your GP.

Yes, possibly it could be a migraine - unlikely if you don't normally have them though. Even if you do normally have migraines such a combination of symptoms should be regarded as pre-eclampsia until proven otherwise.

I've been reading the replies, hense why when it happened again today I phoned back.

I told them my hands are swollen and my joints are hurting in my hands, I can't se ebit have no headaches and I'm being sick, but it's isn't anything for them to be concerned about, still, so my doctor should be phoning at 4:30. I can't get to the hospital without driving myself which isn't safe at the minute and my husband has decided to go to Tesco.

I'm a midwife and I'm so surprised that they don't want to see you. I would definitely be wanting to. I'd call back and insist on coming in for a check.

If you do have high BP it can cause visual disturbance and blindness. You need to get your husband back now and go to A&E if triage won't see you. No point in waiting for the GP to phone, this is what their advice will be. Don't forget to take your maternity notes and hospital bag just in case they keep you in

It sounds like a visual migraine (I have them - parts of vision go swirly for about 30 minutes, no headache) but if you don't usually have them when not pregnant, definitely get yourself checked out. As others have said, it could suggest possible pre-eclampsia which is raising your blood pressure, can come on v suddenly towards the end. I'm genuinely shocked that you've been fobbed off like this by the midwives. Phone them back and get your urine and blood pressure checked. Surely a community midwife can come round today. Are you feeling baby's movements ok?

I am a GP and I'm absolutely appalled that you have been treated this way. You need your blood pressure and urine checked ASAP, it is worrying that you have been reassured by your midwifery team without these simple checks. Yes it could be a migraine with a visual aura, but if you've never had these before then it definitely needs looked into when you've suddenly developed it in pregnancy. Please make sure you get seen by someone today!!! It should be your maternity assessmeny unit but if they're being useless I would go to A+E.

OP, please get yourself to a&e. If your husband is in Tesco(?!) then please all 999 for an ambulance.

Thank you all ladies.

He's home and wants me to wait for the doctors as "that's what the midwife told you to do".

My vision is back (after about an hour). Because I've spoken to two different midwives I feel like I'm just making myself be seen. The GP I've been booked into has always been very helpful, so hopefully she will do something.

According to my DH it's all my mums fault for mentioning preeclampsia to me and I just need to relax.

If I don't get any answers tonight I'll go to the hospital on my own if needs be. My pregnancy has been pretty smooth sailing once we got past the first 13 weeks (bleeding) and I don't want to be fobbed off at the last few weeks.

Tbh I think you should just go to A&E. Ring your Dh and get him home NOW and get him to take you there. These are pretty serious unexplained symptoms on top of which you are pregnant. GPs are only really doing phone consultations and genuinely I think with those symptoms would say "go to A&e".

Call a frigging ambulance!

I’d go in. Whilst it could be a migraine with aura the visual disturbance was one the pre eclampsia symptoms I had. I got migraines before but not with aura. Now about 10% are with aura and they always bring the memories flooding back.

You need to get your BP and urine checked. Worst case your DH can go and buy dip sticks at the chemist and a BP machine.

Personally I’d go in. Any reduced movement or just to feeling right then go. A rather under mentioned symptom of pe is an impending sense of doom!

Hospital sharpish. Has your DH actually read about pre-eclampsia?

Bloody hell the midwives sounds spectacularly shit. What awful advice.

Shocking OP, although sadly not unbelievable. My SIL called triage with headache and persistent swelling and was told it was a migraine (not sure what qualifies a midwife to diagnose a migraine but there we go). She ended up being induced pre-term not long after for pre-eclampsia.

Have you checked your blood pressure op?

It's crazy that the midwives are just dismissing your concerns especially with swelling and visual disturbances.

Call them back inform them you are going in to be checked
Tel then you’ve noted the names of those who advised you not to go in and if they try the same ask for it in writing via email so that if anything goes wrong you have evidence they were negligent ....then go in anyway and demand to be seen
They need to knew they can’t fob you off
Good luck I hope all is ok