For those who have had to have early scans (pre 12 week) due to previous problems

[Jo_banana]

How soon between seeing your GP and getting your scan date through from your hospital was it?

I went to my GP a week ago yesterday and still no appointment through. Now, I may just be expecting too much too soon I guess and getting anxious. But given I had a pregnancy that ended in termination at 13 weeks due to a birth defect the last time, I really don't want to wait around too long. I told the GP that and he understood. But here I am waiting for news. My previous consultant (the world authority on the condition, based in London) told me that if I ever became pregnant again I should get myself sorted for a scan as soon as possible. He gave me a letter to this effect, which I gave a copy of to my GP last week.

But as I say, I am waiting. Have put a call through to my GP to chivvy them along. Waiting to here back.

 

[kaylz]

It sounds as though you might be waiting for a referral to the hospital (for a specialist opinion?) rather than the Early Pregnancy Unit that most of us have been sent to (for spotting etc early on). My referral to EPU only took a few days, but the referral for my scan at the hospital has taken 10 days to process after the midwife sent it through

Good luck

 

[Jo_banana]

It sounds as though you might be waiting for a referral to the hospital (for a specialist opinion?) rather than the Early Pregnancy Unit that most of us have been sent to (for spotting etc early on). My referral to EPU only took a few days, but the referral for my scan at the hospital has taken 10 days to process after the midwife sent it through

Good luck

Yes, I am waiting to here from the specialist unit for the scan. In my heart, I think I am being over-anxious and my wish to know is clouding my judgement a bit (not helped by the pregnancy hormones, lol!).

Thank you for the 10 day figure. My GP was very wooly about timings and clearly didn't want to give an exact date as if it didn't happen by then it would reflect badly on him. But all the same, just want to know and go from there.

For sure, once I get the appointment I'll be worrying myself over that then! I just hope to be able to enjoy being pregnant all over again as I do have a little boy who is 8 and I adored being pregnant with him, once the scans and tests were out of the way.

 

[Faerie]

Follow them up!

I was in the UK last year when I fell pregnant with Sofia, I was meant to be seen by a specialist straight away but because all of my "history" had happened in Switzerland it was as if it wasn't relevant, even though I had letters etc from the hospital. Anyway, after harassing my Drs office I found out the secretary hadn't even sent the letter off yet for my referal.

In the end I went private as I was desperate I know that's not an option for a lot of people but I was glad I did because I didn't actually get the appointment through from the NHS until I was 16 weeks pregnant (and I first went to the private specialist when I was 5.5 weeks).

 

[Faerie]

Sorry that wasn't a very positive post, can I just say that I think that my GP surgery was particularly crap, had so many admin issues with them.

 

[Jo_banana]

Sorry that wasn't a very positive post, can I just say that I think that my GP surgery was particularly crap, had so many admin issues with them.

No, no, not at all - your post was honest and it was your experience and that's what's important.

I have followed it up! My gp's office are looking into it and have asked I call back tomorrow morning. They're going to contact the specialist I think to see what's happening.

I will post after that once I have an idea of what is going on. I am sure it pisses them off that people like me chase them. But they didn't have to go through what I did so they're just going to have to get used to me!

 

[Jo_banana]

Well, reporting back earlier on this than I had expected. Not happy this evening.

Unbeknownst to me my better half rang up the hospital clinic today to enquire about my appointment. The lady on the phone said they had my referral from the GP BUT NO LETTER HAD BEEN ATTACHED ABOUT MY PREVIOUS PROBLEM so they had put me down for the standard 12 week scan as they were oblivious to what had gone on before. I cried when he told me that

He's just home now and told me. He didn't want to tell me over the phone when I was home alone as he knew I would be angry and upset. I am!

To cut a long story short, OH has explained the situation and I am going to have my scan one day next week. They will give me the day tomorrow to confirm which day.

But had he not rung them to chase I would have been sitting here waiting about for an early scan appointment that was never going to come.

It all sickens me to my stomach. I feel like I am always treated badly by the NHS. If I could afford it I would go private for the whole thing and sod the NHS altogether quite frankly. I am sure the people I see for the scan next week will be fine and its not their fault. But there seems to be a really slack admin system.

The reason I got so upset last time and went private for a scan was because the NHS got back to me with a first scan date of 14 weeks. I felt there was a problem with the pregnancy and went private as I thought 14 weeks was too long to wait to find out. I was right to do so that time. I had hoped and trusted that this time around because of what happened before someone - just somebloody one - in the NHS would look at my case history and give a shit and put me in for an early scan without any hassle. How hard can it be! Professor Nick Fisk - a leading authority on obstetrics - had personally written a letter to be given to my local healthcare team should I get pregnant again. I mean, what more can you do to prove you need an early scan?

At the moment I am all over the place. I love my OH to bits for going above and beyond the call of duty today to sort out the mess. Reading between the lines on what he said, he was being passed around the houses today and was on the phone for a long time.

I am glad that I will now get my early scan and I am glad to be pregnant.

But I am deeply disappointed by the service given to me so far and have lost my faith in those who are meant to have my and my baby's best interests at heart. Its like getting an audience with the queen just getting an early scan. Well, it is for me anyway. Makes me feel like my baby isn't important to them and neither is my welfare either.

I am going to make a formal complaint to my doctors practice tomorrow. Clearly somewhere along the line things have gone wrong and I need to find out where the error occurred. One thing that really got me was that apparently not ONE PERSON the OH spoke to today said sorry or apologised in any way for the mistake.

It makes me so angry to think I may have been waiting and waiting for a letter that wouldn't come for ages and when it did would have invited me for a scan at 12 weeks. All because of some stupid admin oversite. I am glad its sorted but its left a nasty taste in my mouth.

 

[Faerie]

Oh hun I'm so sorry it happened to you too

I get the feeling that any pregnancy before 21 weeks is just dismissed, as far as they see it there's nothing to be done about it if it's not right so why bother - not much bloody help to us though!

I'm really glad your OH followed up and hope your baby is happy and healthy at your scan.