22 weeks pregnant and +++ protein in urine as well as pain

[Lili23]

Hi, basically what title says!
I’m 22 weeks pregnant with 3rd baby and this last 24 hours I’ve had a lot of strong braxton hicks.
no consistency or pattern though
a constant ache and pressure in my vagina almost like being full term with that baby’s head is there feeling if that makes sense? And general superpubic pelvic ache.
I’ve got no uti symptoms
No smell or dark colour, not peeing anymore than usual. But due to where the pain is and history of bad utis I thought I’d dip my urine for uti anyway.
Over the past 24 hours 8+ samples have all been extremely positive for protein
negative for nitrates etc. I’ve had a mild constant headache last few days but nothing unbearable.
I had hellp syndrome with my second baby in 2024 and delivered at 36 weeks
but never once had the high blood pressure just everything else ie: protein in urine, liver pain, low platelets low hb and raised liver enzymes.
Thank you in advance
( I did call mau and they said my urine tests are probably faulty and it’s probably just baby’s positioning…)

How are you doing today @Lili23

@Concernedreader
hiya I was told one slightly out of range blood pressure is nothing to worry about 🫠

@Sickallday

ive woke up today just feeling generally unwell
no cold or flu symptoms or anything like that.
and instant headache especially behind my eyes from the second I woke up. I’ve taken paracetamol every 6 hours which doesn’t seem to make any difference to the headache.
4pm today 3 whole days after initially going to mau and being told my bloods are fine
I got a call from mau
to say my urea blood test has come back really high (previously 2 weeks ago during routine bloods when I felt fine it was normal)
urine culture sent a few days ago is also negative for any uti or indication of antibiotics.
I explained to rhe midwife I’m still having bad headaches, irregular but strong braxton hicks and protein in urine

she said she’s sure it’s nothing to worry about but if I get contractions or my waters break to call 999 and a community midwife will be in touch within the next week to repeat my bloods to re check the urea levels.

ironically a quick google of “high urea blood results in pregnancy” tells me that if dehydration and uti have been ruled out it can be an indicator or pre e / hellp
when you put that along side my headaches and protein in urine and my precious pregnancy history it doesn’t feel reassuring at all 🥲

@Lili23 i am so very sorry that you are going through this and have been treated the way that you have. I’m also sorry that this is what I am about to recommend as I know it isn’t easy. You need to go in to MAU and be very explicit about the fact that you have had HELLP before, that it has a high recurrence rate in subsequent pregnancies and that you feel, both based on your symptoms and your clinical markers (BP, urine and blood tests) that it is recurring now.

If they are dismissive again I’m afraid that you need to insist that you are reviewed by a Consultant. This is a potentially life threatening condition (as you sadly know) and you have your two boys at home. They need you to be treated properly and looked after the way you haven’t been so far. You also know that if this is HELLP then this won’t go away with paracetamol and the sooner it is treated the better.

If the Senior review you need to get does not seem to address the problem/ you’re told it isn’t HELLP, don’t be afraid to ask why. There is a phrase in maternity that midwives can use to challenge opinion in a non confrontational way, it’s called ‘Teach or Treat’. I.E. “Please could you help me understand- I am worried that this is might be HELLP or something similar. Please could you explain to me why you think it isn’t?”

There is something else that you can do that may be of additional support. When you go in, ask to speak to a Professional Midwifery Advocate. There is a good chance that one of them will be on shift in the unit at that point. Their job is to support women and midwives and to become one they have to do additional training so will be an experienced midwife. They will hopefully bring a fresh perspective to the situation and hopefully will then support you in getting the full check that you need. If they tell you that one is not available, please ask them to document in your notes that you have requested one.

I am sorry that I am asking this of you and that you’re having to fight as hard as you are to receive appropriate care. You shouldn’t be in this position and the midwives should be advocating for you. Don’t call MAU ahead and ask permission to attend- you don’t need it. Take a book, snacks, whatever you need to survive a few hours and I wish you the best of luck this time. You can do this xxx

@Bumblebee413 is right. It seeems clear to me that you have pre eclampsia at a minimum as someone who has had both pre eclampsia and hellp you are being dreadfully treated. I’d get someone to mind your boys, get back in and get your husband to advocate for you. This is shocking how they are disregarding your symptoms and history .

I honestly feel like the biggest nuisance going there/repeatedly calling them etc. like they’re the professionals and they’re telling me I’m fine stop worrying and go rest at home. I feel like I’m being a hypercondriac 😞

You're not a hyperchondriac at all. I'm really shocked to be honest.

@Lili23 you are not being a hypochondriac, you are experiencing poor care. No woman should ever feel like an inconvenience. You will probably never see these people again in your life after this pregnancy. What is more important- their opinions/ how you feel in this moment or the long term health of you and your baby? X

I don’t for one moment doubt how awful this must be feeling or mean to minimise that and if I didn’t know what I know I would be feeling the same as you. But quite frankly, you are more important than the egos of junior/ overstretched, overworked staff xxx

You wouldn't have to be repeatedly calling them if they addressed the issue once properly. They are causing the situation, not you. At the very least they are not explaining why it means nothing when someone with previous HELLP presents with the same symptoms again.

Perhaps they know why you are definitely 100% healthy, and why the headache is no problem and why the increased protein is no problem and why the low blood pressure is now a guarantee but wasn't in your last pregnancy -- but they are not managing to explain that to you properly if so.

Could PALS perhaps help to get someone else to evaluate you?

My sister on her teens was told off by her GP for attending a and e too frequently in pain requiring morphine. She was told it was IBS and she needed to find ways to manage at home without going to a and e. She had a bad attack of stomach pain and we had to pretty much drag her to a and e at 2am on a Saturday night when no one wants to be in a and e. At 3 am my dad had to be called to join her and my mum as she only had 50:50 odds of surviving the night and was on the waiting list for and ICU bed. She was in hospital for a week and needed two surgeries. The IBS was a misdiagnosis and once the actual cause of her abdominal pain was treated she stopped having to go to a and e twice a week.

Don't be afraid to be a nuisance!!

I agree! Please don’t feel like a nuisance! Please make sure you keep going back until they are looking after you properly.

In just feel so bad, I’m currently 28 weeks pregnant and my experience with maternity triage couldn’t not be anymore different from yours

Thank you so much for all the advice everyone! I called mau yesterday evening telling them I’m still having same symptoms and bad headaches but again no concerns from them so i went to the gp this morning
who told me “probably a uti”
I had him bring up urine culture results on his screen to which he saw was negative and he just shrugged and said ah all fine then.
I asked for some low dose codeine for the horrid pains i have in my pelvis, the braxton kicks and the constant headaches which paracetamol doesn’t help.
he was reluctant but prescribed some and made me feel pretty shitty about asking for pain relief in the first place. As well as that he mentioned that I’ve already been to mau 3 times this pregnancy
twice in relation to this and once for an admission for sepsis 🤦‍♀️ and he said I need to avoid going so much.
i told him the midwife’s called me saying my urea in my blood test was high and needs repeating, his response was “ah don’t worry about that”

all my symptoms are still exactly the same as a few days ago but nothings worsened thankfully.
I’ve taken the codeine which has helped ease the pain slightly and rested in bed all day with my boys