Stupid question - how do I go about changing OB's?

[anewvance]

As many of you know, i've been having another troublesome pregnancy with pre term contractions. I've been to L&D 3 times in the past 4 weeks. No one is concerned at my doctors office, in fact they seem to get snippy with me when i'm in L&D.

The final straw was today. I haven't been able to eat for the past 3 days... every time I think about food I get a really horrible stomach ache. I had soup last night and vomited it right up. I've been able to drink some... but not a whole lot. I've taken my phenegren and zofran, nothing helps.

I called to make an appt today in the office so I could try to avoid L&D. I knew I had to be dehydrated, i'd had 3 sips of water so far in the day. Last week when I was in L&D, I had had at least 100oz of water and I was still dehydrated. The nurse insisted I had no keytones in my urine but that I had protein and a high white blood cell count. So they were sending the culture for testing for a uti (i was uti free just a week ago at L&D).

The midwife comes in and says she is sorry but there is nothing they can do, she doesn't know what to tell me. I am not dehyrated and not dilating. I wasn't even having contractions, just pains in my stomach. So she asked the perientologist on call (who i'd seen the past 2 weeks in L&D) and she said to hook me up to the monitor to check for contractions. It actually turned out that I was having them. So after 20 minutes on the monitor, she goes to the perientologist again who prescribes me procardia to start taking and sends me on my way.

I was left very frustrated with this appt. She sent me home without having eaten in 3 days, drank very little in 2 days, was contracting and feeling just plain horrible and they shrug and say oh well.

I am strongly thinking about changing OB's. But have no clue how to go about doing it. I have a common insurance that is taken most anywhere. Do I just call a new office and tell them i'd like to change? Will they take me this late in the pregnancy? Would it be a stupid move? I'm so frustrated and confused. Any advice?

 

[lajones81]

No advice, as I'm not a mom, but I can only imagine how frustrated and difficult this must be for you!

 

[cassie]

I'm sorry to hear of your problems. Can't you call the ob and tell him/her what is happening? Having contractions so early is not a good sign. Plus the fact you aren't eating or drinking. Do you have any friends or relatives that can recommend a doctor? If so, give a call and ask to be transferred. I changed doctors when I was 4 months pregnant with no problem. Just call and tell them your concerns. Good luck and let us know how it's going.

 

[kellyg403]

It will be difficult to change. Or at least it used to be. I had to move in my 7th month of pregnancy to a different state. When finding a new OB, I had to have my old records sent in and sign a form that they were starting my care late in the pregnancy and we not liable for certain things that should/could be been seen early on. Its a risk, especially since you have been having a difficult pregnancy. Moving to a new OB may not be the best option for this pregnancy but maybe an option for future ones.

Kelly

 

[momrek06]

Melissa: I cannot answer your "changing OB's" question BUT I will say when my DS' were little, I had an incident with a Pedi MD that I felt he was not the best match for my DS'!! He just seemed so preoccupied everytime we had MD appts!!

I called my Insurance Co (even though we were no where near the Open Enrollment period) and spoke with them at length. They were awesome. Asked me to put everything in writing and wait for an answer. In a timely manner I heard from them and was "allowed to change from that Pedi" and was able (in the 10 days while waiting to hear) to research a new Pedi.

I would ask around to family and friends for the name of a new OB and start with your Insurance Co. As another poster has said, you may need to go and ask for your records. I would CALL THEM FIRST because they will want to make copies of it and may take a day or two. Once you have gotten the green light from Insurance and have secured a new OB, then call your current OB office and they will give you a time to come in for your copy of your records.

Good Luck, Melissa!!

 

["Got Disney"]

I am a nurse and worked L&D for 22 years...first of all when are you do? How many contractions are they finding that you are having?

If you are not dialating it is very most likely that you are having Bracks and hicks contractions. What other problems are you having?

If you are 2 far along into your pregnancy some Dr.s will not take you because they may consider you high risk for them.

You mentioned that you have a midwife...does this midwife work with this Dr.?

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

Good luck to you. You can request a copy of your records from your current OB and go for a consultation with another OB before you completely switch everything. Ask your friends for recommendations.

You need to find someone that listens to you and that you feel comfortable with!

I've had a rough pregnancy as well (hospital for a blood clot and then gall bladder surgery while 21 weeks pregnant) but I ADORE my OB and wouldn't trade him for anything!

 

[Allison]

I have a feeling you might have a problem finding another OB who is willing to take you at this stage of your pregnancy with the issues you have had.

 

[phillybeth]

I'm wondering if your stomach issues are actually gallstones- they are pretty common in PG women. Did your doc do an ultrasound of your gallbladder?

You might want to consider consulting with a high-risk perinatologist, especially if you have had pre-term labor before. In fact, if you've had pre-term labor before, this should be considered a high-risk pregnancy and you SHOULD be seeing a perinatologist

 

[anewvance]

I belong to a large ob/gyn group, there are 8 doctors, 2 perinatologist and 2 midwives. The midwife I saw today isn't my usual one and I didn't care for her at all. My regular midwife addresses my issues but never seems available. She wants me to only see her for this pregnancy, but she hasn't been in the hospital or available to speak with on the phone once yet.

I had preterm labor with my son, a positive ffn test at 29 weeks and had to spend a week in the hospital on mag sulfate. I had him at 34 1/2 weeks. The midwife was talking about maybe starting to be seen by a perinatologist but she spoke to her and the perinatologist didn't feel I needed that and i'm not truly high-risk.

I know I am having braxton hicks right now, but my last pregnancy proved that that could change any time. I am due April 29th, I am on terbutiline pills as needed for contractions... usually they go away, sometimes they don't which is when I end up in L&D.

They did not address my stomach pains in the least today, shrugged and said oh well. I was so frustrated that I just let it go and left. Not to mention my sister had taken me to my appt and had to get back to pick her son up at school.

I came home and slept for 6 hours, I woke up and was able to drink about 32 oz of water and had some ice cream (not the best thing but it was the only soothing thing that sounded like it would be ok) but now I am regretting it because it feels like it is just sitting there.

I'm just so frustrated that this is my life right now, the doctors have said nothing about bedrest and unless I have their "prescription" for bedrest, I have to continue on with life, feeling crappy or whatever.

 

[Beth76]

I'm so sorry for all the problems you're experiencing. With my first pregnancy I changed OBs at 17 weeks. I just wasn't happy with the doctor/staff--they weren't very warm and friendly. A co-worker was a month behind me and her experience sounded much better so I called her doctor. I just called up and told them how far along I was and if the doctor was taking new patients. They said no problem and gave me an appointment for the following week. They even called to have my records transferred for me. I almost cried at my appointment because the whole atmosphere at the new office was so much nicer. I'm really really glad I switched. Six years later and I'm still seeing the same doctor, btw.

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

Melissa - how much Zofran are you on? I have hyperemesis and am on 8mg 3 times a day but when I was having my gall bladder issues I threw up anyway so get that checked!! You will need an ultrasound of your gall bladder to see if you have sludge or stones but that could be your problem. Mine was so bad that they wouldn't wait until after delivery and I had mine out 2 weeks ago.

Eat whatever you can hold down - something is better than nothing. Also try Zantac 150 (another DISer recommended this and it has worked wonders for my sour stomach issues after surgery).

Good luck!

 

[RNMOM]

Do you have a teaching hospital nearby? One that has a medical school or trains residents? You will rarely be turned away from those hospitals. I would also suggest looking for a hospital that has a high risk nursery as they will also likely have high risk OB patients and specialists. Here you would have been classified high risk based on your past pregnancy. I can't believe you aren't already.

 

[RNMOM]

I looked up hospitals in your area and St. Mary's seems to be one that specializes in high risk OB care. They have the only level 3 neonatal unit that I could find. That usually means the OB will also be high risk. I don't know what hospital you are going to but I think you should try to be at a hospital that has the best that can be gotten. I understand it depends on insurance and all. There is an easy to use physician search tool. Good luck to you.

St. Mary's Medical Center
• 901 45th St., West Palm Beach, FL 33407
• (561) 844-6300; www.stmarysmc.com

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/health/content/health/hospitals/st_mary.html

 

[Aidensmom]

Your pregnancy sounds much like mine, and I was classified high-risk, on full bedrest, with weekly sonograms. I also went to L&D several times, and was on the terbutiline. My son was still born prematurely. I was slightly dialated, however, from the preterm contractions, are you not dialated at all? If not, I would guess that is why you are not on bedrest. The stomach pains bother me though, I think you are wise to consider going to a different doctor.


I wish I knew how to tell you to go about it, I really hope you are able to get some good advice on this thread and that everything turns out OK.

 

["Got Disney"]

Because you delivered a premi last pregnancy that makes you from the beggining a high risk patient. Are you suffering from stomach pain or nausea? As for if it is pain it may just be your ligaments streching and is normal.

Why are they telling you that you are not high risk but having you see a perientologist...they are for high risk pts. Also how many contractions were you having every 15 minutes? how many in an hr. You know the drill you have been there before. If you feel you need to get another opinion than be sure to get one.

How long does he want you on procardia..Also when does he want to recheck you?. I am confussed are you haveing BH or regular contractions? If you are having only BH why are you taking procardia?

Do you work out of the house ? If you do and If you are affraid that if you keep up with your daily life that you will go into early labor again than ask if you can be put on leave from your job because you are getting stressed out from worring that the same think will happen.

Besides working L&D I also went through preterm labor and was hospitilized many times and finally was sent home on the terbutaline pump...and bed rest from 26 weeks on...could only take a shower every 3 days no longer than 10 minutes...it was tough.

You know your body ...this is your baby...you been through this before...follow your gut...If you need to go in everyday for reasurance than you do that whether they like it or not...

What will work is once inawhile when you go in bring them some cookies or something to say thank you...that goes a long way and before you know it they will go out of there way to see you...and greet you with a smile

 

[golfgal]

It sounds like you have the stomach flu that is going around. With DS14 I started having contractions every 5 minutes at about 20 weeks, after many, many trips to the hospital/dr, etc. they decided they were just Braxton Hicks but to call if they changed. He ended up being a week over due. Sometimes they are just that. I understand your concern about the dehydration but that can also be the cause of the contractions. Try to drink as much as you can. If you keep it down for 1/2 hour even, some is getting into your body.

 

[Acklander]

I once had a bad Dr. situation (non OB) and when I tried to swap I couldn't find another Dr. to take me on, since they didn't want to get in the middle between me and another Dr. A lawyer told me, that if I couldn't find another Dr. to go to a teaching hospital. In private practice they think they know it all, in a teaching hospital if they can't figure it out they just find someone smarter.

 

[Pop Daddy]

I miss read and thoguht you wanted to change QB (quarterbacks) its never good to change in midseason

 

[Galahad]

A lawyer told me, that if I couldn't find another Dr. to go to a teaching hospital.

Well sure they did. At a teaching hospital there are more people to sue.