Pregnant with SVT. Dismissed by consultant

[fairgame84]

I had a horrible consultant appointment yesterday and I'm feeling really disappointed and anxious.

I have a heart condition where I go into SVT when my body is under physical stress. I'm under cardiology.
My mw has put me under consultant led care as she felt I would probably need a section and I have high blood pressure at times - confirmed by 24hr trace, so she wanted me to have dopplers from 20 weeks.
For background im 37, BMI 22, otherwise healthy. This is dc2 and I didn't have these issues with dc1, I just had choleastasis at 36 weeks.

Yesterday I saw the consultant after my 12 week scan and he was awful. He didn't understand why I was referred to consultant led care. He thinks my high blood pressure is a lie because the healthcare assistant took my BP with a large adult cuff which was too big so i got a false low reading. He doesn't see the issue with SVT and said its a cardiology problem and nothing to do with him. He'd not read any of my notes which are all available to him on computer as I work at the same hospital and know its all electronic. He said if cardiology were worried I'd be on medication. I was on medication but taken off it when ttc as it's fetotoxic, he just shrugged at this. I have daily episodes of svt and the cardiologist said it would probably get worse in pregnancy due to extra strain on my heart.
He said I am absolutely not to have a section as there is no need and he will not put his name to agreeing a section for me. I won't be having dopplers either.
He is reluctantly keeping me under consultant led care but doesn't see the point.

My next appointment with him is at 28 weeks. Obviously I'm going to request to change consultant because he's awful.
Im absolutely petrified that I'm going to be forced into a vaginal birth and end up in prolonged SVT and something will happen to me and the baby.

This all followed a scan where I can't even have the combined test because they couldn't measure baby's nuchal fold. We also got a terrible picture which I know isn't important but it was such a crap experience all round.

Has anyone got any advice or reassurance?

I have SVT also and it gets terrible when I’m pregnant so I always get induced at 38 weeks. Never needed a section because of it my heart coped well In labour it did go into one of its fast rythems but I took deep breaths and carried on: told them I’d be fine as long as baby was fine I was fine I would know if I’d had enough and I was fine.
One thing that makes it absolutely terrible is the glucose test! Starving myself then drinking that high energy sugary drink on an empty stomach mt heart rate shoots up, I go breathless, last time had to lay on my left side in the hospital with my arms above my head as I felt like my lungs were squashed so I’m not doing that test this time. I haven’t even met my consultant yet and I’m almost 15 weeks. Nobody seen me after my 12 week scan but try not to worry to much see how you get on as mine always gets worse as the pregnancy progresses as it’s a huge strain on the heart being pregnant

You dont need an excuse to request a c- section.

It's your choice.

You will be allowed a elective section.

The only problem is if you start labour prior to the date.

Best thing to so is to request a different
consultant.

I've got a similar prpblem- when I get pregnant I get referred to a different specialist hospital that runs a gynaecological cardiology clinic. And I always get induced at 38 weeks too.

As poster above said, it’s your choice.
I would make an official complain against the consultant as well as asking for a change.

If you feel, from knowing your condition and your body, a c-section would be best than demand it.

I had an awful consultant in my last pregnancy trying to force me into induction when not needed. I feel like sometimes they have an agenda and they make their patients fit around it.

I would also speak to your midwife. Mine referred me to the head midwife. It took a few weeks to get to see her but she was brilliant and got annoyed about the consultant not knowing what he was talking about. It gave me a lot of confidence in my conviction and I think he got a bollocking from k her too.

If I were you I’d be sending my compliant to PALs now with a demand to repeat the appointment with a different consultant.