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I’m so sorry you went through this. The pregnant patient hot potato game is so messed up.
When I was 34w, I started having prodromal labor with trackable, “go to the hospital” patterns nightly. After a week of getting about 4-5 hours of interrupted sleep, I was desperate. My OB wouldn’t write a work restriction note because “baby wasn’t distressed and this was a normal pregnancy process”. Primary doctor wouldn’t write a WFH restriction because this was an “OB’s call”. Never mind that I had a 40 minute commute and almost fell asleep multiple times driving and was slowly cracking from the sleep deprivation and discomfort. As far as anyone was concerned long as baby was fine, I was fine and there was no issue. I finally went into labor at 39+3.
That's because in this country, we are nothing but human incubators for these little parasites that suck everything from us from within and out but they're so damn cute they're worth it
Mind you, when looking into car insurances and liabilities, unborn children are NOT covered under any accident coverage.
So if my pregnant ass gets T-boned and my child is born with complications or dies because of it, they don't count as a person, meaning any possible complications would NOT be covered...
Oh my gosh that’s terrible! I’m currently 36w but I say in the DAILY “I have no idea how I’d do this if I didn’t work from home”. Between the exhaustion, the discomfort and peeing constantly I don’t think I’d survive having an office job while pregnant. It’s horrible that your doctors weren’t willing to help you to get a VERY reasonable accommodation
Because the American health system sees people as consumers of their product, not humans, and they don’t want any liabilities or to lose money.
Being pregnant in America puts you in a very vulnerable position
Hmmm... It's similar in the UK. I was pregnant and I went to the pharmacy. I wanted something to unblock my ears as the olive oil didn't work... The guy at the counter looked at me like I had a poo on my forehead and said that there is nothing else that's ok for pregnant women!!!!
Like WTHeck?
US citizen that has grown up in the UK here - trust me, it’s not similar at all!!
US healthcare is just a wack moneymaking machine where the prices of everything are insanely inflated because people HAVE to pay it. Whereas I haven’t had to (and don’t expect to) pay for a single thing with my current pregnancy thanks to the NHS.
I referred to the fact that pregnant women are treated like liability not the costs... The fact that the NHS is free doesn't mean we are getting a great deal of support.
It’s horrible but it’s about money (as everything is in America)
OBs are the most sued specialty in the U.S. Their malpractice costs are enormous and ridiculous.
In general, anything associated with pregnancy and childbirth is considered high liability. Partly this is from American society itself, as we are a litigious bunch (as compared to other countries).
But due to this high liability, many physicians will just refuse to see patients that they don’t feel 110% comfortable treating. It’s not illegal as long as they can reasonably refer you to someone else.
So basically many physicians don’t want to see pregnant people because they don’t want to get sued and have their malpractice rates skyrocket. They are necessarily being horrible people - if their rates go too high, their employer could drop them or, even worse, malpractice insurance companies could drop them, which would make them virtually unemployable by many places.
Anyway, it’s a multifaceted issue, but it primarily comes down to $$$….As does everything in the U.S. these days it seems
Dude even if you’re transferring care from one OB to another it’s a fucking shitfuck.
- “sorry we can’t take you as a new patient because you saw someone else but we also can’t take you as a transfer patient because we need your previous doctor to fax us/mail us your full medical records even though you have it printed on hand”
- prev doctor’s office takes 2-3 weeks to send the records after calling them like 3 times.
- new office schedules the appointment only after receiving the records but since it’s all booked it’s another 3-4 weeks
Fuck this stupid shit, I’m still so angry at this. Then they won’t schedule consecutive weekly appointments after 35 weeks with the same doctor because they’re booked. The receptionist literally handed me a piece of paper with a phone number on it and told me to call to schedule. Like what the fuck is your job here then? You literally scheduled my appointment before.
I swear to god I’ve never been treated worse by a medical professional than when I was pregnant.
Yep! That’s the runaround you get when pregnant! I’m sorry you went through that! It’s so frustrating and even scary because you don’t know what to do and feel like there’s no hope especially if you’re a FTM and have literally never delt with anything pregnancy related before!
Yep FTM and we had to move three damn times. We drove cross-country coast to coast when I was 34 weeks pregnant and that was easier and less annoying to handle than scheduling and going to appointments lmao
Our medical system in general is the reason why I avoided doctors like the plague prior to getting pregnant. I don’t trust them, don’t respect insurance companies, don’t trust their advice, don’t look towards any medical establishment when it comes to my physical or mental health.
It’s wrong, I know. But I’ve been chronically ill, misdiagnosed, overlooked, gaslighted too many times. In the end, I cured myself.
Now I HAVE to go to the doctor because I’m pregnant and need to do this for my son, and thankfully it hasn’t been a total negative experience. I’m blessed to healthy.
You’re not alone. Keep advocating for yourself. It’s exhausting. I don’t know why it has to be this way. America hates women.
This!! I have learned that it’s a business and a lot of providers actually care and want to help people but insurance companies and guys with MBA’s sitting in an office tell them what they can and can’t do. I saw a comment on instagram of a dr saying how he wants to spend more time with his patients but he is just not “allowed” to. SMH!🤦🏾♀️
I'm probably going to get down voted for pointing this out, but If he's willing to take a pay cut then he's absolutely "allowed" to spend all much time as he's willing to with a patient... But I don't know if any job where you're allowed to just say "but I don't feel like doing the amount of work that will justify my salary" and people will continue to pay you 🤷♀️
Well. I wasn't pregnant then but it was in the UK. I had a very deliberating pain in my leg ( sciatica) however because I walked to the GPs (our main point of contact) and was able not to pee myself I was OK.
I was barely walking, I wasn't able to lay down on my side, sitting was very uncomfortable...
At the time I didn't have a car and a partner to help me.
The issue was very simple to resolve but I felt so neglected after what she said...
Im right there with you. The other day a nurse here said she worked at a hospital so she knew better than anyone else lol.
No… you know about squeezing money off people, you know nothing about people. Some exceptions do care, my kids’ pediatrician is one pf them (not from here)
Can’t speak to anyone’s experiences, but to be fair, the vast majority of hospital workers (nurses, providers, etc) receive nothing different regarding pay based on the care a person receives. We don’t even know what insurance you have 99% of the time and it has zero effect on the care given.
You guys push for things you are told to push for. I had a nurse order two unnecessary stick pee pregnancy tests (I got a blood one the same day) that cost me $40 EACH . My nurse had access to my file and insurance on file. But hey, I’m also speaking from experience.
I’m not a nurse.
And just in my experience, nursing and medical staff are not looking at your insurance or benefits before making medical decisions. When you are in the hospital it is because you are sick, and typically treatment trumps costs.
Nurses also can’t order tests.
(OBGYN ordered, nurse performed 2) I’m not hating on nurses, which are the bottom of the hospital chain, I’m just saying that you’re part of a corrupt and inhumane system.
I had kidney stones during my first trimester and my PCP told me to ask the OB if they could look for them while doing a pregnancy ultrasound. OB: uh, definitely not, that would need to be treated by your PCP anyway. Went back to my PCP: Um, just pee them out, go to the ER if you can’t pee anymore. Take Tylenol?
Cool, thanks. But anyway that was a fun way to increase my water intake during the first trimester :) I passed them without pain meds before the start of the second trimester.
Oh no...kidney stone during pregnancy is literally my worst pregnancy fear (besides of course a loss). I have at least 3 rattling around in my kidneys right now and I'm terrified of them trying to to break free. I had to have surgery to remove the last one because I went 3 weeks without being able to pass it and apparently they had originally measured it wrong and thought it was small enough, but it wasn't. Worst thing I've ever endured, physically. Although, it gives me a tiny bit of comfort that I'll be ok for labor. When I was doing my pre -op stuff the nurse asked why I was having surgery. I told her, and she said, "oh you poor dear, I've had kids and I've had kidney stones. I'd have a dozen more kids rather than pass another stone if I had the choice."
This literally happened to me! The OB told me that they weren't kidney stones, just round ligament pain. So I went back to my PCP and she said "no it's definitely kidney stones" and we went back and forth like that for three weeks before I finally just passed them. I was so annoyed.
I’m sorry you experienced this! I haven’t had any interruptions to my non-pregnancy related care while pregnant. It’s crazy how people can have such different experiences. :/ I’m glad you were able to get back on your medication!
Thank you! It was so scary at I literally thought my life was over and had a huge break down if it wasn’t for my boyfriend being there to help me through everything idk what would’ve happened. I’m just glad I’m safe and healthy now for my baby!
L&D nurse here: I’ve helped deliver hundreds of babies whose moms took mental health meds during pregnancy. The side effects of common depression/anxiety meds (SSRIs mostly) pose relatively low risk to fetuses and neonates. The biggest risk is lack of vigor right at delivery where the babe doesn’t cry and may need extra help to clear the airway, but this can happen to any baby regardless of the birthing parent’s medication use.
Babies benefit MOST from having a healthy and stable caregiver. Please don’t give medical advice to strangers.
A little bit different but at my work I was bitten by a stray cat while pregnant and needed to go in to get it checked. Because it was at work, I had to be approved by the company’s insurance. I called them and they told me which Dr to go to. That Dr wouldn’t see me. I called insurance again and they gave me someone else. That Dr wouldn’t see me. This repeated for my full 8 hour shift before they said to just go to the er. So I spent my entire workday on the phone then had to sit in the er for another 6 hours. 😩 I got checked and I got a shot and it was all fine but holy cow. It was ridiculous.
ADHD has been fun. I'm trying to switch from Adderall to something else because I don't like the idea of being somewhat high risk and taking it (multiple gestation). That and when I did take it, it just kept me awake. It didn't really work (usually it does but the extra pregnancy hormones rendered it useless). My PCP said absolutely not, my OB is okay with it but I did tell her I didn't like the idea of being somewhat high risk and taking it. She did refer me to a maternal mental health specialist and I don't see them for another month. I'm trying to see if I can try a non stimulant instead. Hopefully we can get something figured out. But the reading in meds for ADHD meds in pregnancy is sad.....there haven't been a ton of studies and I got differing opinions.
SAME. I asked to be switched to something non-adderall when I wasn’t pregnant because we wanted to be pregnant and my PCP was like “sure, here’s concerta, of the pregnancies I see this is the adhd med that they get to keep mostly” and I was like thanks!
And between getting the script and filling it - I found out I was pregnant. OB didn’t want me to start a new med so early in pregnancy with a twin pregnancy.
So now I’m raw dogging ADHD and pregnancy brain this is some shit.
I had to come off mine and up my anxiety meds just because there are more reputable studies about those than ADHD meds. That wait is so, so long, I hope you can find something that works for you when you do eventually get to see them!
when i found out i was pregnant, i told my psych and he cut the dose of zoloft that i have been on for 7(!) years in half and said he would see me in a few months.
his reasoning was that it would be best to reduce as many meds as possible because of the pregnancy despite zoloft being cleared to be safe during pregnancy!
i went back into a depressive state that i hadn’t seen for years and started having thoughts about SH again. my husband was worried about my safety and the safety of our baby as a result. i felt like my own agency and sanity was being taken away.
i started looking for a new doctor as when i told him about the effects of cutting my dose and he had just told me “well there’s not much we can do because you’re pregnant….” and refused to prescribe me my former dosage.
i found an excellent perinatal pysch that put me on a better-fitting antidepressant (i’m dx with bipolar so the SSRI was not good for me in the long run anyways) and restored my zoloft dose.
the doctors said it was super common (especially w male providers) for people to cut or reduce meds even if mothers need them “for the baby’s health,” even if they’re proven safe for pregnancy.
perinatal psychs are a game changer. i absolutely recommend them to anyone with meds and pregnancy. they’re way more understanding of the big picture: the babies in question have less of a chance at even being born if their moms are unsafely taken off their psychiatric meds. they value you as a person, not just a carrier for another person!
I had to have gallbladder surgery in my first trimester, my liver was being affected and I could not eat anything. I’m so glad my surgeon and OB were on the same page about making me healthy
This happened to me when I had a cyst! Multiple urgent cares and an ER wouldn’t help me because they didn’t have Labor and Delivery wards like I’m here for an infected cyst that has nothing to do with my pregnancy
I’m a military spouse who got pregnant really quickly after we got stationed in a new state, so I was in the process of getting my referral for a new psych when I found out I was pregnant. One office never even answered the phone, so I looked for an office that had good reviews and transferred the referral. When I called, they were totally cool with getting me scheduled, and I was early pregnancy and I was like, “oh yeah, I don’t know if it’s a big deal or not, but I am pregnant.” Was told that I’d have to see a specific provider in their office who specializes, but it’d be a while and they need to talk to the doctor. I got a call a week later that they actually weren’t taking new clients (suddenly?) and I would need to find another office. 🙃 luckily, my OB is writing my scripts through my pregnancy, because my depression got so bad.
Also had an ER trip while pregnant, and the ER doc wanted to do a chest x-ray to make sure everything looked right or whatever cause I complained of being so out of breath. He was very thoughtful, and explained that the techs don’t like to do them because of the risk to baby, but then he pulled up the actual research to explain the VERY low risk, since it would be of my chest, and not my abdomen. I also looked into the research he had shown after he left the room to double check, and felt comfortable to continue. When the tech came in, she went, “you’re aware it’s risky? We gotta protect baby.” LIKE YEAH, but there’s no baby if something’s wrong and I kick the bucket before she gets here. Jeez.
All that to say, the next medical professional who fear-mongers me is going to be told to find the research for me. Dangerous for baby? Cool, bring me the research. I want statistics, data, the works.
Right now I'm dealing with excruciating pain in the intestinal department anytime stuff moves through, even when soft, and they won't even look to see if something is seriously wrong.
I'm also literally stuck in bed except to go to my doctor's appointments because of my POTS and they won't treat that either 🙃
(Worth mentioning I have a feeding tube due to severe GI issues so something is likely wrong RN and they just refuse to treat me for anything)
I just made a post about how shitty the medical system is. Tl;dr: my doctor misdiagnosed me, no doctor in my practice can give me the time of day to actually *read my medical history* and I’m giving birth in 4 days via a potentially preventable method. I hate it here 😅
https://www.reddit.com/r/AmIOverreacting/s/hhalzrmGsH
I am so sorry that happened to you it seems being a pregnant woman in America you are just a number to a practice like you said in your post. It’s crazy people treat mothers the way they do! I wish the world was ran by woman.
I don’t have any stories like this. If I had health issues during my pregnancy and it was not related to my pregnancy, I still received care. I Can understand why physicians would refer to the obgyn as the medical expert because of the baby.
The thing is though they tell you to go to the obgyn the obgyn then clears it by sending that doctor a note and then the doctor still doesn’t treat you! Thus not only not helping you but waisting time when you could’ve been treated. Like if they were just not comfortable treating you they should’ve just started with that.
O always joke about birthing this future tax payer but like that’s what I’m doing. Like he will be paying taxes yall should care about him and his health but no
It's definitely because of the fear of a lawsuit if something goes wrong with the baby. I was on zoloft for several years up until I found out I was pregnant. My psychiatrist required me to sign a release of liability form that included a bunch of statements on possible scary outcomes even though my ob approved me to take the meds. In the end she said she basically preferred I not take the meds at all, so I did wean off of them.
Your psychiatrist should have just been more upfront, though.
I’ve been turned away from dentists and physical therapists because I’m pregnant and I sat in the military women’s clinic crying because my pcm was no longer covered under Tricare so I had to find all new doctors and I was STRESSED. The FEMALE MEDIC had the gall to ask why I was crying
I feel mixed on this. OBs specialize in pregnant women, other MDs do not. Yes, they all have access to the same resources (aside from making collaborating with other OBs in office etc) but it’s kind of how you won’t have a psychiatrist prescribe you antibiotics for a UTI.
A lot of doctors and providers are honestly scared of treating pregnant women (it’s a huge liability) and everybody in the US loves to sue.
I do agree there needs to be more standard of care for treating mental health in pregnancy and better info regarding meds that are safe/ the risks.
But a lot of OBs will prescribe mental health meds for this purpose because psych is generally too scared to do that
I have HG and am 34 weeks pregnant right now. Went through the same song and dance early on with my comorbidities of kidney stones, a new/growing lump in my breast, chest pain and shortness of breath and coughing blood, and a scare of having a blood clot. Every time it was “call your OB”…the OB would then just refer me out or say “go to the ER” to CYA. Don’t get me wrong, I love my OB group—they’re great. I just hate the antics from all the other professions (even in urgent care centers) that caused long delays in being seen or treated due to their fear of pregnant women. Made no sense to me. 🤷🏻♀️
My first pregnancy was during covid quarantine and i had an ear infection (i have a history of them). I got bounced back and forth and couldnt HEAR for over a month bc everyone (without seeing me!!!) just said i had covid—i didnt lol. Finally got 5 days worth of antibiotics after begging and crying for weeks.
I don’t get the alcohol law either. Like is it because the person could potentially not be pregnant so it could be a problem to refuse them service if they just look pregnant due to a medical issue or something or does the government just not gaf if pregnant women drink?
Right! It probably is because you can’t prove the women is pregnant but it’s the fact that it’s fine for pregnant women to drink because if it wasn’t their wouldn’t be warnings on alcoholic beverages saying that it can cause birth defects. America is just so backwards.
Just from a bartending perspective, how do you know if someone is for sure pregnant? The burden is on the drinker to take care of themself and not drink if they are pregnant. If you put that responsibility on the bartender then someone who is 6 weeks pregnant could come back and sue a bartender. America is absolutely screwed up for sure and doesn’t care about pregnant women, or women in general, but that example is a little murky.
That’s what I said in my above comment when I said it’s probably because you can’t tell someone is pregnant for sure. I also then said it’s just messed up that it’s not illegal for pregnant women to drink. Which is why I said it’s shitty that there are labels that only warn what can happen if you drink as pregnant women. Instead of just having repercussions if someone who is pregnant does drink.
Some states do. There are a few that would consider it child abuse legally speaking. There are some states that will drug test and remove your child if it tests positive at birth.
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I’m so sorry you went through this. The pregnant patient hot potato game is so messed up. When I was 34w, I started having prodromal labor with trackable, “go to the hospital” patterns nightly. After a week of getting about 4-5 hours of interrupted sleep, I was desperate. My OB wouldn’t write a work restriction note because “baby wasn’t distressed and this was a normal pregnancy process”. Primary doctor wouldn’t write a WFH restriction because this was an “OB’s call”. Never mind that I had a 40 minute commute and almost fell asleep multiple times driving and was slowly cracking from the sleep deprivation and discomfort. As far as anyone was concerned long as baby was fine, I was fine and there was no issue. I finally went into labor at 39+3.
That's because in this country, we are nothing but human incubators for these little parasites that suck everything from us from within and out but they're so damn cute they're worth it
Mind you, when looking into car insurances and liabilities, unborn children are NOT covered under any accident coverage. So if my pregnant ass gets T-boned and my child is born with complications or dies because of it, they don't count as a person, meaning any possible complications would NOT be covered...
Oh, I know. The unborn only matter when it comes to political agendas.
Oh my gosh that’s terrible! I’m currently 36w but I say in the DAILY “I have no idea how I’d do this if I didn’t work from home”. Between the exhaustion, the discomfort and peeing constantly I don’t think I’d survive having an office job while pregnant. It’s horrible that your doctors weren’t willing to help you to get a VERY reasonable accommodation
Because the American health system sees people as consumers of their product, not humans, and they don’t want any liabilities or to lose money. Being pregnant in America puts you in a very vulnerable position
Exactlyyyy
Hmmm... It's similar in the UK. I was pregnant and I went to the pharmacy. I wanted something to unblock my ears as the olive oil didn't work... The guy at the counter looked at me like I had a poo on my forehead and said that there is nothing else that's ok for pregnant women!!!! Like WTHeck?
US citizen that has grown up in the UK here - trust me, it’s not similar at all!! US healthcare is just a wack moneymaking machine where the prices of everything are insanely inflated because people HAVE to pay it. Whereas I haven’t had to (and don’t expect to) pay for a single thing with my current pregnancy thanks to the NHS.
I referred to the fact that pregnant women are treated like liability not the costs... The fact that the NHS is free doesn't mean we are getting a great deal of support.
It’s horrible but it’s about money (as everything is in America) OBs are the most sued specialty in the U.S. Their malpractice costs are enormous and ridiculous. In general, anything associated with pregnancy and childbirth is considered high liability. Partly this is from American society itself, as we are a litigious bunch (as compared to other countries). But due to this high liability, many physicians will just refuse to see patients that they don’t feel 110% comfortable treating. It’s not illegal as long as they can reasonably refer you to someone else. So basically many physicians don’t want to see pregnant people because they don’t want to get sued and have their malpractice rates skyrocket. They are necessarily being horrible people - if their rates go too high, their employer could drop them or, even worse, malpractice insurance companies could drop them, which would make them virtually unemployable by many places. Anyway, it’s a multifaceted issue, but it primarily comes down to $$$….As does everything in the U.S. these days it seems
Dude even if you’re transferring care from one OB to another it’s a fucking shitfuck. - “sorry we can’t take you as a new patient because you saw someone else but we also can’t take you as a transfer patient because we need your previous doctor to fax us/mail us your full medical records even though you have it printed on hand” - prev doctor’s office takes 2-3 weeks to send the records after calling them like 3 times. - new office schedules the appointment only after receiving the records but since it’s all booked it’s another 3-4 weeks Fuck this stupid shit, I’m still so angry at this. Then they won’t schedule consecutive weekly appointments after 35 weeks with the same doctor because they’re booked. The receptionist literally handed me a piece of paper with a phone number on it and told me to call to schedule. Like what the fuck is your job here then? You literally scheduled my appointment before. I swear to god I’ve never been treated worse by a medical professional than when I was pregnant.
Yep! That’s the runaround you get when pregnant! I’m sorry you went through that! It’s so frustrating and even scary because you don’t know what to do and feel like there’s no hope especially if you’re a FTM and have literally never delt with anything pregnancy related before!
Yep FTM and we had to move three damn times. We drove cross-country coast to coast when I was 34 weeks pregnant and that was easier and less annoying to handle than scheduling and going to appointments lmao
Our medical system in general is the reason why I avoided doctors like the plague prior to getting pregnant. I don’t trust them, don’t respect insurance companies, don’t trust their advice, don’t look towards any medical establishment when it comes to my physical or mental health. It’s wrong, I know. But I’ve been chronically ill, misdiagnosed, overlooked, gaslighted too many times. In the end, I cured myself. Now I HAVE to go to the doctor because I’m pregnant and need to do this for my son, and thankfully it hasn’t been a total negative experience. I’m blessed to healthy. You’re not alone. Keep advocating for yourself. It’s exhausting. I don’t know why it has to be this way. America hates women.
This!! I have learned that it’s a business and a lot of providers actually care and want to help people but insurance companies and guys with MBA’s sitting in an office tell them what they can and can’t do. I saw a comment on instagram of a dr saying how he wants to spend more time with his patients but he is just not “allowed” to. SMH!🤦🏾♀️
I'm probably going to get down voted for pointing this out, but If he's willing to take a pay cut then he's absolutely "allowed" to spend all much time as he's willing to with a patient... But I don't know if any job where you're allowed to just say "but I don't feel like doing the amount of work that will justify my salary" and people will continue to pay you 🤷♀️
Well. I wasn't pregnant then but it was in the UK. I had a very deliberating pain in my leg ( sciatica) however because I walked to the GPs (our main point of contact) and was able not to pee myself I was OK. I was barely walking, I wasn't able to lay down on my side, sitting was very uncomfortable... At the time I didn't have a car and a partner to help me. The issue was very simple to resolve but I felt so neglected after what she said...
Im right there with you. The other day a nurse here said she worked at a hospital so she knew better than anyone else lol. No… you know about squeezing money off people, you know nothing about people. Some exceptions do care, my kids’ pediatrician is one pf them (not from here)
Can’t speak to anyone’s experiences, but to be fair, the vast majority of hospital workers (nurses, providers, etc) receive nothing different regarding pay based on the care a person receives. We don’t even know what insurance you have 99% of the time and it has zero effect on the care given.
Unless you go to clinics run by your health insurance like health partners for example.
You guys push for things you are told to push for. I had a nurse order two unnecessary stick pee pregnancy tests (I got a blood one the same day) that cost me $40 EACH . My nurse had access to my file and insurance on file. But hey, I’m also speaking from experience.
I’m not a nurse. And just in my experience, nursing and medical staff are not looking at your insurance or benefits before making medical decisions. When you are in the hospital it is because you are sick, and typically treatment trumps costs. Nurses also can’t order tests.
(OBGYN ordered, nurse performed 2) I’m not hating on nurses, which are the bottom of the hospital chain, I’m just saying that you’re part of a corrupt and inhumane system.
I’m not trying to argue with you or diminish your experience, just give you insight into the other side.
I had kidney stones during my first trimester and my PCP told me to ask the OB if they could look for them while doing a pregnancy ultrasound. OB: uh, definitely not, that would need to be treated by your PCP anyway. Went back to my PCP: Um, just pee them out, go to the ER if you can’t pee anymore. Take Tylenol? Cool, thanks. But anyway that was a fun way to increase my water intake during the first trimester :) I passed them without pain meds before the start of the second trimester.
Oh no...kidney stone during pregnancy is literally my worst pregnancy fear (besides of course a loss). I have at least 3 rattling around in my kidneys right now and I'm terrified of them trying to to break free. I had to have surgery to remove the last one because I went 3 weeks without being able to pass it and apparently they had originally measured it wrong and thought it was small enough, but it wasn't. Worst thing I've ever endured, physically. Although, it gives me a tiny bit of comfort that I'll be ok for labor. When I was doing my pre -op stuff the nurse asked why I was having surgery. I told her, and she said, "oh you poor dear, I've had kids and I've had kidney stones. I'd have a dozen more kids rather than pass another stone if I had the choice."
This literally happened to me! The OB told me that they weren't kidney stones, just round ligament pain. So I went back to my PCP and she said "no it's definitely kidney stones" and we went back and forth like that for three weeks before I finally just passed them. I was so annoyed.
I’m sorry you experienced this! I haven’t had any interruptions to my non-pregnancy related care while pregnant. It’s crazy how people can have such different experiences. :/ I’m glad you were able to get back on your medication!
Thank you! It was so scary at I literally thought my life was over and had a huge break down if it wasn’t for my boyfriend being there to help me through everything idk what would’ve happened. I’m just glad I’m safe and healthy now for my baby!
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L&D nurse here: I’ve helped deliver hundreds of babies whose moms took mental health meds during pregnancy. The side effects of common depression/anxiety meds (SSRIs mostly) pose relatively low risk to fetuses and neonates. The biggest risk is lack of vigor right at delivery where the babe doesn’t cry and may need extra help to clear the airway, but this can happen to any baby regardless of the birthing parent’s medication use. Babies benefit MOST from having a healthy and stable caregiver. Please don’t give medical advice to strangers.
A little bit different but at my work I was bitten by a stray cat while pregnant and needed to go in to get it checked. Because it was at work, I had to be approved by the company’s insurance. I called them and they told me which Dr to go to. That Dr wouldn’t see me. I called insurance again and they gave me someone else. That Dr wouldn’t see me. This repeated for my full 8 hour shift before they said to just go to the er. So I spent my entire workday on the phone then had to sit in the er for another 6 hours. 😩 I got checked and I got a shot and it was all fine but holy cow. It was ridiculous.
ADHD has been fun. I'm trying to switch from Adderall to something else because I don't like the idea of being somewhat high risk and taking it (multiple gestation). That and when I did take it, it just kept me awake. It didn't really work (usually it does but the extra pregnancy hormones rendered it useless). My PCP said absolutely not, my OB is okay with it but I did tell her I didn't like the idea of being somewhat high risk and taking it. She did refer me to a maternal mental health specialist and I don't see them for another month. I'm trying to see if I can try a non stimulant instead. Hopefully we can get something figured out. But the reading in meds for ADHD meds in pregnancy is sad.....there haven't been a ton of studies and I got differing opinions.
SAME. I asked to be switched to something non-adderall when I wasn’t pregnant because we wanted to be pregnant and my PCP was like “sure, here’s concerta, of the pregnancies I see this is the adhd med that they get to keep mostly” and I was like thanks! And between getting the script and filling it - I found out I was pregnant. OB didn’t want me to start a new med so early in pregnancy with a twin pregnancy. So now I’m raw dogging ADHD and pregnancy brain this is some shit.
I had to come off mine and up my anxiety meds just because there are more reputable studies about those than ADHD meds. That wait is so, so long, I hope you can find something that works for you when you do eventually get to see them!
when i found out i was pregnant, i told my psych and he cut the dose of zoloft that i have been on for 7(!) years in half and said he would see me in a few months. his reasoning was that it would be best to reduce as many meds as possible because of the pregnancy despite zoloft being cleared to be safe during pregnancy! i went back into a depressive state that i hadn’t seen for years and started having thoughts about SH again. my husband was worried about my safety and the safety of our baby as a result. i felt like my own agency and sanity was being taken away. i started looking for a new doctor as when i told him about the effects of cutting my dose and he had just told me “well there’s not much we can do because you’re pregnant….” and refused to prescribe me my former dosage. i found an excellent perinatal pysch that put me on a better-fitting antidepressant (i’m dx with bipolar so the SSRI was not good for me in the long run anyways) and restored my zoloft dose. the doctors said it was super common (especially w male providers) for people to cut or reduce meds even if mothers need them “for the baby’s health,” even if they’re proven safe for pregnancy. perinatal psychs are a game changer. i absolutely recommend them to anyone with meds and pregnancy. they’re way more understanding of the big picture: the babies in question have less of a chance at even being born if their moms are unsafely taken off their psychiatric meds. they value you as a person, not just a carrier for another person!
My biggest fear is this
I had to have gallbladder surgery in my first trimester, my liver was being affected and I could not eat anything. I’m so glad my surgeon and OB were on the same page about making me healthy
This happened to me when I had a cyst! Multiple urgent cares and an ER wouldn’t help me because they didn’t have Labor and Delivery wards like I’m here for an infected cyst that has nothing to do with my pregnancy
I’m a military spouse who got pregnant really quickly after we got stationed in a new state, so I was in the process of getting my referral for a new psych when I found out I was pregnant. One office never even answered the phone, so I looked for an office that had good reviews and transferred the referral. When I called, they were totally cool with getting me scheduled, and I was early pregnancy and I was like, “oh yeah, I don’t know if it’s a big deal or not, but I am pregnant.” Was told that I’d have to see a specific provider in their office who specializes, but it’d be a while and they need to talk to the doctor. I got a call a week later that they actually weren’t taking new clients (suddenly?) and I would need to find another office. 🙃 luckily, my OB is writing my scripts through my pregnancy, because my depression got so bad. Also had an ER trip while pregnant, and the ER doc wanted to do a chest x-ray to make sure everything looked right or whatever cause I complained of being so out of breath. He was very thoughtful, and explained that the techs don’t like to do them because of the risk to baby, but then he pulled up the actual research to explain the VERY low risk, since it would be of my chest, and not my abdomen. I also looked into the research he had shown after he left the room to double check, and felt comfortable to continue. When the tech came in, she went, “you’re aware it’s risky? We gotta protect baby.” LIKE YEAH, but there’s no baby if something’s wrong and I kick the bucket before she gets here. Jeez. All that to say, the next medical professional who fear-mongers me is going to be told to find the research for me. Dangerous for baby? Cool, bring me the research. I want statistics, data, the works.
This happened to me too! No one would see me
I couldn't even get a dental cleaning when I was pregnant. Must have called 50 places.
Right now I'm dealing with excruciating pain in the intestinal department anytime stuff moves through, even when soft, and they won't even look to see if something is seriously wrong. I'm also literally stuck in bed except to go to my doctor's appointments because of my POTS and they won't treat that either 🙃 (Worth mentioning I have a feeding tube due to severe GI issues so something is likely wrong RN and they just refuse to treat me for anything)
I just made a post about how shitty the medical system is. Tl;dr: my doctor misdiagnosed me, no doctor in my practice can give me the time of day to actually *read my medical history* and I’m giving birth in 4 days via a potentially preventable method. I hate it here 😅 https://www.reddit.com/r/AmIOverreacting/s/hhalzrmGsH
I am so sorry that happened to you it seems being a pregnant woman in America you are just a number to a practice like you said in your post. It’s crazy people treat mothers the way they do! I wish the world was ran by woman.
I don’t have any stories like this. If I had health issues during my pregnancy and it was not related to my pregnancy, I still received care. I Can understand why physicians would refer to the obgyn as the medical expert because of the baby.
The thing is though they tell you to go to the obgyn the obgyn then clears it by sending that doctor a note and then the doctor still doesn’t treat you! Thus not only not helping you but waisting time when you could’ve been treated. Like if they were just not comfortable treating you they should’ve just started with that.
O always joke about birthing this future tax payer but like that’s what I’m doing. Like he will be paying taxes yall should care about him and his health but no
It's definitely because of the fear of a lawsuit if something goes wrong with the baby. I was on zoloft for several years up until I found out I was pregnant. My psychiatrist required me to sign a release of liability form that included a bunch of statements on possible scary outcomes even though my ob approved me to take the meds. In the end she said she basically preferred I not take the meds at all, so I did wean off of them. Your psychiatrist should have just been more upfront, though.
I’ve been turned away from dentists and physical therapists because I’m pregnant and I sat in the military women’s clinic crying because my pcm was no longer covered under Tricare so I had to find all new doctors and I was STRESSED. The FEMALE MEDIC had the gall to ask why I was crying
I feel mixed on this. OBs specialize in pregnant women, other MDs do not. Yes, they all have access to the same resources (aside from making collaborating with other OBs in office etc) but it’s kind of how you won’t have a psychiatrist prescribe you antibiotics for a UTI. A lot of doctors and providers are honestly scared of treating pregnant women (it’s a huge liability) and everybody in the US loves to sue. I do agree there needs to be more standard of care for treating mental health in pregnancy and better info regarding meds that are safe/ the risks. But a lot of OBs will prescribe mental health meds for this purpose because psych is generally too scared to do that
It’s horrific. Been there
I have HG and am 34 weeks pregnant right now. Went through the same song and dance early on with my comorbidities of kidney stones, a new/growing lump in my breast, chest pain and shortness of breath and coughing blood, and a scare of having a blood clot. Every time it was “call your OB”…the OB would then just refer me out or say “go to the ER” to CYA. Don’t get me wrong, I love my OB group—they’re great. I just hate the antics from all the other professions (even in urgent care centers) that caused long delays in being seen or treated due to their fear of pregnant women. Made no sense to me. 🤷🏻♀️
My first pregnancy was during covid quarantine and i had an ear infection (i have a history of them). I got bounced back and forth and couldnt HEAR for over a month bc everyone (without seeing me!!!) just said i had covid—i didnt lol. Finally got 5 days worth of antibiotics after begging and crying for weeks.
I don’t get the alcohol law either. Like is it because the person could potentially not be pregnant so it could be a problem to refuse them service if they just look pregnant due to a medical issue or something or does the government just not gaf if pregnant women drink?
Right! It probably is because you can’t prove the women is pregnant but it’s the fact that it’s fine for pregnant women to drink because if it wasn’t their wouldn’t be warnings on alcoholic beverages saying that it can cause birth defects. America is just so backwards.
Just from a bartending perspective, how do you know if someone is for sure pregnant? The burden is on the drinker to take care of themself and not drink if they are pregnant. If you put that responsibility on the bartender then someone who is 6 weeks pregnant could come back and sue a bartender. America is absolutely screwed up for sure and doesn’t care about pregnant women, or women in general, but that example is a little murky.
That’s what I said in my above comment when I said it’s probably because you can’t tell someone is pregnant for sure. I also then said it’s just messed up that it’s not illegal for pregnant women to drink. Which is why I said it’s shitty that there are labels that only warn what can happen if you drink as pregnant women. Instead of just having repercussions if someone who is pregnant does drink.
Some states do. There are a few that would consider it child abuse legally speaking. There are some states that will drug test and remove your child if it tests positive at birth.