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Thursday 19 May 2011

Always Trust Your Gut!

So I had my second midwife appointment on Tuesday and all was well, or at least until the end when she asked me if I'd phoned in to get my results for my urinalysis from the previous week (um, no... you always give me the results so why would I call?). She said the tech had seen some bacteria in my urine suggesting that I had an urinary tract infection and that I was prescribed amoxicillin. I said ok, kind of shocked, and went on my way. Once I actually was at the pharmacy filling the prescription, it dawned on me that I can't take it... Liara is allergic to penicillin and amoxicillin IS passed on through breast milk. I phoned the doctor's office back that afternoon while Li was taking her nap and spoke to one of the doctors on duty. To be honest... I was really disappointed in the care for the first time since living here. The doctor (we'll call her Dr.W) said that I'd have to take it anyway and suggested that I just stop breastfeeding for the week I had to take it. Um, wrong answer. I hung up and mulled it over for a while. I kept thinking that there has to be some other option. I decided I'd use the tube intended for collecting an urine sample for my next midwife appointment to give them another urine sample to test. I peed in my little cup and dropped it off that afternoon. In the meantime, I began pumping so that I would have some breast milk to give her while I took it if that's what I had to do. I was getting frustrated because my supply is JUST what Liara needs and I was only getting about two ounces after each feed since she was getting her full first. :/ So today, after two days of fretting and thinking... it dawned on me. What do pregnant women who are allergic to amoxicillin take? Why can't I have that? I called the doctors' office again and didn't get an answer, so I phoned the midwife center and spoke to a REALLY helpful midwife. She looked at my file, said it was strange, and asked me if I had any other symptoms. Foul smelling pee? Nope. Pain during urination? Nope. Cloudy urine? Nope. Blood? Nope. Hmm... she said it'd be best to give another sample to double check, but if there was an infection that there were TWO other drugs they could give me instead that would be ok. Booya. I told her about dropping off the urine sample on Tuesday afternoon on a whim and she said she'd see that they rushed it and to call back this afternoon. So, I called. Completely clean.

What a pain in the ass for nothing! I'm so glad I trusted my gut, but at least now I know that if I DID have an urine infection there WOULD be something I could take that wouldn't cause Liara to have a reaction. Shame on Dr.W for just giving the "easy" answer to quit breastfeeding. I hate it when doctors do that. You obviously aren't doing your job and you don't have our best interests in mind. Maybe you should find another profession. :P

3 comments:

InfantRisk Center said...

We're so glad you trusted your gut on this one and got a second test! Next time (although hopefully there's not one!), give us call. Our experts are always happy to talk through your situation and give you all your options.

--Chrissie
http://facebook.com/infantriskcenter
http://twitter.com/infantrisk

Nic and Jen said...

Awesome! Thanks so much for the link :) I'll definitely call next time!

B said...

How awesome! And way to go, mama!

I have also been victim to the whole "just stop breastfeeding" nonsense, to which I always want to scream and remind them about all the money that could be saved if women were as devoted to breastfeeding as we are!