Are there any midwives about? Or anyone who knows about protein in urine?

[NatalieJaneIsPregnantAgain]

Long shot at the weekend I know, but anyone?

TIA.

regardless of whether under +1 is anything to worry about, you are worried !!

But I don't know if it is something to be worried about or not. If it is a result to be worried about, and I ring them and they brush it off again I think I might just get too cross to keep it in! But if it's not a result to be worried about then I don't even have to ring.

if you are puffy and swollen too, i would definitely phone

I don't want to alarm you but I had PE in first pregnancy and it sounds like you should be admitted for observation today now. Its your and your babies health that have to be considered. i know its a pain but if no-one will listen you should go to A&E. way better safe than sorry with PE. good luck i hope its a false alarm but I have been quoted a 1in 4 recurrence in subsequent preg by my consultant

I was admitted on a +1 in previous preg on a tuesday baby was induced on Friday but that was after 6 weeks of trying to control BP with drugs they haven't even tried that with you yet

I would go straight up to the maternity hospital if you are getting other symptoms other than protein.

I was brushed off by my doctor when he took a bp reading of diastolic over 100 saying it was probably nerves. When I mentioned this to the mw at the hospital she said I should have been sent straight up. I did have pe but I never had more than a trace of protein although my kidney function showed as elevated on my bloods.

I know you don't want to be admitted but it is for the sake of your and the baby's health.

HI NatalieJane,

You have enough symptoms to warrant a visit to labour ward for some bloods and a bit of monitoring.

I wouldn't waste any more time with your own m/w, just call the labour ward and tell them that you have generalised swelling, raised BP, some protein in the wee, headaches and feeling sick, and as you had PE last time you would like to come in for a check.

All these symptoms are suggestive of PE and you really need a blood test which is much more accurate in determining if you have pre-eclampsia. They may want to do a 24 hour urine, but if your bloods are ok, and only a trace or 1+ protein, probably not (they will test it in hospital).

From what you have said in your posts, I doubt if you will be admitted, but they may suggest more careful BP monitoring at the day assessment unit.

Pre-eclampsia can occur slowly or rapidly, but it is serious when it does start, and I think you have been treated pretty shabbily by your m/w and GP so far

I would call the l/w now or even just go in. If you came into the l/w I work in, you would be taken seriously with the symptoms you have.

any update NJ?

Yes, sorry Teuch, haven't been back on since Saturday afternoon. Thanks to everyone for the advice as well.

Nothing has changed really, swelling if anything is worse, but luckily haven't picked up enough protein to get to a proper +1 yet. Have decided to just keep going with the stick things, if it get's to a +1 then I will ring them, until then, there is nothing we or they can do.

Have you had your blood pressure checked?

No, not since last Wednesday.

I know that you don't want to make a fuss - but I really, really think you need to get your blood pressure checked - could you pop in and see the practice nurse or something? They aren't going to send you away with the symptoms you describe.

Nope, I can't do that, I'd have to go to the hospital (which would mean DH coming home from work, which although isn't impossible, it is very very difficult for him to get away) and going off past experience, they will just send me away. The GP (who did my BP on Wednesday) didn't even look at my notes or anything.

I've given up caring about making a fuss, it seems no matter how much fuss you make, they can only go off what's actually wrong at that moment, not what could happen IYKWIM? I suppose realistically there is nothing else they can do. It is just frustrating for me having to 'just get on with it' when that means not knowing if and when something might happen.

Sorry to be dense - but why can't you just pop into the doctor's surgery and sit and wait to see the practice nurse? You really should be having your bp monitored frequently with your history and symptoms.

Or get a taxi to the hospital?

Hi NJ - I've been reading your progress, and I know everyone is being very calm and sensible and trying not to freak you out, but as a past PE sufferer, can I add my experiences?

You need to go and get your blood pressure checked TODAY. Not when your husband can get away, not when the doctor feels like seeing you, not when a (frankly not hugely reliable)stick says it's a bit darker than last time you peed.... If you get a taxi to teh hospital and then find that you had just cause to be there, you can argue for them to refund as they didn't take you seriously before (try Patient Liaision/PALS).

I'm not trying to make you cross, but please please please take this seriously. I was about to write something else really scary, but don't want to get your BP higher :-)What I will say is that everyone will apologise and be terribly sorry they didn't listen when you have damaged kidneys, or your baby is born underweight, but that won't actually help.

As has been said before, it's not about yoru BP being a certain level, it's whether it's higher than normal for you.

Not feeling that anyone is taking any notice is not a good enough reason to roll over and take it. If you go to A&E the first/triage nurse who sees you very quickly, and then decides how important you, will take your BP as a matter of course. So you could actually have an answer in the next 30 minutes or so (depending on your hospital!).

I have to go to bed now, it's night time here - but will be thinking about you, and praying that you DO something today.......

J

I do hope you're not posting because you're at the doctors.

Just wanted to add to Jackaroo how important it is to get your bp checked if you have symptoms of PET, and how quickly it can change. I was allowed home for the weekend from hosp because my bp had dropped just below 140/90 and no protein in urine. When I went back on Mon my bp was 180/110 and urine was +4. It seems like you have had a lot of symptoms of PET (headache, nausea, possibly +1 protein, swelling) since you last had your bp checked. I know you don't want to make a fuss, but much better that you get your bp checked with a fuss and all is fine than you don't make a fuss and all is not fine.

Btw, PRECOG guidelines say that if you have +1 protein and no hypertension, mw should arrange to check again after 1 week - so +1 probably not so bad on its own. It's all your other symptoms I would be worried about!

No, sorry have been sleeping while DS2 slept

I can't just go and sit at the docs, firstly they just wouldn't see me (absolutely shite, you have to ring before 8.30 in the morning to get an appointment, no matter what's wrong, even if I rolled up there they'd tell me to either go home or to the hospital, not because they think I need the hospital, just because they would refuse to see me) besides I have to get DS1 from school at 3, there is absolutely no one else that can get him (big child care problems surrounding the birth as well - long story)

I do know how urgent it is to see someone, I do understand how dangerous the situation could become, but I also know that I have had these same symptoms for nearly a month now and so far all that has happened is everytime I go and see someone they turn me away.

I can't physically get to the doctors/hospital every day for monitoring, I can't get a taxi, DS2 would need a car seat, and I need to be here garenteed for when DS1 finishes school else he would literally be abondoned there.

I know it sounds like I am moaning on about all these things that are wrong, but then refuse to see someone about it, but it isn't that I am refusing, as soon as something happens that I know they are going to sit up and listen to (not forgetting that nothing has changed really since Wednesday and he wasn't interested in the slightest then) I will be the first one there, but it really isn't as easy as sitting in a waiting room or getting a taxi, they are just not options for me.

OK - but I think you are making a mistake - sorry. There must be another mum who would take your ds home for you. Even if you don't know them well, nobody minds helping out in an emergency. And I bet you could borrow a car seat (remember to keep yours at home instead of in the car just in case from now on!)

I would be ringing dp and asking him to come home asap.

The problem is that this could go on for more weeks, I can't expect another mum to just take DS1 home with her every day, or for DH to have to drop everything at work every day, there has to be something that happens before I go, else I could just as well camp outside the GP's and not move till I've had the baby.

Do you see what I'm saying? If it were even possible, I could go in five times a day for them to do my BP, only for it to shoot up at silly o'clock at night and it still be missed. And since it seems they will only do anything if my BP is high or if protein is found, it is just a waste of time.

But something has happened - your bp measured significantly higher last Wednesday than when you booked in, you have protein in your urine and you have significant oedema. And didn't you talk about headaches? You need to know if last Wednesday's bp was a one off or if it's still rising.

Doesn't the fact that everyone on this thread thinks you should do something convince you?

This is my last post on this thread, by the way - I've said everything I can say! Good luck

Yes to all of that, but all of it was happening on Wednesday when I saw the GP, he obviously didn't think it was enough to worry about else he wouldn't have just dismissed me.

FWIW, last Wednesday's BP was exactly the same as day before at the MW, and I only had a headache once, I don't think that alone is/was anything to worry about.

I think as long as nothing happens in the mean time, when I see the MW next week I'll ask if there is any chance of a CMW maybe popping to see me to take BP. Other than that, short of camping outside somewhere with a BP monitor, I don't see there is anything else to be done.

Wednesday is late night opening at the GP, so if I am still as swollen I will make another appointment for then, even if he only takes my BP again at least it is something.

I don't know what else to do, all of the practical advice on here, as much as I appreciate it, is just not possible for me.

Are there any chemists shops near you? Many of them have diy blood pressure testers. If the shop near you does not, talk to the pharmacist. (Pharmacists are great, they know a lot and may well have a blood pressure cuff in the shop anyway).

I think someone said the shop's machines aren't good, something about them being automatic, and are known to give low readings in pre-eclamptic women, so if that is what's going on it wouldn't do any good.

It's a shame because if they did do the job I could get to the chemist every day if needed.

OK, so go to A&E, say you have had a scarily high reading off the machine (whether or not you actually go and use one) and want it checked again because of your history and other symptoms. IN a case like yours, a bit of judicious fibbing to get them to pay attention is more than justified.