Not good... going to get checked - Page 2

[Mama_Michelle]

Thinking about you mama. Hope everything is OK.

[mamaveggie]

Hope you and the baby are doing well.

[leighann79]

I hope all is well!

[CourtBChase]

Thinking good thoughts for you and watching this thread for an update. I hope everything goes well!

[MOMYS]

Praying! Please keep us posted!

[Cheshire]

Praying for you and your little one (and all the hands caring for you at the hospital).

[penstamon]

Thinking about you. Please update soon!

[BoringTales]

Hope all is well!

[Quindin]

I left for the hospital with a pounding headache and dizzy.
The BP before leaving home was 155/100...
I vomited a couple of times when I arrived in the hospital.

They checked my BP 40 minutes after I got there, took my blood and I had urine test. Then they monitored the baby.

Surprise, surprise... the BP was normal.
They took 2 more readings in the 4 hours I was there - both normal.
The blood test came back normal too.

But, there still considerable urine in the protein.
My feet, hands and face got puffier while I was there...
My headache and nausea remained bad...
Oh, and when I mentioned that I gained 2 kilos in 3 days, the doctor had to go and consult with her colleagues about what to do.
And they sent me home...

I asked how I am supposed to know when to call, if even with high BP at home, protein in the urine, bad headache, swelling, I might have just stayed home.
I was told: "Well, you just don't, but do call if there is something wrong" :

Ugh! Things felt wrong while I was there, and still do!
I am dizzy, my head is pounding and the BP I took since I came home IS high again. And yes, my home BP up until today always matched the one in the hospital, so I don't get it.
Oh, and I drank a whole gallon of juice and water, and have only urinated a little bit - where is the water going?

They want me to get my BP measured and pee on a strip with their doctor on Friday. Nothing else. And THAT, I can do at home, so what is the point?

Honestly, I don't think anybody cares and I feel so stupid.
They probably think I am a hypochondriac, which makes not sense because the LAST thing I want is to give birth in a hospital! Why would I make it up, if doing so would risk me losing my homebirth?

Sorry for venting.
I just don't feel well at all, but I don't know what to do next.
And knowing that they probably will say "there is nothing wrong" anyway, makes me even less likely to call again...

[DahliaRW]

Sorry you couldn't get any answers. If it gets worse, go back. What does your MW think?

[an_aurora]

That sounds very odd to me. At work, I know that if someone came in at 38 weeks with those symptoms they would want to induce, no question, and probably put you on mag if your BP didn't drop after the birth. What does your MW say?

[Cheshire]

Trust your instincts. Is there another hospital you could visit for a second opinion?

Listen to your gut and your body. If you need to go back after their shift has ended and see a new doc. Insist that they treat all of your symptoms and not just what the BP cuff is telling them.

I'm so sorry they aren't taking you seriously. Your health and your baby's health are more important than someone having an off day at work. Please go back if you feel you need to.

Hugs!!!

[blissful_maia]

: that all's well. That's so frustrating that you have no clear instructions on what to do. I agree with Cheshire that you should consider going to another hospital... I can tell you 100% that you would not have been sent home at the hospital I work with.

[Quindin]

I am having midwife care with the NHS - not a private midwife.
That means that even though my midwife is part of a group independent from the hospital, they ultimately must follow the general protocol and hospital rules if something goes wrong and I need be see there. That means, she does not try to override the doctors' decisions.
Besides, knowing that I want a homebirth, she maybe felt even less inclined to push for something else to be done. She did emphasize many times that I must again if something is wrong though - but as I said earlier, I don't know what that means now.

ETA - No, there is no other hospital.
You get the care from the hospital in your area.
You know what is funny? I used to be so relieved that here I did not have to go brought all the over the top precautions I went through in American hospitals. Now I am afrai that nobody is doing enough.

[Reha]

Are they at least doing a 24 hour urine collection, to look at protein? The test stripes are notoriously inaccurate.

It is reassuring that your labs all look normal. The facial swelling and general malaise/nausea is concerning to me. Its normal to see swelling in extremities at this point in pregnancy.

Take lots of baths....water immersion is a natural way to lower blood pressure.

[Quindin]

Originally Posted by Reha

Are they at least doing a 24 hour urine collection, to look at protein? The test stripes are notoriously inaccurate.

.

No, no mention of such tests.
Just the strip when I got there, which showed +

[fawnanddoe]

Oh mama, I am sorry that this is happening to you! I can't believe they just sent you home.

I trust my intuition, when I feel like there is something wrong with me or my body then it's usually right. Your intuition seems to be telling you that there's something wrong. Maybe you should call the hospital or your MW every time you take your BP and it's high and tell them what it is. The fact that you have all of these other things going on too is scary. I really hope that you get some answers and that everything is ok. I will be sending you lots of hugs and positive vibes!

[tracymom1]

I can't believe they are not doing a full work-up including a 24 hour urine. You should have been monitored overnight with vitals every 2-4 hours. Please don't feel like a hypochondriac - high BP and swelling, and nausea and vomiting are very real symptoms that should be taken seriously. So is the protein on the stick - though I really, really can't believe they aren't having you do a 24 hour. Are they having you monitor your BP at home? I am a nurse and worked both at an OB office and at the hospital in L&D and this all seems just weird to me. Maybe the protocol is different in the UK. What blood tests did you have done? Are they going to repeat them in 24-48 hours?

I am feeling a lot of frustration for you :

I cannot stress this enough - if you ever feel concern or are worried about anything call the Ob. It's their job to take care of you and answer your questions. Please keep us posted.

[learnlovebe]

I don't have any medical advice for you, but I'm sorry you're getting the run around. I would be SO frustrated that no one seems to be hearing you. I like what the other poster said- if your BP remains high and you keep having other symptoms, I'd go back in when there's a different shift. That's just what I would do. Hugs to you, I'll be thinking of you!

[Avani]

Keep hydrated and eat lots of protein. Don't hesitate to go back if things don't seem right, you do have the right to proper medical care. You will be in my thoughts!