what makes you high risk? how do you cope with it?
I have a long list of things that make ne nervous & few that I think my drs should consider more when it comes to prenatal care. But starting from pregnancy number one I'll tell you about the problems. Pregnancy number one, the day after my first ob appointment, I blead, heavily. To me it was like a period, first seriously scary moment of my life. I was rushed to the hospital by ambulance, where the drs could find no reason for the bleeding but could also find nothing wrong with the baby so I was discharged. This happened once again just a couple of weeks before I gave birth, but the drs just suggested that this time was the mucous plug expelling itself. October 22nd, 2006 3days before my duedate I gave birth to my first child, a baby boy named Aiden. I was a mommy for 7months before sids [sudden infant death syndrome] took him away from me. Although it wasn't a problem with the pregnancy, this makes me very nervous because I knew from that day on how short lived life could be, anything could happen. Pregnancy number two, all was going well, except for the anemia I developed during pregnancy. Nothing serious, I just had to take a iron supplement besides my every day prenatal. 30weeks gestation rolled around fast, then I started having preterm contractions. I was given some sort of medicine to stop the contractions, monitored for a few more hrs & sent home because I had not dilated at all. Within another week or two I was back in with the same problem, so I was given a shot to boost development of my babys lungs as a precautionary of possible preterm labor, & sent home with an everyday pill to maintain contractions as long as possible. May 12th, 2008 2weeks before my duedate, I gave birth to my second child, a baby boy named Alexander. All looked normal during the hospital stay besides the fact that he was having trouble keeping formula down by day two, & hadn't had a bowel movement yet. At 4am a dr comes into my room to let me know that I would be discharged that morning, but my son needed to be transferred to Childrens hospital where he will need surgery to correct a defect called imperforate anus. He had his first surgery when he was just three days old, & two more surgeries after that finishing when he was about six months old. On top of the imperforate anus, he also has kidney reflux, which for now we maintain with an antibiotic until a dr decides the antibiotic is doing no good & he may or may not need another surgery to correct that. Pregnancy number 3, my drs did not seem to be too concerned about my previous preterm contractions & offered me an extra sono to check for defect in my baby. All appears to be going well in the beginning though, until halfway through when I bled a few times. Now, I always told my drs when I felt like something wasn't going right, this was obviously my third pregnancy I should have known what it's like by now, but my drs still hadn't had much concern until I started measuring small & my belly dropped around 32weeks. So, as a precautionary they sent me for some ultrasounds to make sure my baby was still growing, & to make sure my fluid still looked good, & even checked out my cervix somehow. After a week of constant cramping, I went to my 36week check up 2cm dialated & counting. 2hours after my appointment I was admitted to the hospital in preterm labor. May 19th, 2010 I gave bitch to a small but healthy baby boy named Kelly. I am now on pregnancy number four, my dr is not concerned with my preterm labors, but has me high risk because of my son born with defect. Although she referred me to a genetic counselor, which I'm not sure how often I will see, she does not seem concerned to see me a little more frequently. I will visit my dr every 6weeks until I am 28weeks gestation, & that makes me nervous. I've had a lot go on with my babies, I just want to know that they are doing well. Why do my drs not seem as concerned as I am?
Comments
@navybabyonway, I have tricare prime. I called tricare because I found a dr out in town that takes tricare but they told me I needed to get a referral somehow & I need to atleast give the dr I was assigned a chance idk.
@misskristin, yes tricare prime is what we have, & since we live right off base, that's where we were assigned. I'm not exactly sure how to switch, do I get a referral from the ob I'm at or from my pcm? I've seen posts on here saying you can choose your dr if you have tricare standard, but I don't want to switch out insurance plan & find out that I'll have to pay out of pocket.
@angelsmommy, honestly I'd be fine just seeing my dr once a month for now if I could, but this dr does every 6weeks until you're 28weeks then every 4weeks until you're like 36weeks then every 2weeks. I'm going to talk to them & see if I can maybe be scheduled every 4weeks instead at my appt on May 4th.
@Haileyandtravismom, I couldn't imagine how scary that must be for you, I hope that you can atleast make it to 30weeks gestation. As for 36weeks, that is preterm however, said by every dr I've spoken to. 38weeks you are officially fullterm. & I've had more than just preterm contractions at 30weeks & delivery at 36weeks, which is why I am so nervous.
@HomeBirthAdvocate, thank you for your sympathy, it has definitely been a long bumpy road for me but I keep pushing foward as I should. I know being seen more often will not lessen my chances of preterm labor, it's just everything I've been through put together just make me a nervous wreck. Honestly if I could see my dr every week I would, but I know that's never going to happen I just wish I could have a little more reassurance that everythings going well. Every 6weeks is such a gap for me, especially when I'm worried & I was used to seeing my dr my previous pregnancies every 4weeks. The drs said they couldn't recognize the imperforate anus innitially because he was actually born with a decent dimple in his bottom where his anus should have been located. I'm not sure why they didn't think worse when he stopped holding his formula down though, they just kept switching the formula. Luckily this pregnancy even though my ob doesn't see me often, she has me going to a specialist for all of my ultrasounds so they're going to take a really good look at my baby. The dr also did tell me that the tipped uterus wouldn't pose any problems this pregnancy, but it could complicate concieving in the future or something along those lines. Thank you for your advice, it means a lot.
Second, I am a retired Marines wife and we still have tricare prime but it is slighty different in what we pay for. My husband was just medically retired last year so we are very familiar with the AD tricare prime. I am not sure if this is true of every military hospital, but when we were stationed in san diego, if you wanted to see a civilian doctor when the military docs could see you, you would have to get "disengaged." It means you have to get the approval of the base commander to be seen elsewhere and it isn't the easiest thing to do. If you lived further from the military hospital/doctor it was easier because you were considered remote. If you aren't happy with your care, let you doctor know (in a nice way) and if that doesn't help, find a patient care advocate where you are seen and explain the situation. They are there to help you.
Third, I am high risk because I have had type 1 diabetes since I was 15 years old (I am 33 now). I take insulin all day every day through an insulin pump. My first born has multiple birth defects (heart defect that required open heart surgery at 8 months old, hydrocephalus, only 1 kidney, a club foot, and extra 1/2 of a vertabrae which is causing moderate scoliosis, eye problems and developmental delays) and was preterm at 35 weeks. My second I had PTL from about 27 weeks on. Just about 1 time a week I would have to go to L&D for meds and IV fluids. I also developed pre-e with her and she was born at 35 weeks as well. They do ultrasounds monthly to look for defects and check on growth and I will need to have biweekly non stress tests when I get to my 3rd trimester. I have been seen about every 2 to 4 weeks but they are also managing my diabetes during this pregnancy so it is necessary for me to be seen a lot because my blood sugars are always changing due to fluctuating hormones and everything. Ithink how often you are seen is different for every woman. Again, ask you doctor and go from there.
Good luck!
@misskristin, if things don't make more sense by my next appt I will def give that a try, thank you!
@Steph_Due_101611, my goodness you have a lot on your plate as well.
@Mommy_love, I am so sorry to hear about your loss in 2006! What exactly is an incompetant cervix? When you thin & dialate before you're ready? I am sorry to hear about your loss in 2009 as well, you are one strong mama, I couldn't even imagine! I do plan to talk to my dr at my next appt on May 4th, unfortunately I don't have the option to just call & speak with my dr or even schedule an appt if something is bothering me. In such a case that I felt something was going wrong I would have to go to the er until I am 20weeks or to labor & delivery 20weeks plus.
@one5one, will you continue to see your dr every 2weeks? Good to know your baby is doing well! You have me beat by one week, I'm 15weeks today due on October 18th, when are you due?
@juliek77, ahh I hope it will not be so difficult for me to find a new dr if I chose to. How would you suggest I tell my dr I am not please with their practice in a polite way? I am so sorry to hear about your struggles with your first child, & what is PTL? I wish I could receive monthly sonos, but my insurance tends to only cover two, but I am receiving a couple extra just because my dr wants to get a good look at my baby although the defect my son was born with can be hard to detect via ultrasound. I hope all goes well for you in your pregnancy, good luck.
Im high risk aswell. I had 2 miscarriages before I got pregnant with my daughter, and during that pregnancy I had preeclamsia and PUPPPS (which is a very painful rash all over your body, feels like its burning, and the only way it goes away is by having the baby) now im pregnant again, im having a boy this time, and from the very beginning ive been seen once every 4 weeks, by my obgyn and by a high risk dr. The high risk dr found out that the reason I had preeclamsia was because I have factor 5, which is a blood disorder that makes me have the risk of developing blood cloths, even on the placenta, so now i've been on blood thinners. I have tricare prime aswell, I went to the tricare office at the naval hospital and told them I wanted a civilian dr because I live a bit far from the hospital and they changed it, then my dr referred me to a civilian obgyn and the ob wanted me to go to a high risk dr too. Honestly for me it was hard to have the change done, I hate the base drs honestly. I hope you can get it all changed, you should see a dr more often ifyou are high risk!
You can view doctors in your area by going to http://www.mytricare.com and clicking on your region. A new window will open and you'll want to select Beneficiary. Once the page loads, look at the menu on the left side and click provider directory. From there, another new window will open and you'll want to select search by specialty. It will then ask for your city & state or zip code. After you hit enter, another window (that's a lot of windows, lol) will open and list all of the providers in the area. You will still need a referral to see a different doctor, but it couldn't hurt to have someone in mind.
The best need from the specialist was the baby's growth was right on, so he doesn't suspect anything too bad atm. Just watching the development now and for possible complications that could endanger my or the baby's life.
@one5one, oh you've got me beat by a week & a half. But we'll both be going for our anatomy scans around the same time! My appts Mat 4th & I go for my ultrasound on May 19th! I am hoping for pink as well!
@SemperFiwife, thank you & I am sorry for your losses as well! My goodness that sounds like a rough pregnancy, I couldn't imagine. I've had bleeding, cramping, preterm labor & multiple utis but I'm sure those don't compare. The worst of my problems seem to appear after birth I suppose but that's why I want my drs to really focus on the baby! I had no idea there was a tricare office in the hospital, are you in NC at Camp Lejeune by any chance? I think I'm equivalent distance from the dr I was planning on attending before I was assigned to the ob on base. Originally I found a dr I wanted who takes tricare but they said I needed a referral so I was like okay. Well I went to my pcm, who did a pregnancy test & confirmed pregnancy then told me she would inform tricare so they could refer me to an ob. I told my pcm I found a dr I would like tto attend but they told me tricare had to refer me first, & that if I didn't like the dr I was assigned to contact them back & they would help me get a new dr but she said it's really tough to do when you live so close to base. Which is why I have been so confused, but I suppose I should see my ob on base for my 2nd appt & talk to them before I make my decision. Hopefully they'll see me more if I request it.
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@Steph_Due_101611, 32weeks wow! How long did your baby have to stay in the nicu? I had the two shots in the butt with my almost 3yr old when I was contracting with him, I believe one was magnesium & the other was a steroid shot to boost lung development. & your due 2 days before me!
@USMCwifemommy101107, hey I go to the naval hospital on camp lejeune too! I'm going to be 20 in a few months, so we're pretty close in age! We should get together for a playdate sometime! I couldn't even see the dr until I was 9weeks, but I've had 2full & 1extra ultrasound because they couldn't find my babys heartrate via doppler at 10weeks but they found it on ultrasound. I had no idea I had 8 free visits to drs? I'm suppossed to ask the receptionist at the ob for a referral? I already looked around for drs that accept tricare, not on the tricare sit but I did find a dr that accepts tricare I just need the referral.
@misskristin, yeah I know I told my one friend repeatedly that if she didn't like her dr or didn't agree with things to speak up or get out & I try to I just needed to figure out what to do. I already found a dr that does accept tricare it's just a matter of getting my referral, & I want to give my dr another chance before I make a decision.
@Mel1280, what is the condition they think your baby has? & the condition you have yourself? Sorry for the questions, I'm just aware of some things that can happens. I hope everything works out & they continue to monitor your baby.