Weekly Questions - 9/25

hedgepig

What has you puzzled this week ladies?

whatabout2ndbreakfast

Anyone ever fainted while pregnant? Just almost fainted in my co-workers office. Luckily I used to faint fairly often as a teenager so I knew what was happening. Soooo embarrassed because she's a nurse and I got a bit of a lecture!

ladythrice

peppersmith22 said:

Anyone ever fainted while pregnant? Just almost fainted in my co-workers office. Luckily I used to faint fairly often as a teenager so I knew what was happening. Soooo embarrassed because she's a nurse and I got a bit of a lecture!

I haven't ever fainted at all, but the closest I've come to it has been when I was pregnant. At the time I chocked it up to being low on fuel (water and food) and the heat.

ekendall09

peppersmith22 said:

Anyone ever fainted while pregnant? Just almost fainted in my co-workers office. Luckily I used to faint fairly often as a teenager so I knew what was happening. Soooo embarrassed because she's a nurse and I got a bit of a lecture!

Yes.  I'm a fainter when it comes to all that is medical.  Mine is totally a mental thing and nothing to do with water/blood sugar etc.  Fortunately I can usually give a 5 second countdown to the Dr or nurse there.  I'm usually only out a max of 10 seconds and come to generally confused and extreme overheated.  I've gotten better but haven't been able to keep myself from fainting completely.

jenotontx

I have a question for all you ladies getting an NT scan... Does your Dr. automatically do the NT scan for you or did you elect to have it done? I just learned that my office doesn't do it unless you elect for it and even then I would have to go to an outside clinic to have it performed. They don't do it in house. Does this seem unusual? I'm still going back and forth with myself on if I should get the NIPT but I'm thinking that if my Dr. isn't even going to do an NT I am leaning towards getting the testing.     

sparklingdiamond

@JJMNO1616 With my first, they did the NT scan in office. Now they don't do it there anymore and do just a blood test instead. I asked about the NT and am being referred out anyways because of an issue on DHs side (with my stepson). 

ngolimento

JJMNO1616 said:

I have a question for all you ladies getting an NT scan... Does your Dr. automatically do the NT scan for you or did you elect to have it done? I just learned that my office doesn't do it unless you elect for it and even then I would have to go to an outside clinic to have it performed. They don't do it in house. Does this seem unusual? I'm still going back and forth with myself on if I should get the NIPT but I'm thinking that if my Dr. isn't even going to do an NT I am leaning towards getting the testing.     

I believe that doctors are less likely to recommend it due to cost and the bother with insurance companies.  I had the same situation, where my doctor asked me if I wanted to do it, rather than told me to.  However, I chose that doctor because she respects my input, and the amount of research I put into my prenatal care, so I wasn't surprised to be asked instead of being told.

I had to have my doc pre-authorized the scan with insurance, which was a bit of a hassle.  I am going to a specialist tomorrow for it.  I almost wonder if doctors don't mention it due to how many people try to get it because "squee I want to know the sex AND get an extra scan for fun!", Then end up being butthurt over the cost.

irenejean

@JJMNO1616 For the NT scan I had to elect to do it and I had to go to another clinic to get it done. For the NIPT I also have to elect to do it, but they do the blood draw at my clinic. You might want to check with insurance, I'm covered for the NIPT because I'm AMA. I'm not sure I could get the NT scan if I wanted one. My doctor said the nipt replaces the NT scan once you're AMA.

cards10

peppersmith22 said:

Anyone ever fainted while pregnant? Just almost fainted in my co-workers office. Luckily I used to faint fairly often as a teenager so I knew what was happening. Soooo embarrassed because she's a nurse and I got a bit of a lecture!

@peppersmith22 I almost fainted last pregnancy around 31w but I had been having fainting spells or whatever before pregnancy too. I also actually fainted at the hospital when I went in for delivery, luckily I was sitting down already and there were multiple nurses and a doctor checking me in. They did an ECG and some other tests, taking it very seriously since I was in labor! The results were all totally normal. The common denominator every single time I've fainted... pancakes. Pan-frickin-cakes! Lots of sugar all at once and then sitting down for a while makes for a bad combo once I stand back up again. So I use less syrup now and haven't fainted since. I love those little disks of sugary heaven, no way I'm giving those up, especially pregnant!
Just make sure you eat kinda often if you're prone to fainting. 

@JJMNO1616 I also had to elect to have the NT done. It is done at the hospital my Dr is affiliated with, not in the dr office, since their equipment is a lot better. 

jenotontx

@ngolimento @cards10 @irenejean @sparklingdiamond Thanks for the feedback. As a FTM figuring out all the various testing has been really confusing for me. I assumed wrongly that a lot of these tests/scans were just standard procedure and now that I know otherwise I am trying to make the best informed decision I can. I guess I just didn't ask enough questions in my first appointment. I plan to go over all My questions/concerns with the Dr. in my appointment next week but I want to make sure I have the right questions to ask. I will be getting the blood drawn in the same appointment if I decide to move forward with the NIPT so it will be a somewhat on the spot decision. 

@irenejean I already know my insurance doesn't cover the NIPT because I'm under 35

hedgepig

@JJMNO1616 My doctor basically went over the NT scan vs the NIPT, and asked which one I wanted. Since the way she presented it made it obvious that NIPT was easier and more accurate, I opted for that. I assume they would have done a NT scan had I wanted one, but I didn't ask. 

kaymaroo

@JJMNO1616 My doctor asked if I wanted to do the NT scan. Insurance won't cover the NIPT because I'm under 35. I did the blood draw portion of the screening in the doctor's office but for the scan itself I had to go to an ultrasound clinic. Regular u/s machines aren't sensitive enough for this test.

Btw, the NT scan has to be performed I think by 14 weeks, so if you want to do it you should probably try to get it scheduled pretty soon.

ekendall09

NT scan....is it done externally or vaginally? I'm never mentally prepared these days. 

From the pregnant lady quite surprised by the uterus size check last week. 

whatabout2ndbreakfast

Thank you ladies! I did end up calling the doctor and they were a little more excited about it than i expected and said i needed to go to the er of it happens again.
@cards10 Pancakes!? If that's the cause not sure I could give those up haha

@JJMNO1616 my doctor is more like a center so they have nice u/s in the same building and that's where they do the scan. I opted out so I'm not sure if it would be covered by my insurance since I'm low risk. 

 @ekendall09 I'm so glad my mom clued me in on the vaginal u/s... I had no idea there was such a thing my first pregnancy lol

sweetpeammm13

@peppersmith22 my mother had never seen the vaginal US before, I have had early ultrasounds with 2 pregnancies!

So funny how much my mom is learning with new technology and practices, the last time she was pregnant was the 80s! It is funny to se how much has changed!! 

I am doing the NT and the NIPT 10/2! Gives me peace of mind! I did not know they could tell the sex from the NIPT though! That is cool, I will have to ask! 

I am struggling with my mood, I get so hulkishly mad at things, mainly things my SO does! Just wish my mood would level out! Feeling happy, then sad, then mad, then defeated, then overwhelmed back to happy! It is a constant roller coaster! 

cards10

ekendall09 said:

NT scan....is it done externally or vaginally? I'm never mentally prepared these days. 

From the pregnant lady quite surprised by the uterus size check last week. 

@ekendall09 my NT scans are externally done. Not sure if that's normal but since it's done between 12-14w it probably is. 

kmalls

@ekendall09 our office does the NT scan externally!

sapphires-and-diamonds

@peppersmith22 During my last pregnancy I almost fainted. I was probably around 13 or 14 weeks, standing in line at he DMV. Out of nowhere I felt the color drain from my face, started sweating profusely and my vision went white. Somehow I stepped out of line and made it to a bench before I collapsed. I put my head between my knees and recovered after a few minutes. It really freaked me out. 

@JJMNO1616 My OB practice affiliates with UH and NT scans are done by a high risk OB through them, so I do have to go to a different office to get mine done. My OB recommended it with my 1st and asked if I was doing it again this time because my 1st cousin has spina bifida. I also did NIPT (I am AMA) and was told a combination of the two tests is best for accuracy. 

@ekendall09 I had two NT scans last time (DS was too small still to measure for the first appointment) and they were both external.

ekendall09

oh thank goodness @kmalls !!

frenchiekinplusone

@ekendall09 my NT scan was also external - it was the first thing I asked when I got in there because she didn't ask me to undress. I was like "yayyy, the transvaginal ultrasound days are over!!!" And the tech was like mmm no honey, you'll have one at your anatomy scan to check your cervix, SORRY!  Fucking LEEPs. 

@JJMNO1616 I think it's pretty standard to do the NT in my practice but I also said without prompting that I wanted ALL of the testing.  Mine sends you to the hospital to have it done - they're in a "Prenatal Diagnosis Center" and a maternal-fetal MD reviews the results with you. My OB doesn't do any U/S in her office. A close friend of mine said hers was right in her OBs office so I guess it just varies by practice. 

@peppersmith22 I've never been a fainter but I've noticed in the last couple months of being KU when I sometimes stand up too quickly I become scary light-headed and have to hold onto something until it passes. Probably not the same thing (I've never actually fainted ever so I have no clue) but still freaks me out all the same! 

pghren

@frenchiekinplusone @peppersmith22
+1 to the lightheadedness. I've never fainted, but I've been especially lightheaded this pregnancy

ekendall09

@kmalls do I need a full bladder for nt scan?  I didn't need one for any u/s at my last dr. office.

kmalls

@ekendall09 nope! 

itsrandiyo

I had to look up what an NT test is, and ours is just called a first trimester screening, and I think its common practice at my OB's office. I opted out this time and last but they always ask/assume your going to do it.

lesliegolem

@peppersmith22 did you go to the ER? What did they say?

My sister actually fainted twice at work while pregnant. She is slightly hypoglycemic but after it happened twice the Dr advised her to quit work and take it easy at home. Luckily she was able to do that but it was very scary because it happened both times so suddenly. But everything else went ok for her. Hopefully it's nothing major for you and doesn't happen again! 

cards10

ekendall09 said:

@kmalls do I need a full bladder for nt scan?  I didn't need one for any u/s at my last dr. office.

I was told to come with a full bladder.

ekendall09

@cards10 it wasn't needed for mine. I didn't ask I just showed up. I remember my last bmb saying you needed one for the A/s so I showed up that way and the woman was like um you should probably go pee, I can already see your bladder is full and this is going to take a while. 

kmalls

cards10 said:

ekendall09 said:

@kmalls do I need a full bladder for nt scan?  I didn't need one for any u/s at my last dr. office.

I was told to come with a full bladder.

@cards10 it's so strange how different offices require different things. @ekendall09 and I go to the same OB practice and they've never required a full bladder for any ultrasound! 

ngolimento

I just did my NT scan yesterday, and they did not tell me to show up with a full bladder.  I almost wonder if the places that ask for a full bladder don't have a transvaginal wand to fall back on in the event the external scan isn't clear.

klburke88

I showed up to my first OB appt with a full bladder, expecting to give a sample. Nope. Went straight into the ultrasound, but they had a hard time seeing baby due to my bladder. Was told to go pee and GIVE A SAMPLE! WTF? 

whatabout2ndbreakfast

@lesliegolem I actually didn't go to the ER then but it hasn't happened again so we'll see. I definitely can't quit work. I'm glad everything went well for your sister!

sweetpeammm13

@ekendall09 @cards10 every single ultrasound, with this pregnancy and my last they told me to come with a full bladder and @ngolimento the place I go has a wand, as I had transvaginal for both dating ultrasounds for both pregnancies! They even said I did a good job at a couple because it was full! They have a bathroom in US room so you can go after exam! It is interesting to see how other practices do it! Although I have never found it difficult to arrive with full bladder as I have to pee so much while pregnant anyway!! Lol

tooraloorah

Anyone having restless leg syndrome? I am ok during the day, but my legs get so restless at night. I’m drinking plenty of water and that usually does the trick when I’m not pregnant. 

hedgepig

@ekendall09 @cards10 @ngolimento @sweetpeammm13 I think it depends on the ultrasound machine. I don't need a full bladder for the one at my OB's office, but I have had to have a full bladder when I went to the hospital to have an U/S with the higher-tech machine they had there  (*TW* to double check for viability with my MCs */TW*). Both machines have transvag wands.

dirtyboots

@tooraloorah I haven't had any yet this pregnancy, but I had them awful with my 1st. Lost sooooo much sleep to those stupid things. I never found anything to fix the problem, except birth. No help, sorry. 

g_amoss

Has anyone else had to buy bigger bras? I'm up a cup already, and am a little worried how bad it's going to get. 

linds0503

@g_amoss I am up two cup sizes. I hope they don't get too much bigger lol. But I did get a couple new bras this week, and it feels a lot better.

kmalls

tooraloorah said:

Anyone having restless leg syndrome? I am ok during the day, but my legs get so restless at night. I’m drinking plenty of water and that usually does the trick when I’m not pregnant. 

@tooraloorah - YES and it's so awful! It happens about once a week and it drives me crazy. I have yet to find anything that helps. 

g_amoss

linds0503 said:

@g_amoss I am up two cup sizes. I hope they don't get too much bigger lol. But I did get a couple new bras this week, and it feels a lot better.

I bought one to make sure the size was right, and it will be (for another week or so  ) I don't want the back issues.

tooraloorah

@dirtyboots and @kmalls unisom has been my go to the last two nights to help me get to sleep. Otherwise, I feel bad we have to deal (or have dealt) with this! 

hedgepig

@g_amoss Yes, I'm up a cup size at least! I'm usually a B cup, so it's been pretty exciting and novel so far I bought a bamboobies nursing bra, because it's a racer back and I need that to go with a lot of my warm weather work wear and am loving it, although I will have to get another in large because I didn't size up enough.