Update from consultants

[lmarszall]

Hi all,

Well i had my consultant appointment yesterday which was a bit of a waste of time to be honest!

First they checked my wee sample. And they said i had some leucocytes in it and they were going to send it off and i might have an infection or something? Anyone know what leucocytes are??

Then they did my blood pressure and it was 155/75 and they said it was high but nothing to worry about. I don't know what it should be so i don't know much about that.

Then we saw the doctor. She looked at my blood results from my 27 week up and asked if i new why i was there??? I said my midwfie said my iron was low and it shouldn't be as been on tabs for over a month so she refered me. I was quite annoyed as i wasn't like i'd even spoke to my midwife just had an answer phone message from her last friday.

Anyway the dr woman said well you haven't got a history of anaemia have you? And i was like well actually i have been on and off aneamic since i was 16! Which i had told the midwife from my first apt. It would help if the doctor had my history or had looked at my notes.

She then said that they had to find out why i was anaemic so she filled out a blood test form and said i'd have to come back tomorrow (today) as it was about 4.30 and the blood bit was in the main hospital accross the road and i was too late to have it done today!

She said to take 3 tabs a day instead of 2! To whihc point i said but they make me so bunged up and constipated and 2 is bad enough. She said get some lactulose. What is the point if i am not absorbing iron of taking even more tablets

Then she said make an appointment in 4 weeks to come back and make sure midwfie does bloods again before then so she the results.

And that was it.



What a load of shit. So i still feel like crap and am going to be feeling like it for another month. By whihc point i'll be 33 weeks and they are really leaving it late to sort me out. At this rate i won't be able to have my baby in low risk bit if i am still anaemic and will end up straped to loads of machines!

To top it off i got a letter from the doctors this morning saying 'can you make an appointmtn with the doctor to discuss your recent blood test results!?!' WTF?? Have i not just seen a consultant about them. I don't get it. What was that about????

Sorry i am very angry and feel like shit and hate the hospital and my midwife!



Laura
xxx

 

[Emmylou]

Oh Laura

So sorry they are messing you about hun.

Re: Blood Pressure and what it should be, if you look in your notes they work from the blood pressure taken on your first appointment as everyone is different (average person should be 120/80 but I have low pressure so they work mine from my booking in which was 100/60).

I think you should call your MW & say that you are concerned that y'days apt seemed like you got no real answers or reassurance....and that you are unsure whether you even need to make the docs appointment to discuss the bloods.

Also, you have the right to change your MW if you are unhappy

 

[missac]

it all sounds like too much stress, n o wonder your blood pressure was up!!!!!

I think I had the lucites thingy and they said it would be sent off and it came back fine, I think it is just a sign of infection that is very common in women that made the fatal error of letting a man talk them into sex!!!

Seriously though, go and make a cup of tea and put your feet up, it sounds like you need to relax xxx

 

[lmarszall]

Hiya,

My first one was 120/80. They said not to worry though, so why bother even doing it at all!

If only calling my midwife were that simple. I can only leave a message at the doctors reception for her to call me back. And she is only there wednesdays and fri mornings. So it's a waste of time.

As for changing. There are two at our surgery and are both shit!

I just feel like not bothering to go to any more appointments. They dont do me any favours and are just making me more stressed out!

Oh and i would go put my feet up but have to go sit in traffic for half hour to back to the hospital to get more bloods done! Lucky me!!

Lau
x

 

[Emmylou]

Also: Found out that Leucocytes are something to do with the immune system (aka white blood cells), and could be indicitive of a Urinary Tract Infection (UTI).

Drink plenty of water I think is the usual advice with UTI's (flush it out your system) - hope you feel better soon

 

[cloud9]

I have high blood pressure regardless of pregnancy...my inital BP was 140/105 so they nvere know what to do about my baseline but the one they usually concern themselves about it the bottom number the 75 in your case thats prolly why they aren't so worried.

It all sounds really crap though...My iron levels have gone up but i have had a real thing for spinach..IT might be worth trying foods high in iron if you haven't already

 

[neeko_1]

why do they like to waste time??

 

[trixipaws]

awwwwwwwwww sweety sorry u had a rough time

 

[lmarszall]

Thanks guys!

I am very reluctant to drink anymore water. I am weeing every five mins as it is. And sometimes i'll wee and go back to bed and as soon as i get back in bed i'll need to wee again. It's such an effort getting in and out of bed its ridiculous!

The thing i don't get is whats the point in increasing my iron intake when i've already been told i am not absorbing it!

I mean i have 4 weeks till i see consultant again and i will be a heap on the floor by then if things don't improve. I have had 2 weeks off work as i can't even get out of bed in the morning i am so tired.

Do they not realise people actually have jobs to go to and stuff. At this rate work will sack me! Or make me take mat leave early.

I am so frustarted and so annoyed

Lau
x

 

[Redshoes]

With regards BP I think anyone as upset as you were, and confused, would have high BP, stress makes it rise, they know this

As for the iron, I was put on 3 tablets a day, only to discover from my Doctor that I didn't need them, sometimes all they seem to know what to do is hand out more drugs.

Have you looked into, tried other options for the iron isssue Laura? As it seems to be the crux of a lot of the issues, including the sleeping, and constipation etc A nutritionist would probably be more beneficial, I know they helped my friends friend who had MS, getting her offof drugs and eating a diet that actually worked for the better, they will help with your digestion, like you say more iron tablets when you're not absorbing it, doesn't make complete sense.

And the wee sample, if wee is seen to be cloudy it will be sent for testing 'to be sure', though urinary infections are very common in pregnancy and nothing to be concerned about, the test is to double check that.

It must be so hard working through all this too, or trying to work through it, I really hope you find a way to relax, and think positive about the whole hospital rigmarole, so you start to feel better, and not so frustarted and annoyed

Sorry I wittered on there, I just really hope you're spirits are lifted soon and you can get back to enjoying your pregnancy, just concerned for you, hope things change positively real soon.

Very BIG hugs

 

[*saulino*]

Hi

Oh hun so much stress for you when you really dont need it'.
They should be doing more doctors are in so much rushes now that they dont take the time to actually solve anything.
Hope they figure somthing out asap for you .
Katrina

 

[Salad]

Seems like you've had a rough time. Hope you do get a chance for some putting up of feet and r & r.

I agree that it seems a bit silly to increase your iron intake if absorption is a problem. Just in case it's useful to you, here are some things that I've learned:

Vitamin c helps with iron absorption

some things inhibit iron absorption, and shouldn't be eaten/drunk within an hour of taking iron: some of the main culprits are milk, tea and coffee

Apparently some women who don't eat red meat have problems with iron absorption. L-lysine is an amino acid that helps with iron absorption, which (I believe) is found in red meat. It is also found in (for eg) legumes like peanuts, peas and beans, and can be taken in supplement form.

Like I said, just in case it's helpful...

 

[lmarszall]

Thanks guys,

I feel the hospital should be telling me all this really though, It's their job to sort it out!

Oh well. I just hope it is sorted by the time the little monkety decides to make an appearance!

As long as he is happy and healthy in their.

4 weeks just seems a long time to wait when they havent even solved or attempted to solve the problem.

Muppets!

Laura
x