EPAU Argh!!!

[piccalily]

I telephoned the unit this morning about going in to see them again after having some light bleeding and very painful cramping yesterday.

The person I spoke to was most unhelpful, and quite rude to be honest. She told me they were booked up for the rest of the week and to ring back tomorrow (what good will that do?!).

She said the only way I could go in would be for an emergency G.P referral. Not quite sure what to do?! This is my second pregnancy, never had anything like this with dd. I'm 10+2. Any advice would be greatly received.

That's awful. Someone dealing with women who are bleeding in pregnancy ought to at least have basic skills in friendliness and sensitivity, it's not hard! My EPAU is just a walk-in thing but they are all different. So sorry you are going through this. Do you have a sympathetic GP who will do you that emergency referral? Light bleeding and cramping is an indication for a scan to check what's going on. Good luck.

Call your Gp, he/she will give you an emergency appointment at the EPAU probably for tomorrow morning now. You will get a letter to take with you. Good luck, I hope all is ok.xxxx

Forgot to say you will need tyo see your gp to get that referral, ask for an emergency appointment today and don't take no for an answer.xxx HUGS.,x

When I had bleeding, I went to my GP and they got me an appointment the same day for the EPU. I would suggest trying the dr, hopefully they'll be more helpful.

Hope you get an appointment, good luck, hope your ok xxx

I had this at 5weeks; my GP referred me and I got an appt for the next morning, but if it happened again to be honest I would cut out the middle man and call them myself, and as MeanBeansmum says dont take no for an answer!

Which EPAU unit is it?

Good luck!

It is cross-making but the EPAU (ours at least) receives many, many calls a day from women in the first trimester with unexplained bleeding and/or cramping. Of course, she should have been more sympathetic but the advice is correct. Same here, you can only get a quick appointment if GP referred. In fact, you can't self refer at all. See your GP today. If the pain worsens, bleeding is heavier or you feel unwell, A&E.

Thank you for your replies. It annoys me because I know these units are so overstretched but what is an EPAU for if not for bleeding and cramping etc in early pregnancy! Will ring G.P now. Bleeding has stopped but cramping has returned. Am I being paranoid? I never had anything like this with dd so obviously I'm very worried. x

I had this at 5weeks; my GP referred me and I got an appt for the next morning, but if it happened again to be honest I would cut out the middle man and call them myself, and as MeanBeansmum says dont take no for an answer!

Which EPAU unit is it?

Good luck!

cluckyduck, you could refuse to take no for an answer as much as you liked at our EPAU, it wouldn't work. I've been there. If they can't scan you, they can't scan you. In my case I was bleeding heavily so was sent to A&E and then the gynae ward instead.

Sorry forgot to say, I had cramping and light bleeding, followed my intermittent spotting at around 6 weeks onwards. G.P referred me for a scan 8 weeks and everything looked great. I know bleeding in pregnancy can be quite common, but not normal. x

You are not being paranoid. Something like 40% of women bleed in the first trimester when the pregnancy is fine and healthy. It is not 'normal' but it is common. Sometimes there is a reason, sometimes they never know.

A scan is the only way to know for sure.

I hope all is well. It's very frightening I know.

Really? It always amazes me how much the NHS changes region from region, ours were really accomodating and gave us the 24hour number to call to arrange a time to come in if it ever happened again.

Can NHS Direct arrange referrals?

It is possible to bleed at the times you would have had your period. If you bled at 6 weeks and now again at 10 it could be that.

If everything looked fine at 8 weeks, your chances of anything untoward happening are tiny.

But ring your GP if you are concerned. When's your 12 week scan? Do you have one?

I think NHS Direct would send you to the hospital if they suspected something like ectopic. I think they'd tell you to see your GP otherwise.

Our EPAU are brilliant btw, absolutely excellent. But not a self-referral dept. Only 1 hospital for many, many miles around though. They wouldn't cope with self-referral I suspect. They'd be overrun.

I have my booking in appointment with the midwife on Monday 17th May. The EPAU said that because I'd had scan at 8 weeks, I wouldn't be offered a scan at 12 weeks! This I am still unsure of and i'm sure midwife will confirm on Monday. x

Show of hands, whereabouts is your EPAU? We have two, I'm in Nottingham.

My EPAU only takes referrals from GP or MW.

Picallily - I had a scan at 5weeks and 7weeks due to bleeding and I have still been offered a 12wk scan; it definitely varies region to region. Ask if you will be offered Nuchal scanning too, as that needs to be done at a certain date.

I'm in Norfolk.

I had two early scans due to bleeding and still had a 12 week scan. No nuchal scanning here though. It varies so much region to region.

Update - telephoned the g.p's earlier, was able to speak to the nurse, she then spoke to the doctor who has basically told me to rest. Not the outcome I really wanted.

p.s thanks for all your replies and advice x x

we have a number to ring our epau

Picallily hows the cramping now, are you in any pain?

cluckyduck - still cramping but nothing like yesterday. generally this pregnancy, i have noticed so much more cramping than previous with dd. i thought it would have been the other way round because everything is already stretched etc

Yes, this is my 3rd PG and I am having really noticeable stretching/crampy/trapped wind(!) pains which I have never had before, joy

Hope its nothing serious - are you in bed now?