I had an OB appt yesterday and I'm starting to feel worried.
I'm 28 weeks today and this is the Ob practice that delivered my #2,3 & 4 babies, but not the last baby [NOT the docs who almost killed me in other words!]
However, with the births we did have with this practice, we had a terrible problem with inconsistency of care -my OB and one other OB were cautiously proactive in treating Preeclampsia [which we liked], one of the other docs was WAY overboard on it [wanted to schedule a C-section at 36 weeks], and the others just seemed to not be proactive at all. On several occasions things happened like us going in on a Tuesday and being told by one doctor I needed to be hospitalized immediately - but he agreed to let me wait till Friday so we could make child care arrangements. Then on Friday we came in and saw a different doctor who did a cervix check and said "Well, I'm not sending you over for an induction because I can't find your cervix, so I'm sending you home". Or like on Tuesday seeing a doc who said I needed a scheduled C-section at 36 weeks because I was getting so bad and then on Friday seeing a different doc who thought I wasn't bad at all and needed to "stop worrying" and everything would be "OK".
So, when we decided to go back to this practice, we set up a meeting with my OB and he agreed that we could just see him for the whole pregnancy and he would manage my care himself - which I felt comfortable with. And he is the only doc I've seen this whole time.
Then yesterday, he says I have to see the two new doctors they've just added to their practice - and I'll be seeing them at 31 and 33 weeks [this is usually when things start to go south for me and this is when I MOST need my OB that I trust....] I was really unhappy with that.
In addition, I just don't think this guy is paying attention. At every single visit he has asked me "So, are you planning any more children after this one? What do you plan to do to prevent this from happening again?" and then he launches into a sales pitch for this new scary birth control device thing called "Essure" - they go up into your fallopian tubes and put a screw-like device in each tube that cause damage to the tube and scars you all up and basically causes the tube to scar closed - and they do this *in the office* with no anesthesia!!!! Also, it is brand new and a certain percentage of women who have it done have it migrate outside the tubes and damage other parts of the body... and several other creepy side effects. Ummmm....yeah - let me just sign right up for THAT! :(
I have declined this over and over. He must make a fortune for doing this office procedure because he won't let it drop. I have also gone over it every single time with him that I have strong religious objections to artificial birth control and I'm *not interested* and he either is ignoring that or quite honestly has no idea who I am.
So yesterday, my BP was up [as expected at this point really - not massive high, but 140/80something high] and he didn't even mention that or discuss anything about it. Instead he launches into "Well, Kelly, this is your sixth baby. Are you planning to have any more after this?" "Um...no?" "Well, what are you planning to do to keep this
from happening again....?" I just sat there staring at him and wanting to scream. I was like "Are you KIDDING ME?!!!" We've had about 10 visits now and he *really* doesn't remember going over all this with me at every.single.visit?!!!!
Then he tells me I have to see the new docs instead of him next visit...
How do I trust my care to this guy? I mean really - I feel like a total COW that he is moving in and out of the office as quickly as possible without even being familiar with the chart - just trying to get in his sales routine for birth control... that seems to be all he cares about AT ALL. And I don't feel respected since he's ignoring my religious beliefs.
There is another doc I have been trying to get in with for years now but she has always refused to take our specific insurance. I called yesterday and was told that YES! She is finally seeing Aetna patients again and is willing to see me. I would *never* recommend her to a "normal, healthy" mother [because they routinely induce ALL patients at 37 weeks and have an astronomical Cesearean rate], but she has managed the care of two of my Lamaze students who got Preeclampsia and she is VERY proactive with it - she does NOT take any chances. I think that is really the kind of doctor I need in my situation. I am trying to set up an appt to consult with her for next week...
I hate changing this late, it is so scary. But I just feel so frustrated - you'd think after almost dying last time and having an Eclamptic seizure and brain damage documented in my chart, they would at least be paying attention...
What do you guys think? would you switch at this point?
7 comments:
Well personally I'd never put up with the kind of treatment you are getting so I think switching is a good idea if you feel this other doctor would be right for your condition. A great natural birth doctor is good if that's what you're having but a very interventive doctor is good if that's what you need. Having a bunch of different doctors coming and going sounds bad because you need someone to really focus on what happened last time and how to prevent it and I can't see that happening with too many cooks in the kitchen.
You want to make sure this new doc has a reliable back up(who has met you and knows you) in case she can't make it as well.
Patience
Moo?
Hey, just let me know what I get to go into the OB office and say, "It's called continuing education! Why don't you search for something with the keywords 'pre-eclampsia' and 'death' in it. If the keyword 'prevention' was in there too, that would be nice. Maybe then you would know how to properly take blood pressure, how dangerous pre-e is, and why you need consistent care, birth control salesman. Now excuse me while I get my wife and child out of here before you kill them."
Or would that be too harsh?
I think you are right to be concerned that he is not treating you as an individual. It is often easy to get very emotional at this stage, even rash. So pray a lot.
No harm can come from seeing another doc and testing the waters. Only you can make this decision and I pray that thru your prayers Our Lord leads you to His Peace.
If you have the option to switch to someone you are more comfortable with, I would switch. I developed pre-eclampsia with my first pregnancy (at 38 weeks, not earlier, thank God). That the doctors seem so unconcerned about it would scare me too!
What would frighten me the most is the constant birth control push. I don't trust some doctors to respect the patients' wishes. I'd worry that he would decide to try some procedure anyway, on the sly, "for your own good" of course.
Kelly that is horrible! You need to find another doctor. Even doctors that don't get the whole I am a Catholic and I don't do that kind of thing have never bugged me every single visit!
I do hate having to see more than one doc too. I have had that happen in pregnancy and it just simply stinks. And in your case not at all safe! It is hard to switch (I had to do it once later in pregnancy too) but it is worth it in the end.
Take care of yourself!!
Kelly, you ultimately want to do what's best for you, baby and your peace of mind. It sounds as though switching docs would be a good thing since current doc has his head up his....
Maybe one of the new partners at his practice would be better than he is. (one of the two he wants you to see) See if they will let you do a get-to-know-you visit. There can be many insurance hassles when switching providers outside of the same practice midpregancy. Also if the two providers are new, they will be much more careful. Maybe he is steering you in their direction because he knows they are more sensitive regarding religious rejection of bc. Who knows. I have had the same MD for all four of my deliveries (and losses), and I only worked up the nerve to tell him we use NFP after the second baby. Its "practicing" medicine, they are not infallible, and I'm a nurse so I have seen both sides of the relationship. Good Luck..
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