11 weeks pregnant possible miscarriage and terrible treatment at A&E

[mcnlight]

I’m 11 weeks pregnant and last Wednesday I started having brown spotting I didn’t think much of it as it was little and dark brown and no pain, I was told this is normal during the first trimester. Brown spotting comes and goes for a few days then on Sunday it becomes a bit more and lasts all day. We call 111 who didn’t seem worried and sent me to a pharmacy?? Which I found super weird but I went there anyway on Monday morning.

Still just brown spotting, no pain but I went to A&E as I called the midwife and I was concerned. After waiting about 5 hours I was told that it can be nothing or it can be early signs of miscarriage they won’t know until I have a scan but since my first scan is booked for Wednesday they will probably make me wait until then or they might call me during the day on Monday to move it to Tuesday (they didn’t).

Then 10pm comes on Monday I’m having slight stabbing cramps and I go to the toilet I started bleeding, actual red streams of thick blood, I call 999 they tell me to go to A&E. I’m bleeding quite a lot and they took 5 tubes of blood in the morning but they have to take 2 more tubes. I was in so much pain that I had to beg for paracetamol or any pain killers which the nurses said they will get for me but then just forgot about it. I went into triage to talk about my problems I finally get some paracetamol. After I’m waiting for the blood tests results and to be called in, still in lot of pain and bleeding a lot. I throw up in the toilet, a nurse sees me and says she will get me medicine, which again just forgotten about. About 6 hours pass, still haven’t been seen. I already passed 2 large clots/tissues in the A&E toilet, I tell everything to the nurses, no one seems bothered just basically confirming I probably had a miscarriage. Still bleeding, sleep deprived, nurse was nice and talked to me about it said I should be called in soon only 5 people ahead of me. 2 and a half more hours pass, still haven’t been seen. I’m going in again to ask, apparently now a doctor has finally been assigned for me and I should be called in soon, I’ve been there for 8 hours now. Over half an hour passes still no call ins. I decide to go home as the nurse already told me what the doctor would say anyway and I couldn’t take it anymore waiting. Still no scan all day they would’ve booked me in for the next day which I have a scan on anyway.

the bleeding has slowed down now, it’s light pink no more tissue passing other than 2 big ones earlier in the night, waiting for my scan tomorrow morning, no hopes for any heartbeat or baby at this point.

I’m so, so sorry you’re going through this. It may indeed be a miscarriage but don’t give up hope yet. There are other things like subchorionic hemorrhage/haematoma that cause similar symptoms. Either way, you’re going to need your strength so keep as calm as you possibly can, rest, and stay hydrated and eat something if you can. The care for pregnancy and miscarriage can be really insensitive sometimes; I’m so sorry.

I will be thinking of you.

Sorry you’ve been through this op.

What you’re describing isn’t unusual for A&E I don’t believe. I was taken there in an ambulance for something I would eventually need surgery for and I also had to wait 8 hours to be seen. This was overnight.

I also found during any hospital admission they were terrible at giving painkillers and also recording what i’d had, so the last time I went in, I took my own.

I’m sorry you’ve been through this and I hope you’re able to get some rest.

So sorry, what a horrible experience
It's an awful thing to go through, but there's nothing that A&E could have done to stop it happening. The most that could have been done, in a hospital with sufficient staffing and resources, would have been to offer you the option to speed things up if they were able to confirm early-on that it was definitely a miscarriage, and they should have given you pain relief when you were in pain, and given you a more comfortable and dignified place to be in while it was happening, as well as obviously ensuring that you don't suffer more complex complications like ongoing haemorrhage or infection which presumably they are doing, so this definitely warrants a PALS complaint because it's not an acceptable situation.

I’m sorry. Does your hospital have an EPAU? If you call them, they may be able to see you today.

I would write to PALS. The way A&E treated you is just not good enough. The waiting is probably not their fault but not giving you basic drugs is inhumane

I had to write to PALS the last two times I visited A&E. Both times the consultant in change phoned and apologised profusely. (Both occasions staff were rude or unkind or simply wouldn’t listen so nothing that costs money to fix. Due to their behaviour they misdiagnosed me on both occasions). I think it is important that they know what is actually happening and they can learn from these experiences and hopefully incorporate it into
tbeir training. If you write to PALS, it is also important to acknowledge any good aspects of your experience - because it is more constructive, more honest and also makes your actual complaint more credible.

Apart from the above, I’m incredibly sorry to hear about what you are going through and I hope you feel better soon. If it is a miscarriage, take plenty of time off work to recover.

I had an awful miscarriage experience at 12 weeks where it didn't pass naturally and got 'stuck' . No pain relief either. I was in agony!!!!!!!!!
Horrible experience but mostly blocked it out from the pain.
I just remember how cold everyone was to me.

Thank you everyone for the messages 😊 I got called by EPU this morning and the gave me an emergency appointment which I just finished with. They confirmed the miscarriage but thankfully I passed most of the tissue naturally only about a teaspoon left which we will wait to pass.

I know it’s not their fault at A&E they were very busy as always I just felt like it was inhumane to make me wait over 8 hours without any word or talking to a doctor and just have a miscarriage in the toilets, they wouldn’t have said anything if I don’t go in and ask every so often.

Sorry you had to go through this. It would have been better if you had been triaged and sent home with best advice. The way you were treated is shocking and I hope you have the support and time to recover.

Yes, it's not great in A&E, but at the same time a miscarriage is neither an accident or an emergency. I'm not sure what you were expecting from them?

So whilst I acknowledge the crap service, you were actually contributing to it by being there when you could have been at home and more comfortable (well as much as you can be given the circumstances).

All notwithstanding how traumatic the experience can be (speaking from experience of both miscarriage and having to wait in A&E) but still there was no need to be there in the first place.

I was told to go to A&E with any bleeding before 16 weeks, I called my midwife and 999 both of them said go to A&E. I wasn’t sure I was having a miscarriage and I would’ve needed a scan but they wanted me to wait another day for a scan and they didn’t tell me anything really that was more upsetting.

I'm so sorry OP, what an awful experience for you. Echoing what previous posters have said, they should have at least given you a private space and assisted with things like pain relief. Sadly, I'm not surprised as I had awful treatment at my urgent treatment centre by a doctor when I was having a suspected miscarriage - they just don't seem to know how to deal with it.

Will keep everything crossed for your scan tomorrow x

@stackhead I am pregnant right now and I was told by my midwife to go to the Early Pregnancy Unit with any spotting, and proper red blood means go to A&E. OP did the right thing.

I'm so sorry, OP. This year has been the most I've used the NHS in my life so far and it's been ... interesting.

I'm so sorry @mcnlight, that sounds like a really traumatic experience. Please take care of yourself, take the time and space you need to heal 💕

Yes, it's not great in A&E, but at the same time a miscarriage is neither an accident or an emergency. I'm not sure what you were expecting from them?

Why was she told to go then?

I don't know why she was told to go. You get told to go to A&E for a myriad of stupid reasons these days, and it's mostly arse covering for the person telling you to go.

What can A&E do though? They don't have a sonographer in A&E, if you go out of hours you're not getting a scan. If you go in hours you're probably still not getting a scan. If you don't have a fever, or extreme pain then literally what can they do that you can't do at home?!

Perhaps I'm alone in applying some critical thinking here but a miscarriage isn't an emergency event. Bleeding by itself at 11 weeks isn't an emergency event. I know it's scary and unsettling and the unknown part is awful - but I'm seriously asking the question (to anyone who has replied) - what did you expect them to do in A&E? The literal only thing they can do is confirm miscarriage - which is kind of pointless because it becomes pretty obvious. The only pain relief they would give you, you can purchase at home. So I'm at a loss.

My smallest DD is 2 and I bled throughout my pregnancy, starting at 7 weeks and ending at 32 weeks. At no point was I told to go to A&E (I wouldn't have gone). EPU wouldn't even speak to me so perhaps I'm a little jaded!

I went to A&E when I was heavily bleeding at 10 weeks. They said there is nothing they can do and they 'don't have' any scanners. She made me an appt for the follow Thursday at EPU to get rid of me (this was Sunday). Was a mc and they said I must never to to A&E if i have another one and should go to Gp (as if!)

I get you're speaking from experience but it just highlights how women are just treated like absolute shit.
I've had three - the first one the bleeding got so out of control that I had to go in but like you say, until that point I was told there's nothing you can do etc. Yes, I get that in a MC situation there's nothing they can do to prevent it but bleeding profusely and having significant cramping not to mention the trauma of it all - we deserve better than to be told "stay at home and wait it out" etc. A&E may not be the answer but something should be.

@mcnlighti am so sorry you are going through this and many of us have been in similar shoes and it's just horrendous. I wish you the best for your scan tomorrow. If you have an EPAU near you they are probably your best contact point.

Sorry

not an appropriate use of an ambulance use the method of transport you were planning when in labour

nothing a and e can do to prevent a miscarriage unfortunately that natures way

hoping for a good outcome for you

"That's nature's way"

😡

Yeah maybe just don't comment.

I’m so sorry. This happened to me and I complained to PALS. absolutely not acceptable. Thinking of you for tomorrow ❤️

You’re so wrong. It can absolutely be an emergency.

I’ve had two miscarriages that both required surgery - the last one last week - I went to A&E for both and of course I needed to be there seen as I can’t perform surgery at home.

Thankfully I live by a hospital that has a Gynaecology/EPU that has A&E type facilities so had a much better experience than the OP. I’ve had to visit in each of my 4 pregnancies there were several women miscarrying that required emergency surgery. Thankfully they didn’t feel the need to shut up and stay at home.

I have also had two pregnancies that I bled heavily in and they were able to identify what cause the bleeding and treat it immediately… My GP and pharmacist were out of their depth, my GP sent me to a normal A&E in my first pregnancy when I was miscarrying - they admitted me for 4 days and were completely useless.

OP if you have a women’s hospital close by phone them they will usually advise you on the phone if you need to go down, they may also be able to hook you an appointment and complain to PALS. I’m sorry you’re going through this.