Can i demand a C-Section???

[bekkyboo]

Although this might sound strange... Is it possible to just put my foot down and demand it - after all it is my pregnancy and birth??

The thing is - i have a pre-exsisting heart condition - that for some reason my old hospital has no documented evidence of (yeah - id make this up...) and so far i have been pushed left right and now behind in everything. When my heart plays up now, they dont catch it when it is in SVT, only in sinus tac - which isnt really a problem. Anyway- i was informed that in labour they can not give me the drugs to slow my heart down cause that will put a stress on the baby - so if my heart does go off - then ill be rushed around crazy cause they cant do anything for my heart till bub is out. I dont want that. So i want to demand the c-section even if they tell me it isnt nessicary cause i have "no heart condition".

Any ideas?

[Mamaduke]

Of course you can! I know lots of women who, for whatever reasons, have preferred a c-section and got it. I don't think you'd find much argument against it with your ob. Talk about with your ob at your next appointment.

[andrewsmum]

Are you going private or public?

The reason I ask is that private hospitals will do elective c/s, no questions asked.

If it's a public hospital, they will only do a c/s if its an emergency. Surely your GP might have reports that he can photocopy and give to the miwives? Perhaps ask your GP to write a letter saying you have had several episodes of SVT and recommend that the hospital perform a c/s to ensure the health of both mum and child.

Good luck with everything though, but let's hope the hospital will be able to respect your wishes.

[bekkyboo]

hey andrewsmum - i will be a public patient.

I feel rather sorry for them if they try and dispute me on this - because no one would really want to see what a pregnant woman will do if she feels her baby or herself were at risk due to someone elses negligence.

as for reports - for some reason all of my previous ones have disspeared - ive changed states, and the obs said there is no reports of the holter monitor even being put on. So at the moment - i am making it up. Although ED docs have said everytime i go there that they can see that i have had a eposide - but theyjust cant document it with out me having a eposide on ECG - which is nearly impossible as they last only a few seconds and are very random. - im going to ring my parents and see if they have any record of it from when i was younger.

thanks for the adivce tho! :D

[samuelboy]

Hey bekkyboo

I have a friend who had a difficult natural birth for her first and was pretty terrified when she fell pregnant again, she spoke to her ob and he was happy to give her what she wanted. She was a public patient and had no problems, he got on the phone and sorted if out for her straight away.

[whatwasithinking]

Due to your circumstances Beckyboo I would be INSISTING/DEMANDING they give you a c/section. I too have heart problems and I wasn't allowed to go VBAC (is that what they call natural birth?)

[Nickster]

I believe most hospitals would prefer you to go natural, but having said that, a lady I was sharing the ward with (Mater Mother's Public Hospital) told me that her bub was found to be transverse at the 37 week scan. Apparently there was humming and ha-ing over whether she could or should have a c-section - they thought perhaps they would just to leave it and bub may naturally turn during labour. She said that after weighing it up, she phoned the doctor there, and demanded a c-section as she didn't want a horrific labour and it was playing on her mind and causing her a lot of anxiety. They then booked her in for a c-section, no problems.

So, basically, I believe you can demand a c-section even if you are a public patient. Is there anyway you can get your heart checked out by a GP in the meantime and perhaps you can get him/her to write a letter to your hospital doctor, just for backup and to give you peace of mind? Just a suggestion....

Good luck - I hope everything goes well for you - I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for you.:)

[draught]

Due to your circumstances Beckyboo I would be INSISTING/DEMANDING they give you a c/section. I too have heart problems and I wasn't allowed to go VBAC (is that what they call natural birth?)


No - VBAC is "vaginal birth after c/section":p

[Kaileysmum]

HI

I know at my hospital, if a public patient wants to elect to have a c-section, and the OB thinks that the patient doesnt need to have one, you have to pay for the surgery. But if your OB agrees that you need one, you dont have to. But it is your choice, they cant make you have a vaginal birth if you dont want to have one.
And I agree with nickster, go to your GP and get them to check out your heart, and get the details and take it to your OB.
Hope this helps, good luck.

[Kaileysmum]

Sorry just like to add that c-sections are still high risk surgery, and it could effect your heart aswell, as you could lose lots of blood which puts stress on your heart. I had a c-section, and I lost over a litre of blood and had to have a transfusion, and my blood pressure is all screwed up now. Just another side of what could happen. I hope you get the right birth for your condition.

[busylizzy]

I went public (at Redland Hospital QLD) and begged for a C-section right through the labour but they wouldn't give me one. My baby was 9lb3oz with a very big head which was turned side-ways (OUCH!). He ended up being vacuum suctioned out and I ended up with 25 stitches :eek: !!! It was the most traumatic experience of my life. Afterward the midwife apologized to me, no-one had believed that he was going to be that big & that he wasn't going to come out on his own. The moral of this story is - no-one knows your body or your baby better than you. If you want a C-section go for it, just make sure your hospital shares your views before booking in with them.

[Caitlin's Mum]

Hi Beckyboo, I went to the Royal Brisbane Womens and had an elective c-section. I did have an emergency c-section for my first, but when I said that I wanted a c-section, they didn't question why or try and talk me out of it, they just said "ok". Just tell them you want one and that's that.:)

[bekkyboo]

ewells1983 - I know its a high risk surgury - but i have been told that with my heart that is the safer option - as it is more controlled- and they arent doing when my body is already understress from a stressful labour leading up to a natural birth.

Im more concerned that if i go through with a normal labour and my heart plays up (as i said before they cant give the drugs to settle the heart during labour) - then it will be more of a risk surgury - as not only is bub in stress, im in stress, and things are going to go down hill quick. Im not going to allow them to play russian roulete with my child or my life just becasue they are ignorant.

[Goosie22]

Could you contact the Cardiologist that made your original diagnosis? I know you said the records are incomplete but Dr's don't like being told what to do with no paper work to support the intervention and making a big song and dance may just get their back up. If you want to be taken seriously with your request for an elective you will have to come up with some evidence to support your condition. Because they have to deal with alot of paniky petes making up various imaginary reasons why they know more about what is going on than the Dr.

[bekkyboo]

I dont see why in hell i would make up a heart condition - SVT of all conditions (no one has even heard of it).... I dont see why in hell i should have to waste my money (ringing STD when DB has only just got work again after 1.5 months of being off work - with no money, and we are deep in debt now) looking for reports that should still be there... Look im sorry for getting mad - but everytime i have been to ED, they have all agreed that they can see i am in the come down (for lack of better words) of an SVT eposide. They have all agreed that a c-section is going to be the safest option for me and bub, but the birthing suite drs' (whom i NEVER want to deal with again) said that there is no evidence of it. Someone elses screw up...NOT mine. and if they want to put me at risk for their mistakes - then I think not, im not allowing it.

[Chickadee]

I agree with Goosie. Do your best to track down a copy of the original tests and paperwork. The dr or specialist who did it should have a copy, or the clinic it was done at. I was successful in getting a copy of my 11 year old diagnosis records from a hospital clinic back in Canada.

[Peaceangels]

If a c/section is what you really want, then you need to find a Dr/Hospital that will do that for you.

Cause in answer to your question - yes - you do have the right to demand a c/section.

It's your body and it's your choice - simple!

[Goosie22]

I am not saying you are making it up. It is just a suggestion that might make things go in your favour and cut through the Stress for you, isn't a couple of dollars on an STD phone call worth that?

[Imogensmum]

Aren't you going through all this for the health of your unborn baby, and your own health!

A few dollars of phone calls is really not that much to pay to ensure you are both well looked after during delivery.

If the ED dr's can see that you are recovering from one of these attacks couldn't they write a report to say this- or wouldn't it all be in the report they have to fill in on any patient they see.

Maybe it is worth speaking with the hospital administrator to seee if they can release these reports.

Best of luck with it all....

[bekkyboo]

The tests were done at Tamworth Base Hospital - and Logan hosptial - got all my records - but nothing there contained even me having the tests done.

I know that it would be better to have them to go in my favour - but im not kidding about money - I CANT use the phone for Std -so i cant make the call to get it... The best i can hope for is my parents still having some record of it...

If anyone has been in this situation you would know how i feel- so far i have had a very scary pregnancy - im already in high risk antenatal - Im scared out of my brain if they dont listen...

[Chickadee]

Just tossing out ideas... would your GP at the time have been sent a copy of the results?

[Imogensmum]

Maybe contact these hospitals/drs via email (not really sure how you'd do this). Ask the administrators of these hospitals to find the records, or maybe your parents could contact them for you if they have a phone that will call STD!

If all records have been lost then the hospital is negligent, and maybe you need to talk to a lawyer and see what can be done to find these records!

Hopefully it all works out for you.

[bekkyboo]

Im not sure about GP - ill ask my dad to ring them for me and see...

Thanks all for the ideas - i may be panicing for no reason, ihavent seen the cardiologist yet - 7/2 - but this condition is very hard to diagnose as it is irregular, short lived and no warning.... I just feel as though so far the birthing suite at logan hospital has been pathetic and in no way helpful.... i dont want to go through all of this and allow them to stuff up...

[Goosie22]

There you go take it easy untill the Cardiologist appointment, They will sort everything out and explain it all to you.:)

[bekkyboo]

sorry for getting mad - its jsut that so far - the pregnancy is just getting scarier and scarier, all i want is my bub to be healthy and happy.

[Chickadee]

No need to apologise Bekky. :)

[bekkyboo]

thanks martha - ive just been so disppointed with the birthing suites service towards me... 5 hours waiting cause my GP was seriously concerned about my low blood sugar (they called my partner from work to make him take me to hospital - either that or they would call the ambulance) - my GP even rang the suite and told them - but some how they forgot all that, and i sat waiting for 5 hours (turns out they forgot me - twice) and then they said it was because they were waiting for a call back from the cardiologist... so - it was obvious they didnt listen to me or my GP, and looked at the files and saw ED was concerned about my heart... which wasnt playing up at that time and ignored why i had actually gone their in the first place.
I felt really ignored and stupid for waiting that long - my DB and i thought after awhile, we would have been better off going to ED, at least they listen.

[Chickadee]

Hospitals can be shocking sometimes. My father told me a story of an older friend of his, 93 I think, who was bit by his cat and there was suspected rabies (this was in Canada). The vet sent him straight to hospital ED for the shots and rang the hospital to be ready for him. The first nurse gave him a lecture for not being able to remember all the (dozen) medications he was taking. Anyways, long story short they put him in the "fast track" but he still spent 6 hours being shuffled through the system and asked over and over why he was there (rabies shot, duh!). it was like nobody read the paperwork?! Ok.. my rant done :)

You're not stupid for waiting that long. I would have too if it had a been a question of mine and my bub's health. But I did figure out a few years ago that it pays to speak out among doctors and nurses. Some have a bit of an attitude :rolleyes: I take the approach that they are working for me and treat them accordingly. Calmly, respectfully, but will tolerate no bs or being put off. They owe me whatever attention I need and better answer the questions I have.

[moonblossom]

Bekkyboo, can i ask what medication you are on/? because i have the exact same problem you have, and it started when i was 21, and strange but my 21 year old daughter just started getting it too.

Saying that, even though we have this problem i have given birth naturally to all my children, and never had a problem during labor or delivery.

[bekkyboo]

I havent been given any - i got diagnosed with it at 14 (about years ago) and at the time it was slight, avoiding caffiene taking care of most of it. Since falling pregnant and the pregnancy getting further along - eposiodes are increasing to about 2-3-4 times a day - and they said at the moment they cant give me drugs for it. I think it is a touch and go - as my condition has no none triggers - they arent sure how it will go in labour, hence the orginal suggestion to go for the c-section...

If you could PM me about your experiences and labour that would be so greatly apprieciated...

[moonblossom]

PM on the way

[Kaileysmum]

hey bekkyboo

I was just metioning that I had a lot of bleeding with my c/s, which puts stress on your heart, just so you knew that c/s arent always straight forward. Your Dr and hospital sound horrible, have you thought about changing (if possible) your Dr or hospital. You should just keep pushing them until you get what you want. I hope you get that c/s for your sake. As I said before they cant make you have a VB. Have they told you that you cant have a elective c-section??? Also Id make a formal complaint about the other hospital/doctor, that diagnosed your heart condition, they should have it on record, I mean what if something happened to you and they had no record, it could be life threating. Some doctors/hospitals make me so mad. Good Luck with everything!!

[natasha]

Natasha here,


I had an elective C section a year ago now with my daughter in a public hospital. When I first told them I wanted one you could see they wern't to happy about the idea. But when they asked me why, I said that my familly had a history of very long painful labours with many complications and as a result some of my cousins have had problems later on in life. I made the whole thing up ofcourse but it got them off my back immediately. They did keep on asking whether I was sure i wanted one bcoz I'm only 21 (like that matters) and I just went into detail about this cousin and that cousin that have things wrong with them and how my auntie found it very hard to bond with her baby bcoz of the pain she went through.

Point is.....you can have a C section if you want one...and you wont need to pay for it.....just be aware they will try and persuade you otherwise.


Natasha xxxxxx

[bekkyboo]

-GREAT NEWS TUESDAY - Everyone ready for a song and dance with me?

The antenanal doc admitted to me today that i have been given the run around. She told me that they are very sorry - and that it appears that i have been doing their job as well (she said that my job is to know something is wrong and tell them - theirs is to fix it)... So a got a huge apology. She then went on to say that they wont go by my 'new date' as the 6 week scan date is more accurate... so im back to 21 weeks pregnant - with a baby the size of 23 weeks :p ... But she said that he is doing REALLY well - and that he is obviously getting all the right nutrients that he needs - so he isnt a high risk, just me... but thats ok - i prefer me to be a problem not my bub. So having said all this... They have said to me that i most likely at this stage wont need a early c-section (the previous talked about 33-34 weeks) and that as long as me and bub are doing ok, we will pull through. I told her that i still want a c-section even if they cant pin point my problem - she agreed with me, and stated that at this hopsital they dont do 'elective c-sections' but seeing as tho this isnt really 'elective' then they prob would understand... I might still get shifted to the mater if they cant control my heart - or pin point it (i want to go to mater).. but if i keep getting this doc - ill be happy to stay where i am... Finally someone that listens and understands and doesnt just brush me off :D

So at this stage, im releived that someone is listening... they have aggreed with me - and my bub is doing VERY VERY well - so even if i have to have a earlier labour - he is a couple of weeks ahead in size, so he should be ok.

Even tho my heart has been playing up last night and most of today, it hasnt really concerned me... and knowing that Garrett is flurshing anyway - makes me feel really relieved. he is kicking heaps - and we can see him kick.


Dont you just love good news days!!

[Chickadee]

Oh wow! That's excellent news Bekky, and you seem so "up" :D

Enjoy every one of those kicks, your beautiful boy will be in your arms soon.

[JenNT]

Wouldn't you be better going to The Mater or the RWH than Logan???????????????? Particularly being high risk.
JMO Cheers Jen

[Terrible2+1cutie]

You can demand a cesarean, with bub number 2 i elected to have a cesarean and they didn' t even think twice about saying no, the reason i wanted a cesarean was because i went through a 24 hour labour only to have a emergency cesarean with bub number 1 and didn't want to go through that again.

Catherine