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Pregnant and suffering from Hyperemesis Gravidarum

Posted By aprilzh96

"Pregnant and suffering from Hyperemesis Gravidarum"

About: Croydon University Hospital / Maternity

(as a service user),

Poor care being provided to me: 

I’m 13 weeks pregnancy now and have spent 5 weeks bedridden, dehydrated, malnourished and lost 7 kg. 

I’m going through rough time with HealthCare professionals at Croydon University Hospital as they keep treating Hyperemesis Gravidarum  as if it was a normal morning sickness stating things like in a few weeks it will go away etc, and this has led me to keep going to A&E (which is high risk of COVID-19 for pregnant women) for iv fluid and vitamins treatment. They recently found high ketones in my urine as I’m dehydrated and already lost 7kg ( I weight normally 63.5kg). They also found that my sugar level was dropping to borderline, my sodium level was low and needed treatment and now I’m becoming Anaemic too! I’m fed up and my mental health is being affected here. I feel depressed! 

I'm hopeless and helpless and my GP has not been present and helping to plan my care, each time I call I’m dealing with different GPs . I fear for me and my baby. I’m weak and frail and yet they expect me to keep going to A&E for help (Covid-19 high risk environment) where I normal would get iv fluid and anti Sickness and once I feel better I get set home to deteriorate again after 3-5 days! Every week I’m in A&E! I'm experiencing neglect and a poor care which is robotic and staff following protocols which has no heartbeat. I just don’t know what else to do. I'm raising this complaint against Croydon University Hospital. Also Early pregnancy unit has been useless, no direction/guidance for me other than to go to A&E for treatment if I feel bad.

Very bad system in supporting a pregnancy lady with Hyperemesis Gravidarum! They treat it like morning sickness! I’m lost and hopeless and depressed. They don’t know how to manage effectively and risk free with empathy a pregnant lady with Hyperemesis Gravidarum! I’m being neglected. 

This is inhumane!

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Responses

Response from Claudette Webley, Croydon Health Services NHS Trust 3 years ago
Claudette Webley
Croydon Health Services NHS Trust

Submitted on 11/03/2021 at 12:17
Published on Care Opinion at 12:17

Dear Patient

I am truly sorry to read that you have been unwell and that you are raising concern in respects of the treatment and care that you received at Croydon University Hospital. I can confirm that your concern has been received in the Patient Experience Team and has been shared with the service, requesting that the service contact you directly with the aim for an agreed resolution.

If you remain unhappy after the service contacts you please contact the patient experience team by emailing CH-TR.PALS@nhs.net; please also advise if you would like to be on the list to share your story with the Trusts Integrated Quality Assurance Group for learning.

Kind Regards

Patient Experience Team

Croydon Health Services

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful

Update posted by aprilzh96 (a service user)

Suffering from Hyperemesis Gravidarum is isolating, depressing and it is VERY serious. I agree that it is not treatable at the moment but it is MANAGEABLE and pregnant women should not go through this without being taken seriously. In Croydon University Hospital I feel you DO NOT have a structure or measurements in place to help pregnant women with Hyperemesis. They all get sent to A&E which is high risk of COVID-19 and in there they are managed not by a gynaecologist but doctors who have very little knowledge of the illness and they all just seem to meet their target by treating people quickly and sending them HOME. They don’t think that they need to reduce hospital trips for these pregnant women by making sure they go Home with a solid plan in place! Discharging someone when they know in 3-5 days they will come back again dehydrated!

In Early pregnancy unit and Maternity unit all they say is that it’s not treatable, it’s a difficult illness, they don’t have the facilities to give drips or manage HG there, not to worry the symptoms will go away after 1st trimester, that they suffered from it too etc. which is useless. I found them managing my medication appalling, they go according to protocols but don’t seem to pay attention on what I’m trying to say. I didn't feel they checked for side effects properly nor my allergies.

In my opinion you need to have measurements in place for pregnant women with Hyperemesis from the time they are ill until they give birth. It’s a serious illness. We are in TOTAL pain = physical, psychological, social and spiritual. It’s not acceptable to let us continue suffering like this!

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