Wednesday, March 14, 2012

First OB appointment apprehensions




I've been hanging in ok emotionally most of this week. Have been feeling pretty flattened with fatigue and very queasy, both of which have been reassuring, I think, and also haven't left me much energy for worrying about the state of this pregnancy. About all I can muster is dragging myself into the hospital, seeing my patients and doing what I have to do for that day, and crawling home. This morning, I woke up and felt "different," a little better I think, a little less nauseated, and definitely less tired. Although likely this was because I got a nap in yesterday, or maybe is just due to a normal ebb and flow of symptoms, this "difference" left me very scared.

I should probably count it as a success to have made it to just 24 hours before the ultrasound before moving into a state of abject terror. That's not so long to have to be terrified.

By tomorrow morning, we'll know if this pregnancy is still continuing or if the embryo has died.

Nothing I can do about it one way or another, I keep reminding myself. Tomorrow's just about finding out.

The OB I am seeing tomorrow is new to me. She is much beloved by her patients and is supposed to be a big cheerleader and huge supporter of them. (Women are rumored to have more children just to be able to see her more often!) I thought this type of provider might be exactly what I need. She is not a high risk OB though, so it will be interesting to see (1) if she'll take my case and (2) if she'll be able to offer enough support/availability/monitoring that this will work for me.

I'm confident that the doctor will be clinically astute and understanding but I have to admit I'm a bit dreading the regular OB office staff and their likely interminable cheerfulness and naivete about pregnancy. Hopefully I'm wrong about that and am being pessimistic, but I've had some really annoying exchanges in the past, in which staff assumes that number of pregnancies = number of live kids, for example. So I am praying folks read my file before asking silly questions. No matter what, I promise to be well behaved and give everyone the benefit of the doubt, even if I am a difficult recurrent miscarrier patient!

So, a bit scared to death right now. Hoping hoping hoping that tomorrow finds us still pregnant.

I'll keep you posted.

Mo

P.S. Thanks for the advice on going with a Mohs surgeon and someone with plastics specialty for my basal cell removal. Looking into this now.... will let you know as this unfolds as well.

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46 comments:

  1. DH had a basal cell spot removed from his face with a Mohs surgeon and I swear you can't tell at all! Good luck!

    I know all will be well with this baby, and soon you will too. xo

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  2. Thinking about you and wishing you good luck tomorrow! I am so glad to hear that you are aware of the possible cheery/congratulatory attitudes of the office staff and even nurses. After my first miscarriage I went in at about 7 weeks to try to find the heartbeat during my next pregnancy. I have to admit to about socking the nurse when she congratulated me before the ultrasound and asked if I was hoping for a boy or a girl. I was completely unprepared for that cheerfulness and (selfishly?) assumed everyone would be as nervous about this as I was. You are right in giving them the benefit of the doubt though, I don't think they necessarily read the files beforehand. It is a bit of an upsetting reminder, though, that many places are not used to dealing with recurrent miscarriages.

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  3. Best of luck tomorrow. I'm hoping that you love the staff and the doctor and that they all love you, too! Fingers crossed that everything is still going as it should. Although, I don't see any reason why it wouldn't be at this point. Please update as soon as you can! :-)

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  4. Thinking of you and hoping for lovely, reassuringly wonderful news tomorrow.

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  5. What sprogblogger said!

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  6. I didn't see a high risk OB regularly for either of my pregnancies (went twice for Tiny Boy's gestational sac issue). Wasn't a problem because I was still treated like a high risk patient and was told I'd be referred back to an MFM specialist if I needed (I did need to see a hematologist, per my OB's request, to monitor heparin doese and such).

    I found my first OB app't, also at 8 weeks, to be extremely nervewracking because they just didn't *get it* I'm hoping your doctor is what you want...but know you can always switch if she isn't.

    Best wishes tomorrow.

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  7. I'm a lurker but think about you guys often. I wish I had words of wisdom or something profound to say, I don't. But prayers that things go well tomorrow and always.

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  8. Mo, you give me strength! You are such an amazing person and so in touch with your own feelings and not ashamed of acknowledging how you feel. I am wishing so hard for you to get comfort at your appointment tomorrow and to fall in love with your new OB.
    Keep in mind, even if the nurse is insane, OB can still be amazing! Personal horror story: A few months back, I came in to OB office for US after ER b/c I had bad OHSS symptoms. Part of regular OB visit protocol is for nurse to ask dumb questions. Mine asked what kind of contraceptives I use and if I was on birth control. I just burst in tears. Can they just read our charts 2 mins before seeing us?!!! BUT the OB that came in after the dumb nurse was G-d-sent! I am seeing her next week on Wed for the 6.5 week US... I am so scared every minute to loose the little dude that is inside me and am celebrating every hour...
    GOOD LUCK for tomorrow. You are so strong - I wish I had 1/10th of your will power...

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  9. I don't know if this will help, and it's going to sound strange, but my symptoms ALWAYS disappeared the day before an appointment, and then reappeared immediately afterwards. I think your nerves can do that!! Even if you don't think you're that nervous, your body knows you are. I would go into an OB appointment thinking I'd lost the baby because I had absolutely no nausea or symptoms, and then immediately after seeing the ultrasound and being reassured, I'd throw up in the bathroom. It was the craziest thing and after it happened several times, I came to expect it. So maybe that is what's happening to you, too! Other friends of mine who have struggled with IF and miscarriages have said they experienced the same phenomenon. I really pray you have another great day tomorrow and can relax again until your next appointment!

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  10. Uhhh...I've seen high risk docs and I wonder what really makes them so amazing, honestly. I think they would be more useful in the 2nd and 3rd trimester rather than the 1st.

    The perinatologist I insisted on having was such an a-hole- that is the one who told me not to swear after announcing that my baby had no heartbeat with all the casualness of giving me the weather report.

    On the other hand, the OB I had before, while being the earth mother type and insisting I did not need any more tests (Ha) was infinitely kind.

    So if you have a kind doctor, that is half the battle won. God knows you are covered as far as second opinions and diagnostics go. Best of luck for tomorrow...keeping my fingers toes and everything crossed.

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  11. We'll be lurking for an update. Hang in there 'Mo!

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  12. praying for wonderful news tomorrow...I hope your OB is as wonderful as her other patients say and you only have to see MFM on the side! Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers.

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  13. Congrats on not freaking out until now - I feel just the same as you. The fatigue and nausea made it impossible to worry until just before my u/s - a blessing in disguise! BTW, my RE (who's at C.ornell, where I am guessing you are going but of course don't know) said that it wasn't necessarily a great thing to be going to a high risk practice when you aren't high risk. She said all the docs would be focused on the twins, triplets, diabetes patients, etc. and you will be kind of a second class citizen. Don't know if that's true but if so, maybe that's a good trade off for having to deal with some more naiive attitudes. Wishing you all the luck in the world with tomorrow's u/s, and I'll be waiting for that update!

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  14. Good luck tomorrow! Im hoping for excellent news. ;)

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  15. Thinking of you! I will be saying extra prayers for you tomorrow morning! Hang in there, I am sure these last hours of waiting are difficult.

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  16. Sending all the positive vibes I can for a reassuring ultrasound tomorrow!

    Hugs,
    Jo

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  17. Wishing I could hold your hand during tomorrow's appointment. I felt like throwing up before my 6,7and 8 week ultrasounds! I am saying a prayer for this embryo. I was really encouraged by how good your last ultrasound pic looked.

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  18. I'm sure you'll be on pins and needles for that appointment. I hope it goes very well. I'll be thinking of you tomorrow.

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  19. I would TOTALLY have more kids just to be taken care of by my OB again! Office staff is Super imporant. I'm hoping for good news. nbhhy.

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  20. I would TOTALLY have more kids just to be taken care of by my OB again! Office staff is Super imporant. I'm hoping for good news. nbhhy.

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  21. Everything crossed for you tomorrow. Maybe they could write G7P0A6 nice and big on the front of your chart, or flag it somehow so people could be sensitive and less chipper? Maybe you can say something to the receptionist when you go in about how you don't want people spreading any cheer till after you've had your scan and know what's what, given your previous history. She should be able to give the rest of the crew the heads-up that they should tread lightly.
    Thinking of you lots.

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  22. I will be stalking for an update tomorrow!! We are still just one day apart. I am 7w3d today and still had a beautiful heartbeat yesterday. I am now past the point of my 5 losses and I do feel better. I can't wait for you to hit 10 weeks!!!!

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  23. I will be stalking for an update tomorrow!! We are still just one day apart. I am 7w3d today and still had a beautiful heartbeat yesterday. I am now past the point of my 5 losses and I do feel better. I can't wait for you to hit 10 weeks!!!!

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  24. Cheering for you from my little corner of the world! Praying that all is well!

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  25. Hope all goes well tomorrow. I find OB visits to be very boring all mine ever do is check the heartrate with a doppler and then I pee in a cup. Don't get me wrong I love hearing the heartbeat but I much rather see it on the screen.

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  26. Mo, I just wanted to stop by and tell you how excited I am for you and DH. I am very hopeful for you and this pregnancy. I am always thinking of you even if I am not commenting. Blogger hasn't like wordpress commenting, so I haven't been commenting as much.

    Wishing you the best tomorrow and I am constantly looking in my google reader for posts from you.

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  27. I wish and hope with all my heart that your appointment goes well. My hubby and I just got the go ahead for my first month with clomid today, and I actually started taking it today as well. I am so excited to start trying again, after 4 mc's.

    once again, thank you for your blog

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  28. you are such a brave woman - remember that when you are walking in tomorrow. we are all cheering for you, will and the lil bean! :)

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  29. Thinking of you this morning. Take us all with you. Don't forget to breathe. You're doing great. xoxo

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  30. Really thinking of you today and SO hoping that the staff at the office does due diligence and is respectful of your history...
    Fingers crossed!!!

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  31. Good luck today. Keeping you in my thoughts.

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  32. Just wanted to send well wishes your way.
    MindyE

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  33. thinking of you mo and will...

    hoping for the best this morning.

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  34. By now your appt may be over but just incase I wanted to wish you luck. I just keep thinking with my OB office staff that they are ignorant and not through any fault of their own. They usually only have the info of who I'm there to see and a very generic reason for the appt. They usually don't have access to the chart so again not their fault. Luckily the nurses and ultrasound techs have been great. My last ultrasound they said "lets just see what we can see" perfect. All that matters is that the people who are with you when you are most vulnerable give you support in the way you need. Hope you have found your OB and walk away with tons of reassurance.

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  35. thinking of you mo and will...
    hope things are going well.

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  36. Just wanted to wish you good luck! Hoping the clueless fertiles leave you alone!

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  37. Good luck today!! Everything remains crossed for you both.

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  38. Since I don't know what time your appointment is/was I just wanted you to know that I'm thinking of you (and obsessively checking your blog) and hoping everything is great in your world right now.

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  39. Thinking of you and obsessively refreshing.

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  40. Can't wait to hear the news from you today -- 8th visit to the site so far this morning!

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  41. Also obsessively refreshing... Hoping you're late to update because you are out celebrating good news!

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  42. I feel like we will all take the server down with our refreshing! Cannot wait for the good news!

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  43. Thinking of you and wishing you nothing but the best.

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