Also... if you have a health department (which you do) they will test you for free, if it's negative then I would assume that they'll have someone run tests... one being an u/s.
Pseudocyesis can cause your symptoms (false pregnancy) and I wouldn't take that lightly... it does happen. :) I've personally seen at least 2 cases here on MDC in the past few years.
The only OB I could go to here only did a urine and blood test. She didn't do an exam or an u/s. I have been to the Health Department before to get a urine test, and it was positive when I was pregnant with my boys. I'm not sure if they would do anymore than a urine test. I live in Kentucky, and the doctors here seem to be different than what people have told me with their experiences. I'll probably just have to wait until I go for my pap smear at the end of this month. If anyone has any other suggestions, please let me know. :)
It sounds and looks like you've gotten lots of different suggestions. Health Dept., new Dr., ER, Planned Parenthood... LOTS of different suggestions.
I agree that you've received many suggestions. It sounds like you have to take a more aggressive approach to your healthcare. Be loud. Be heard. Don't stop until you get answers. Make phone calls. Make more phone calls. be the squeaky wheel. Don't take no for an answer. If you have to lie to get answers do that. MDC cannot provide suggestions that will turn into answers - only your own actions and a health care provider can do that.
Ok, well the only thing I haven't done yet is the ER. I went to the only OB that I can go to with my insurance, and she did the urine and blood test and was done with me. There is no Planned Parenthood here. I will call and see if she will see me again, though. The doctor I went to with my son wants a positive test through the clinic before they will see me. That is what I have been told by the receptionist when I called to get an appointment. I already have medicaid because I don't have a job and my children recieve it as well. I'm in Bowling Green, KY. Where are you? I looked it up in the yellow pages, and there were no listings for midwives here. Notmadxxx, I'm glad you understand. I don't think anyone understands until they have been through it themselves. Good luck and I hope you can find some answers soon. I was diagnosed with PCOS about 10 years ago, and I have NEVER had pregnancy symptoms from it. I have never even been through the false pregnancy thing even when I was trying to concieve, and it took 2 1/2 years before I did concieve, and had a miscarriage. I had three actually before concieving my daughter. The only thing the PCOS has caused was irregular periods, and pain from the cysts. Oh, and the extra black hairs on different parts of my body. I have tried to get some answers, and it seems like people just don't think I have. I have been to an urgent clinic, got a blood test, then to the clinic, got a urine test, went to the ob, got a urine, and blood test, and then to my regular doc, got another urine and blood test, still all negative. So don't say I haven't tried. I will go to the ER, though, and hopefully get an u/s. If they believe that I may be pregnant, that is.
Maybe go with the approach of not being pregnant? Maybe that will get you past the urine and blood tests for pregnancy and on to the road of getting some decent care? I'm so sorry. All of this sounds incredibly frustrating.
Crisis pregnancy centers will usually do an ultrasound for free. I've had pregnant friends go just so they can get a free ultrasound and pic of their baby. It looks like there is at least one in your area. I'd call, explain the sitch and see if they'd do one for you.
If you're having these symptoms and not pregnant you need to see a doc ASAP.
Ok. Thank you so much!
I'm pretty sure a lot of crisis pregnancy centers or PP wouldn't do an u/s without a positive pregnancy test.
OP, I think your best bet is to just go to the one Dr. who will accept your insurance and explain your symptoms and ask them to treat/diagnose you. Don't even mention pregnancy. I would think any such diagnosis would involve an u/s (to check for fibroids, etc.). Such symptoms aren't normal, so any good doctor should do whatever they can to diagnose you (and then treat as necessary).
Maybe go with the approach of not being pregnant? Maybe that will get you past the urine and blood tests for pregnancy and on to the road of getting some decent care? I'm so sorry. All of this sounds incredibly frustrating.
I agree with this. I would go in with my symptoms and ask them to figure out why I have these symptoms without ever mentioning pregnancy. One thing they will do is rule out pregnancy, and that will likely come up negative. Then it's time to figure out where your symptoms come from which will likely involve an ultrasound to look at your kidney, spleen, ovaries, uterus, and other abdominal organs.
I'm pretty sure a lot of crisis pregnancy centers or PP wouldn't do an u/s without a positive pregnancy test.
But seriously, the OP says she is feeling movement and her belly is growing. You don't think a crisis center would look at all of that info and not try to help her?
It's time you go to the emergency room and complain about abdominal pain. They take that seriously. Just tell them you're nauseous and your belly feels swollen.
I would guess they would help her by trying to find a doctor that could help her. When a women goes into a pregnancy crisis center, the first thing they always do is a urine pregnancy test, so unless that is positive, I'm not sure if they would use their limited resources on an u/s. I do think they would mostly try to help her by maybe helping her find a doctor or navigate assistance to pay for medical care. A crisis center does not generally have doctors and can't legally make a diagnosis. Even if they did do an u/s and saw a baby on the screen, they couldn't make a pregnancy diagnosis. That is why they do urine tests....they can legally give a urine test and then give the women a paper (that she can use to get medicaid or whatever) that says something like " Jane Smith had a positive pregnancy test on 06/08/2012. These tests are 99% accurate" or something like that. They can't even legally tell a woman she is pregnant, just that she had a positive test (or a negative test).
As far as movement goes..well I've felt "phantom baby kicks" many times when I most definitely was not pregnant. It mostly happened shortly after I had each of my babies, but I also felt them before I got pregnant with this baby (I think just because we were thinking a lot about pregnancy, etc.) Even with this pregnancy, I've felt things that "felt" like baby movement, but I knew that it wasn't (ie. kicks up high, when I was less than 20 weeks and I knew my uterus wasn't that high). Of course, I feel lots of real movement too, and I can tell the difference.
And there are other medical conditions that cause a growing belly and these require a doctor to diagnose.
I'm not saying the OP is or isn't pregnant...but I do think that being pregnant while having both blood and urine tests negative is very uncommon and really I think seeing a dr. that could diagnosis whatever condition she has (whether that is pregnancy or not) is that thing to do.
I hope you get the help you need.
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