My OB is not making me too happy - Essure question too...

indywndy_04 wrote: I am getting frustrated at my OB and I feel it is too late to change, since I am 3 weeks away from delivery. But - maybe if I vent you guys it will make me feel better...could be hormones raging too!

I have been having A LOT of contractions lately...I can even have them every 5 minutes for hours, but they never get stronger so I know Im not in labor, but I do wonder if they are starting to dialate me. He never checks and never acts like he cares that much when I tell him. He tells me that he doesnt want me to go into labor since we have a scheduled c-section because if I do then they will have to do an emergency c-section. Well, shouldnt he check to make sure Im not starting to dialate so we can catch it before I go into labor? I dont get it.

Also - I told him I wanted to get my tubes tied while he was already in there...and he said that he normally does this at 6 weeks with a procedure called Essure. Well, I dont know about this procedure and I am not sure if I want it, it seems new. I told him this, he gave me a pamplet to read but he seemed adament in doing this to tie my tubes. I see him again today and asked my husband to come with me for back up support, but what do you guys think? Has anyone had Essure?

Edited for dumb spelling due to pregnancy brain!

luvbug00 replied: I've heard of it before on the radio but i thought it was for people who wanted tube tying without major scarring and it get's u back to work in a day or two...Not for those fresh from surgery... doesn't make much sence to me.. wouldn't it be better for you just to do it all in one surgery?

coasterqueen replied: I have not heard of Essure so I can't help you with that one. I wouldn't do anything that you aren't comfortable with, though.

As far as the contractions and your doc, I know the feeling. I had strong strong contractions over a month before Megan was born. My doc wouldn't listen to me and kept saying I was going to go past my due date. Well, Miss Megan was born a month early at 36 weeks. Even if you aren't dilated you may be in premature labor. I was barely dilated, but that night I went in for Megan I dilated really quick.

Kaitlin'smom replied: no help on essure, never heard of it. I am not clear on why your having the c-section, but deffinalty speek up to your ob and if he wont listen this time maybe find another one. even if its only a few weeks away better to be happy with your ob than to be upset and something not go the way YOU want.

indywndy_04 replied:
I have to have a c-section because I have delivered two babies already and broke their clavicals because my pelvis is too small (although it doesnt look like it from the outside ..LOL) So since this baby is obviously a big boy, we are going to deliver him safely.

I have not heard of anyone having the Essure procedure either, so I am skeptical. He should just tie my tubes while he is in there, why is he making this a big deal! UGH!

Kaitlin'smom replied: make sence on the section, what are the guessing the weight of the baby at? They woudl never guess for me since they told me they are NEVER right.

hoosier momma replied: I would definitely hound your OB about the contractions. I cannot believe he hasn't checked to see if you are dilated at all.

About the Essure. I had it done last December. My OB no longer does tubal ligations at all. It requires no incisions or anesthesia because the procedure is done vaginally. A coil is inserted into each tube and over about 3 months the tube and the insert join to form a barrier and block the tube. About three months after you have it done, you have to have an xray where dye is inserted into your uterus to make sure it doesn't flow through the tube and the tube is blocked. I had no real pain with the procedure, just some mild cramping. I had this procedure done in the morning and worked in the afternoon. You do have to use an alternative birth control until the 3 month follow up. I have no complaints and it is permanent. The only thing required that I didn't care for is my OB gave me a depo shot to cover the three months of alternative birth control. This is because we were only using condoms. If you were to get pregnant before your tubes have completely block, it would be eptopic so he requires it. I hate the depo shot and have had crappy side effects from it in the past. Other than that, the whole thing has been great. If you have any other questions, PM me.

lisar replied: I havent heard of the essure. Sorry. My tubes being tied at 6 weeks after a c-section I was fine within 2 days.

I would talk to your dr about it and let him know what it is that YOU want not him.

indywndy_04 replied:
They are guessing his weight to be around 8 1/2 pounds right now. They are doing these weight checks each week to see if he is growing at about the same rate so they can formulate how big they think he will be. I have another u/s tomorrow for the same thing. Also with big babies your fluid level can drop, so they are checking that too.

It isnt really accurate, but it does show that he is on the larger side for sure, you can just see how big he is on the u/s, I am literally all baby, when you touch my stomach..you dont feel anything but bones from him basically. My stomach is rock hard because he is sooo squeshed in there. Poor little fella.

indywndy_04 replied:
OK, now I feel better! I dont think my doctor does the regular tube tieing anymore either, maybe that is why he is telling me to do this. He claims it is great and 100% effective after the 3 months check. It looks like you are having no problems with it, so that makes me feel better to. Whatever is permante is what I really want because we do not want to have anymore kiddies running around for sure. We love what we have.

MommyToAshley replied: I can understand why you are hesitant to change OB's. I changed my OB when I was about 6 months along. I was nervous because it was so late in my PG, but it was the best thing I ever did.

I would do a little research on the essure and maybe talk to a different OB for a second opinion. Find out the pros and cons of both methoeds. But, the final decision is yours. Your OB can't force you to have one procedure over another. If he is unwilling to do what you want, find another OB.

As for the contractions, I would definitatly talk to your OB about it in depth. Stress again your concerns and let him know you want to be checked to see if you are dialating. If he is unwilling to do what you want, then I would find another OB. The OB that I switched to had specialized in high risk, and he was very calm in nature. I think it was his way of trying to keep all of us expecting Moms from having a nervous breakdown. Sometimes I thought he was almost too carefree. But, then he was very thorough and always addressed my concerns.

hoosier momma replied: you can check our Essure at Essure.com or there is some information on my OB's website at nostork.com

Mommyof3 replied: I don't understand what the big deal is with giving you the tubal since you are getting a c-section.
I'm going to go off here for a sec, but it's because your situation is similar to something that happened to me with my last pregnancy....
I have c-sections and I went in for an appt with my last pg that was just a typical one. I had an exam and he told me I was a fingertip dialated. I asked him about going into labor because I have c-sections and he told me that I wouldn't and if I did I would feel bad contractions for an hour and not to call them unless I went into labor. Well, I went home and started having Braxton Hicks and they were coming about 5 minutes apart off and on the entire night. Well, the next morning I called the Dr on call that was a different dr in the practice, and he told me to come in to labor and delivery to get checked. It turns out that I was FOUR centimeters dialated and I had to have an emergency c-section! I was relieved but mad at my original Dr.
My brother is a doctor and he told me that something to remember when we are pregnant is that we pay these doctors for what they do for us and we need to demand what we want. Only we know our bodies and if we are feeling something, we need to push the issue. I thought of changing Drs too and he said that's like firing the dr that was taking care of me because I am paying for him to do everything he does. It is rediculous that this dr would treat you this way.
Think about this: the labor and delivery units are usually the nicest in the hospital and that is because they get a TON of money per delivery and they want to attract us there so that we will give them our money to deliver our baby.


I'm sorry, it just drives me crazy that some men drs think they know everything a woman should feel because they've read it in a book. Only you know how you feel and if you think you need an exam, call him and tell him that he needs to do it.
I'm sorry again for the rant!!

indywndy_04 replied:
I 100% agree. I see him today, that is why I asked my husband to go with me for back up support. My doctor acts so nonchalant about my questions that is drives me crazy. Another person mentioned a good point, he is a high risk doctor so he does try to keep things low key so I wont freak out...Do you think he doesnt want to trigger anything by giving me an exam?? That is another thing I thought of, but if that is the case, all he has to do is tell me that.

boyohboyohboy replied: wendy, is there more then one ob in your practice? can you ask to meet with another one, adn schedule the section with someone you feel more comfortable with? it does sound like he isnt willing to communicate with you right now. i dont know how i would feel about the essure, it sounds to new, and also i would worry about how permanent it is....what if it comes unblocked?
and since you are already having a section i dont see the issue with just tying the tubes the old fashioned way.
i think i would mention that you are feeling uncomfortable with the info you are being given at this time, and that you would like someone to check you, although some dr's dont because if they check you it could start you dilating, and thats what happened with caleb, he was born at 34 and 4 days . i was told the dr's dont like to touch you in case it would start something.
although if you really feel that its necessary i would make him understand that you would like it done.
i know its hard to speak up at the dr office sometimes, i have been there too, but i think if you just go in with the attitude that you are doing what is best for your baby, you will find the right thing to say...
and you can always blame it on the preg. hormones....

good luck

indywndy_04 replied:
I think you are right, I will just have to go in there with Jake in mind and ask these questions for him. My backup support (hubby) has a very important conference call that he cant miss, and I dont want him to miss...so I am on my own with this one. UGH! I can do it...I can do it!

BabyOwen427 replied: You can't hurt anything by talking to another doc, and you may get some questions anwsered. It's never too late for a second opinon. I wish I had changed docs when I had the gut feeling to, maybe then I wouldn't have ended up with an unnecessary emergency c/s.

boyohboyohboy replied: wendy how did it go?

indywndy_04 replied:
Actually it went better then I expected. Shewww. I held my own and got the answers I wanted! GIRL POWER!!

He does not do the normal tube tieing, but he can get someone in there that does if that is what I want. He honestly thinks the Essure is the better way to go so he told me to decide and let him know.

He saw I was having contractions while I was in there with him, he saw this with out me even telling him. He said he does not want to check me because it might start me into labor, but said that he will take him anytime because he is ready, even though I am 36 weeks...he said he is doing great (according to the u/s's I have been having each week and he can be delivered with out complications.) My c-section is still July 2nd, but he said if I go into labor, he wont stop it...he will go ahead and deliver.

I go today for another ultrasound to check fluid levels and weight of baby.

I do feel a lot better after talking to him yesterday, I guess he just has off days sometimes..but yesterday was much better. It seems like when I go to 6pm appts., he is out of it, but I went at 3:00 yesterday and he was real chatty.