OLOL MLU - Appointment Cancelled

Hi all, I heard that Drogheda was really busy over the Christmas break. I was due to have my 24 week appointment last thursday 31st Decemeber, but got a call 30 mins before (as I was leaving my town) to say that they were busy and they wanted to re-schedule. I just wondered if anyone else had to re-schedule their appointment due to the fact they were busy? sue

Hey there, I had my 16 week appt with my GP, my first MLU in OLOL is not until I am 24 weeks. I expressed concern that I wouldn't be seen at 20 weeks (Apparently I should be according to combined care schedule) and he said that he got a letter from OLOL and the general gist of it was that they are very busy and trying to reduce un neccesary visits. To be honest I don't mind as this is my second pregnancy and the first one went with no complications so maybe i was back logged for that reason?? My GP told me to come in or ring him in the mean time if I had any problems or any concerns. It is a bit different from your situation, but it might explain how busy they are. I know there are just the two delivery rooms in MLU so maybe it was just that they were full of close to labour ladies and had no staff on that day to give you full attention, I remember from visits to MLU on the first pregnancy, the midwifes there said that it could be just hectic for a few days then nothing, I guess no woman delivers on time, so hopefully they just had a full house that day. Let me know how you get on since, if you can.

Hi Sue, That must be really disappointing I hope you hear soon- I'd ring if you haven't heard in a few days. I finally got my booking appointment today- only after I rang to double check they got my doctors letter before Christmas. The place sounded mad busy with phones going off. The lady was very nice though thankfully as was talking to a really narky one before and bawled after I got off the phone . Won't have my 1st appointment until I'm 15 weeks. I hope to God the MLU isn't booked up then as I've my heart set on it. Hubby & I were wondering if we should have gone private. I presume you'd get an earlier appointment if you went private would you? Best of luck

[quote="naughton":3d50d1o5]Hey there, I had my 16 week appt with my GP, my first MLU in OLOL is not until I am 24 weeks. I expressed concern that I wouldn't be seen at 20 weeks (Apparently I should be according to combined care schedule) and he said that he got a letter from OLOL and the general gist of it was that they are very busy and trying to reduce un neccesary visits. To be honest I don't mind as this is my second pregnancy and the first one went with no complications so maybe i was back logged for that reason?? [/quote:3d50d1o5] I don't know if this is a new thing, but the MLU don't ever see patients before 24 weeks, that's when they take over your care. i think what's happening at the minute is that people are getting an earlier booking appointment, so there's longer between 1st and 2nd visits. the problem with the MLU (or the beauty of it!!) is that the same midwives are dealing with pregnancy appointments and women in labour, so if it's busy, something has to give. i hardly saw the midwives the day i was there after having baby, as they had lots of appointments that day.

My goodness they must be seriously understaffed and THIRTY MINUTES notice. Crazy. I am a public patient though not attending MLU. Pretty much the same. Had booking in 'big' scan at 13 weeks. Next apt at OLOL was at 19 weeks and not due again till 28 weeks. No other 'big' scan either. Cutbacks/staff? I must have been v.lucky to get a midwife on the phone the other evening when I had a question.

Hey ladies, thanks for the updates. I now have an appointment this Saturday, so its not too bad. I agree with what Babog, but I didn't think my booking appt in OLOL was actually that early. I was seen at 16 weeks, and have a 20 week appt with my own GP, so my appt last week was at 24.5 weeks. I will be 26 weeks exactly when I go in on Sat! Now, I'm just not sure whether I'm supposed to wait for 4 weeks after that again for my next GP visit or just book it for 28 weeks (I know there is only 1 week in the difference, but not sure what the right thing to do is). I think the other thing that annoyed me is that I was with the doc at 20 weeks, and thought I had an infection 'down there' as I just felt a bit off, but the doc said nothing showed up. But because of a pain in my pelvis (which I had posted about a few weeks ago) I went back to the doc on the 21st December (I was 23 weeks then), as it was quite a bad pain. The first thing the doc said to me (different to my normal GP as its a practice, so you could get 1 of 20 doctors) was that when she looked at my Urine, she was convinced I had an infection. She then told me she'd send the sample to the lab for confirmation and she'd have the results in a week. I rang the GP's last Thursday, to see if the results were in, and they said they weren't even collected yet! I was furious over this (as I was hoping for the results in advance of my MLU appt). Now don't get me wrong, I know I was at the doc's X-mas week, but that was a normal working week up to the Thursday, so why was the sample not collected that week.... I rang the GP again yesterday, and they told e the results won't be in until the end of the week earliest.... arrrrggggghhh. I just feel that while I know I'm not paying for the appointments, that there is absolutely no priority given to pregnant women, and this grieves me. Surely, the one time we should get priority is when we are pregnant. I suppose the fact that the GP didn't send the sample, and then my appt was cancelled annoyed me as I felt that I was being ignored..... hee hee sorry for the rant ladies - I think I was just a wee bit hormonal last week and I was so looking forward to being told that baby was big or at least ok or anything really :'(. Ah sure, at the same time, I suppose if there was anything serious wrong, I'd be dealt with. I suppose I'm not really a high risk candidate, which is a good thing too. :-) sue

Thanks Milis, I didn't know that about MLU, on my first pregnancy I remember being seen at 22 weeks at MLU on foot of my first OLOL appt at 17 weeks. This time round I booked much earlier, so that prob explains the gap between first (mine was at 12 weeks) and subsequent visits. Hi Sue, on past experience the Mid wife that sees you usually recommends when your next visit to the GP should be, she will weigh it up against the number of weeks you have before babs comes on week 40 and number of appointments you have left. That sample delay is very infuriating, the infection may have come and gone by the time you get the results!! But as you say, if it was something serious you would deffo be dealt with, but at the same time, we do need a bit of reassurance and continuity of care...I was very anxious on my first pregnancy, and did get a UTI, twice... but all panned out fine. Express your concerns on Sat if you think the midwife is sympathetic, as you want some piece of mind, on recollection all the midwifes in the MLU, they were all very very nice, and constantly asking me was everything ok etc. there was just one I encountered that was a bit indifferent/dry but she was still very nice!!! Best of luck

thanks for the update Naughton. At least I know when I get over there, that things will be ok. I suppose I'm a little anxious to know that everyting is ok. I'll let you know how I get on, cause I think its nice to know those who are going to the same place, so we can share the experiences. Thanks sue

I also had very good experiences with most midwives in MLU, there was one though (wonder if it's the same one!!) who pissed me off no end! She had me worried sick about baby not growing, when she had just measured me wrong GPs can be so lax with things like that, it must be infuriating when you are in pain, and not being dealt with. As Naughton said the midwife will put in your notes when you are to visit your GP again, and when you are to be back at MLU again.

Gosh pyschosue; you've been passed from billy to jack. No wonder you up the walls. I am v.lucky with my GP who I only chose since I got PG.Basically when I'm with her she selects the next date to see her so I make that apt before I leave the surgery. Lately apts went something like this 6th December GP: then she selected first week in Jan to come back 15th December OLOL: they made no reference to GP 5th Jan: GP she asked me when I due back in OLOL (16 Feb) so she chose 3 weeks time to see her again 27th Jan: booked in to see GP 16th Feb: OLOL So far I dont have to see the GP outside the dates she chooses. I know there is X number of apts free with GP but I am pleased that my GP at least sees me reguarly (maybe more than alloted) and I know she'll use the doppler. My friend who attended holles street finds this all bizarre that my appointments are chosen from one visit to another as she literally had all her appointments way in advance. Keep us posted psychosue.