Quite upset with care received by NHS

[boysmumaxx]

I'm so angry and upset with the care I've received by the NHS. I'm a pregnant lady with something called hyperemesis gravidarum it means I really struggle to keep anything down without being sick I also have lost my whole appetite and interest in any fluids and have been steadily loosing weight due to the illness. I was admitted to hospital a few days ago for treatment where I was on a drip for 24 hours and being treated for infections. The thing that really bothers me is that after all the fluids you could tell I was still sick, I was weak and could hardly hold myself up I still had 4+ ketones in my urine after all treatment and was still struggling with food. I did my final urine test before going home when one lady came back to be and said that my ketones were still high and the doctor was making a plan. For the doctor to come along 5 minutes later to lie to me and tell me that I'm ketone free and perfectly fine I pulled him up on it and he apologised to me and said that the drip bags are not working and I just need to try to eat. I was then discharged and send home where the midwife in charge lied in my notes saying I was discharged ketone free and healthy. I fainted on the way home and now terrified to ever go back to this hospital due to the absolute neglect. Not to forget to mention the nerve damage in my hand from the poor cannula insertion. I'm disappointed beyond words.

So, so sorry you're going through this. I am also having a rough road, with up and down sickness, back pain, nerve pain from sciatica, a stomach hernia and a running fever. I am nearing the finishing line, so cannot wait for this to be over and hold my baby.
Just under 6 weeks to go!

How far have you to go? How many weeks are you? Have you tried anti sickness tablets?

You are perfectly within your rights to contact PALS and midwife in charge to explain whats going on.

I hope it gets easier for you

Oh dear, that sounds awful. Have you been in touch with them or called 111 to let them know you have fainted and still have ketones. Do you have your notes with you. Is there another hospital you can go to.

Did you ask for medication?

There's no magic wand with HG . It is part and parcel of pregnancy. Did you want them to keep you in?

I've been on various different medications for it yes, nothing found yet that actually works

Have you tried ondansetron yet ?

The midwife told me that there are only 3 medications they can offer me when pregnant all that I've tried phrchlorperazine, cyclizine and metoclopramide witch I'm pretty sure was also a lie

No, it's not, there are various treatments options available, from anti-emetics to IV nutrition/fluids. It is not something to just put up with. Women can and do die from HG.

OP, keep going back to your GP - ask for tablets, if they don't help go back again. Don't just stay at home till you shrivel up like a raisin!

Are you past 10 weeks of pregnancy? Some docs don't like to prescribe ondansetron before then as there is a (very small) risk of it causing cleft palate or cardiac septum issues before 10 weeks. It can't cause those issues after 10 weeks as the palate and heart are fully formed by then.

Generally speaking youd be asked to try first-line treatments before trying ondansetron, but if they're not working then that's the logical next step. Don't suffer in silence, keep asking for help till you get it.

@KvotheTheBloodless op said she has tried different medications!!

I'm afraid you have to go back. It is dangerous for you and the baby to continue with very high ketones and keeping nothing down, eventually your organs begin to have trouble (I've been there!). Shifts change all the time and hopefully you'll get someone better. Get some ketostix to have at home to keep an eye as well, I found 3+ or more I could never turn it round myself at home and always needed to go in. HG is the absolute worst OP, the level of suffering with severe, unrelenting HG is pretty inconceivable if you haven't been there, but it does end.

And the midwife's talking nonsense, there's loads of stuff you can try. There's an excellent HG support thread on here if you haven't found it yet.

I've had 2 H/G pregnancies. First was exactly as you described. Poor care, gaslighting, lying in my notes and refusal to administer medication beside cyclizine.

Second I went in 3 weeks pregnant, fought for the correct treatment when the sickness hit and from 3 months had ondestron (so?) which genuinely was a life saver. I doubled it with cyclizine. I still threw up but not often. Cyclizine is not the only medication. Tell them from 12 weeks you want ondestron and no arguments.

I also recommend going to a regular GP for urine tests. They will correctly update your notes with ketones. In my second pregnancy my GP insisted I was sent to hospital for ketones and gave me 24 hours to fix it before a drip. They don't behave the same way as the hospitals in most cases.

Lot of unqualified doctors/midwives on here.!

Well done for re-activating an 18 month old thread...

Can you ask for the actual test results rather than the dr/ midwife feedback of the test results? Do you have anyone who can help you? It does sometimes help on both sides when there's an advocate/witness to things being said and who isn't sick and lacking in energy to be able to deal with people in these situations.

Oops

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