Worst information from a healthcare professional

[Dawndelion]

When I asked about the symptoms of reflux my then 15 month old son was experiencing, one of the pediatricians at our local office told me to stop giving him juice. Never asked how much juice he was getting, or even if he was getting any juice at all. Turns out his reflux was so severe he needed surgery to repair it.

Of course, that's not as bad as when the same doctor told my friend that it was fine that her two week old DD was showing a slight weight loss and had a blue tinge to her hands and feet. Three days later her DD had a heart attack in her arms and almost died from an undetected heart problem that required surgery to repair. Every single doctor, nurse, and anyone remotely related to the medical field told her afterwards that her daughter was showing obvious signs of a heart problem and should have been checked out immediately.

And, sadly, the moron is still practicing medicine. Needless to say, we drive 40 minutes to a different office.

[maddys_mama]

Oh I forgot one. Ds started showing signs of reflux at 2 weeks old. We mentioned it at his check-up and the doctor told us to give him juice. When I reminded her how young he was, she said juice would be okay because he was the size of a 2 month old >.< We switched doctors an hour later.

[Angel89411]

Originally Posted by AnimalHouse When DS2 was 2 days old, my nipples were cracked and bleeding... our pedi at the time told me I should pump and give him bottles until my nipples healed. So I did. He got bottles for 2 days, and then never relatched. We worked with an IBCLC and LLL for almost 4 months, but he simply would not latch on. I ended up pumping for him for 15 months, and he received my milk for almost 21 months... but still, pumping sucked.

I got this advice from a LACTATION CONSULTANT at a hospital. Never got him relatched and the stress of a full time job and being a new/first time mom had us on formula by 6 weeks.

[Belbaby3728]

Remembered another at one of our first couple appts the nurse who did weight and measurements asked me how BF was going and I said fine, she nurses on demand which is usually all the time. She told me to cut back to take it from her who has 3 kids...um I wasn't asking for your advice, thanks.

[alyssa&rylan's-mommy]

I had whooping cough when I was a young teen, and ended up hospitalized for weeks, why? Because they didn't test for it and were treating me for asthma!

From the time I was 9 I was seeing different doctors, hospitals, and emergency rooms for chest pain and dizziness. First it was supposedly growing pains, then a pulled muscle, then muscle spasms. Never looked into it, why, because I was too young to have a heart condition! Well, many years later, I'm pregnant with my 4th and they finally establish that I do indeed have a heart condition!

When I had DD1, I was told that breastfeeding for 6 months was plenty, after that there were really no benefits. I was also told to use a shield.

I was also told with DD1 ( almost 5 years ago) that extended rear facing is extreme and dangerous.

[Dory]

And another i remembered. When my son was born he had low sugar. They checked it constantly in the hospital and we were instructed to go to his office for a sugar check the next day. It was fine, but he was all of a sudden alarmed at his jaundice. We were sent right to the hospital with orders. I read them in the parking lot, and burst into tears when I saw where he ordered "Xoz of formula every two hours," along with the lights. I called the office and got his nurse when we got to the nursery, and begged to nurse him instead. He was 4 days old and it was very important to me to get my supply established. She put me on hold and came back and told me that being breastfed is WHY he was jaundiced, and that I could pump and store it for later. I was in tears when I hung up. The sweet nurse there told me, "Honey, when it's time for him to have his formula, you can give it to him if you like. You can even take him down to your room to give it to him. You can even shut the door, and we'll knock first. You can keep him down there 30 minutes if that's how long it takes him to take that bottle." Once it clicked, I wanted to hug her! He was discharged the next morning.

Originally Posted by Belbaby3728 Our old family doctor at 2 month visit: are we ready for shots? Us: we want to discuss that (wanted to do slow/delayed- 1 shot at a time) him: no, no if you are not giving all shots I cannot be her doctor. Um ok goodbye, oh and my dh nor I are no longer your patients either! This was after he told us at previous visits he was fine with delayed vaccination and that he did not force shots on anyone.

Our (former) Family doctor accepted my answer wen I told him we wouldn't be vaccinating our daughter anymore at her 4mo checkup. At each visit he mentioned it, we said "not now" and that was it. My son came along when she was 15 months. When he was 2 months I asked for a second opinion from a ped specialist at Vandy for a bad umbilical hernia, and all of a sudden he wanted to grill me on our decision to delay all vaccines. So with the formula and jaundice issue, the vaxxing issue, and getting his panties bunched over wanting a second opinion, we found a pediatrician who we LOVE.

[bigmamakelsey]

With DS1 they messed up and only did his PKU and didn't check his bili levels, the ped. called us and said "Ya, your kid isn't jaundice. I wouldn't take him back in." A few days later we found he was SEVERELY jaundiced, thank goodness for my midwife. He was almost to the point of brain damage and hospitalization.
Did I mention he was born at 36 weeks? What ped would NOT reccommend a bilirubin test for a 36 week newborn?! Moron. I wish I'd have known better at the time.

[mcpforever]

Worst advice was from a doctor who recommended the Ferber book when I brought in DS1 who was waking up at night and acting like he was in pain. Doc assumed that he was suffering from separation anxiety. Um. He was cosleeping, but not actually listening and making assumptions is always a great idea.

A few days later I took him back and a different ped said he had an infection in both ears!

I never had a good experience with this particular guy (he always seemed arrogant and didn't treat DS1 with much respect) so I make it a point to NOT see him now. Which was really weird, because everyone who used the practice gushed about how great (and handsome) this guy was.

Originally Posted by littleleaf Doctors prescribing me antibiotics for a viral infection. Yeah, seriously.

Depending on your history, they could have been for a secondary infection or prevention of a secondary infection.

[songbird516]

A doctor"diagnosed" me with PCOS, wrote me a prescription, and then scoffed when I told him that I didn't feel that I had it and wouldn't be taking any meds until the test results came back. I didn't have it after all and he was "shocked". Never went back. Oh and got pregnant three weeks later, accidentally! Another nail in the coffin for PCOS.

[Shaunam]

Originally Posted by Dory The sweet nurse there told me, "Honey, when it's time for him to have his formula, you can give it to him if you like. You can even take him down to your room to give it to him. You can even shut the door, and we'll knock first. You can keep him down there 30 minutes if that's how long it takes him to take that bottle." Once it clicked, I wanted to hug her! He was discharged the next morning.

Ok, that is awesome.