How do EPU work?

[Polkadotpea]

Hi ladies,

Looking for someone that has any experience of knowledge of early pregnancy units please.

I am currently awaiting my appointment for my early scan through the post, my GP referred me last week, how long roughly until I get my appointment?

He has referred me as I had light bleeding and pains last week and he suspects I'm further than I am, although I'm almost certain on my dates. What happens if I get an appt next week when I'm 5 weeks and the bleeding has stopped and the bad pains but they can't see anything, will they make me wait until 12 weeks for my next scan as bleeding and pain has gone or will they scan me again 1-2 weeks later as they have to follow it up? I'm in England.


Thank you so much in advance

 

[Nataliieexo]

When i phoned the epu about spotting i had to wait a few more days to hit 6 weeks so they would see something the fetal pole was so small and the picture wasnt clear enough to tell if we were deffo seeing the heartbeat so they had me back a week later and all was fine and i had spotting for 4 weeks and i can now hear the heartbeat on my doppler. Good luck x

 

[Nataliieexo]

Oh and i am also in england x

 

[fashionqueen]

It doesn't matter if the bleeding & pains stop you can still go for the scan.

Although at 5 weeks they won't be able to see much so in some ways it would be better if you can go at 6 so who knows they might ask you back anyway!

 

[Polkadotpea]

When i phoned the epu about spotting i had to wait a few more days to hit 6 weeks so they would see something the fetal pole was so small and the picture wasnt clear enough to tell if we were deffo seeing the heartbeat so they had me back a week later and all was fine and i had spotting for 4 weeks and i can now hear the heartbeat on my doppler. Good luck x

Hey, thanks for the reply

I'm sure my EPU is GP or midwife referral only, my dr thinks I'm further along which is why he has requested a early scan so I presume he'd organise it sooner than later, but I know my dates and I told him that, but he still wants me to go for a scan, so I know I won't see too much if it's next week, but hoping they will scan me again after rather than leave me wondering to 12 weeks.

Congratulations on your pregnancy xxx

 

[Polkadotpea]

It doesn't matter if the bleeding & pains stop you can still go for the scan.

Although at 5 weeks they won't be able to see much so in some ways it would be better if you can go at 6 so who knows they might ask you back anyway!

Hey, I still plan on going to the scan appt when it comes, I was worrying as it will be too early, dr wouldn't listen about my dates, that as the bleeding and pains have stopped which they are bound to ask when I go, they may make me wait until 12 weeks to look again

Thanks x

 

[Nataliieexo]

Thank you and if they dont get a clear heartbeat they will scan you again for definate and mine was doctor/midwife referal only but they still took my word, they day before my scan i had red bleeding i was visiting my mam in hospital so i went to get checked out anyway. They said my spotting was implant bleeding, i dont think implant bleeding lasts 4 weeks though x

 

[annie1983]

From my experience if they can't see a lot they usually prepeat the us in 10 days time. They may or may not do a quantitative HCG blood test in the mean time. It just depends on which doctor you get.

Good luck x

 

[Polkadotpea]

Thank you and if they dont get a clear heartbeat they will scan you again for definate and mine was doctor/midwife referal only but they still took my word, they day before my scan i had red bleeding i was visiting my mam in hospital so i went to get checked out anyway. They said my spotting was implant bleeding, i dont think implant bleeding lasts 4 weeks though x

That's reassuring as they won't see a heartbeat at 5 weeks. Atleast if they see anything and it's small I know my dates to go with measurements. It's worrying isn't it, mine wasn't red, but I've had 3 other pregnancies and children and never had a speck of blood with them which is why I'm so worried at the moment, the dr said mine was prob implantation bleeding too, but I had implantation cramps at 7DPO, so would have expected to spot sooner than 14DPO. X

 

[Polkadotpea]

From my experience if they can't see a lot they usually prepeat the us in 10 days time. They may or may not do a quantitative HCG blood test in the mean time. It just depends on which doctor you get.

Good luck x

Hey Annie,

I'm so hoping they do repeat the us as they won't see much at 5 weeks! My GP won't take beta HCG I already asked

I suffer from hyperemesis too, had it in all 3 of my pregnancies, waiting for the nausea to kick in next week and sickness the week after, I am actual willing it, so I "feel pregnant" I'll be worried if it doesn't.

X

 

[FlatShoes]

I have had some bleeding and my dr refferred me to my EPU on Friday - I got a call from them the same afternoon and they booked me an appointment for the next working day (it was Sat).

Maybe they did it quicker because I am a bit further along (about 8 weeks) but I would still give them a call.

 

[mummy2o]

I got referred at 6 weeks, but they asked me to come back at 9 as they didn't see a lot and said my pregnancy could go either way. The thing I hate about mine is you go in all at 8.30 and get seen in order. Its a bloody annoying waiting game which can take 3 hours. I got refer back at 14 weeks due to bleed by my midwife. They nothing once told me the heart rate and just said baby has a heart beat.

On the plus side they found my missing ovary due to a scan at 3 weeks they couldn't locate my right one. I was being tested for PCOS which I don't have, just weird periods before my BFP.

 

[Polkadotpea]

I have had some bleeding and my dr refferred me to my EPU on Friday - I got a call from them the same afternoon and they booked me an appointment for the next working day (it was Sat).

Maybe they did it quicker because I am a bit further along (about 8 weeks) but I would still give them a call.

Hiya, I found some info on my EPU on Google and it says the only open mon-fri from 8.30-12.10! So I wonder if I'll be waiting ages for an appt?
And it says only referrals from GP or midwifes, so I can't ring and sort it out myself

No letter in post today either x

 

[Polkadotpea]

I got referred at 6 weeks, but they asked me to come back at 9 as they didn't see a lot and said my pregnancy could go either way. The thing I hate about mine is you go in all at 8.30 and get seen in order. Its a bloody annoying waiting game which can take 3 hours. I got refer back at 14 weeks due to bleed by my midwife. They nothing once told me the heart rate and just said baby has a heart beat.

On the plus side they found my missing ovary due to a scan at 3 weeks they couldn't locate my right one. I was being tested for PCOS which I don't have, just weird periods before my BFP.

Thanks for replying, are you in the UK as well? it's all a waiting game isn't it glad all turned out well for you, why did they say your pregnancy could go either way? Just because they couldn't see much at 6 weeks because it was too early? X