1st Trimester
When to call the doc.
My DH and I are TTC our 1st. I have never been to the gyno before. I know, I should have and blah blah blah. But my mother never went until she was preg with my older bro. And I never had any problems or any reason to go. Anyway...we are TTC and we don't even have a family doctor right now (we are VERY unhappy with the one we are currently with, so we are searching). My question sounds silly, but when do I go to the doc? Do I need to go to the family doc before I get a gyn/ob appt? I'm so confused! Please help.
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Re: When to call the doc.
I think each doctor is different. I just scheduled my first appointment with my OBGYN and it will be when I am 8 weeks. I think some doctors will want to see you earlier based on your health history. When I called, they asked how far along I thought I was, when my past period was and made a decision of when I should come in from there.
Edit: To my understanding, I don't think you need to go to a regular doctor at all, just an OBGYN
You need to go to the gynecologist as soon as possible. You do not need to go to GP first. You can also see a midwife for gyno care (I do). Please, don't hesitate.
ETA: If you are nervous about going to a gyno you are not ready to be pregnant. They will have their hand up your vag up to the elbow if your placenta gets stuck. Please do it. For your health and the health of any pregnancy you might have. I have a friend who never went until she was 35, turned out she had precancerous cells and needed a LEEP procedure. She has two healthy babies now.
It's not that I'm nervous or scared to go to the gyno. I just don't see why I should go to the gyno if there isn't a problem. I don't really go for the "routine" or "maintinance" doctor visits. I don't have anything to be concerned about "down there", and I don't have a family history of anything going wrong "down there". I do appreciate your concern and seeds of wisdom though. So as soon as I get my BFP, I will scheduld an appt.
And as far as the midwife thing, is that typically covered under health insurances? We just changed Insurance companies, and I am so lost looking for a GP as well as a OBGYN.
Yes they generally are.
Just FYI a lot of womens problems have zero symptoms. I think you are afraid to go. Your use of the words "down there" are kind of indicative of that. Really, I say it in all honesty, most people who get gyno issues have no family history of it.
I didn't use "down there" because i'm afraid. I'm just a bit prude. What am I supposed to call it? My "lady junk"? :-p
And thank you! I will start my search for a midwife as soon as I get a chance to sit down with DH and talk about it.
I know you don't see why you have to go to the Gyno- but it is recommended that all women go once a year by the time they are 18 or 21 (can't remember which) or when they become sexually active.
It's up to you whether or not you chose to go, but even if there is not family history or you don't think you have problems, it it probably a good idea to get a check-up once a year. The OBGYN not only checks for problems "down there" but also does a breast exam.
I'm not judging or anything- like I said it is up to you- but just trying to give you an idea of why it has been suggested that women go once a year.
I really don't think you understand what a gynecologist is for.
ETA: Now that I think about it, I think it is rather insulting that you think people who are responsible with their reproductive health are only that way because they were screwing slutty guys in high school.
I agree, go ASAP. It's reassuring to know that everything is healthy "down there" before you attempt to create another human life there.
I also think it's worth knowing a practice/doctor and feeling confident in them before you NEED their services. I made sure to have my yearly exam with this OB practice before I started TTC. That was the first time I had seen a specific GYN, and it made all the difference in the world. No family doctor was ever able to help me with some women's health concerns, but this GYN gave me very specific info.
My Wedding Bio! Not updated in a LONG time!
It's called a vagina.
Before someone comes in and calls Dodger a Meaniehead biitoch let me say HPV can cause cervical cancer (but it is by no means the ONLY way to get it). My mom had a hysterectomy at 34 because of it. She got it having sex with my bio dad, who she married at 19.
Oh and OP? My 35 year old friend was a virgin when she had cancerous cells. Yes, a 35 year old virgin. It happens.
Now I want a dirty whore badge
This whole paragraph is hilarious, make sure to read it everyone.
:::clutches pearls and faints:::
Call an OB when you get your BFP. They'll tell you when to come in.
My mom is sort of in your boat - never goes to the doctor, doesn't see the need since "clearly nothing is wrong." It's a major bone of contention between the two of us. Having seen so many people thinking they're in great health all of the sudden become seriously ill only to go to the doctor to find out it was too late is reason enough for me to give up my time once a year and make sure my body is as healthy as I ASSUME it is.
Take care of yourself.
Is this for real? What is really happening here? Between adge and brittany, I feel like I'm in a twilight zone...
Brittany...you're not helping. at least you've been to an ob. at least you've had a papsmear. That is why adge needs to go to the doctor, not for pre-preg counseling. Pretty sure she can figure out how to get pregnant. Either way, you both need to grow the f up and take better care of yourself.
I assume you are responding to that wall of text that is almost unreadable, the quote button is your friend.
If you think you were being attacked, you really have no clue what you are talking about. I am willing to bet not one of us said what they were really thinking.
Your mother did you a great disservice with this advice. I'm not even going to attempt to explain it any further because other posts tried and you're not getting it. If you don't have insurance or can't afford it, at least go to Planned Parenthood and getting an f'ing papsmear.
You're right Patty. There are about a thousand other things I want to say...
Sorry. I'm new to this message board thing. This is my first time of posting on here.
I do have insurance. We just recently had to change providers. And as of right now, we don't really have a GP because I have had a terrible past with the practice we are currently at. But that's a LONG story that I am not going to get into.
I understand that you don't follow "conventional" medicine but there are just some practices that shouldn't be avoided. I can agree that some of it is a bit much, if I weren't pregnant, I probably wouldn't get the flu shot. I put up a stink with the pedi about DS getting the chicken pox vaccine. I get it. But this to me is just basic care. Pap smears prevent cancer. Period. Will you not get mammograms? Will you not get your follow up appointments after child birth? I'm curious as to where you draw your line. There are points to modern medicine that just can't be denied...there is a reason why people don't die from small pox anymore.
You obviously haven't spent much time lurking around here. Girls get pounced on for saying far less. This is a bit hot button...you're talking about your health and your potential children. Its not just all about you anymore.
please vaccinate your children for the sake of everyone else's health. and go to the gyno. no one likes it. i personally would rather have a root canal, but i still put on my big girl panties (and take them off
) and get myself there every year. god forbid you have a problem, wouldn't you rather catch it early?
I had pre-cancerous cells found in my cervix at 20 years old. If I didn't go to my doctor's on a regular basis, I could have developed cervical cancer and died. That's why doctors advise you to get a yearly pap smear-it has nothing to do with STDs or pregnancy. There's a reason why the life expectancy now is much, much higher than previous generations. We don't just seek care when we're ill-we go to physicians for preventative maintenance. I can see the reasoning on not wanting to get a flu shot, getting your kid a chicken pox vaccine, etc but avoiding testing that can save your life is just stupid. Going to the doctor's isnt just for when you're sick.
I will vaccinate my children at my discression with prayerful discussion with DH. And I will get to the OBGYN soon. If I'm not PG this month, maybe I have to "put on the big girl panties" and go.
How do you know nothing's changing if you don't go to the gynecologist? Can you see your own cervix? I suppose you tihnk you would feel abnormal cells growing there?
WOW! Your poor children! Its a shame, really....these comments are plain ignorant. You should really do some research! Do you know how painful a circumscision is on an older child?!!! AND the risk for infections? It kills me when people don't feel the need to go to the doctor to get preventative care! The majority of time cervical cancer has NO symptoms until it is too late! So does ovarian cancer and once you have symptoms with this it is most likely too late for any treatments! Why have you not had an annual? Just bc you aren't sexually active does not mean you do not need to be getting annual paps and a breast exam. Please, do yourself, your husband, and your future child a favor and go to the doctor before you try to concieve.
You don't know that you have nothing to worry about "down there". Have you done a pap smear on yourself to check your cervix and make sure you have no precancerous cells? Have you checked your own uterus and ovaries? I highly doubt it.
When you become pregnant you call your OB and they will usually see you between 8-12 weeks. I think your attitude about seeing an ob/gyn is dead wrong and as someone who had the beginning stages of cervical cancer at 19, I find it very scary. There is no possible way you can know that nothing is wrong without seeing a medical professional.
I am not making an ignorant decision. Do you know that at 8 days, a child is better able to fight off possible infection due to a circ? And it's not that much older...it's 8 days!.