AIBU to feel annoyed with the radiologist?

[JustVent]

I had a scan today following some minor complications after a late MMC in the summer and a subsequent D&C for retained products and a huge cyst that was twisting my tube.

Despite it being ages ago, symptoms indicated that all was not well so I had another scan this morning.

I’m on day 4 or 5 of AF, I told her I thought there may still be retained products from before.
She scanned, said there was something. She said it could be that or it could be another failed pregnancy (!!) I saw the screen which was swivelled round to me that she measured it and dated it at 7weeks 2 days.

That’s not possible for a number of reasons. I left there shaking like a leaf and took a pregnany test. It was of course totally negative. I felt relieved that it’s just retained products but now I’m pissed off.

Do I have a right to be? I shouldn’t have seen the screen, she shouldn’t have suggested it could have been another failed pregnancy. We aren’t trying, and I’m on my period. Is she qualified to suggest this?

In my past experience they say absolutely nothing and the consultant discusses the scan with you afterwards.

I know you're shaken up so responding emotionally but I think YABU. She didn't categorically state it was another failed pregnancy. She merely said it could be, just like it could be something else. Sorry but they do these scans all day every day, I could underside it if she's said something nasty or purposefully mean but she gave her medical opinion that it could be one thing or another. Nothing wrong with that.

That’s so crap OP. I’m sorry this happened to you.
I would like to know the answer to this question as something somewhat similar happened to me too.

OP I am sorry you are feeling so bad. I think that the radiologist gave you a couple of factual reasons for what she could see and I don't think that was wrong of her.

Your question mentions if the person was qualified to talk about the results. Was it a sonographer you saw? A radiologist is a specialist doctor.

I don’t know, I assumed it was a radiologist. Perhaps it was a sonographer.

How much of a difference does that make?

Also I’ve been googling, and in early pregnancy you see a sac and stuff like that.
Surely she could tell the difference between a baby and a bunch of left over crap from the placenta of the last pregnancy?!

I assume you are talking abut a sonographer.
Yes we do show the screen if we feel it is appropriate. We also write the reports. The consultant does not write the report. Therefore we can tell you the results.
Most sonographers train drs to scan. Just because they are a drs doesn’t mean they know everything. If she was unsure she was unsure. The consultant won’t be any more sure.

Ultrasound is not like a blood test. It is far more complex. It’s doesnt give straight yes/no answers. You make a subjective assesment of what you can see. You male a decision there and then whilst scanning the patient.

Please give the sonographer a break. Am sure she was doing what felt right at the time.

ALso it could quite possibly have been a dr if you were on the ward. In which case you will probably be followed up with a sobographer scan at some stage.

I understand why you’re upset but you are being a bit U.

1. highly unlikely to be a radiologist, most probably a sonographer who is more than qualified to give an opinion on what was going on. Sonographers write a report after they’ve completed the ultrasound.

2. sounds like you were engaged in conversation about what could be going on, in that case she reasonable to mention another failed pregnancy as an option.

3. there’s no reason why you shouldn’t see the screen. I’ve had ultrasounds for miscarriages, pregnancy, renal scans and ovarian cysts and Ive seen the screen plenty. If you were talking about it with her, it’s help her explain what she could see.

4. Ultrasounds are good these days but they’re not miracle machines. It can still be hard to tell what’s what I.e between a second failed pregnancy and retained products.

To answer your question, of course you have the right to be upset. You’ve been through an emotional and traumatic time and I’m so sorry for your loss. It is one of the hardest things in the world to come to terms with. Your emotion might be a bit misdirected though. If I were you, I’d wait for the report and discuss with your doctor and hopefully you’ll get some peace of mind

Ok, thank you for bringing me down a bit, I see your points.

Whenever we have X-rays they always refuse to tell us anything at all, not even a guess. I assumed this would be the same.

@bodicea how could she not tell if it was a pregnancy? I’ve googled what a pregnancy should look like at that stage and it has a sac and stuff.

As it is, I would be at the absolute most 5 weeks pregnant. It’s physically impossible for me to be 7+2.

JustVent I am so sorry for what you are going through at the moment x

It sounds as if she was doing her job, but she could have put it more kindly.

OP, so sorry you're going through this.

An X-ray us totally different to an ultrasound and a radiographer is a totally different job to a sonographer.

I imagine a failed pregnancy looks very different to a viable pregnancy and may look similar to retained product. In the kndest possible way, I don't think your hour or so googling really compares to a sonographers years or training and experience.

Medical professionals have a duty of care to be open and honest with patients about their condition. If she had held things back from you, that would have been wrong and many people would have complained about that.

Sorry you've been through a tough time. Hope it all gets better

It was less the ‘hour of googling’ and more the normal period, negative pregnancy test and totally impossibility that I’d be 7+2 weeks pregnant.

I don’t know. I Wouldn’t like to comment on something I haven’t seen.

OP I wasnt trying to be nasty. Just answering yiur question as to why she wasn't sure what the scan was showing.

She wasn't to know about the possibility or lack thereof of pregnancy- she was just telling you what the results could show.