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July 2013 Moms
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Thinking of firing my MFM--may get long

melissabsheltonmelissabshelton
in July 2013 Moms

So I've been seeing my MFM since about 24 weeks.  I've never liked her.  She's smart and well educated but cannot seem to explain things in plain English, her bedside manner sucks, and I just don't like her.

 

I saw her last Wednesday.  The only reason she made that appointment (or what she told us when she made it) was that because the brain cysts were gone and all we were left with was the echogenic bowels that "she wasn't impressed" and she wanted to check to make sure nothing else showed up.  My fluid was low (but she would never give me a number), she told me things were measuring big and ahead, she told me repeatedly to increase my calories (but would never give me a real reason as to why--I've gained a good 30-something lbs.), told me to increase my fluid intake.  She scheduled me to come back yesterday.

 

I saw my midwife Friday.  I had her pull up the report from the MFM (hooray for Kaiser and having access to all my medical records at a click) to explain in plain English what was going on and just give me the answers the MFM couldn't seem to.  My fluid was low but not anything to overly stress over, just increase my fluids.  After telling me everything was measuring big and ahead, she had in the report that I was at risk for restricted growth.  And as far as telling me to eat more calories (repeatedly), my midwife was concerned over that and told me that I needed to be eating more protein.  After I spent 2 days trying specifically to up my calories and just eating myself sick.  Okay.  So the midwife tells me I've got to start twice weekly appointments with them for BPPs and monitoring and ultrasounds.

 

I go to the MFM yesterday.  She has no idea of why I'm there.   I remind her because my fluid level was low.  She has no idea of what my level had been to even know if it had gone up--which it had.  She looks quickly over the ultrasounds and says that everything is measuring right where it needs to be--after telling me last appointment everything was big and then putting in my report that I was at risk for growth restriction.  She had no idea of why I would have had to increase either of my calories or protein--"you've gained an appropriate amount of weight".  I honestly don't think she looked at my records at all.  She schedules me an appointment for 2 weeks to recheck my fluids.

 

I go to my midwife Thursday for my BPP appointment through them.  I'm honestly thinking of asking them if I have to go back.  If I'm getting 2 BPP appointments a week through the OB/GYN office that my midwives are out of, is there a reason for me to drive over an hour into downtown Atlanta for a fluid check and pay a $50 copay each time when the twice weekly BPPs I'm having to have done already are covered and will cover the fluid check?  I'm overly grateful to have access to this care and really want what's best for the baby.  But am I crazy for wanting to be done with her?  

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Re: Thinking of firing my MFM--may get long

  • melissabsheltonmelissabshelton
    There are 2 different MFMs I could see.  And honestly, at this late (I'll be 35 weeks Friday), if it's a fluid issue and the midwives are already ordering twice weekly BPPs which will also monitor fluid level at their facility--which is staffed with something like 12 midwives and OB/GYNs--I'm not sure what the MFM could really do differently.  I'm sure one set could send me to the hospital or tell me to keep upping my fluids just as easily as the other.  I've voiced my irritation over her personality at almost every appointment.  Now it's just time to step it up and voice my irritation over her care.  Yesterday's visit has just been eating at me.  Thanks.  Good to know I'm not the only one that sees a problem.
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  • melissabsheltonmelissabshelton
    imagecasey78:

    He indicated feeling totally comfortable doing our growth scans (we miss the pretty pictures, but seemed silly to be having $1200 scans when $200 would get the same info we needed). We start weekly and then biweekly BPPs in OBs office this week. 

    I share all this as a way of asking -- what are the chances your mw could do some of that monitoring in her office?  

     

    That's my thing.  I can keep going to this woman that I'm questioning now why I'm seeing and paying a $50 copay, fighting some crazy traffic, driving over an hour one way, using up baby-sitting favors because it makes a 15 minute appointment turn into almost 3 hours some appointments...  When my regular Kaiser facility is going to be doing the BPPs, hooking me up to monitors, doing the ultrasounds twice a week and it's fully covered (no copay), it's a 20 minute drive--30 if I hit traffic, I like the midwives and most of the OBs, and they're going to be checking everything and more that the MFM is doing. 

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  • JasmineeelizabethJasmineeelizabeth member

    What's an MFM?

     

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  • GuillermaGuillerma member
    imageJasmineeelizabeth:

    What's an MFM?

     

     

    a materal fetal medicine dr. They are OB's who have done additional training to work with high risk pregnancies and do higher level ultrasounds. 

     

    OP, is there another doc in the practice you could see? Or is it just her? The two practices I know in downtown atl have multiple docs, but it may be somewhere else. I would try that first, maybe you will like that resin better and they will still have all your records, etc. Sometimes a new set of eyes and a fresh start is good.

    Waiting for #3!

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  • melissabsheltonmelissabshelton
    imageGuillerma:
    imageJasmineeelizabeth:

    What's an MFM?

     

     

    a materal fetal medicine dr. They are OB's who have done additional training to work with high risk pregnancies and do higher level ultrasounds. 

     

    OP, is there another doc in the practice you could see? Or is it just her? The two practices I know in downtown atl have multiple docs, but it may be somewhere else. I would try that first, maybe you will like that resin better and they will still have all your records, etc. Sometimes a new set of eyes and a fresh start is good.

     

    Our area Kaiser only has 2 individual MFMs.  One person in downtown Atlanta and one person in a totally different area that's just as much of a hassle to get to.  And they're both next to impossible to get in to.  I'm just to the point of feeling like that at this point in time, for that particular issue, I can get the same monitoring and better care without having to deal with all of that.  I'm being monitored for somewhat, but not really low, fluid.  That my midwives are already going to be monitoring me for twice weekly.  It just doesn't make sense to me to keep seeing this woman.

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