Does Anyone Else Feel like Their Obgyn Is Blowing Them Off?

I had a similar experience and actually ended up switching doctors just 2 weeks before I delivered. I'm so happy I switched. My new doctor was worried about my preeclampsia and ended up inducing me a week early. You have to have a doctor you trust.

good luck,

www.thosecrazybeans.blogspot.com

I am absolutely appalled that a doctor would treat any pregnant woman, especially with the pre-term labor and other symptoms you are experiencing, in such a manner. My sister-in-law recently went into pre-term labor at about 30 weeks and she was NOT allowed to return to work and put on complete bed rest (and she has basically a desk job). She had no blood, no effacement, no other symptoms other than off and on contractions.
I had a rough pregnancy due to extreme hyperemisis and my OB handled me with kid's gloves the entire time (all 3 pregnancies). The slightest concern and she wanted me calling the office. She NEVER dismissed anything I said. In fact, one of my girlfriends was pregnant at the same time in the same practice (but with a different OB) and felt at one point she was not getting enough answers or explanations. I recommended that she see my OB and she did. My OB gave her the same care and treatment on her first visit as she does with me for all of my visits. I would not stand for it and even though you are 30 weeks, get a new OB ASAP! If he is treating you like this now, what will he do as the weeks progress or even during labor and delivery. Another reason why I do NOT feel men should be OBGYNs. Men, regardless of their degree, have no idea or could even relate on any level to women in this situation!!!

I don't know where you live but Dr Sharon Sutherland in Strongsville (Cleveland Clinic Family Health center) is great. She won't blow you off.

Good luck, and I hope you get the best care for you and your little one.

L.

I do not think you are over-reacting. I would strongly suggest you trust your instincts. I ended up having a preemie born at 33 wks 4 days and will never know if it was because my OB blew me off. I had dilated early with my first and fortunately went to term. I was a fingertip dilated at 29 weeks and could never get them to recheck me even though I asked at every visit. In fact, I had a visit 2 days before my preemie was born. She is fine now, but it was a horrible few weeks. I talked to them and they told me next time I needed to be pushier and make them check me. If you don't trust them, switch. I didn't because they are the only practice to deliver at the local hospital which is 1 mile from my house. I wish I had followed my instincts. Push them to treat you right or find a new doctor. Nothing is more important than your baby's health. Believe me, I wonder what would have happened had I pushed harder and followed my instincts. Good luck to you!

S.,
I would suggest finding another Dr. ANY TIME you are not completely satisfied with your care or how they treat you! I see you are in Covington Ky so if your insurance would be accepted I would VERY MUCH recommend calling Dr. Bowen (http://www.danielbowenmd.com/ ###-###-####) He is the ONLY OB that I have found in the area (I'm talking up to 2hrs away) that is very understanding of 'NATURAL childbirth' yet still able to take care of high risk cases. I disagree with S. S (lol the other one that posted) that men shouldn't be OB's because Dr.Bowen is one of the best that I have seen.
That being said, if it wasn't a 5-6hr trip to see the midwives that I saw with my first pregnancy I would GLADLY go back to them. To be honest I am trying to convince my husband to let me go down to my friends house for the last 3+ weeks of my pregnancy and just have the baby down there (Don't think he's going to go for it though lol). That is how much I just LOVED those women!

Although I liked my doctor(s), I never really felt confident in their routine responses to my questions. So, I trusted my instincts and did my own research and found that in the realm of pregnancy there is a lot of information out there that can make you really paranoid and unnecessarily worried. My solution was to take their advice some of the time and to follow my best judgement the rest of the time. It's actually refreshing to read your post - I think it is tempting for people to let the doctor do all the thinking; however, at the end of the day, I am the one who has to live with the results, not them. One of my sweet old roommates was a medical student and her stories reminded me that doctors are just people - granted they are very smart people who have studied medicine, but they don't always have the right answers (even when they think they do).

If you dont feel confident with your Dr., maybe try to switch to another. I know it's late into your pregnancy but you should feel %100 confident with your care, and it's obvious you don't. It's you Dr.'s job to comfort and reassure you, not make you feel like you are over exaggerating, or it's "no big deal" you need to feel confident that you and your baby are safe and healthy. I wouldn't hesitate to look elsewhere. I'm not sure who you are seeing, but I have had great experiences with my practice. If you'd like a referral, let me know! Good luck to you and your new baby :)

from your symptoms, it definately sounds like you should be on complete bed rest - if you have the option to switch doctors, i would recommend it. i've also found that sometimes i just had to be pushy and force them to listen to me - there is a shortage of OBs in ohio, and many of them are overwhelmed with patients, so sometimes you have to be loud to be heard! good luck, and make sure you take good care of yourself and your little one :)

hugs!
~T.

http://MamaWorksFromHome.NET
http://FamilyBenefitsLive.com

IF ever you feel blown off by any doctor, you should definitely find one who doesn't make you feel that way. Pre-term labor is nothing to mess around with. I work in a NICU. If he feels like he needs to treat you with medicine, then he should in fact treat you completely! That includes no work, bedrest, etc, etc, along with very close monitoring. So yes, find another doctor!

2 words... Second Opinion!

What you're feeling seems right by the info you have shared. My doctor, Grace Badman, is wonderful and she's with Westside Women's ###-###-####. All the doctors in this practice are great.

do you by chance go to lake obstetrics in Mentor? If so please msg me I have information for you.

If you don't feel comfortable with your OB, see if you can possibly find a new doc who will take you on this late in your pregnancy. My 1st pregnancy was fine, but I felt my OB laughed at any question I had. Excuse me, for being concerned and having questions about my pregnancy! I am newly pregnant again and visited Northwest OBGYN on Hazel Dell and I really loved the office. Everyone was great and very helpful. I am sorry you have had a bad experience with your OB, and to ensure you have a safe delivery, I would seek out another doctor or be persistant with your current one! You can take any chances!

I've had my OB since I was 16, half my life ago. At times I wonder if he's too overwhelmed with other things, or sees me as a worrier because he seems so short or laid back.
With my second son I had severe swelling and massive weight gain so I was restricted from working and required to rest for 2hrs. twice a day. The hospital said I had pre-eclampsia when I delivered 3 weeks early and other measures should have been taken earlier to help me.

I went in for a scheduled check-up with my OB and said I hadn't felt as much movement and my stomach was harder than normal. He sent me to the hospital for a stress test. I checked in by 11 AM and by 2pm they were drawing blood and very concerned. Had I not had my son 3 weeks early and when I did I may have suffered serious health issues. My liver count was ridiculous and I was told I had less than 3 hours to deliver Johnny via C-section or possibly bleed out.

I will never know if he just didn't want to listen to me, if it was because he saw other symptoms or if it was concern for a lawsuit (we live in a area where they like to sue), but I am truly thankful he did.
I agree with the other ladies, be more strong willed or get a new doctor.

No, you're right, that's not "normal" and any doctor who thinks it is is putting his patients at great risk and assuming the worst to come from the ones who otherwise don't have trouble.
If you don't like people who work for you, fire them. That includes your OB. Here's my philosophy: I wouldn't go to a mechanic who couldn't drive, I don't go to an who can't have babies.
I'm very pro-midwifery care. I don't know if you'd risk out of a CNM's care, but it's worth looking into. There are quite a few doctors who employ CNMs. The Midiwfery model of care is SO much more hands-on and they tend to have better bed-side manner. They also average much longer appointments and ask you questions about your pregnancy instead of waiting for you to ask them.
If you can't find a CNM, I'd definitely find a new doctor. Don't feel bad about switching. I switched at 30 weeks with my first because, while I liked the doctor, I realized I had a very small chance of getting the birth I wanted at the hospital she delivered at. I almost switched from my OB to a CNM birth center at 37 weeks with my second and not switching was a bad decision:( I didn't get the birth I wanted at all because my OB was in Boston.

Ask around for referrals and ask offices if the doctors you are interested in do interviews. Good Luck:)

P.S. I just saw that you are in Covington. I know a fantastic CNM who attends homebirths in the Cincinnati area. Other than that I'm no help unless you have a breast issue and then I can give you a great specialist I went to while I was at UC.