Thanks for the responses ladies. These were all really helpful - truly.
Honestly...I think my brain might be doing the thing where it shuts off due to overwhelm - and possibly the anxiety involved in these tests.
That could be part of why I’m so confused by my own care and past/future appointments.
I cant seem to keep the information straight, and part of me wishes I could split myself into two people - one of them would be researching all this stuff, calling my insurance company, advocating for myself and LO.
But instead I’m running around like a chicken with my head cut off, convinced the insurance and genetic sky is falling!!
(Honestly - I’m not running around as much as lazing on couch, lol.)
It really helps to remember that every woman/doctor/facility will vary in terms of care and coverage. Appreciate you all sharing your experiences and taking the time to respond! 💜💜
Had my appointment yesterday and DD2 (that feels cool saying 😁) was doing well! HR 150’s, I lost 3lbs since my last visit even though my appetite is back. I thought I would have gained. So that’s 8lbs down since my first appointment. My doctor isn’t worried... I have lots of extra weight so she says as long as baby is growing she’s ok with that. I weighed the same on delivery day with DD1 as I did pre-pregnancy though so it’s not unusual for me... thanks GDM and ADA diet! My next appointment and anatomy ultrasound is scheduled for Jan 24th! Excited about that US!
I have a blood draw tomorrow and an appointment with the nurse to talk about the tests and why they’re done. Second part of a multiple marker screening.
Check up appt tomorrow at 15 weeks, now I'm in the zone where I see her every 4 weeks so after that it's anatomy! crazy to think that's coming up so soon!
Had a followup scan/14 week check up today. It actually went really well. My OB noted that baby's high fluid measurement of a 6 (which was measured 10 days ago) is now down to 3.5 and she is in a new position and has grown quite a bit. Heart rate still in the 160's and there was no cerebral swelling or brain matter in the fluid behind her neck. She said that combined with my negative blood results is a great sign. We are not in the clear yet because there is still the risk of heart defect and my miscarriage risk is still higher than normal. I will be seeing her every week for checks, unless my early anatomy scan is perfect, than I can possibly see her every two weeks after that until third trimester if the genetic specialist okays it. I'm feeling very hopeful and happy today. Baby's newest thing now that she has switched positions is ramming her head into the top of my uterus to the point where I can feel pressure, and also jamming her feet into the bottom of my uterus. Maybe she is trying to stretch it bigger?? I definitely don't mind, I am treasuring any and all movement feelings I get from her. I feel so blessed to have gotten good results at this appt after the scary appts I had last week.
@BlondePeanut so glad to hear that your appointment went well. Sounds like your girl is definitely trying to get some space in there - 💜 Praying that your anatomy scan goes well too!
I had my normal monthly checkup at 14+5 and my husband actually got to come. While she was listening for the heartbeat I jokingly said I was hoping for a surprise ultrasound, so he could see the baby. She took us straight to the ultrasound room and took lots of 3D pictures and told us we are having a boy! My favorite appointment so far.
Since my surgery I’ve been extremely fatigued, have started getting quite bad nausea (I didn’t have any MS in my first trimester so it’s odd to have started at 16 weeks) and my skin is super itchy. Went to the OB and he’s concerned so is testing me for ICP. Fingers crossed I don’t have it - should find out either Monday or Wednesday.
oh @wiseh I do hope you catch a break! I did have super itchy skin for about a month with my first pregnancy and it turned out to be "just one of those pregnancy things." At some point, it was accompanied by a lovely rash on my belly. The nausea appearing now is a bit strange... How is your anxiety? Could that be related? (I think my "vasovagal syncope" (breaking out into a sweat and nearly fainting) yesterday was related to stress...) Fingers crossed you don't have ICP!
Thanks for the positive thoughts @marijaa333 and @antera23. Unfortunately I just got a call from my doctor saying my liver enzymes are elevated so I’ll have to do some more blood tests on Wednesday and will see him on Friday 😪
Thanks @antera23@BlondePeanut@kjr9519. The itching has started now too. I’ve been reading up on ICP and it seems as though if it’s managed through medication and I’m induced before 37 weeks then the outcome is great. Still holding out hope it’s just normal itching from stretching during pregnancy and that my liver enzymes are just elevated because I’m overweight or from the surgery!
@wiseh No! I’m so sorry. Did you by any chance have your liver enzymes checked before pregnancy? I only ask because I have Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and I have my liver enzymes checked all the time because of it. My doctor said like 75% of Americans have a fatty liver but don’t know because it never causes any issues, and usually don’t even find out until their enzymes come back elevated during a routine check up. I actually found out during an ultrasound of my gall bladder, otherwise I never would have known! I recently started itching too and had my liver enzymes checked and they were still normal, but if you happen to have a fatty liver, your enzymes may have been elevated regardless of the fact that you’re pregnant. Are you being referred to someone? Sending hugs, I know its scary!
@carleym93 I think I had one done for my pre-pregnancy checks but I’m not sure. The pathologies here are good, they show you previous 2 blood tests of that type with your new results on the same sheet (hopefully that makes sense). If not, I might get my doctor to give my previous pathology a call to see if they’ve got any results they can send through. I’ve got a sickle cell type blood disorder so have had so many blood tests I don’t even look at what is on the form anymore, so I’m sure I’ve had one done at one point in my life but it’s never been mentioned as being abnormal before.
They’ve still not diagnosed me with anything yet, just repeating tests and doing some more on Wednesday and coming in on Friday. I live in a country town so I’m not sure if there’ll be a specialists here for me to see.
I’m just keeping my fingers crossed that come Friday I’ll get the all clear and I can finally get a break from everything going wrong in my pregnancy. I definitely have a “just get on with it”/“such is life” attitude but the bad news rolling in one after the other it’s really starting to take its toll!
@chrssyms absolutely nothing, not even paracetamol. Last thing I had was an injection of morphine 10 days before my LFT and the surgery was the day before that. Everything I’ve read says morphine should be out within 72 hours and I’ve not been able to find any papers on anaesthesia except one saying elevated liver enzymes were recorded at 24hr’s post operative but they didn’t do follow up tests to find out when they returned to normal. So hopefully it’s just that! Though I’ve never had a bad reaction like this to a GA before, but maybe it’s because I’m pregnant and my body is reacting differently to normal. It’s so hard knowing what is caused by the surgery and what is pregnancy related which is why I went back to the doc after 10 days of this new nausea.
@wiseh I don't have any advice, I just wanted to say, jeese that sucks. You really deserve a break. I hope everything ends up being ok!
Hubby and Me Friends since 2008 Started dating: July 1st, 2013 Engaged: July 1st, 2014 Married: July 1st, 2016 R born: July 8th, 2017 N born: June 30th, 2019 Baby #3 Due: July 7th, 2022 (maybe I only ovulate in October XD)
Yeah @wiseh that’s really strange! Well hopefully you get some answers! I was curious if maybe you were having a reaction to any pain meds they might have given you for the surgery.
Re: Appointments thread for December
Honestly...I think my brain might be doing the thing where it shuts off due to overwhelm - and possibly the anxiety involved in these tests.
That could be part of why I’m so confused by my own care and past/future appointments.
I cant seem to keep the information straight, and part of me wishes I could split myself into two people - one of them would be researching all this stuff, calling my insurance company, advocating for myself and LO.
But instead I’m running around like a chicken with my head cut off, convinced the insurance and genetic sky is falling!!
(Honestly - I’m not running around as much as lazing on couch, lol.)
It really helps to remember that every woman/doctor/facility will vary in terms of care and coverage. Appreciate you all sharing your experiences and taking the time to respond! 💜💜
I am feeling occasion flutters only (17w5d) and looking forward to the anatomy scan, which I have yet to schedule for mid- January.
They’ve still not diagnosed me with anything yet, just repeating tests and doing some more on Wednesday and coming in on Friday. I live in a country town so I’m not sure if there’ll be a specialists here for me to see.
I’m just keeping my fingers crossed that come Friday I’ll get the all clear and I can finally get a break from everything going wrong in my pregnancy. I definitely have a “just get on with it”/“such is life” attitude but the bad news rolling in one after the other it’s really starting to take its toll!
Friends since 2008
Started dating: July 1st, 2013
Engaged: July 1st, 2014
Married: July 1st, 2016
R born: July 8th, 2017
N born: June 30th, 2019
Baby #3 Due: July 7th, 2022
(maybe I only ovulate in October XD)