Thank you ladies and a question about experiences?

OfficialBillie · June 2016

First, I want to thank everyone who responded to my post. Also I'm sorry I didn't update sooner but my app isn't letting me post on my thread so I'm doing it here, sorry if it's clogging the feed.

So, I actually ended up getting sick right before I left for my US so my bladder was completely empty after all. Lol. Oops.

Luckily they got a good picture of the little nugget, and everything seems fine. One of my main concerns is that I was born with a hole in my heart and I want to keep an eye on my baby's heart if possible, but they said the heart rate was 168 BPM so hopefully that's a good sign.

I do have one more question for you, though. Has anyone else had any issues with their sonogram technicians? I went in and tried to talk and he was just so silent the whole time. He spoke a grand total of three or four sentences. One of which was asking about my previous pregnancy and assuming it was an abortion, then seemed annoyed when I corrected him and said it was a MC. My mother later made a joke about twins and he (somewhat rudely, in my opinion) cut her off and said "there's only one" before she even finished her sentence. He barely said anything when he finally turned the screen so I could see it, only saying "here's your baby" and pointing to the screen. Towards the end of the appointment I asked about the heartbeat because I hadn't even heard the ambient noises one usually hears from the speakers when they listen for something. (I've had ultrasounds before due to health problems) he then simply said "it's too small. This is the babies heart, you can't hear it" and pointed to the spot pounding away on the screen, which seeing the heartbeat was still a major relief and happy moment. Finally, at the end of the appointment he handed me a towel and started to walk out without saying anything, when my mom stopped him and asked about the pictures from the ultrasound. He just huffed, leaned down to the printer, ripped them off the thing and handed them to her.

I I try not to judge or be too harsh on people because you never know what's going on in their lives, but this was something I'd been looking forward to and stressing over since I saw the little positive read on my test and I feel like his attitude kind of ruined it a little. Luckily my boyfriend was also there and he made me laugh afterwards, but still. I'm debating seeing if I can go somewhere else next time. Has anyone else had any issues?

Sorry for for the long post/rant.

Knottie1443924966 · June 2016

@OfficialBillie I am so sorry to hear that this was your experience. This is not how your experience is suppose to go. People do forget that their actions influence others and this is an exact example of how negative energy and thoughts can multiple.

I hope that you bring this incident up to the head of the department.

Also try to extract the positive moments from your experience like your mother being present and seeing your healthy baby for the first time. Erase the rest

cjs260 · June 2016

I'm sorry that you had a poor experience. Like PP said, maybe say something to the doctor or administration about it. However, I'd give him some leeway on the abortion thing. Medical professionals call a terminated pregnancy an abortion whether it's a miscarriage or an elective abortion. That may have been why he used that language. It's an ugly term for sure but my team of OBs uses instead of miscarriage quite frequently.

Edit typo

LoneStar21416 · June 2016

I'm sorry you had a bad experience! I was fearful of how the experience with a tech would be because all of my previous ultrasounds m were with my various doctors. When I first met with the tech, I explained (briefly) my history of loss and how this was a stressful event for me. I asked her before we got started what her plan was so I could prepare. Meaning, would she say anything at all (whether good or bad), would she be talking to me throughout, etc? I didn't want to be lying there assuming the worst when she may simply just be taking the pictures, doing measurements, and not wanting to engage in conversation at that very moment. She told me she would be focused on doing what she had to do to get her pictures and measurements and then she would turn the screen to me and show me. I happened to have a very understanding tech and she took time to answer some of my questions (that she was able to) and showed me where the placenta was, and things like that.

I think a lot of techs do not want to talk because they are focused. It's their job to take the pictures they need and make sure the doctors have a good visual. They're not there to discuss much. Also, they're not going to be able to give a diagnosis if something is wrong so I think it's a fine line for them. The results and pictures are for your doctor to review and interpret and discuss with you. I try to remember that. It sounds like he could have had a better demeanor, but I don't think it's super uncustomary for techs to be less than chatty.

TW: And I agree with @cjs260. My first loss was always labeled (in paperwork) as an incomplete abortion) after I hemorrhaged from taking cyotec. That loss was in no way elective. Doctors have a lot more tact and always referred to it when speaking to me as a miscarriage, but the true medical term for that was incomplete abortion. Sounds like this guy is just a little grumpy and not that sensitive!

curlysue22 · June 2016

I'm sorry you had a negative experience. I can totally understand feeling let down after you were so excited about it. I would ask for a different tech the next time (my practice has many ultrasound techs anyway). I think they should be able to accommodate that. And if they ask why, you can tell them.

sagoon · June 2016

I'm sorry your tech sucked. For my u/s, they sent a resident in to do it initially, which I knew wouldn't go well. She was super nervous and unable to find anything. She spent 10 minutes trying to find an ovary. I had to ask to see the pregnancy, as my primary concern was making sure it was a viable pregnancy, not to get good pictures of my ovaries (I understand that this is part of what they do, but being aware of the patient's cares and concerns is important as well). After poking around for about 25 minutes, she eventually went and got the tech, who got all the measurements they needed and let us see the baby in no time flat. She was much better.
Also, nthing that often medical staff will refer to a miscarriage as a spontaneous abortion. Your tech should still have had more tact though.

KimC85 · June 2016

I cried after my AS because I had a tech like that. Can you request a different tech next time?

katesmama0706 · June 2016

I'm so sorry! I've always had my OB doing my ultrasounds and they've been great. One of my friends was in the emergency room at 19 weeks, dehydrated so bad from morning sickness and asked the nurse doing her ultrasound if she could tell the sex and the nurse yelled at her "you're here for an emergency, the sex is irrelevant!"
I've always wondered why someone would think it's okay to treat another person like that, especially in either of those situations, where you have a specific concern that they could address easily but won't! I would definitely go to the head of the department or at the very least your doctor and complain.
I had a resident attend my birth and I haaaaaated him. He was rude, couldn't find my cervix and just wanted to talk about future birth control options while I was in active labor. I complained to the head of L&D and also my doctor about him. I can't say it did any good, I never followed up. But it at least made me feel better.

Teach123 · June 2016

I agree with @LoneStar21416. The techs are limited on what they can say. Their job is just to take the pictures. It's important for them to concentrate and get the best images possible because it could be costly to the patient to have to have more scans because they didn't get good enough or the right images the first time. My sister-in-law is an ultrasound tech., so I get some of the other side of this.

That being said, I also think techs need a certain amount of bedside manner, which this one obviously didn't have. There is such a thing as good customer service even with ultrasounds. He should know, if he's been doing this job anytime at all, that this is an exiting time in a mom-to-be's life. Having those pictures just make it all the more real.

OfficialBillie · June 2016

I'm so happy to hear that it seems like most everyone else has had pleasant experiences.

I I will try asking for a different tech next time, I was just so frustrated i honestly hadn't even thought about that possibility, to be honest. I also didn't even think about the lack of conversation being due to focusing. It was just the tone and attitude the few times he did speak that got to me, especially to my mom.

But I didn't know about it being called an abortion medical term wise, thank you for explaining that.

Like i said, I try not to judge too harshly because I don't know their situations (I had one nurse when I had my stroke that was normally really nice and outgoing but she showed up one day and was short and rude, when I asked her if everything was okay later she apologized and explained she'd just had a loss in her family).

I I will also speak to my dr about it, but I have to go out somewhere else to have my US done because of my insurance, so I don't know how much the dr will be able to do, but I'll definitely speak to the person who handles scheduling my next appointment as well and see if I can get someone else.

Ill focus on the good as well.

Thank you you all so much for helping me realize solutions and explanations. I just get so worked up all train of thought goes out the window, you know?

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