To be concerned at the number of people on MN second guessing doctors?

[Wolfgirrl]

Every day I read a new thread where the poster is canvassing opinion on whether to reject medical advice.

The most common seem to be wanting to refuse a caesarean/induction and not wanting to top up fail to thrive babies with formula.

I totally agree that everyone has the right to refuse medical treatment etc, but when it relates to a baby you're not just putting yourself at risk. It just seems selfish to me? Interested to hear other's opinions.

@BirdieFriendReturns

I'm very sorry to hear that Birdie, it certainly wasnt my intention to offend you.

Well you’ll be happy to know that right now there is almost no breastfeeding support available

And what are the risks of the induction?

Labor induction carries various risks, including:

Failed induction. About 75 percent of first-time mothers who are induced will have a successful vaginal delivery. This means that about 25 percent of these women, who often start with an unripened cervix, might need a C-section. Your health care provider will discuss with you the possibility of a need for a C-section.
Low heart rate. The medications used to induce labor — oxytocin or a prostaglandin — might cause abnormal or excessive contractions, which can diminish your baby's oxygen supply and lower your baby's heart rate.
Infection. Some methods of labor induction, such as rupturing your membranes, might increase the risk of infection for both mother and baby. Prolonged membrane rupture increases the risk of an infection.
Uterine rupture. This is a rare but serious complication in which your uterus tears open along the scar line from a prior C-section or major uterine surgery. Very rarely, uterine rupture can also occur in women who had never had previous uterine surgery. An emergency C-section is needed to prevent life-threatening complications. Your uterus might need to be removed.
Bleeding after delivery. Labor induction increases the risk that your uterine muscles won't properly contract after you give birth (uterine atony), which can lead to serious bleeding after delivery.

www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/labor-induction/about/pac-20385141

@Wolfgirrl why do you presume all pregnant women are stupid?

The health advice around pregnancy and labour presumes all pregnant women are stupid.

Exactly what VioletCharlotte said about third or forth post in.

I and many members of my familiar are educated to at least the same level as doctors (in non-medical disclipines) so with the internet and intelligence to use it, can spend far more time researching things.

I have huge respect for GPs, they are very skilled at what they do with the time and resource they have. They wear many hats very successfully, but by definition, they are jack of all trades and master of none.

Obviously our education did not teach us to spell discipline

Considering it's not actually possible at the best of times to get a GP appointment, then it's not so much a 2nd guess as a 1st one, better than just asking the cat.

FWIW, the risks of induction are many, and well documented.

Dd2's due date inconveniently (for hospital) fell on 4 day weekend. I was given a ton of pressure by doctor to be induced prior to the bank holiday - the priority was scheduling rather than the health of me & baby.

I declined. I'm ok with that. Decisions aren't always about what is best for the patient just because it's made by a HCP.

Actually not quite true about jack of all trades and master of none, but I don’t think the OP is referring specifically to GPs anyway given the mention of recommendations for induction/caesarians

In my case I was told by an obstetrician that I would have an induction at 39 weeks (not even his “recommendation” - he just Said it’s what would happen) which was completely against NICE guidelines For my circumstances. When I asked for his reasoning (obviously I wanted to know if I was higher risk than I had understood) he didn’t have Any - he said he just made the same recommendation for every woman, and he agreed that the NICE guidelines (induction at 41 weeks if necessary) were more appropriate to my circumstances. I saw it as my responsibility to make sure I was informed

Ivinghoe I know it might not be quite the same, but Infant Feeding peer supporters are still about - at least in my area, for help with breastfeeding (and other infant feeding queries).

I believe we get more training than a GP in breastfeeding, too.

Doctors are often wrong ime and also often wrong because they are too busy dismissing you to do their jobs properly. On one occasion this could have had life threatening consequences had I ignored not one but two doctors and did my own blood tests. Thankfully I did and got treatment.

Having been very unwell in the last few years I have learnt you need to do your own research, be your own advocate and to pick your medical professionals very carefully.

Well, my GP gave me some new high blood pressure medication last week because bp drug number 2 that I was on was causing too many horrendous side effects.

New pills were water pills, they were.

He asked me no questions, just pushed the scrip out to the pharmacy.

Turns out they are not really supposed to be taken alongside BP medication 1 that I was still on cos they clash.
They shouldn't be give to anyone with a history of hypokalemia (low blood potassium), which I have.
Didn't ask if I piss OK already, the answer is "like a horse".

They stopped me pissing.
After 36 hours, 2 doses, I had gained 6 pounds of water weight.

I spent that night lying on the bed with chest pains, headache, swollen legs, shortness of breath. DH was terrified, never seen me looking so deathly pale and unwell.

When I phoned and told GP about it, he basically said I was full of shit as "they wouldn't have caused that" and I should carry on taking them to see if it sorted itself out.

The pharmacist I called said "don't take no more of them and you should have called 999 when all that happened"

I never had trouble pissing before, ever, but no it wasn't the pills, oh no....fucking idiot woman obviouslsy can't tell if I have pissed that day or not.

I am not saying he is a shit doctor but he is definitely disinterested and begrudging of having to talk to you to earn his money. It's like trying to talk to a whiney teenager.

Doctors are not always right, most people are well aware of that so will ask here to gain the knowledge of experience from other users who may have had similar issues.

My GP told me if I didn't breastfeed my son until he was 2 he would be "a moron with a low iq". Actual words.

Obviously can't spell obviously either.

ScrimpshawTheSecond I know people really are doing their best but it isn’t the same. I am fortunate not to need support with breastfeeding right now (i am tandem feeding and my mother is a doctor who breastfed and has done extensive breastfeeding training through her own choice), but there are many women and babies falling through the cracks right now.

@BeforeIPutOnMyMakeup

Sorry I must have forgotten where I said that?

Deciding between an induction and waiting is a complex decision with many subjective evaluations of risks. It’s normal that people would want to discuss it with others who have been through similar experiences and a final decision is not made on purely objective medical facts - this is impossible with decisions involving multiple uncertain elements and varying combinations of risks and benefits for more than one person.

You’ve seen loads of posts of failure to thrive babies? I very much doubt that. Failure to thrive is not that common, and failure to thrive associated specifically with BF would be even rarer to begin with.

MN diagnosed me correctly with a rare spinal cord injury complication which two A&E doctors missed. A mistake that had long term health implications for me. If it wasn’t for MN I doubt I would have pushed for a third opinion as it did seem pointless at the time.

Just to be clear, going past 41 weeks is associated with a statistically significant increased risk of still birth, hence why the NHS offer induction at 41 weeks:

www.nhs.uk/news/pregnancy-and-child/inducing-birth-41-weeks-may-reduce-risk-stillbirth/

I voted YANBU but the exception is obstetrics where as far as I’m concerned it is beyond doubt that lots of doctors push vaginal birth as being the better option whereas in fact lots of reasonable women prefer the risk profile of a section.

Induction is awful. I would accept a doctor’s advice that baby needed to come out rather than wait but I won’t be told an induction is better than a planned section. Like fuck it is. The excerpt earlier missed the vastly increased rate of instrumental birth with induction, and the distressing birth injuries this often causes.

DIL last month of pregnancy swelled up alarmingly, we were worried about her, midwife retired had been recalled because of sickness fobbed us off. She went into labour for 26 hours felt so ill and started seizing, bells and whistles then off to theatre, she almost died she was told days later when she was compos mentis. She was so swollen legs and hands it was like looking at veruca salt after she ate the blueberries.

Re: doctorsThey are general practitioners so do not know about everything that is what a good consultant is for.

I have sat waiting for a prescription and seen the pharmacist on a number of occasions pull a patient aside and explain that the combo. of drugs they were on were contra indicatory and to go back to gp.

The most common seem to be wanting to refuse a caesarean/induction and not wanting to top up fail to thrive babies with formula

My baby was diagnosed as “Fail to thrive”.

You don’t have to top up ftt babies. In fact i was advised not to before seeing paeds as formula can “masK” any serious underlying conditions.

I saw paeds. Their diagnosis was a perfectly healthy, but small, baby.

It’s ok to canvas opinions.

Ivinghoe, I know, it's heartbreaking.

Just to be clear, going past 41 weeks is associated with a statistically significant increased risk of still birth, hence why the NHS offer induction at 41 weeks

We know. But the overall risk is still very small, and it is for individual women to make their own decisions about it. They're not somehow being idiotic if they question the advice given or ask for second opinions.

@Wolfgirrl you opening post implied pregnant women are stupid for not agreeing with their medical practitioners over their labour choices.

Unless you are unlucky until you are pregnant you would not have encountered medical practitioners who ignore the fact you are an individual who can make an informed choice with the facts.

It took me 7 years to get diagnosed. A long list of medical professionals including 4 hospital doctors told me there was nothing wrong with me. By the time someone actually listened, the endometriosis had become severe. It has spread to 12 different places and has ruined my insides. You just know when something isn't right.