February 2016 Moms
ladyjoyner
member
Do all OB's hate me?
ladyjoyner
member
I was a high risk case the first time around but I didn't or speak to my previous doctor hardly at all. At the end of that pregnancy it was discovered I had full blown preeclampsia and I was transferred to a high risk hospital where my son passed away at 30 weeks. They were really hateful and I thought maybe it was just the medicine making me perceive things incorrectly. But after getting my full medical records from my lawyer I found that they wrote things like, "Patient is hysterical for no reason. Give 50mg of Vistaril to calm." I was upset because the kicks were lessening and they weren't listening to me. As I was being discharged from the hospital two days later, I got a call from my original OB saying that he was sorry about what had happened but that his nurses didn't even tell him that I had been calling with problems. He promised that if I would get pregnant quickly then he would make things right.
Fast forward to next pregnancy 6 months later. I was thinking of using him again because the hospitals in my area are not wonderful and I have limited options. But as soon as I went to my first appointment it was like nothing had happened before. I was treated the same way and I was told that I am not considered high risk and would not be referred out to Maternal Fetal Medicine for follow up visits. I had been driving 45 mins to an hour to see this doctor and I was shellshocked especially because he had promised me different treatment.
So, I transferred to another OB closer to home. I was not thrilled about delivering at this hospital because I had not had good experiences in the past. But I was already 15 weeks and needed to be seen. Now, I am taking the Makena shot and I have Perinatology nurse visits but if the nurses or I call to tell the doctor something is going on he just shrugs it off and tells me not to worry so much. I feel like I'm bouncing between what the nurses tell me and what the doctor tells me. The last episode has been that I gained 3 pounds in a week and I've had +1 edema in my feet and hands with loss of feeling in my left foot but my BP was at 110/72. So I called in to report the problem and the doctor has been too busy to call me back. They actually called me one time and put me on hold. But I know once I do get on the phone he's going to say there's nothing he can do.
I'm just wondering if there's something about me that doctors don't like because none of my friends deal with this. They just have children and go on with their lives, even if they were high risk. Sometimes we have used the very same doctors and they loved their experiences. Just so confused.
Re: Do all OB's hate me?
Baby F.......02/02/2016
where are you OP?
*Kate*
February 2016
Assuming everything you said above is fact and not perception, did you file (and win) a medical malpractice suit?
And when did this clot come into play? You mentioned you were high risk because of pre-E.
Baby F.......02/02/2016
Like I said in my original response, I would encourage you to have a sit down with your OB and talk about these things. Sure, he/she can't fix your experience from last time, but it can help them understand your needs and where you're coming from this time. At the end of the day, the patient has to be accountable for their care, too.
Surprise BFP! 06/08/15
Nadine GraceMarie 02/10/16
Diagnosed with placenta increta post delivery: emergency partial hysterectomy - cervix and ovaries still intact
Gestational surrogacy or adoption TBD
On the topic of the other fetal demises on the day you lost your son, there is absolutely no way for you to know that these cases were due to negligence. Hallway gossip is not reliable info. Spreading malicious gossip like that is not helpful to anyone involved. Many patients and families want to find someone to place the blame on when something tragic like that happens. Hopefully your lawyer will get to the bottom of your particular case. If it is widely known that you're in the middle of a lawsuit with the hospital, I'm sure any health care provider is going to tiptoe around you. This may not seem fair, but we're all scared of being sued. I'm particularly wary of patients that are already involved in litigation. Thoughts and prayers to you.
I would consider going with another ob since you are frustrated with your current one. Also, I know you said care is bad, but if you get dismissed over the phone and don't feel
Right about it, I would have no problem going into labor and delivery at the hospital to be monitored. I was pgal last time and there are just some times it's worth it. I called the nurse at the ob they said the first time after x weeks if I have spotting or bad cramps like I was complaining about to go into labor and delivery. I ended up going in 3 times, and the second two I just called the office to tell them this is what I'm experiencing again and that I'm going in. The bills were totally worth the piece of mind, in my opinion.
To @Ju111310's point, I had 3-4+ pitting edema my last pregnancy. I had no signs of pre-e, BP was normal, etc. it's just one of those things sometimes.
If it would help you feel more resolve towards the previous situation, I'd encourage you to report your concerns (to help get it off your shoulders). Know that sentinel events are required to be reported, though, and if a hospital had responsibility for so many deaths, they would be shut down. Accreditation is strict, citations and warnings are given liberally, and in my experience, no staff would allow a long history negligent fetal deaths to be swept under the rug. Again, if you feel that is what happened, you should report it to get it off your shoulders.
I hope you can find a solution so this doesn't wear on you your whole pregnancy.
Surprise BFP! 06/08/15
Nadine GraceMarie 02/10/16
Diagnosed with placenta increta post delivery: emergency partial hysterectomy - cervix and ovaries still intact
Gestational surrogacy or adoption TBD
OP, I live I in South Ga too, like the Southest you can get, lol. Most of my female family members have all used the same Dr and delivered at the same hospital. This hospital is only 25 min away from where we live, however last year my cousin had pre-eclampsia (sp?) And was induced 3 weeks early. The night she was induced, her BP kept skyrocketing to the point the staff were afraid she would start seizing. Her Dr continued to allow her to labor through the night on into the next day. By 5pm the next day, he finally took her back for a section, where she bled profusely and they were not able to stop it. She had to be immediately transferred to a larger hospital that was able to handle emergencies like that. Her baby was fine but had to stay at the hospital he was born in. Her dr said he was "concerned for her life." She was admitted to a hospital an hour away where she stayed for 3 days. Luckily she recovered, but her experience swayed my decision when finding an OB. My Dr is truly amazing and I will deliver at an incredible hospital that unfortunately is a little over an hour away (and out of state, in FL). But I feel secure knowing that this hospital will be able to handle any emergency that may arise. I don't know where you live, but if at all possible, consider going to a different Dr/hospital even if it is a bit further away. I am very sorry for your previous loss and while I don't know the whole story, I do think your Dr should be more patient and understanding given your situation. Prayers for a healthy pregnancy and delivery of your little one!
I was seeing my regular Dr and she didn't want to send me to high risk Dr until I was much further along (previous preeclampsia, but good so far in this pregnancy, didn't want to take up time of high risk Dr since there are only 2 in my city) Anyways I was positive for gestational diabetes and quite overwhelmed with it and she didn't know what to do with me so finally referred me and what a difference - apparently need a specialty ultrasound (because of last pregnancy) should be taking baby aspirin, needed to start taking insulin etc. getting a good High risk Dr has done wonders for my mental health, and definitely changed my care.
Definitely get the nurses to recommend a new Dr.