Hello everyone
I saw my "consultant" for the first time today. Well that appointment didn't quite go to plan! I was invited to see the consultant for a 2.10 pm appointment. I got there at 1.45 pm as I needed to collect a specimen bottle and fill it beforehand. I then sat and waited, and waited and waited some more. Eventually I was called in at 2.50 pm!
The clinic midwife took my BP (136/72 whereas it was 110/70 at my 12w booking appointment) and listened to the baby's heartbeat. At that point the registrar came in and starting talking over the midwife and the heartbeat so I didn't get to hear either properly.
The registrar was quite patronising really. I thought we'd talk about my age, weight and mental health. I'd also made a note to talk about the pain in my sacrum/pelvis and my heart murmur. Instead he started banging on about what operations I had had and when I had them. He clearly wasn't listening properly as I had to keep repeating myself. Everything he was asking about - including all the detail - were in my notes anyway.
He pronounced that the arthritis in my feet would not bother me during my pregnancy (it doesn't because I wear orthotics) and nor would my knees (I've had both kneecaps moved). He went on and on about this and I was like, wtf, I'm 40 things wear out and I expect to ache a little. I actually said I wasn't bothered about my knees or feet but that I was really concerned over the pain in my sacrum and my pelvis. He poo pooed me. He said that there was no way this could be SPD as it was too early and that progestorone released during pregnancy relaxed things so I was bound to be a little uncomfortable. I pressed him about it and eventually he said that if I was still having a problem in a couple of months then we could consider some physiotherapy but that he didn't think it was necessary at present.
He started asking me about my mental health. I explained that my mental health issues were a long time ago and that I had coping techniques now to help me. I didn't think it was a big concern. Again, he completely ignored me and starting quoting dates of depressive episodes in my file (even managing to get the dates wrong). The poor midwife was practically rolling her eyes out of her head behind him.
Finally he mentioned my heart. I explained the history again (first picked up when I was 13, then again when I was pregnant with DS - aged 25 - and then again a couple of years ago when I was very stressed). I told him that I'd had lots of tests at the very same hospital we were in and they had come back to confirm I had a leaky heart valve but that no further action was necessary. He started rooting through the file asking me questions which I'd already answered. He then stands up and takes the midwife out of the room.
I'm sat there like a lemon for 5 minutes until the midwife walks back in and pulls up a chair opposite me. She puts on this really serious face and says the registrar wants me to go to the city hospital to have a fetal heart scan as he's concerned about the baby's heart. I'm totally like wtf. I say did you hear something on the doppler when he was talking? Have I missed something? No she says, he wants it checking because of your heart problems.
I say I haven't got heart problems. I have a leaky valve like lots of people. I asked her if all pregnant women with a murmur have to have this test because I sure as hell didn't with DS. She admits that not all do, but that the registrar is keen that I go and I'll get an appointment through to have the scan when I'm 19-21 weeks.
Prince Charming then came back in. He'd spoken to the consultant and it had been agreed that I would be referred to the fetal heart specialists and, clearly because I have nothing better to do with my time, my own heart specialist to get checked out. I tried asking him about the pelvic pain again - not interested.
As the midwife escorted me out I said I was going to ask Gill (my own midwife) about the pelvic pain when I see her in a couple of weeks. I explained that I was about 8 months pregnant last time when I felt this sore so it couldn't be right that I was feeling it so early on. She said that she would make a referral to the physio for me. At last, someone listening to me.
Pip x
Daisy always plays up if I take her mw with me - her favourite 'toy' seems to be the scales 
and any other ladies having scans today too.
Glad everything is looking good.
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What a nightmare appointment for you. I hope you don't have to see him again? I think it's really poor that at your consultant appointment you got seen by a reg who didn't know what he was talking about 
