He said my placenta was stuck to the uterine wall right after I gave birth and he forcefully with all his strength and his arm up to his elbow inside me tore it out. I was soaked in blood and so was everything else, The nurse was even praying for me. I lost alot of blood, the nurse said I should have between 7-8 and I was around a 5, I was so scared, I thought I was going to die and the dr. didn't even act like he cared, he was cold and wouldn't even explain anything to me. His office has been calling my house to schedule surgery of some sort that they have not explained to me. If anyone can please inform me what to do. It has been almost 6 weeks since I gave birth and I still don't feel well.
2007-08-24 14:22:12 · 16 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Pregnancy
First of all, you need to go see a doctor. If you're still not feeling well, you may have some placental tissue still attached to your uterine wall, which could cause sepsis, infection, and death. If you've had any symptoms of infection or flu-like symptoms, you need to go to a hospital.
Depending on how long after you birthed that the doctor said this, he may or may not have been in the right. You'll need to get a second and maybe a third professional opinion and soon so that you can get whatever procedures need to be done.
I know you don't trust this doctor right now, but why haven't you gone in for this "operation" yet? If it's a D&C or something, it's very important that you get it done. Your life could depend on it.
There is a rare condition in which the placenta does not detach fully or at all from the uterine wall following birth. It's called placenta accreta and often involves hysterectomy. It's a very serious condition and shouldn't be taken lightly. However, if your doctor did not wait long enough to allow the placenta to release on its own, he may have caused unnecessary damage, blood loss, and future problems. You need to get those other medical opinions, go in for whatever necessary procedures they recommend, and get a lawyer to sue your original OB.
Even if you did have placenta accreta, your doctor is required by law to inform you of all procedures, the reasons for them, and the risks involved. If you and your husband (you may not remember so well) both have no recollection of him explaining any problems, future surgeries, etc, it would be malpractice anyway.
Some doctors don't like to wait for the placenta to release on its own and may pull on the cord or placenta itself to get it to come more quickly. This is a horrible practice and you could sue him for it if there was no need. In fact, it seems reasonable to assume that if you did have placenta accreta, that you would have gone in for surgery right that moment and he wouldn't have just reached inside and haphazardly pulled on you. The blood loss was almost certainly caused by his actions and if you have any other problems associated with this (like an inverted uterus, placental tissue remaining intact, infertility, future surgeries), you can also point it at him.
If you did have placenta accreta, however, the story may be different. You need the report of your birth from both the doctor and the labor and delivery ward at the hospital. It will say what happened, why it happened, etc. It should say somewhere how much time passed between you birthing your baby and the placenta being forcefully removed. If it was forcefully removed before medical knowledge says it should have come out on its own, he definitely was horribly wrong in what he did. If, however, a reasonable time had passed and the placenta was not detaching, he may have been in the right. My personal, non-medical feeling is that he was in the wrong. You'll need to go see at least one other doctor to determine that, however.
You should be going in for your postpartum checkup soon if you haven't already. Maybe you should go in for that with the same doctor so you can ask him questions and he can see what's going on. Don't let him do anything that doesn't make you comfortable, however. Postpartum checkups usually involve an internal exam and a breast exam. If you're uncomfortable with that after your experiences, schedule an appointment, but let them know ahead of time that you will not be having an internal exam or anything. Get that done somewhere else. Maybe at the community health center.
If you're feeling sick or unwell, however, you need to go into an ER to get checked for sepsis or infection.
Good luck. I'm sorry that you're going through this, even if it was necessary.
2007-08-24 15:54:29 · answer #1 · answered by saffrondoula 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Rund don't walk to get a second opinion from another doctor or midwife. Do not schedule anything until you understand what the heck they are talking about! As far as what happened during the delivery, have your records forwarded to the new MD so that they can understand what happene. If this will take too long, you can always go to the hospital ( assuming it was a hosptial) and request your records that way you can hand carry them to the new MD. Do not let anyone in the medical profesion strong arm you without fully expliaining everything!!!! Good luck and I hope you feel better.
2007-08-24 21:46:52 · answer #2 · answered by jana w 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Oh Wow I thought I was the only one who had ever gone through that!! My doc had to do that with my second child. I remember him telling my hubby to grab a hand, and he looked at the nurse told her to grab the other. I dont remember anything after that. Hubby said I screamed bloody murder and passed out.
I hurt SO bad when I woke up.
It was wrong of your doc to be so cold and no explain things to you. Mine didnt tell me anything until after the fact. I guess he felt it was better that way. Everything is ok now I am having my 4rth child any day now.
.. Push the questions when you go back!! Make sure you drain them for every info you can. Or go to another doc I say. I didnt have any problems after words, but I know what it was like ! Hope things will get better for you soon!
2007-08-24 21:45:56 · answer #3 · answered by amyl 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I had a hemorrhage during my last birth - that's just about what my doctor did too, except it was during surgery and he just sort of popped it all out with a thing that vaguely resembed a spoon. (It was a C-section for twins.)
I had a blood transfusion at 5, and I didn't feel better for nearly 2 weeks. I would suggest you at least get a lot of iron pills and take them seriously - the iron really helps.
Then I would suggest you go to your doctor, ask to have your records, and find out what's going on. Then schedule your procedure with a different doctor - that one obviously can't meet your need to know.
I would also suggest you talk to the doctor in charge of the L&D at the hospital where you delivered.
2007-08-24 21:28:21 · answer #4 · answered by M L 5 · 4⤊ 0⤋
That doesn't sound right at all! I would stay as far from this doctor!!!!! It may have been necessary, we wouldn't know on here, as most of are not doctors, of course. However from what you are describing that sounds a bit of overkill.
You need to schedule with someone else as soon as possible.
Even if you do need surgery with someone else - would you want this person working on you with the same callous nature? I know I wouldn't! He's lucky if you don't sue him! Doctors have been sued for less!
2007-08-24 21:38:58 · answer #5 · answered by Willalee 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
DO NOT go for that surgery with that doctor. It does not sound normal that he tore it out of you the way he did.
You need to get your records from them, and go see a different doctor.
If you are not feeling well, you should be seen by someone as soon as you can.
I am so sorry you had to have this happen to you.
2007-08-24 21:32:55 · answer #6 · answered by Umm Selma 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, it was not right that the doctor did this. Did you have a blood transfusion? Your doctor should have explained what was going on. See if you could talk to someone in the office about what the surgery is about and see if you can get copies of your medical records and get another doctor and you might have to seek legal advice. I wish you the best of luck.
2007-08-24 21:27:39 · answer #7 · answered by Mom of Three 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Have your husband call and get the details about this surgery you're supposed to undergo. Tell him to be mean and rude.
Then call a malpractice lawyer. Find out if it's standard procedure to peel the placenta like that. It seems to me he could have inverted your uterus like that. And under no circumstances allow him to operate on you again.
Get some information!
TX Mom
not a dr.
2007-08-24 21:29:41 · answer #8 · answered by TX Mom 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Holy cow. I am so sorry this happened to you. I think if nothing else, he should have explained it to you for sure. I think it might be a good thing to seek out a new doctor. I hope you are doing relatively OK, and that you recover really soon.
2007-08-24 21:27:35 · answer #9 · answered by JK 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Go to see a new doctor ASAP! I don't necessarily think he did a bad thing. Doctor's are sometimes cold because they feel like they HAVE to be. If they allowed all cases to affect them they would go crazy, but they should be kinder to mommies thats for sure! If you don't feel good around him you won't feel safe to ask him questions.......THATS BAD! Call your insurance company and ask for a ob-gyn on your providers list. But you HAVE TO SEE SOMEONE ASAP!!! Even if its planned parenthood YOU HAVE TO GO!! also go on babycenter.com that will help you with alot of mommy and baby type questions.
2007-08-24 21:38:10 · answer #10 · answered by imaschroeder 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋