Not been since from week 29 to 36 - how much does it matter?

[ASecretLemonadeDrinker]

I am seeing both a community MW and a consultant (from different hospitals due to area) and because of the consultant visits my MW said at my 29 weeks appointment she wouldn't see me again until 36 weeks (26/05). I had a consultant visit for 05/05 but couldn't make it. Does it really matter? I am feeling lower and lower about all this, from the very beginning it's been awful - I had bloods taken because I was extrememly tired - they were lost. I was referred to the physio (handed the form in myself, by hand) - no record of a referral, end of story as far as physio dep. is concerned. Had very bad headaches/couldn't see and it took days of pestering to finally be seen. Now I have SPD so bad I cannot take DS to nursery and am worried the lack of activity is causing DVT, but I know they will say "leg pain is normal" blah blah. My hip is agony as of last night, not the same as the SPD pain but hip pain is 'normal', right? I told DH I needed another appointment but he thinks the 36 week one is fine. This ontop of depression is just making me worse and worse. Only 2 weeks until MW appointment, is it OK to wait? [given up]

I think given how miserable you are you should go and see the midwife. You're supposed to see someone every few weeks in the last trimester aren't you? Obviouly the mw said leave it til 36 as you should have seen the consultant.

She might have some suggestions at least for some of the issues you're having. It does sound like you are having a rough time at the moment

not too long to go though!

i think its wise to give your midwife a call, explain your worries and that you want to be seen sooner.

what do you mean by hip pain? i get that you have SPD, i have SPD too, my SPD pain is a mixture of the kicked between the leg pain, large amounts of pain on my left hip, and on and off sciatic pain down either leg. i am on blood thinners because of my immboility. the consultant put me in the stockings a couple months ago, and blood thinners just over a week ago, since i used to be able to go out for a walk every other day, a short one mind you, but now i cant really walk at all!

i think if nothing else its worth seeing the consultant sooner to discuss risk of DVT, your SPD and depression.
are you seeing anyone for your depression? SPD makes it worse, the immobility and isolation, last thing you need is to feel alone in this

MW is useless. She is kindly looking up "aneuploidy" for me so she can answer my questions. Er, I have my own access to google if that is where my answers will come from. I know I am not helping myself by not just re-organising a consultnant appointment but I have hinted heavily to DH and he keeps saying it's not his responsibility and he knows with my depression I find it impossible to call people, especially when I am at risk of being ticked off. I just want to curl up in bed until it's all over

The hip pain as of last night is like a real deep pain that isn;t going away - with the SPD I have to aggrevate it to make it sore, this is a constant dull ache (well, abit more than dull). I have now got myself into a rut of running the risk of being told off for not going to the appointment, and/or not organising another one or 'demanding' another one for what could turn out to be no reason. I don't want to go in all guns blazing saying I think I might have, or be at risk of DVT, my hip is agony in a different way and with the backache I am scared the baby is going to drop out of me any second (slight exaggeration maybe) and get that "you are wasting our time" look. Depression I can handle, I am used to it and there isn't much I can do at 'this level' while pregnant/breastfeeding, I don't feel bad enough to risk ADs, it's just such a ball and chain for me

is there another midwife you can speak to? half of the midwives in my area office are horrid and unhelpful and the other half are fantastic.
its your right to be seen again sooner if you think its needed, its your body, your body and you will know better than anyone if somethigns not right.
is there anyway you would feel comfortable calling up the consultants secretary yourself? (if you cant persuade the midwife to do so).
i too have problems in assertiing myself, especialy on the phone when my depression is bad, but i think its worth the anxiety in this situation, you cant go around in circles like this, it will drive you mad.

you dont have to go on ADs to speak to someone, i never had much luck with ADs in pregnancy, they only let me try prozac and tht made me worse, so ive never tried anything again.

give the midwives a call again, and just ask straight off if they could arrange for you to see the consultant sooner, as you were due to see them last week but were not able to make it, and dont want to wait till 36 weeks to be seen again, its a perfectly reasonable request.
remember, they are there to support you

gd luck

They should also be doing another blood test to see if you are iron deficient. That could be making you really tired and feeling far worse than you need to. If you were to go into labour early with low iron it would also be a much more risky birth.

I would try hard to get another mw to see - or perhaps phone the maternity assessment/triage number in your pregnancy book and explain the lack of appointments and bloods and your possible anaemia etc. My community mw was useless this week so I have phoned maternity assessment to discuss my symptoms and they have given me a plan to see my GP with.

Once you are past about 30ish weeks they are usually very keen for you to contact the hospital if you think things are not going well so they can take you in and monitor you and the baby if needed.

My MW isn't linked to the hospital I am going to, or the consultants there. I live in an area covered by an other hospital and can;t get a MW from 'my' hospital. Most of what I do is direct with the hospital, any problems I ring direct there as my MW only works Mondays 10-12. I found out finally at 28 weeks my iron levels - they were pretty good for me as I have been on spatone twice a day, think it was 11.4 or something. My appointments have to fit around DHs work aswell as there is no way I can take them in - I took DS2 to one and it was a nightmare, and when we took DS1 and 2 to a scan they were asked to leave DH is off some of next week, I will try and hint again

Go and see your GP. They can assess you for DVT and refer you up to the hospital same day if necessary, or reassure you if not. They can also do your basic check. You will need your bloods taking again about now - I suspect your docs won't do that but as it is only iron it can wait a week or two until you see the midwife.

Just see someone. You need to be checked over.

I saw my GP today and she is taking bloods for me next week - iron levels and liver function. My mw was really vague about it last Tuesday and the GP was really happy to get them sent in and agreed they were important.

I'm sure yours would be too - she also checked my bump size and dopplered the heartbeat.