Pregnant - GP driving me mad!

[ChristmasJumpers]

I'm currently 10 weeks pregnant and my GP is seriously driving me up the wall. I've had nausea 24/7 since 5 weeks which has completely wiped me out, I'm only physically sick every few days, but the nausea is constant and I off all food. Currently only able to force down bread and butter because I know I have to eat.

This is my second pregnancy and I was the same with my first, so I knew I needed anti sickness and asked for them at 6 weeks. GP said no because I wasn't testing as dehydrated and was eating bread and keeping it down, but also agreed to sign me off work because I couldn't focus for nausea??? He did end up giving me cyclizine as I refused to go home without it. Last pregnancy he said no said no and I eventually got cyclizine from my midwife after 2 more weeks of suffering.

This time cyclizine hasn't worked so I went to the EPU and was prescribed Xonvea - marked on prescription for GP to continue. Called the GP today to be told I need to show proof that he should be continuing the prescription - gave him the original prescription and he's now telling me he can only prescribe me 2 per day (I am on 4 as per EPU advice). He said he's not even supposed to prescribe it because it's an expensive drug for the NHS 🙄. He even started telling me how in Scotland and Wales they aren't allowed to prescribe it at all (why tell me this when we're in England?!?!).

This is just to rant really. I have been prescribed it by him eventually today but not the correct dose and not before I ran out of my first lot 😢 why is my GP so bloody difficult with me?!!!!

I'll now have to waste the EPUs time to ask them to prescribe it to me next time as I plan to continue on 4 per day and will run out pretty quickly.

Raise a formal complaint to the practice manager.

Complain and get a different GP.

Hi OP, I am so angry for you!!

some good resources:

the RCOG guidance on nausea and sickness in pregnancy. These state that testing for dehydration is not a useful tool for assessing whether women with nausea and sickness in pregnancy should receive treatment https://obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1471-0528.17739

pregnancy sickness support - please don’t think you are not sick enough for their support. You can call them for their advice. Helping women get better support from NhS services is a large part of what they do. https://pregnancysicknesssupport.org.uk

I agree complain, it may be worth asking if you can come under consultant care because of this gatekeeping behaviour if your gp.

I just got Xonvea with no issue, so unfair that your GP is withholding the treatment you need.

Whilst its a pain, advice seems to be to prescribe daily rather than a length of time.
https://www.lancsmmg.nhs.uk/media/1094/doxylamine-and-pyridoxine-new-medicine-assessment.pdf

@Soontobe60 the section where it says the recommendation is for daily dosing rather than on an as needed basis means women should take it daily and not just when they feel sick, this is because the drug works by preventing the cause of sickness/nausea in the first instance . If you took it as needed it would not be effective. Doctors should still prescribe so that women aren’t at risk of running out frequently.

A lot of GPs are private businesses that undertake Nhs work but have budgets to stick to.

when i had gestational diabetes it was a battle to get my gp to prescribe the lances for checking my blood sugars. Had to get the hospital to send another letter.

Sorry you’re having to go through this. I’ve just had a baby and had horrible morning sickness throughout (came out of the pregnancy half a stone heavier than my booking weight) - Xonvea was so helpful. It didn’t completely stop it but I went from throwing up every meal to only really being sick in the evenings. It’s a recommended first line agent on the new RCOG guidelines for vomiting in pregnancy. It’s on NICE guidance too.

I’d definitely try another GP and/or complain to the practice manager. I’d ask how the GP is justifying ignoring current RCOG/NICE guidance. In the meantime I’d let your midwife know that your GP won’t prescribe.

Just a heads up - my local pharmacy had a real difficulty getting hold of it so once you (hopefully) get your prescription sorted I’d make sure you get your repeat in with plenty of time/ask a (more helpful) GP to prescribe a decent length/issue it from your repeats sooner rather than later so you can build in a potential delay if the pharmacy have to order it in.

So frustrating. I am an obstetrician so as well informed as it's possible to be about drugs for n&v in pregnancy... I had an uphill battle to get ondansetron from my GP (too sick to go to work to just get it from them) even though I could directly quote the risks of cleft palate at him and that I was happy to accept those risks.... even now when I'm still being sick at 30/40 they will only give me five days at a time.

This is crazy! I phoned my GP at 6 weeks and they gave me 3 months worth of anti sickness tablets to last me the entire first trimester. My last pregnancy they also did the same thing and that was at a different practice.

I would complain to the practice manager and ask what their justification is for withholding anti sickness medication to a pregnant woman who is experiencing nausea.

Complain, stand your ground and ask to see another GP pronto.
It makes me so angry when they treat pregnant women like this, as if it's all just part of a normal pregnancy that we need to put up with. It's not, it's recognised as a spectrum of severe nausea and vomiting in pregnancy.
Pregnancy sickness support website and advice is very good, will make sure you're fully armed with facts about treatment pathways.
Dickhead that he is.
I hope you feel better soon

Also ask for ondansetron if you've tried other things, worked a treat for me

Thank you so much everyone. I wouldn't even know where to start with complaining to a practice manager, as it's a very small practice and they only seem to have the GP, receptionist and a nurse. I don't think there is a manager but I'll be checking.

He did eventually prescribe it but only enough for 2 per day and I am on the maximum dose of 4. I now know I need all 4 as this evening I am feeling miserable after missing my afternoon pill!! I now have to go back to EPU and ask for clarification from them that he should prescribe enough for 4 per day.

Safe to say ill be moving to a new GP ASAP, the stress this has caused today is just not on.