About Me

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North Carolina, United States
I'm a 36yr old, wife, wannabe mom, horticulturalist, halfass knitter, and sometimes runner, searching for my grace

Monday, November 3, 2008

doctor hopping

I had to go to my OB/Gyn for a pap smear last week. This fact is annoying in itself, because if there was a problem with my cervix wouldn't the plethora of people looking inside me these last six months have noticed? But alas I must have one in order to move forward with Dr. P's baby plan. Of course an RE won't do a pap god forbid. You must go to the Ob/gyn. So I go. Dr. F blew in as usual popped me in the stirrups to get this over with. She did not mention the last miscarriage or anything. She says your cervix is all inflamed, have you had any procedures? I said no, no procedures. I had a manual exam two weeks ago by my RE.

Dr F: Why did he do that?
Me: So we would be able to proceed with, our plan of Femara when I want to try again, w/o my having to drive 80 miles to see him.
Dr F: Are you sure you didn't have any procedures?
Me: Yes, what is wrong?
Dr. F: well I can't do your pap, you will have to come back in 4-6 weeks.
Me: WTF?
She leaves and I get dressed, confused as to what is going on, a nurse whisks back in a gives me a Rx for an antibiotic for cervicitis.

In addition to this I had a super bad cough for two weeks, I was hoping Dr. F would give a listen to my chest, but that was out of the question. So I drove to an urgent care clinic, where they listened to me breathe, freaked out called for chest x-rays. Luckily no pneumonia but a wicked upper respiratory infection, so now I have a Rx for a Z-pac and cough medicine. I decide not to fill the Rx from Dr. F b/c it seems like a Z-pac would take care of any other bacteria laying around in my body.

Next day there is a message on my phone from the nurse at Dr. F's office, saying they think they found something of mine, please call back. I search my purse and can't figure out what I could have possibly left. When I call back I am put on hold for 20 minutes, finally nurse comes on and says we found a CD that says "baby's first pictures" on it.

ME: silence... then it's not mine, I don't have any children, I have had six miscarriages.

Nurse: well it looks like it's ultrasound pictures

ME: almost in tears, it's probably from my last m/c I told the dr. I didn't want the cd.

Nurse: Oh well sorry I bothered you.

ME: Umm well I have a question, Dr. F gave me Rx for cervicitis yesterday but I also have an Upper Respiratory Infection and the Dr. gave my an Rx for a Z-pac. Do I still need to take the other one, b/c that seems like an awful lot of antibiotics to take at one time?

Nurse: You will have to ask your pharmacist about that

Is it just me Internet? Or is this cruel and unusual punishment? I mean damn how hard is it to look at my fucking file and realize that if that CD is mine, the baby is dead? These are the same people who just stared at me when I was sobbing after I sat in the ultrasound room alone with the lifeless scan of my 8 week fetus for 30 minutes. Then they dicked around with my file, couldn't figure out that I had already spoken to a doctor. I just wanted to leave and here they are saying no she can't leave until talks with the doctor. To which I reply, I don't understand I just finished speaking with her. I just want to get out of here.

So this is the last straw and now I am looking for a new Ob/Gyn again. This will be my 6th Ob/gyn since this all began. I wonder if I am expecting to much for my medical care. I mean I don't expect to be recognized as soon as I walk in, but at least read my file first. I get better customer service from my Vet than my Ob. At least he remembers my name.

Dr. P (RE) said that next I get pg I would stay with him through the first trimester and then I would need an OB and a perinatologist or MFM. Can I get one of those wrapped up in one person?

4 comments:

admin said...

That sounds like a terrible experience - and yes, you should expect better. Then calling you? WTF?

As far as I know there is no such thing as a Peri/OB - I wish. Usually, OB's funnel their patiens to the same Peri, affiliated with a specific hospital. Can your RE recommend an OB theat they like?

Lisa said...

I'm sorry you've had such horrible experiences with your OBs. I know how important a compassionate doctor is but I know for the opposite reason--I have a wonderful family practitioner who's been through 2 m/c's herself. She offers medical advice, prayers, hope, hugs, and a staff that shows me heartfelt emotion. May you be blessed to find such care.

Anonymous said...

Um...I have had 3 REs, and every one of them has done a pap for me. So that's the first thing. The second is...YES, get a new OB. WTF? Insensitive a-holes!

Grad3 said...

Thanks for stopping by my blog-- another friend said the same thing about Jacob "wait until the 4th book" I have had it for several days now and still haven't started it!

It's crazy how hard it is to find good dr's! I am sorry about all the trouble and losses. It's so unfair-- if there is anyway I can ever help please don't hesitate to ask! ~Hugs~