Scan - Sorry, its a rant! (and long!)

[Mrs IKW]

I last saw my doctor 5 wks ago when she sent me for blood tests, (Im in Spain & I dont have a midwife here - just see the doctor) and she wanted to see me with the results at my next scan appointment... I couldnt get an appointment until today as shes always booked up - 5 weeks later, so off I went today with the results only to be told by the receptionist that my appointment had been changed to yesterday, and she had phoned once to tell me but had got no answer so she had just left it!!!!!! I was FUMING! I tried to ask her why she hadnt left a message, sent a text or tried calling again and she couldnt really answer or explain herself!

So there I am -OH has driven me to the doctors surgery 20mins away from home... 30wks pregnant, not seen a doctor for 5 weeks and I had blood tests taken 5 weeks ago and no one has looked at the results!!! The receptionist told me the only way to be seen before the end of next week is to go to Emergancy's at the hospital (10mins away) and they will make me an urgent appointment for a scan and to see a doctor....

So we went to the private hospital, waited 2 1/2 hours to go into see the gynacologist and surprise surprise - its my private doctor sitting behind the desk!!!! She must work different days at different places.... I told her what had happened with her receptionist at her surgery and she laughed!

She looked at my blood test results and told me I am severely anemic and asked if Im taking iron supplements - I said no as no one has looked at my results until now! She has prescribed me an iron supplement drink so at least thats sorted...

She scanned me and then told me that instead of being 30+1 as I thought, I am 30+5 and baby is measuring at 32wks and weighs almost 4 pounds!!!!

She then told me that I dont need to be seen for 5 weeks time (so I will be 35+5) for blood tests and an internal and that was it!

Is it normal to go such a long time in between appointments at this late stage? Maybe its totally normal, but I pay private medical insurance to be feel looked after and at the moment I feel like I have no real idea whats going on!

On the plus side, LO was moving lots and when the doctor did a close up of her face she yawned and opened her eyes which was very cute!

Sorry, rant over now!

 

[Kirst264]

Goodness sake!!! That is useless, sorry you had such a hooha with them! At least at the end of it you got to see your little one x

 

[emmi26]

on my maternity notes it says from 28 weeks appointments are every 3 weeks till 34 weeks then its every 2 so it does seem odd. maybe its done differently in spain we certainly dont have internals here either. my iron levels were done at 28 weeks and im having them done again at 36 as they have dropped a bit so if yrs are already low surely you should see someone !!!

 

[laura6914]

5 weeks is a very long time to go without being seen. I get to see my MW every 2 weeks and then once a week after 38 weeks. Seen as your going private and getting that type of treatment i would be kicking right off to be honest.

Glad LO is well though hun. my last scan was 21 weeks and im dying to see him again, im so envious.

 

[stephmum2be]

Im not seeing my MW now till october 12th and im due on the 30th, no ones mentioned me seeing her every 2 weeks i thought it seemed like a long time to wait till seeing her again should i mention it?

 

[laura6914]

i would mention it Steph definitley.
My next appointment is the 2oth Sept, then i see her every week and im booked in for sweep on the 14th October if LO hasn't made an appearence.

 

[lori]

5 weeks does seem like a long time, though I guess the protocol may be different in different countries. I had to see my doctor every 2 weeks from 30-36 weeks, and now it's weekly until baby's born. Hope you get it sorted out.

 

[Mrs IKW]

Its all making me very scared about the birth!

Doctor is keen to do a c-section, partly due to babys size at the moment and probably partly to do with its convenient for her and she can book it into her busy weekly schedule! The private hospital has an incredibly high c-section rate and if not a c-section then the intervention rate of forceps and ventouse is v high too....

I think I am happy for her to suggest a c-section as I could see me going into labour and not being kept in the loop about whats going on and it all being very scary!!!!! especially as Im in a foreign country and my Spanish isnt fluent...

 

[amandaawesome]

i am in the us but from my personal experience, this is all different. at almost 31 wks our lo weighed in at 4lbs9ozs. there has been no mention of a csection and i plan to have a vaginal birth still. we will do another growth scan at 36wks to watch his size though. he could be up to 10lbs so talk of an induction has come what brought up but i don't personally think i'll make it that far. we will see what happens though. i have seen my obgyn every 3wks up until the last appt where i went back after 2. i go back again after 2 from last appt and it goes to once a week after that. we get test results usually the next day after having done a test and the nurse calls me.

is it maybe just where you are?? the way they do things?? i am on private insurance as well but the dr seems to give everyone the same care here.

 

[majm1241]

How annoying and that receptionist needs to be better at her job! I use to work in her kind of position and to leave messages on the machine is not very professional. Not everyone listens to the answering machine.

As for the appointments, at my doctor's office it is every 4 weeks until 32 weeks. That is when it goes every 2 weeks. I think I will be going once a week towards the end but not sure.

 

[mystika802]

Sounds similar to what happened with my first, my OB kept pushing c section saying the baby was big and I was too small, I went for a second and third opinion both of which thought I would be able to try a natural birth. Long story short he was 10lbs and I had a vaginal birth with only 3 small stitches. Csections are convenient for dr's Im so sure thats why some of them really push it. 5 weeks is too long at that stage I would think, I saw my dr every 4 weeks until my last visit (30 weeks) and he said every 2 weeks after