Feeling a bit unsupported

[Disgruntledpelicanlady]

Hi- just wondered if anyone has experienced similar - not sure if iabu (1st pregnancy and 1st trimester hormones are making me loose sight of what is reasonable in some situations I know).
I feel like I'm being left on my own in terms of medical support. I filled in the online form form to request a telephone call with my gp when I tested positive as I'm on some medication which should be reviewed as it can be risky in pregnancy but it also cannot just be stopped. I got an email back telling me to do online booking with community midwives but that I didn't need a gp appointment and I should only contact them again if I didn't wish to continue the pregnancy.
I've since had really bad sickness and fainting. I spent a week ringing the gp only to be told that due to covid vaccination boosters taking priority they weren't seeing patients or doing phone bookings. The community midwives said I needed to contact the gp. After over a week of trying (and loosing nearly a stone in weight) I managed to get an appointment with a locum trainee gp who gave me some medication that has thankfully helped.
I've then had a phone call today to say my booking appointment is being moved to over the phone due to rising covid numbers.
I understand why obviously, but can't help but feel a bit sad as I was looking forward to a proper appointment face to face as I do have some long term medical issues that I would like to discuss along with the previously mentioned medication issue.
I'm not sure if I'm being dramatic but I feel like I've been sort of left on my own a little bit.
Does anyone else feel like this?
I know there's nothing that can be done and it's just an unfortunate circumstance (as many have endured the past few years) but I am feeling a bit sorry for myself.

I think a lot of pregnant women feel this way. I'm sure the staff are doing their absolute best but covid is leaving them understaffed and overworked and you do worry that some people might not get all the support they need.

This is really normal even in non covid times. The midwifery support doesn't really kick off until the second trimester after the 12 week scan shows a viable pregnancy. Put brutally, a proportion of pregnancies don't make it through to the second trimester so they don't spend a lot of resources at the earliest stages.
Forums like Mumsnet and FB parenting groups can be a real support at this stage.
Good luck OP! It's normal to be anxious but I'm sure all will be well. X

PS: with the sickness, your local hospital will have an early pregnancy unit who you can contact if you're struggling to hold anything down at all, and they will see you

I felt like this 12 years ago so I agree it's not just a covid thing

My experience was once you get to 12 weeks and are properly integrated into the midwife service, it does get better

Could you speak with a pharmacist about the medication issue?

I had my booking appointment on the phone last summer. Honestly it makes no difference to the quality of treatment.

I have a chronic illness and was worried about the effect it could have on my pregnancy as I'm sometimes hospitalised for it. During my phone consultation I told them about my concerns and they noted it down. When I went to my physical midwife appointments and was given my maternity notes I saw that it had been noted down in my book.

I also received a specific phone call from an obstetrician after a few weeks to discuss my concerns.

The midwife also said if I needed to go into hospital for my illness I should go to A&E but after 16 weeks I could go straight to the maternity ward which made me feel more reassured.

Unfortunately your midwife is best placed with dealing with your concerns rather than the GP. Have you been given the midwife contact number?

I believe it’s really normal even for non-covid times @Disgruntledpelicanlady
Midwife care usually gets properly started after your 12 week scan.
Agree with another poster - could you speak with a pharmacist regarding your medication? Just explain that you can’t get to talk to a GP or midwife.

Covid is unfortunately just adding a whole load more issues to the mix! I got pregnant in Feb 2020 right before it all kicked off. I spoke to a midwife on the phone at 10 weeks for my booking appointment but was given no info other than that I’d be consultant led because of health issues. 12 week scan I was seen for my ultrasound then was meant to have a midwife face-to-face straight after to get my pregnancy notes but they “didn’t have time to see me” so left them for me at reception. 16 week appt over the phone was cancelled. 20 weeks I had my scan but again, no midwife available to see me. No contact then until 30 weeks when I finally had a face to face with a midwife. My next face to face was to be at 34 weeks but it was cancelled - they sent me for a scan instead. Then I had a face to face at 38 weeks because baby had measured big at the 34 week scan. No contact from a consultant at all throughout my ‘consultant led’ pregnancy.
So a whole pregnancy and I had one phone conversation at booking in and 2 face to face appts.

I think it depends on area after 12 weeks, but before 12 weeks you’re definitely on your own. There’s nothing anyone can do before then anyway.
My experience post 12 weeks has been exceptional. Had a face to face booking in appointment at ten weeks, 12 week scan which confirmed twins, saw midwife then too, 14 week phone appt with a consultant, 16 week face to face community midwife appointment, 20 week scan, saw midwife again, 24 week scan, bloods run again and saw consultant face to face, community midwife appointment at 25 weeks, found high blood pressure so straight to triage and monitoring/more bloods. Going back this week for more monitoring and bloods/urine.
But pre 12 weeks there wasn’t any contact.

I think this is quite normal.
When i first fell pregnant I wanted to discuss medications with my GP but they didnt want to know and told me to self refer to a midwife.
I did get to see her face to face for my booking appointment.
She noted my medical conditions and that was it. Said i needed to discuss with GP.
GP didnt care so i never did get confirmation from anyone.
Midwife did arrange an anaesthetist appointment for me to discuss spinal blocks due to a back injury.

To be honest I felt very alone until after my 20 week scan. After 20-24 weeks the pregnancy is classes as viable so they seem to get more involved from there.

Hi OP i think this is unfortunately quite normal like pp have said.

It must be worrying though about your medication issue you have, hopefully that's been sorted now with the locum GP?

I found the same with first trimester, not so much that I didn't feel supported but that I just didn't have a clue what was going on or what appointments to expect or anything.

I've had loads of appointments, all have been in person except my booking appointment which was over the phone. I've had midwife appointments in a local community centre, consultant appointments, growth scans, normal scans.

The thing I've found is that my hospital have 3 different places you can go to for appointments and I never seem to have a clue where I'm going, what the appointments are for before I get there, if I need to prep in any way eg fasting for blood tests (I didn't it turns out), etc, receptionists not giving info when you check in and not knowing whether to just sit down or whether you need to go anywhere else.

I thought it was just me being an idiot but I've spoken to another couple of people that have been in the waiting rooms with me and they've all felt the same.

I'm under consultant led care but have never met the consultant - I keep having consultant appointments made but then when I get seen its never the named consultant.

However in saying all that, once I'm in the appointments everyone I've seen has been very good and the midwife I've been seeing in the community centre has been very consistent, first every 4 weeks from 16 weeks and now every 2 weeks now I'm nearing the end of my pregnancy.

I do find that you learn whats what as you go, even if you do find that you're blundering through it all a bit!

Yep, very normal. As a previous poster said, they just aren't really interested before the 12 week scan, because 25% of those pregnancies will end before this.

It's really normal and you'll still have the exact same appointment over the phone as you would face to face.

It's lots of questions and part of that is discussing medical bits and bobs.

Write a list in advance of things you want to discuss.

You’re left to your own devices until second trimester, really. It’s always like this.

Just to add that even though all this is 'normal' for the NHS it's okay to feel rotten about it, especially as you have legitimate concerns re your medication. I think it's terrible women feel so unsupported and uninformed early on.

This is normal. There's very little to actually do in early pregnancy.

If anything it sounds like your GP's have been crap. But you've been contacted by the locum now where you presumably discussed your medication?

Booking appointments are very boring and long, it's basically lots of yes or no questions. There's no reason it can't be done over the phone.

Sending positive thoughts to get you through this first part.

@dreamingbohemian I agree, all of this should be explained and normalised from the start

I find it strange that GPs won't see patients face to face because of covid yet are more than happy to go and vaccinate 100s of people!!

Thank you for all the replies - glad to know it's normal!
I imagine I am just being a bit over sensitive.

Didn't discuss my meds with the locum as didn't have time after being examined and getting prescription for sickness.
Pharmacist can't help as the guidance is to weigh up the individual potential risk to me of not taking them vs the potential risk to the baby of taking. Ideally this would be with my own gp who knows me/my illness well enough to give an informed opinion.
I'm just trying not to stress though as the decision has been made for me to continue taking them 🙃

I don't think it's acceptable at all!

Yes, as PPs have said, there's not much of anything in the first trimester, and even in the second trimester it's not great. Totally normal. But that doesn't mean your GP can ignore your legitimate concerns about your meds. That's shocking service regardless of how busy they are. My GP would absolutely have answered my questions about that, I'm sure.

I actually don't believe that's normal for non covid times at least in the area I was in when I was pregnant with my first. I was pregnant throughout the whole of the first wave and while there was some slight teething problems in the very early days, I was able to go in snd be seen by a GP or midwife when appropriate. I had dizziness and palpitations so they had me in for ecg and prescribed iron no problems. I'm glad you've been seen now, but daunting really should have been taken seriously whilst pregnant.

*fainting

Hi OP - just to say I know exactly how you feel. I'm nearly third trimester and have only managed to speak with midwives/doctors out of pure stubbornness.
I had the same issue with the medication - it was a balance of risk between me and the baby and I didn't feel qualified to make the decision. My doctor referred me back to the midwife, the midwife sent me back to GP, and eventually I asked for a consultation with an OB/GYN who was horrible and unhelpful on the phone.
I kept pushing and got to see a consultant in person who was great, but pointed out that I "may as well keep taking them because the damage would have been done in the first trimester" - something that would have been nice to know in the first trimester!
I read a lot of medical journals and felt pretty alone. I think it's covid only makes it worse. If you can, I'd recommend reading some medical studies on the particular medication and seeing how you feel personally.
Second, I'd recommend emailing the midwife team so you have a proper record and following up repeatedly. I know they're stretched but if you really do need care and advice it's okay to push for it.
Good luck!