Bed Rest Already & Spotting

JennJenn87

Friday I started spotting some, called the hospital (my OB clinic was closed all day Friday), and they told me to be on 100% bed rest until Monday when I can talk to my doctor.  Well my doctor also is closed today too because of MLK day.  This is ridiculous, and I'm seriously thinking of changing doctors.  Not only for this, but for other reasons as well.  Only problem is, I'll have to drive 100 miles or so if I did change.  So here I am working today, wondering if I need to be in the bed still, and praying my doctor decides to get out of the bed in the morning and actually go to work!!

beginswithb

Ugh, how frustrating! I hope you get some answers SOON!  ((hugs))

rcut1224

I was spotting and then got heavier last week. I tried to call the doctor as well and ended up just going to the ER just because it was easier than actually getting an appointment. They ran the same tests as the ob would anyway.

Thinking of switching docs as well. Hope everthing works out for you!

-due Sep.6, 2012

JennJenn87

We were going to go to the ER, but after a few phone calls the hospital told us they wouldn't do anything anyways and the best place I needed to be was in the bed.  Thank goodness too since we can't afford an ER visit unless it is definitely needed.  They said to only come in if it got a lot worse which it didn't so that is good, but I still would like to talk to my doctor but of course she isn't there like always. 

GreyLove

I hope everything will be okay.

amanda31H

Doesn't your doctor have an answering service?

I started spotting at 13/14 weeks after hours on a holiday in my last pregnancy.  I called my doctor's office and the answering service picked up.  They paged my doctor and she called me back less than 10 minutes later.  Because my spotting stopped, she didn't want me sitting in an ER all night.  So she had me wait it out (unless it got worse) until the next day.  I opted to go to a radiology center instead of the ER and got my u/s.

I was never told to go on bed rest.....at 5 weeks that seems really extreme.  Also- who told you at the hospital to go on bedrest?  A doctor? 

JennJenn87

No they have no answering service.  They say in emergencies go to the ER and thats it.  I talked to labor and delivery at the hospital and they told me to go on bed rest to ease the pressure off my cervix.  I told them my history and that is when they told me to go on bed rest.  With my last pregnancy I was on bed rest for almost 2 weeks starting at 6 weeks because of bleeding.  It isn't "extreme" when you have bleeding to rest, in fact everything I have read or heard recommends it especially when you are early.

amanda31H

JennJenn87:

No they have no answering service.  They say in emergencies go to the ER and thats it.  I talked to labor and delivery at the hospital and they told me to go on bed rest to ease the pressure off my cervix.  I told them my history and that is when they told me to go on bed rest.  With my last pregnancy I was on bed rest for almost 2 weeks starting at 6 weeks because of bleeding.  It isn't "extreme" when you have bleeding to rest, in fact everything I have read or heard recommends it especially when you are early.

You never mentioned your prior history in your original post.  You also said you were "spotting", not bleeding.  Many women spot in first tri and never end up on bed rest.

So when I said that it seems "extreme" to go on bed rest, I wasn't taking into account your prior history, and I was going by you saying that you were spotting.

 

JennJenn87

My history is with my last pregnancy I started spotting around 6 weeks.  I was on bed rest for about 2 weeks and the bleeding almost all but stopped except for a little here and there so I was told to just take it easy.  About 14 weeks, the bleeding got a lot worse and I was rushed to the ER and found out the baby had no skull (which is called acrania) and had 0 chance of survival outside of the womb and was told I could die as well during labor if I chose to deliver.  The high risk doctor had said my body had known something was wrong early on and was trying to miscarry, but my cervix was really strong and the chances of me miscarrying were very slim especially being 15 weeks at this point in the pregnancy.  Because of my history with bleeding and going through what I went through then, I will do everything and anything I can for this baby.

kegallagh

JennJenn87:

My history is with my last pregnancy I started spotting around 6 weeks.  I was on bed rest for about 2 weeks and the bleeding almost all but stopped except for a little here and there so I was told to just take it easy.  About 14 weeks, the bleeding got a lot worse and I was rushed to the ER and found out the baby had no skull (which is called acrania) and had 0 chance of survival outside of the womb and was told I could die as well during labor if I chose to deliver.  The high risk doctor had said my body had known something was wrong early on and was trying to miscarry, but my cervix was really strong and the chances of me miscarrying were very slim especially being 15 weeks at this point in the pregnancy.  Because of my history with bleeding and going through what I went through then, I will do everything and anything I can for this baby.

Oh, I'm so sorry. I can't even imagine.

amanda31H

JennJenn87:

My history is with my last pregnancy I started spotting around 6 weeks.  I was on bed rest for about 2 weeks and the bleeding almost all but stopped except for a little here and there so I was told to just take it easy.  About 14 weeks, the bleeding got a lot worse and I was rushed to the ER and found out the baby had no skull (which is called acrania) and had 0 chance of survival outside of the womb and was told I could die as well during labor if I chose to deliver.  The high risk doctor had said my body had known something was wrong early on and was trying to miscarry, but my cervix was really strong and the chances of me miscarrying were very slim especially being 15 weeks at this point in the pregnancy.  Because of my history with bleeding and going through what I went through then, I will do everything and anything I can for this baby.

Can you clarify your original question then?  You said in your post that this seemed ridiculous - so I'm not sure what you're looking for? 

When you said "this" was ridiculous, did you mean that your doctor's office was closed on MLK day?  Because you seem pretty adamant that the bed rest is necessary, so I'm assuming that the bed rest is not what you found to be ridiculous.

JennJenn87

Why the picking apart of my posts all of a sudden?  I have never had this problem on these boards ever and all of a sudden everything I say is picked apart?  hmmm... Anyways I think it is pretty clear I was saying it was ridiculous the clinic was closed.  They are closed more than they are open it seems including last Friday and many other times I have needed to contact them.

JennJenn87

kegallagh:

Oh, I'm so sorry. I can't even imagine.

 

Thank you.  It was the hardest thing we have ever went through, but we made it with a lot of prayer.

ammagin

I'm so sorry you have to go through something that reminds you of your loss.  That must be really hard.  I don't think anyone is trying to attack you here--just trying to fully understand your situation.  With the first bit of information it did seem extreme for the ER to put you on bed rest but it makes much more sense with your follow up.

I cannot believe your doctor doesn't have an answering service in this day and age.  That's just crazy!  Things happen ALL the time and even if you can't reach them a nurse hotline can't be that expensive to give advice when they are gone so you (and others) don't waste your time stressing or going to the ER.  Sometimes a reassuring phone conversation is all you need to figure out next steps.

I hope you stop spotting and I would consider changing doctors to one who is more responsive, especially after such a tough loss. GL!

JennJenn87

Thank you.  They had an answering service a while back, but since the hospital is hurting and thus all the clinics associated with the hospital are too they are cutting back everything.  The next closest hospital with a L&D department is 100 miles away and doctors included.  My current doctor/clinic is my only choice really if I want to stay close to home which I did, but I'm now reconsidering that decision.

amanda31H

ammagin:

I'm so sorry you have to go through something that reminds you of your loss.  That must be really hard.  I don't think anyone is trying to attack you here--just trying to fully understand your situation.  With the first bit of information it did seem extreme for the ER to put you on bed rest but it makes much more sense with your follow up.

I cannot believe your doctor doesn't have an answering service in this day and age.  That's just crazy!  Things happen ALL the time and even if you can't reach them a nurse hotline can't be that expensive to give advice when they are gone so you (and others) don't waste your time stressing or going to the ER.  Sometimes a reassuring phone conversation is all you need to figure out next steps.

I hope you stop spotting and I would consider changing doctors to one who is more responsive, especially after such a tough loss. GL!

All this.  Spotting at 5 weeks doesn't equal bed rest without knowing the other pieces of the story that you left out. 

But I'm still confused because you said you took yourself off bed rest - since you're at work- why would you do that if the hospital said to wait to see your doctor?  You mentioned you'd do everything to help this baby, so I would keep following the hospital's advice.

As far as your doctor goes, if you're not getting the care you need, you may want to consider driving 100 miles to the next one.  Only you can make that decision.  With a prior loss like yours, I'd be extra cautious and probably want to be monitored more closely.  Doesn't sound like you're going to get that at your current practice.