Really really pissed off with M/W service - advice needed

[lisa31]

Hi Girls (I apologise now for the long post!!)

Thought I would come on here because knowing you lot you will be soooo much more helpful than the midwife service is proving to be.

On Tuesday went Physio and then parentcraft and then at the end of the night my ankles were quite swollen. I put this down to having a busy day and just put my feet up. Since then they have been getting more and more uncomfortable and now my hands are doing the same thing (they feel very restricted in their movements - so typing is not that comfy!). Hands and feet are very tender feeling and especially my ankles and feet are quite swollen. With my hands I can hardly grip they feel that restricted (its a bit like how I imagine athuritus would be like)

I am bit bothered because I've not been on my feet much - in fact the opposite is probably more true - after being off sick I have been putting my feet up and doing things at my leisure so its not as if I am running around like a mad thing. The last checks with my midwife last week showed normal urine test (so no protein problem I dont think) and blood pressure was ok (120/80) I think- so doesnt sound like pre-eclampsia unless my urine and blood pressure has changed since last tuesday.

Also this morning when I woke up I had a bit of spotting of blood (not much) but noticable and I have had nothing like that since I bled in early pregnancy (on Tuesday I am 36 weeks - so surely it is far to early for me to be having any symptons of labour? - please tell me this is true cos I havent got hospital bag sorted or anything!!!!

Decided to ring the midwife centre regarding both the above just to be sure (as here you dont get a direct number to your midwife - that was closed - - how handy). and the message on the answer machine said to ring your local labour unit - so rang the hospital I'm booked in at and I got this really arsey stuck up M/W who asked if I'd just been busy and had I put my feet up - she kept sighing and tutting whilst I was talking (of course I bloody have im not thick!!! I've been sitting with my legs and hands raised for the best part of 4 days -and Ive already left it 4 days before contacting anyone cos I didnt want to be a pain) she then said take paracetomol - that seems to be their answer to everything - whats the point of paracetomol that wont reduce water retention and swelling - I just wanted reassurance that it was nothing to worry about and it was just part and parcel of Pregnancy.

She never even said what the spotting could be??

Anyway it ended up with me rowing with D/H because I told her to "stop being so rude when I am trying to speak - and that i am well within my rights to check that it is ok for me to ask if it is ok to leave swelling this bad and not do anything about it" - I think he thought I shouldnt of said anything - but no way - I'm not being spoken to like that and treated in that manner

I know Im wittering on - but what do you think to the swelling? I just want to know that its ok to leave it till next tuesday when I see my normal M/W - also what about the spotting?

Thanks in advance

Hope you are all well

L x


I ended

 

Any bleeding in the third trimester needs investigating. Have you lost anymore blood since? It may just have been a spot from your cervix which may be softening (doesn't mean labour is round the corner though!). The swelling needs checking out too. Whens your next Community MW appt? xx

 

[Rosebay]

I'd get it checked out before if I were you? Are your normal midwives better? I got swelling in my ankles after I'd been sitting too long in the third trimester rather than being on my feet. I make jewellry and had a large order to do so I'd come home from work (where I sit) and spend all evening sitting making things and it made me swell up. I just had to remember to drink more water and take more breaks. However it's worth getting the spotting and swelling looked at and they should in no way make you feel like you're fussing. Some of the service out there is dreaful well done you for sticking up for yourself!

+++

 

[petchy]

I told her to "stop being so rude when I am trying to speak - and that i am well within my rights to check that it is ok for me to ask if it is ok to leave swelling this bad and not do anything about it"

you go girl! of course you have a right to be taken seriously and to have these things checked out!

what is it with the MW care here in leicester?! you and me are both having problems it seems. what hospital are you booked at LRI or LGH? i think it's absurd that we don't get a number to reach the MW (or her cover if she's not on duty) on at least during office hours. when i go into labour i have to ring a number in NOTTINGHAM for them to send a MW in LEICESTER to attend my home birth....

i don't know with the swelling and bleeding can be, but i'd have it checked out, definitely. in the meantime chill out as much as you can and let us know what happens! i'd probably be writing one of my famous stroppy letters by now, lol!

 

[pips]

crikey lisa!

first of all well done for sticking up for yourself (i didn't and regretted it afterwards). you tell them

and do have anything worrying checked out. better safe than sorry and just because they can't be bothered doesnt mean they don't think it too. try to get through to community MW if you can..

good luck and i hope swelling goes down a bit for you xx

 

[hels]

Thats really bad Lisa, and well done you for standing up for yourself and telling the cow bag what you think.
Im glad i dont live in Leicester area, gosh between you and Petchy you dont seem to have had much luck with the MW's.
In Hull they give you the direct phone no to the on call MW, if it is out of hours they put you thru to the ward.

Do you have a 'day unit' there at Leicester? I called ours on a couple of occasions and nothing is ever too much trouble, try calling them if you have one. I think you need to see someone, even if they just check your BP and urine, swelling is a sign of pre-eclampsia. it is also bloody uncomfortable. How ccan a nurse/ MW assess you over the phone?? GRRRRRRR.
Take it easy, and try speaking to someone different?

 

[melhoney]

Hi Lisa,

Just wanted to say, that I too got some really bad swelling 2 days ago, and just like Rosebay said, It was due to sitting too long!

My feet and hands became really really huge, and I got really concerned, because it never happened to me before, and just like you, I saw my MW last Tuesday and urine and BP were fine (120/70). I decided to take 2 big pillows to put my feet up during the night (during the day, it's very difficult for me because of my back pains, I can't put my legs higher than my bum!!!)

anyway, next morning, it was much better and I went for 20 minutes walk and kept more mobile at home...seems to work

As far as spotting is concerned though, I can't help and I would definitely get it checked by a MW, or if you really can't get one, then, go to a GP...they should be able to take you seriously!

Wish you best of luck, keep us updated!
Mel xx

 

[lisa31]

Hi Girls

Thank you so much for your replies. It so nice that you agree with me on the M/W thing - I get so fed up with being made to feel a nuisance. I have never phoned them for anything trivial - the last time I had contact with them was when I fell down the stairs almost a month ago.

Sami / Melhoney - I was going to leave it until Wednesday when I have my M/W appointment - as my hands and wrists dont seem quite as bad as yesterday (they are still swollen and uncomfortable - but yesterday I couldnt hardly get the lid off the toothpaste!) but my ankles are still quite bad and I had a tiny bit more spotting this morning. I think I will ring tommorrow I just to make sure they dont need to see me till Wednesday.

Petchy - Im booked in at the General and to be fair they were great when I went in after my fall and the parentcraft classes are great. I obviuosly got Miss Stroppy Pants on Saturday - silly cow

Hels - perhaps all us Leicester Girls should move to Hull - I think we must be one of the worst countys for M/W care. My own midwife even keeps asking me what hospital I'm booked in at??!!!!
It seems their idea of assessing you is to tell you to take paracetomol - like its going to make any difference?! I'm not just going to pop pills just for the sake of it!

We went Babies R us today and I ended up sitting on the floor whilst looking at Changing Bags because my ankles couldnt take anymore!

Think I will give the midwife centre a call tommorrow (mind you, you dont get to speak to anyone straight away) - you have to leave a message in the morning and then a M/W calls you back - and not neccessiarly your own either -crap crap crap lol lol

I will let you know what happens

Thanks again for your replies - it helps to hear others have been through it and what happened to them.

L x

 

[lisa31]

Hi Girls

Thank you so much for your replies. It so nice that you agree with me on the M/W thing - I get so fed up with being made to feel a nuisance. I have never phoned them for anything trivial - the last time I had contact with them was when I fell down the stairs almost a month ago.

Sami / Melhoney - I was going to leave it until Wednesday when I have my M/W appointment - as my hands and wrists dont seem quite as bad as yesterday (they are still swollen and uncomfortable - but yesterday I couldnt hardly get the lid off the toothpaste!) but my ankles are still quite bad and I had a tiny bit more spotting this morning. I think I will ring tommorrow I just to make sure they dont need to see me till Wednesday.

Petchy - Im booked in at the General and to be fair they were great when I went in after my fall and the parentcraft classes are great. I obviuosly got Miss Stroppy Pants on Saturday - silly cow

Hels - perhaps all us Leicester Girls should move to Hull - I think we must be one of the worst countys for M/W care. My own midwife even keeps asking me what hospital I'm booked in at??!!!!
It seems their idea of assessing you is to tell you to take paracetomol - like its going to make any difference?! I'm not just going to pop pills just for the sake of it!

We went Babies R us today and I ended up sitting on the floor whilst looking at Changing Bags because my ankles couldnt take anymore!

Think I will give the midwife centre a call tommorrow (mind you, you dont get to speak to anyone straight away) - you have to leave a message in the morning and then a M/W calls you back - and not neccessiarly your own either -crap crap crap lol lol

I will let you know what happens

Thanks again for your replies - it helps to hear others have been through it and what happened to them.

L x

 

[lisa31]

Woops must of hit the button twice - SORRY!!!!!!!