Well good morning, to all of my favorite readers! How’s everyone doing today? Although today is a WIAW post, it also turned out to be somewhat of a lengthy one, so it’s a little mix of both for ya today.
Although parts of yesterday totally sucked (you’ll see below) it all turned out okay, so all is well over here. Just a slight bump in the road, I suppose. So let’s go ahead and get to the food, first and then we’ll get to all the rest!
Breakfast, Part 1 – 8:30am
I almost forgot to snap a photo of this one! But shortly after I got in and got settled at work, I snacked on a banana and half of one of the cinnamon Greek yogurt bran muffins that I’m currently loving.
Breakfast, Part 2 – 10:45am
I had to leave work around 11 for an appointment with the asthma specialist, so I made sure to eat another snack before I left, since I knew I’d get hungry. A lemon Chobani with blueberries was where it was at
As far as the appointment with the asthma specialist? Well, to put it simply, it was the absolute WORST experience with a doctor I have ever had in my life. The doctor I saw (which was not the same one I used to see) was just awful. AWFUL.
So the main reason for my appointment was because a) the cold that I have has really caused my asthma to flare, and b) I wanted to know what medications were safe to take while pregnant, since the other one I had previously been on (but not taken regularly like I should) is not.
The doctor first started by telling me that my test results were “absolutely terrible,” that I have extremely inflamed lungs and a respiratory infection. Ok, great. He THEN proceeded to tell me that if I don’t change the way I treat my asthma immediately, I will basically do extreme harm to the baby. I mean, he basically said, in so many words, that I was going to kill my baby, which immediately sent me into a downright panic.
As I sat in the office listening to this man basically berate me for my “poor asthma control,” it took every ounce of me to not either explode in his face or break down and cry. Luckily, I maintained my composure and was still able to tell this man once he was finished that he was extremely rude and that I will never be back to see him again. And then I went out to the receptionist and the tears started flowing.
The appointment was a bit of a shock, to say the least. I, obviously would never, EVER do anything purposely to put the baby’s health in danger, which is why I made the appointment in the first place. I knew my asthma was bad right now with the cold (which is why I went in in the first place) but I didn’t realize that it’s that bad, and has been for quite a while apparently. I’m now on prednisone (an oral steroid) for 6 days, and have a new inhaler that is safe to take everyday (Pulmicort). But I didn’t immediately take the prednisone…as soon as I left the office, I called my OB/GYN, and my PCP to get their opinions. I also wound up talking to another doctor at the asthma practice, and they all said the same thing: the jerk of a doctor was correct to prescribe what he did (it’s safer to be on it for a few days then wind up having as asthma attack), but he was all wrong about how he went about it. Umm, yes. Yes, he was.
The whole thing was really pretty eye opening though, and there was one thing that the doctor said that stood out to me; he said that I’ve probably become so used to “terribly” controlled asthma, that I don’t even remember what it feels like to have a clear set of lungs. That, to me, is pretty scary and made me realize that I really do need to pay closer attention to it. I’m sure I’ll have updates on this as I continue on with my treatment, since there is somewhat of a stupid backstory to it all.
I totally didn’t mean to make this mini update so lengthy…but, as you can probably tell, this whole appointment definitely threw me for a loop!
Lunch – 12:45pm
By the time I got back to the office and settled in, I was just emotionally drained. I grabbed my lunch, shut my door, and just took a few minutes to breath and eat.
The first part of lunch I dug into was the chicken salad that I made last night. It. was. SO. good. Here’s the details:
- 1 can chunk chicken, drained and flaked
- celery
- carrots
- onion
- dried cranberries
- red grapes
- plain Chobani (~2 tbsp)
- honey mustard (~1 tbsp)
- salt and pepper
I ate the chicken salad both with a fork and scooped up with a few Wasa crackers (I didn’t wind up eating the Laughing Cow cheese that I packed) and also had the orange.
Finished up lunch – 3:00pm
Around 3:00pm, I decided to have the rest of my lunch, which was another baked sweet potato with salsa and Chobani.
After work, I had a fitting appointment for my bridesmaids dress for Mal’s wedding next month and, well, that was interesting. When we ordered the dress (back in July?) we purposely ordered it a size larger than we thought, thinking it’d give us extra room to take it in if needed. Welp, thank goodness that we bought a size larger because now this dress needs an extra panel added to it because it’s way too snug! I’ll have to go back 10 days before the wedding to see where the “bump” is at, and then they’ll finish altering it from there. Yikes…that was not expected.
Dinner – 7:00pm
I’d been looking forward to this meal ALL day long, and it was mostly because it involved Cheesy Italian Quick Bread. Jay and I seriously love this bread. Like, a LOT.
It also served as the perfect accompaniment to go along with the homemade soup that I cooked up yesterday.
I had actually cooked up this soup in the slow cooker yesterday, but we saved it for today since Jay wasn’t home last night for dinner. I am happy to say that this recipe turned out awesome, so I will be sure to put together the recipe to share ASAP for you all!
Dessert – 9:00pm
I finished off the night with a couple of pieces of chocolate, which were totally necessary, in my opinion.
So hey, there’s my Tuesday, in a nutshell. Thankfully, I have no appointments on the agenda for today.
Question for the Morning:
Have you ever had a bad experience with a doctor?
I really think doctor’s need to take *several* courses on bedside manner. I know it’s not technically in their job description to be nice, but seriously?! I’m so sorry that happened. Going to the doctor’s is scary enough in the first place! I once had a doctor tell me that she treats every patient like she would want her mother/daughter to be treated. I love that mindset!
Awww, I want your doctor! ;)
OMG yes! It was with an OB too! I had some preterm labor and my parents had come to make sure things were ok. We were all in the room (sorry if this is wayyy tmi) but she told us to stop doing what we did to get us into preterm labor! Didn’t use any code words either. In front of my dad!!! I wanted to crawl in a hole and die.
Wow, I’m really sorry about your appointment. Man, that’s just the pits having a bad doctor experience. I would say I’m shocked, but I’m not. Doctors are more often than not rude and condescending. People (like you) come in to see a doctor because they are NOT doctors, and they need help. They don’t, however, need to be made to feel like they are idiots or stupid. That’s so sad… :( I really don’t understand why doctors have to be like they were at your appointment. You simply came to get help. It’s not your fault that you didn’t know how bad your condition was or that it could hurt your dear unborn child. Gosh!
Anyway, I’ve had plenty of terrible doctor experiences too. My worst was when I had a really bad ear/sinus infection (which I’m prone to) and my eardrum burst. I was deaf in my ear with the burst eardrum, so I went to a hearing specialist. They basically told me (in not the nicest way) that I could possibly be deaf in that ear forever and not get my hearing back. I freaked out and left the office crying. My hearing came back fine, thankfully, but it’s like – WHY did the doctor have to freak me out?!
Oh my gosh, that’s terrible!
But I’m glad to hear your hearing is back to normal :)
Wow! I’m sorry for you horrible experience at the doctor’s ! It was smart of you to double check if the meds were safe to take too. It’s funny how you lose trust in someone when they are just plain mean and rude. Honestly, no matter how bad your asthma may be right now because of your infection, he has no right to talk to you like a child and make you cry. I hope you need better!
Oh no what a horrible doctor!!! What is it with some doctors that think they can berate people for no reason, ridiculous!!! I hope you’re looking to find a new one! Here’s hoping today is more upbeat for you and that you feel better soon.
That is AWFUL! I’ve mostly had bad experiences with mean administrative/front desk people at doctor’s offices, to the point of making my eyes well up with frustration. The last time it happened, I sent an e-mail to the head of the practice and the CEO ended up calling me and apologizing and actually scheduling my next appointment for me. (I had breathing issues as well and the admin people would not schedule me an appointment unless I signed up for a physical first. ) It made me feel better that they knew I was upset. Anyway, I hope that NEVER happens to you again! You have enough to think about without some rude doctor making you feel bad! Feel better soon!
Man, there is something extra mean about docs who will treat a pregnant woman that way! I mean, emotions can be hard to control with a growing baby anyway… What a jerk! I’m glad you told him he was rude, and I’m glad you got started with something to get your asthma in check, since I can imagine it’s pretty uncomfortable for you. Hugs, and I hope docs are much nicer to you moving forward.
Wow. Bedside manner. He doesn’t have it. :-(
I once had a doctor try to get me on birth control (whatever stomach ailment I had, he thought I was pregnant, no matter how many times I said “You have to have sex to be pregnant!) to take care of my stomach pain. It went away on it’s own, but that experience will be with me forever.
What a tool! Seriously, some doctors think just because they have a degree, they are all of a sudden omniscient. So sorry you had a bad experience, but there are a million other doctors out there….time to find a new one! :)
I am sorry that you had such a bad experience at your doctor’s appointment. A patient should never have to feel that way when leaving an appointment. Let’s make today a lot better. Happy Hump Day! :)
Courtney so sorry to hear you had such a terrible experience. The was so uncalled for the way he treated you but good for you for holding it together and letting him know he was being rude! You are taking steps to take care of your health and that is all that matters. I hope today is a much better day for you :)
Wow! What a terrible doctor! I’m sorry you had to deal with that! I have had my fair share of doctor horror stories lately. It seems like a lot of these doctors just don’t care how they treat people anymore. It’s very disturbing especially since they are the ones that are supposed to be taking care of your health. I hope you feel better! :)
That sounds so horrible. I hate doctors who made me feel bad.
Years ago my general practitioner made me feel really bad about being a vegan (I was vegan for four years), and said I should really incorporate animal protein into my diet. I hadn’t asked for her advice, and I was totally healthy. Her advice was completely unwarranted, and since I still remember her telling me that ten years ago, it definitely affected me.
That’s total crap, and definitely overstepping her bounds. I went to a doc once who started asking about my (at that point vegan) diet and gave me some really awesome info about flax, nutritional yeast and other supplements…It was SO nice to be supported!
Hopefully the meds will help! I had a terrible appt once with my OB during my pregnancy with Zachary. I had gained 8lbs in less than 2 weeks and the one midwife in my practice yelled at me and told me to be more.careful of what and how much I was eating! I had never been more upset! Needless to say I never saw her again!
Kara, I am not a doctor, but if a pregnant woman gains weight that quickly, couldn’t it be a sign that her kidneys aren’t working properly? because quick weight gain to me shouts water retention. Anyway it could be serious and they should treat it as such instead of yelling at you!
Awww I am sorry about that bad experience :( It’s never fun. I hope you have a great day today xo
Ohh my goodness! That’s absolutely horrible!! That doctor clearly has no people skills. Grrrr. I hope you’re feeling better (both asthma-wise and emotionally)!! I don’t even know what I would’ve done if I was in your situation….it sounds like you handled it perfectly.
God, that’s awful. I’m so sorry you had to go through that. Some doctors completely lack tact! I understand that they know things about the human body that we don’t (obviously why we go to them in the first place), but there’s a way to educate without berating.
I’ve never been chewed out by a doc, but when I went to a new gyno to talk about an IUD, I knew more about it than she did! She gave me a pamphlet (all stuff I already knew from prelim research), but couldn’t tell me anything other than “um, yea, you seem fine, um, no, it shouldnt hurt, um, yeah, side effects happen, um, no, not too often…” Needless to say when I actually get it next month I certainly will NOT be trusting her to do the procedure!
Courtney,
I have a chronic health issue, and I was assigned a new doctor by a place where I get treatments, because they don’t work with my old doctor. This doctor tried to scare me too, and I told him, “Don’t use scare tactics on me, it doesn’t work. I’m scared enough as it is, and I need your help, not scaring. If I get any more scared I will panic and that is not good” I think he listened, he hasn’t really done it so much since. Good luck. I’m glad you said something to him. You are doing the right ting, you are going to the doctor, and trying to find out what to do.
Good for you for sticking up for yourself, Mary! :)
Courtney, look at all the people who support you! doesn’t that help you feel better?
It really does. I consider myself VERY lucky to have such absolutely amazing readers who support me. :)
UGH! You poor girl, what a horrible experience! Since I moved to NYC 8 years ago, I have had a string of doctors that have been condescending and have made me feel like an item on a checklist — but I have never been berated! Makes you value an awesome doctor, once you finally find them.
That is really unprofessional of your doctor. I would call someone to complain. At least dinner and dessert somewhat made up for it!
No one deserves that! I’m so sorry you had to go through that yesterday; that is completely inappropriate. I too had a bad experience with a doctor. He made me feel like the worst person in the world for slipping a bit on my treatment plan and made my situation out to be a lot worse than it actually was which terrified me. I walked out of the appointment and just bawled to my mom. I never went back to him either. I should have said something to someone at the office but I was too overwhelmed. Good for you for saying something! Take care of yourself beautiful! Have a GREAT Wednesday.
I’m so sorry you had to go through that! Good for you for telling him he was rude-imagine how many other people he’s made feel the same way. What a jerk. When I was about 19, I went for my annual gynocologist appointment and had a similar situation. My regular doctor, who I LOVE, had just had a baby so I saw another doctor at the practice. This lady was very old school and proceeded to give me a whole long speech on how men are out to screw women over, give them diseases, and I specifically remember her saying over and over “the pants don’t come off until the ring goes on!”. Needless to say, she made me feel like a promiscuous temptress even though I was in a serious relationship and had no reason for her to say that at all! Jay should lay a little smack-down on that doctor ;) ( only kind of kidding)
Oh dear! That old woman majored in “doctor of morals”, not OB/GYN. ;-)
Whaaaaaaat?!?!? That’s ridiculous!!
And I just found out that Jay actually contacted the head of the office to complain. ;)
Ahhhh, good hubby. Jay is awesome! :)
I’m so sorry he was a jerk to you :( It’s not fair to talk to any woman like that, much less a PREGNANT woman! You’re doing the right thing by going in to make sure you’re doing whats right for your baby. Go find a different doctor :)
OMG Courtney, I am so sorry to hear about that awful experience with the doctor. How incredibly rude and insensitive. There is definitely a way of getting your point across and that was certainly NOT the correct way. I have never had a bad experience with a doctor but my mom did and I was there to witness it. She was admitted to the ICU due to heart problems a few years ago (they had to restart her heart a few times) and then she was doing better so they took her out of ICU. She had already a heart attack a few years before this so we were all naturally very concerned. The attending doctor came and told her he was going to send her home and naturally she was feeling crappy and they hadn’t actually figured out the problem so she tried to tell him that she didn’t feel comfortable being sent home (because she lived by herself, etc.) and he basically didn’t listen to a thing she said and treated her like a stupid, old woman. I was so mad, I burst into tears (I don’t handle stressful situations very well) and my mom (who is usually the most mild mannered person I know) sat up in bed and told him to get the *** out of her room and that she didn’t want to see him again. She complained to everyone that would listen. This was right after my dad passed away and emotions were high. Sorry, this is so long. I am mad just thinking about it. NO ONE deserves to be treated the way you were treated. I hope today is a better day for you.
Sue
I took my son to a podiatrist that was the WORST doctor ever. He kept running in and out of the room. Talking to the patient in the room across the hall (doors open for the appointment), verbally berating the trainee in the room taking notes. It was awful. I literally yelled at him about his poor treatment of the office staff and his lack of attention to my son, while standing in his crowded waiting room. Obviously, never went back. I talked to another doctor about him and it turned out he had a terrible reputation.
Urgh! So sorry to hear that. I have heard so many stories that make me cringe these days. I have not had too bad of experiences but lots where they shrug their shoulders and have no response to me as to why I feel the way I do which is frustrating! Docs need to be more understanding some times and look at the situtation.
I’m sorry your experience was so terrible! While I’ve had doctors before that weren’t the greatest, nothing comes even remotely close to that. If that’s how he behaves, he should not be allowed to talk to patients. Awful.
Yikes, what a jerk. But he also woke you up and once you wrote this off as worst doc experience ever, you might get something positive out of it after all (better controlled asthma?). Feel better!
That’s what I’m hoping for!!
Wow. Just wow. Right or not, there’s definitely no excuse for treating a patient that way. I’m really sorry to hear that you had to go through something like that, Courtney. I’ve never really had a bad experience with a doctor, aside from just being frustrated that they didn’t seem to be listening to me, and I’m glad I didn’t because I probably would have ended up breaking down as well. Hope you’re feeling better, hun.
I had practically the same experience with an asthma specialist. The ironic thing is I listened to her for over a year as her “treatments” (inhaled steriods mostly) made my asthma worse. Apparently, I’m sensitive to steroids and can’t really take them, but she was too busy telling me I was going to die to notice. Since divorcing that doctor, I found a PCP that has told me my lungs are great and to just use a rescue inhaler when I have an attack…wish I would have gotten a second opinion earlier. Good luck!
Wow, thank goodness you figured that out! Asthma is a scary thing sometimes.
I am sorry for the bad appointment, that is certainly not fair to you. It is a good thing you called other doctors for their opinions, I always forget to do that. I hope you get to feeling better, asthma flare ups suck more than a cold, in my opinion.
I had a bad nurse experience. I grew up with military insurance, so at the hospitals on base there were always enlisted men taking our vitals and asking what was going on for us to come in. I had one guy ask if I drank or smoke and I said no. He looked at me and said, “Yeah right, your young you probably do both.” He went on to say some other things while I was there regarding medicine I was requesting. I left in tears, and it was the only time I had my dad pull rank on someone. :)
Ugh, I know it’s probably frowned upon but you should totally release his name so no one else has to suffer the way you did!
If there was anyone local who wanted to know, I would absolutely share the info!! :)
Ugh Court, I’m so sorry to hear about your terrible doctor’s experience. I hope you’re able to find a better one. When I first discovered that I could possibly have HA, I went to to the doctor and she basically told me that she has no idea what’s wrong with me and that she’d have to refer me to a fertility specialist because I’d never be able to have kids on my own. She just said it so BLUNTLY and had absolutely no bedside manner whatsoever. I left in tears and was so frustrated. I hope today is a better one! xoxo
I’m so sorry you had that experience. With everything that’s going on right now, the doctor should have been much more compassionate–and respectful–when speaking with you! I wish there was a way he could learn from this, and change his behaviors so this doesn’t happen to more people.
oh my goodness.. What a jerk.. I can’t believe he treated you like that.. I would have exploded.
I was in my best friend’s wedding at 6 months pregnant and if she had gotten married one day later, I wouldn’t have been able to be in the bridal party. By the end of the night I had put my husband’s suit coat on and unzipped the back of the dress so I could breathe!!
Hahaha…that’s so what I was afraid of! Thankfully I should HOPEFULLY be all set now – I just hope I’ll be able to wear a shawl or something to cover up the awkward extra panel of fabric that needs to be added, lol. :-O
I’m sorry you had such a bad experience! Mean doctors are the worse because as a patient you’re in such a vulnerable situation.
Earlier this year I went to the infirmary at my college because I missed my period. I was on birth control and the odds I were pregnant were pretty slim, but I thought I’d go to the doctor just to see what’s up because it never happened before. At the infirmary I told them the problem and all they did was give me a pregnancy test (which came back negative, like I knew it would) and basically told “oh, that happens some times” no questions about any other symptoms or anything and I could tell the nurse was judging me the entire time even though I never got a chance to explain myself. She was really condescending and the whole situation was so stressful. I know college doctors probably aren’t paid as well as private practice doctors but they could pretend to care. I would have been better off just skipping the appointment altogether because it was no help at all.
yes, one too many bad experiences! especially since most traditional doctors don’t agree with my thought process since I llike a more holistic route because of bad experiences i’ve had in the past with medications. def. important to trust your instincts!
and umm i know its only 9:40am, but the dinner looks mighty good and i could eat that right now!
Hahaha, I actually just finished up some for lunch. SO good :)
I am soo sorry about your experience with that doctor, that is not something any first time mother wants to hear!! I have had a few mean doctors in the past, one was convinced I was depressed because I wasn’t really talkative I wanted to be like dude, you are not my regular doctor and your examining me and just felt me up what are we supposed to talk about?!?
I’m so sorry you had such an awful experience at the doctors! Some doctors have such horrible bedside manner – they don’t even realize how cruel they are being. Of course you didn’t mean to hurt your baby in any way. I hope that you are able to find a new doctor who will be more understanding and kind. Talk about freaking out a new soon-to-be mama for no reason!
Sorry you had such an awful experience. I have an autoimmune disorder (I am VERY familiar with prednisone) that went undiagnosed for 6 years due to my doctor’s incompetence. I would leave in tears because I was so sick and my doctor would just shrug and say “I don’t know” during appointments. And then tried to tell me it was all in my head. I was finally able to switch insurance and see a new doctor and it was diagnosed within a couple weeks. Hang in there.
Ughh, that’s so awful. But thankfully you found a new one and got some answers! :)
I’m sorry the Doctor’s bedside manner was lacking..but I think he’s right about one thing..sometimes we get used to feeling bad, that we ignore important things with our health..or get used to breathing lousy..he could have been more tactful but maybe he was seriously concerned about You and the Baby..
Please take care,see a new Doctor more frequently while pregnant with your Asthma..I’ve been a Nurse for 30 yrs,seen many rude Doctors over the years..but if it help’s you and the baby then it’s worth it..
Yikes! I’m sorry to hear that. Maybe he was having a shitty day, or who knows, maybe he just has horrible bedside manner. People can be unbelievable in how they interact with others. I get annoyed when service people or the like are blatantly rude for no reason, but that’s easy to forget about/not a huge deal. Doctors, of all people, absolutely need to watch their wording and tone of voice! I hope you start feeling better soon.
So sorry you didn’t have a very good experience with a doctor. I have had a few with dentists and I don’t really like the dentist to begin with then you add a dentist that isn’t very nice and it’s just awful! I am very lucky because my OB is wonderful and made my delivery a very good experience. My labor, well, that’s a different story. Hello back labor, awful but worth it in the end when you see that little face!! I hope you start to feel better.
yes, i have had bad experiences with doctors, but my mother is a nurse so that does not help anything. but yes, most doctors need to take a few courses in bedside manor.
wow, how rude. you have a lot of self control, because i would have exploded and let him have it. he had no right to assume anything about you. happy you got something to help your asthma though :)
Ugh jerky doctors are the worst! Sorry you had to deal with him. You def reminded me that I need to see my asthma doctor though. I always put it off :/
Wow! That is unbelievable! He definitely needs to go back and learn a thing or two about bed side manner.
omg I’m so sorry that happened to you! I had a doctor once tell me that I need to start treating my asthma like a disease and that really freaked me out. But I feel what they don’t understand is that Asthma does flare up. He should have never been that rude to you– I would have cried too. Big hug!
Your story about your bridesmaid dress made me smile. When I got married, I did not know that my sister and matron of honor was pregnant. She was waiting until she was through her first trimester to tell anybody. We went shopping and picked out the perfect bridesmaid dress and ordered it. She knew there was going to be an issue with her dress, so she told my Mom that she was pregnant. They agreed not to tell me because they didn’t want me to stress. So without me knowing, they sent back the dress and ordered it in a bigger size and went through several fittings, alterations, etc. leading up to the wedding day.
She told me she was pregnant at our wedding reception. She didn’t want to take away from my day so she didn’t tell anybody else, but I was so happy and excited that I told everybody! :) And I couldn’t believe that she and my mom went through all that work to get the dress just right while I didn’t know a thing about it.
Hahaha, that is too funny! It’s obvious that they definitely had your best interest at heart! :)
That is so horrifying, Courtney- so sorry you had to go through that! Luckily you’ve got a good head on your shoulders as well as far more competent and compassionate medical care providers!!!
Oh I am so sorry that happened to you. As a physician myself, I try to remind people that even though we would hope all doctors would be nice, unfortunately that isn’t the case. You did the right thing, calling him out on being rude, and then letting the front desk staff know your frustrations – and totally ok to cry – especially when pregnant! It sounds like you are on the right track now, and you know to avoid that doctor in the future!
yep here too. I have a benign lump on my neck and while my general doctor felt it and referred me to a specialist just in case, said specialist gave me an ultrasound and proceded to tell me to stop watching so much tv and stop looking for something wrong. I had just lost my mom to cancer which probably could have been prevented had her doctor listened to her so I just lost it.
Doctors can be so inconsiderate sometimes!
Oh my gosh, that is so awful. :(
Grrrr!!! I am so mad at that doctor for you!!! Yes, badly controlled asthma is not good for your baby but that is why you were there, to get it taken care of and under control. Never mind the fact that the pregnancy may actually be the cause of your worsening condition. I have asthma as well(exercise and allergy induced) and mine was definitely worse during pregnancy which my doctor explained was very normal.
I am glad you got new meds but sorry that you had to go through such a crappy appointment to get them!
so sorry about the rude doctor!!! I’m glad to hear that now you are on the right track with the meds, and everything will be ok with baby. :) I once had a rude doctor who was basically yelling at me for not bring copies of my x-rays from the er, and telling me she “didn’t know what I wanted her to do” I actually did break down crying and then she kind of softened up a little bit. I also told the front desk how I was treated and she must have been spoken to because she called me a week later to check in and was super nice and apologetic. ha.
I’m glad you got a second opinion, and voiced your concern about the doctor’s manners!
Wow what a jerk of a doctor! Sorry you had to sit through an appointment with him – it’s so discouraging to hear such things and that too from someone who is meant to be a professional. While I’m sure no one is asking for his sympathy, there is a way to convey information with tact- ugh!
Wow, what a terrible thing to say to an expecting mother!!! How rude! I would have been in a puddle of tears before I made it out off the exam room, good for you for telling him how much he upset you. It sounds like you had a dozy of a day and that chocolate was totally needed for dessert!!! Here’s to a better Wednesday :)
GOSH what a jerk!!! I will never understand what it is that makes some people think they can talk to others like that. I mean, I’m glad you got some good/safe medicines out of it, but I can’t believe you had to go through that to get them.
I personally have never had such a bad appointment, but my brother and parents have, and I hate hearing about them! I hope everything starts looking up for you soon, and I’m really glad you gave that jerk a piece of your mind!
Major props to you for holding your composure but still telling him what he needed to hear. To make you feel like you were hurting your baby somehow? What a jerk.
Oh my gosh! I am SO sorry you had such a bad experience with a doc :( Yuck. I take it personally because most of my family is doctors (and they’re all amazing), so I think it’s sad when BAD docs are out there & are crappy. SO sorry girl!! :(
p.s. impressed that you told him to HIS FACE that he was totally rude. love that you did that!
Haha, I typically would keep my mouth shut, but I was just super pissed!
OMG!! I am so sorry! That doctor shouldn’t have said those things to you like that. I mean it is necessary that he tells you that you could harm the baby etc if you don’t take action, but clearly he doesn;t understand how emotional that can make a pregnant woman! I am sure everything will be just fine as long as you take care of yourself (which you are!)
I had a bad experience with an OBGYN once. I had to go to a new one because my old one retired. Basically I found out that I have PCOS… I was about 19, scared and didn’t know anything about the syndrome. I had asked her questions and I am sure you could hear the uncertainty in my voice. She proceeded to give me the name of a book to read and advised that I look it up online…Like REALLY??? All I wanted was to hear that I would be fine and that it’s not as uncommon as it sounds. Luckily I now have a new doctor who is fabulous :)
Aww man, that’s terrible! Good thing you found a great one ;)
AH so sorry court!! But you’ll get in under control. Good for you for handling it so well.
Oh I hate horrible doctors. I had one when I was little after I fell off my bike and felt into a mettle ditch drain pipe. The lady made me get stitches and was super rough with the wound. My dad was pretty upset after he saw her and thinks I never needed stitches in the first place.
I also just had a run in with a horrible veterinarian and my cat. Luckily, the next day she called an applogized. But I was still traumatized for two days.
Sometimes I just dont understand how these people have jobs that come in contact with patients!
Eeeewww! Talk about poor bedside manner! What a jerk. I’m sorry that you had to sit through that. Wishing you a better day today!
Aw sorry to hear about your rough appointment. But on a positive note, since I know you’re a Chobani fan like me, have you tried their new product of Chobani Bites? Especially Coffee with dark chocolate pieces…HEAVEN. I just tried some and am pretty sure I could eat it everyyyyy day!
I haven’t been able to find them yet!!!
Target! At least in Texas : )
Aww, so sorry Courtney! I think you were REALLY smart to triple check with your PCP and OB/GYN about the medicines though.
Wow that sounds terrible. At least you will hopefully be feeling better soon! That chicken salad looks really good! I dont eat chicken, but I bet those ingredients as an egg salad would be delicious!
I can’t believe that he behaved in that manner! I guess you have to remember that doctors are people… and some people have absolutely no social graces. Don’t worry Courtney! Just find a new doctor that treats you right!
*bigggg huggggssss* to you, Courtney <3 Hearing that makes me wanna kick that doctor in his rear. Good for you for letting him know you thought he was being rude. That probably took some guts!
I am going to concur with all the other comments – so sorry you had to go through that and the doctor needs to learn some manners stat. I can kinda relate – or at least my mom can – when she was pregnant of me, she didn’t realize it at first and was still taking birth control. The nurse told my mom that I might be deformed and I should be aborted (this was in 1984). My mom was like WHAT THE WHAT?! And then because of the way the placenta was, they couldn’t do an amniocentesis later on… but it didn’t matter because I came out 100% healthy with all 10 fingers and 10 toes. But the nurse was just awful and my mom is still pissed off about that experience.
OMG that’s terrible!!! Thank goodness your mom stuck with her guns!
I never thought about adding Chobani to chicken salad!!!
It’s SO great!!
What a horrific experience! Chocolate = well deserved
I went through something similar. After I was finally released from the hospital post-mal practice and neglect, the doctors told me that I was so weak I would never work, workout, or pretty much function again. They also said there’s a good chance I would never have children. So far, 3 out of the four of those were proven wrong, and hopefully one day the last will too! :)
GAWD YES! A couple of them since I also had to deal with the kid’s doctors and moving, etc.
Once I had a doctor’s office tell me I had to come in for my ovarian cancer results, they couldn’t give “that kind” of result over the phone. I was in shock, I thought it had come back positive. I was in such shock I got the appointment wrong and when I should up they wouldn’t give me the results….. until I raised hell. Needless to say they were negative and I got a new doctor.
I was raised to have alot of respect and to just follow along with what doctor’s say – that they were almost god-like. That changed when my last child was born sick. They work FOR me. I need to have information and choices and a doctor I can partner with for my overall health.
I have a GREAT OB/GYN incase you are interested. She is also tended to my own girls until they moved. I love the practice. Good for you for NOT taking that kind of bullying!
Haha, I must have been channeling my “inner Linda” ;)
Hmmm I REALLY need to look into making a clean version of that cinnamon greek yogurt bran muffin cause they look SO GOOOOODDDDD!!! If I come up with anything I will let you know or if you have any suggestions that would be awesome. NOT much of a baker but I try LOL!!
Oooooo YES, please do!! :)
Oh Courtney~I’m so sorry you had to endure that visit! The last thing a pregnant woman needs is extra stress, guilt, and tears, as those are all rather abundant without all the added stuff~hang in there and I think you’re being a great mom and doing what’s right! God will bless ya with really positive updates I’m sure :)
I need to make that chicken salad…looks great :)
What a jerk that doctor was. Sorry you had a bad experience that brought you to tears. I’ve had a couple of bad experiences but never one that made me cry. That makes me so mad that he made you feel badly!
Towards the end of your pregnancy, you’ll need to find a pediatrician. It’s really important that you meet with them face to face and feel 100% comfortable with them. I was lucky to find one right away that I clicked with. It definitely has to be someone you (and Jay) feel comfortable approaching, asking questions, etc.
I hate doctors who treat you like you’re an idiot. I told my dr. recently that my stomach pains were getting really bad, and he told me that I was just stressed about planning a wedding and did I really want to marry this guy!?!?
I finally went to a specialist on my own, and turns out all of my problems were gluten related, NOT because of my fiancee!
I’m sorry to hear about your terrible experience at the doctor’s! That’s such a bummer and I really dislike when medical professionals have awful bedside manner’s.
I can’t believe that doctor! That is horrible! It’s one thing to worry about a patient and tell them they need to take control of an illness, yet to belittle them in such a way is so disrespectful! I am glad you stood up for yourself at least and did not just let him talk down to you and nod along! Good for you! :) ha
And I sure hope you get feeling better soon! :)
Sounds like quite an appointment ! Hang in there !
Courtney, I’m so sorry to hear about your awful experience with that jerk of a doctor. That is so not cool and I’m really glad you managed to let him know how rude he was and that you would not be back. I think I would have completely lost it. I’ve had a really bad experience with a doctor once myself. Unfortunately, I feel that some doctors can be so insensitive and/or desensitized to their patients. We deserve so much better! You’re in my thoughts and I’m sending you well-wishes for the asthma to clear up quickly. {{BIG HUG}}
In other news, I LOVE that cute soup bowl/plate set. Where did you get it? I totally want one! :D
QVC :)
Thanks!! :D
Seriously do doctors realize we are human beings and have feelings and you being pregnant have even more feelings and emotions?! Geez, sorry to hear your bad experience. Way to not let dr. douche see that he got to you and held the tears until you left. I remember my sister had a bad experience with an obgyn because she was having trouble getting pregnant which is a very difficult matter to begin with so needless to say she switched and got pregnant and now I have an amazing nephew : )
Your chicken salad sound delish. I usually do a chicken with brocoli slaw, tomatoes, seasoning, and a little vinegar but your way sounds amazing and I’m definitely going to have to try it and switch things up a bit.
If I were you I would have had the whole box of chocolates last night. Glad you are on the meds and hopefully wil see improvements soon!
What a sin! that is a terrible experience. I have asthma to and am really bad at not taking care of it and just suffering through when its not that bad. But what a jerk!
Last year, I went to the doctor regarding some very strange pain in the side of my face, my normal doctor was on a leave so I had to go to here replacement. Well I was 22 at the time alone at the doctors office when he insisted I had early signs of MS and was sending me to a mile long list of specialist. That is the most terrifying experience of my life. After seeing all these specialist my family doctor was home to review what they said BUT she didnt have to, she looked at me and was like you have TMJ (my jaws don’t align and become inflamed because I grind my teeth at night). I spent 4 months going through test after test, going to some pretty scary appointments all because of someones jumping to conclusions. He told me I might have MS in the worst way possible, there wasnt things that were milder that i might be, it was just you probably have ms so we better look into that.
Good for you for sticking up for yourself with the doctor!! Always do that esp when prego. :)
Omg I the docs like that!!! Like really?! Does he really think you’re purposefully wanting to cause harm to your baby?! Omg some docs need to take some time to reflect why they want to be in their profession in the first place. I have experienced a very judgemental nurse from a doc appt years back and was just thinking, so you want me to tell you my symptoms/complaints but you’re giving me s*** and making me feel like crap. What a great help lol. Well I’m glad it worke out for you and you got some good answers. Good luck!!
How rude!!!! No doctor should ever be that mean, especially to a pregnant woman! Doesn’t he know pregnancy makes women emotional?!
That’s awful! I’m sorry to hear that the doctor was such a jerk to you :(
I’ve certainly had my fair share of bad experiences with doctors, so now I avoid going. The biggest issue for me was when my primary care physician refused to listen to me when I told her I was having a problem for YEARS, writing me off and saying that it was nothing at all. Well… I finally went to see an OB/GYN about it, and it turns out that “nothing” was actually a pretty darn big problem- PCOS, and my ovaries are covered in cysts. Needless to say, I’m on the market for a new primary care doctor.
I’m so sorry to hear about your horrible doctor’s appt. My good friend has asthma. She’s had some pretty bad doctor’s appts. as well. And way to go for telling that doctor off. My 90 year old grandmother has a horrible doctor. I don’t think your blog would be the best place to write down what kind of a man he is, but anyone who tells a 90 year old woman she shouldn’t be living by herself (she has a cat and a wonderful group of neighbors that look out for her) when his own 90 year old mother still gets behind the wheel of a car (best of luck Florida drivers) has a screw loose.
Hang in there. Best of luck in hunting for a new doctor.
I’ve got to try that making that quick bread. Yummy.
I am sorry you had to deal with such a bad Dr. I have asthma and I think sometimes people who don’t have asthma don’t understand that sometimes people with asthma have a different normal. What I have found helpful is using a peakflow meter. It measures how well your asthma is under control and can reveal narrowing of the airways well in advance of an asthma attack. I will say that when I have been placed on prednisone it opened me up and allowed the other meds to work better. I hope you feel better soon.
Courtney, I’m curious….what was his response when you told him how you felt?
He said he was sorry I felt that way and that he was just trying to make sure that I understood the severity of the situation.
Umm, yeah…loud and clear, thanks!
I actually have an update on this going into tomorrow’s post though. ;)
My heart is aching for your doctor appointment. I’m so sorry! It blows my mind the way some doctors can be so rude and I’ve had my fair share of rude doctors over the years. I think some don’t understand that we all don’t need the “scare” tactic or respond well to “harsh” words. While I may not be pregnant and have that extra concern with my asthma, I’m a bigger believer in working to improve my lungs that just treat with medication. Unfortunately I’m currently on daily asthma medications but working to get off that. But I’d probably throw some punches at that guy…
ugh, I’m SO sorry you had such an awful experience :( how completely ridiculous of that doctor…I’m glad you told him that he was so rude and also explained that to others–they need to know!
When I went to see a dermatologist (for the first time ever) this past Fall, the doctor told me (in roundabout words) that he didn’t understand why I would go to see him unless I had been previously diagnosed with a skin disease. Ultimately, he told me there was no reason for me to do “routine checkups” if I’m healthy otherwise–I have plenty of freckles and a few moles I wanted to get checked out to be on the safe side, and he made me feel stupid for wanted to get preventative care–so frustrating!
I’m so sorry about the horrible experience with the doctor! There are a few different websites out there for rating doctors if you’re interested!
What a JERK. I can’t believe that. He is a professional and shouldn’t scare you like that. I am sorry you had to go through that. I am glad you ate those chocolates though, I am sure they made things better :)
Oh no! :( I hope you’re okay- what a jerk. Make sure you look after yourself and don’t worry, everything will work out :) Get that asthma fixed girl!
I am so sorry that you had such a terrible appointment! It truly is frustrating when you clearly went to see him to prevent any possible harm medications or your asthma may have on your baby. I am so proud of you for holding it together and speaking up for yourself. Hopefully that was a wake up call for him!!
UGH, horrible doc. Had a bad experience with a pediatrician with my teenage daughter, who insinuated that she was getting close to overweight (judging her based on me, who tho I am overweight, have GREAT numbers ie cholesterol, BP etc), based on her BMI. Um, she was a small size 4, at the time. She then proceeded to turn on the ice machine b/c I refused the Gardasil vaccine.
Anyhow…re your asthma….I’m a lifelong sufferer and, like you, have seemingly controlled poorly controlled asthma b/c it’s how it’s been and it’s normal to me. So, if you don’t already do this, a flu shot is a MUST. The flu for an asthmatic can quickly turn deadly. Steroids, yes, good…even in high doses (usually they do a decreasing dosage, my doc lets me virtually self prescribe) they are safe in the short term. Now, how about a nebulizer? That nebulizer has saved me from hospitalization many times, like when I had the swine flu (flu shot too late) and using it regularly, even when you seem asymptomatic, until you’re fully under control and blowing good numbers on the peak flow meter, may really be a good thing. I’m thinking you probably already have one, but I didn’t see any mention of it, so I thought I’d mention it. If not, shame on every doctor you’ve had, especially this last jackhole who was mean to you.
Sorry for the novel, maybe something helped, though and if not, well…sorry for the novel lol!
Thank you for sharing your recipes! I’ll be trying the chicken salad tonight :)
I’ve had acid reflux for, like, ever. I’m not even kidding. I was officially diagnosed with it when I was 16, but I had it a few years prior to that. Before going to the doctor, I tried everything. I lost the spicy foods, quit drinking soda, stopped eating after a certain time, elevated the head of my bed, everything and anything I could think of, I tried. I get to the ONLY GI doc who will take “kids” and the first thing he tells me to do is everything I’ve already done. I, and my mom, explained we had tried everything, nothing was working. He flat out told us he didn’t believe us, there was no way a 16 year old had reflux, and that I was obviously sneaking in soda or spicy foods and that’s why I had it. After a year of him putting me on the blandest diet ever, followed by a gazillion tests, he finally concluded that yes, I did have reflux and had to be on some pretty strong meds for it, too. Jerkoff.
Courtney!! Is there any way I can get the recipe for the chicken salad! I’ve never made it before so I don’t know how many carrots, grapes, etc! I would love to make it for lunch next week!!! Thank you! And p. s. forget about that stupid jerk of a doctor!
Don’t worry, just eyeball it!! I’ve never measured out all the veggies, since I just keep chopping until it looks like enough :)
Ok! I will try my best! Hopefully it turns out looking as good as yours! One last question…a large can of chopped chicken or one of those mini ones!?!
I do a small one usually :)
Wow! Now that is some GOOD, GOOD stuff!
P.S. Happy Anniversary!
whoa, man. let me tell you, I work with docs in a hospital setting, and they are so often arrogant assholes. so please don’t let it phase you. just wish you had told him so to his face. they need that. but no biggie, you’ll never return so whatever. just sorry you had to go through that. grr.
Sounds like such a terrible experience with the doctor – I am glad you told him what you thought in the end, hopefully you put him in his place :)