Friday, April 30, 2010

28 week check up

Baby girl is measuring on schedule.  Her heartbeat was strong.  I have only gained 1 pound since my last visit over 4 weeks ago (score!). Must be from me eating super healthy the past month. 

Unfortunately, the appointment also confirmed that this doctor's office is not the right fit for me.  I really like one of the doctors, but the one I saw today is the same one I had complaints about when I saw her last time. Let's call her Dr. Impatient. She's very short with me, and makes me feel like my questions bother her.  Today, I had four questions.  Here they are and what her responses were.

1. Heartburn - I described what happened on Easter.  Remember - some food felt like it was stuck for 4 hours and I kept spitting up acid?  I told her I spoke with the doctor on call and that she thought it was a hiatal hernia caused by the pregnancy.  Her response: with a very weird look on her face, Dr. Impatient said "that's not pregnancy related.  you need to see a gastroenterologist.  they might need to go in there and open up your esophagus."

My reaction: WTF?!  I explained to the doctors from our first appointment that I have extreme anxiety when it comes to medical situations.  That's part of the reason we are opting to go natural (no needles - eek!).  Could she said it with a little bit more compassion?  Something like "let's send you to a gastroenterologist to make sure nothing else is going on.  keep taking the zantac if it's helping, but I just want to cover all our bases."  I would have felt much more confident in that type of response.  Instead, I left the office feeling freaked out and thinking I have some major issue.

2.  Antsy.  I described that I've been having trouble getting comfortable but that I thought this was early to be feeling uncomfortable in every position.  Her response: "that's going to just get worse.  next?" 

My reaction: WTF?!  I get that I will likely be physically uncomfortable sometimes.  But I explained that my lower back is hurting all the time and she offered no suggestions.  I would've expected a doctor to offer ANYTHING, like try acupuncture, or try sitting in ______ position to relieve the pressure from your back.  But she said nothing.

3.  Gestational diabetes test.  I mentioned that since my blood sugar was just slightly above normal prior to getting pregnant, would I have an increased chance at testing positive for gestational diabetes?  Her response: "did you inform us of this when you first found out you were pregnant? [my general practioner sent over my blood results - so yes]  we should've been monitoring your sugar levels the entire pregnancy [that's your fault, not mine].  do you have any family members with diabetes? [yes - but it's been something that has developed late in life.]  you haven't been following a strict diet? [i eat healthy already so nobody suggested i change anything.]  Well, it doesn't look good for the test, I guess we'll see.

My reaction:  WTF?!  Well, at this point, I really wanted to cry.  Why hadn't they informed me of this when my blood results are in my chart?  Why didn't they suggest this from the beginning?  Why am I being blamed for this?  And she really didn't answer my question!  She just made it seem like I'm doomed!

4.  Hypnobirthing.  I asked what her experience had been like with patients using the hypnobirthing method?  Her response: "I didn't use it to have my children.  If you want to use that, it's fine with me."

My reaction:  complete frustration at this point.  I didn't want to push anything else because clearly she had her own agenda for the appointment, and I'm sure I wouldn't get open answers from her regardless. 

So yes - that was just about how the appointment went.  I left the office, called Ian, and started tearing up immediately.  This is not how I want my doctor to treat me.  I am paying them to care for me.  This is their job, what they have chosen to do for their lives.  I am a first time mother and would really like to be treated with respect when I have questions.  I don't call them with an abundance of questions (I've only called the office twice throughout the entire pregnancy).  I normally only have a couple brief questions, if any at all.  I don't appreciate being treated so negatively.  And also, they KNOW I already have anxiety.  Don't you think you'd take a little more time to answer questions with someone who has made you very aware of their anxiety issues?

Anyways, I left there and went and had my blood drawn for the diabetes test.  I am praying with everything in me that this test comes back okay.

I guess it's perfect timing that we have a consult with a midwife tomorrow.  I called a couple weeks ago, after this practice came highly recommended by several people in the area.  It's a group of 3 OBs, and 6 midwives.  They have privileges at the same hospital we want to deliver at.  Hopefully this consult will be fantastic and I can walk away from Dr. Impatient.

3 comments:

  1. I'm sorry your appointment was not good! I actually have a hiatal hernia- don't worry, they don't have to "open up your esophagus" but to confirm it they do an endoscopy (sending a tiny camera down your throat while you're under anesthetic). I doubt you would/could do it before you have the baby. It's not a huge deal though- you might have to take prilosec or something like that but most people don't get them surgically removed unless it's really bad (the surgery is much worse than just having the hernia, from what I understand). Either way, sounds like the OB handled it poorly!

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  2. OMG that doctor is the WORST!!! Honestly, that kind of bedside manner is inexcusable, and I would suggest that when you do leave the practice, you send a letter with everything you just wrote here to her and the rest of the docs to let them know why you're leaving and why you WON'T be referring any other women there.

    I sooo hope that this new practice is just what you need!

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  3. Whoa. I'd have throat punched her!! In fact, I'll do it for you if you like! I have a similar nurse practioner at my doc's office. My doc is just moving over from another office so she was taking appointments when he was still moving over and I had to see her twice. She was awful, the same as Dr. Impatient. Nothing I asked was important enough to sit down and discuss and she just wanted to be done with me. Luckily, my doc is now full time and he's a godsend! He'd rather answer every tiny question then let me go with any worries. Glad you got this issue resolved ASAP! (and the throat punching offer is still on the table)

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