Worried

We went in for our 20 week scan. Well we found out what we're having but are keeping hush-hush for right now. The tech wouldn't talk to us at all and I was barely able to even see the screen.

I've seen enough u/s's to know basically what we're looking at and was straining to watch her. I noticed that the babie's cerebrum was measuring only 17w3d and I was 20w2d. Everything else was between 19w6d and 21w. And then she also had another Tech come in and 'help' her measure the babies ventricular something or other (the head) When I was looking I noticed a clear line down the middle....... I actually thought it was a cross-view of the umbilical cord at first.

Anyways of course I went looking on the internet to see what could be the cause of the cerebrum measuring so far behind..... And I ran across Hydrocephalus/Trisomy 13. One of the key indicators is that line I saw running right down the middle of the babies head. It's apparently a vein of some kind that normally, would either not be able to be seen on u/s or would not be nearly as clear as it was. And of course with her asking the other Tech to come in and measure, I'm thinking she was having her work double checked becuase she found something wrong.....

And, of course, I have put in a phone consult to the Dr. (immediately following the u/s) but they have up to 72 hours to respond and I am sitting on pins and needles anxious.

 

I'm so sorry you are having to sit and worry about this. I really hope it's nothing to worry about. Did you have the Quad Screen to check for Downs and Trisomy? I'm trying to remember when I had it done...I was thinking it was before 20 weeks. You would think if they noticed something, you would've been informed. Please let us know after you speak with the dr. Sending many hugs your way and hoping for the best.

 

I'm sorry you had a bad ultrasound. I hope that things turn out ok for you. :hug99:

 

I did have the Quad Screen but have not received the results back yet. It was done just two weeks ago. That's the other thing I was asking the Dr. to give me was the results of that.

their office is one that, just becuase you don't hear anything back does not mean it's good news. They are so busy. You have to call them and remind them otherwise you won't find out until your next appointment. I was fine with waiting for the Quad screen results until my next appointment, until the scan anyways.....

 

I'm sorry you are having to worry, I hope it turns out to be nothing...I'll keep you and your baby in my prayers...in the mean time...STAY AWAY FROM THE INTERNET!!!!!... :blink: ...It will just make you more anxious, and since you don't really know what's going on, you may cause yourself undue stress ( I am famous for researching and making myself crazy!!) Hang in there and try to smile!!

:hug99: :hug99: :hug99:

 

That's one of the worst things about ultrasounds, when they find something they quietly confer and hide the screen. The head OB at MFM said to me that if it was really bad they'd have an OB in there right away!! :hug99:

 

I feel like if something were wrong they would have brought your OB in on it then. When they found Logan's EIF during our seventeen week scan they brought two OB's in to the u/s room. Of course I went home and googled an EIF and basically worried for the next 23 weeks until we found out it was not nearly as dreadful as we had imagined. The Internet resources definitely made us more tense about what they had found.

Good luck and please let us know what you find out. I'm sending happy, positive, optimistic thoughts your way - I'm sure everythings fine!

 

oh im so sorry, i know what its like to sit and wait, and wonder. Hang in there and try not to drive yourself crazy until you talk to the doctor.

 

Hey, you never know. It could be something they just don't see very often, and not meaning that it is a bad thing, maybe just uncommon. Hang in there, and keep your spirits up. If you are that worried, convey that to your drs off so they know to call you ASAP so you dont have to keep worrying.

 

:hug99: :hug99: :hug99: I can't say don't worry, because that's just what a mom does, regardless. So, just know I'm worrying with you and hope it all turns out to be nothing! :hug99: :hug99: :hug99:

 

OK first of all CALM DOWN. If they had thought anything they saw on US (ultrasound) was in any way connected to a Trisomy they would have counceled you about Amniocentesis.

I just did the US clinic yesterday (I am a doctor and needed some experience before I start a research project this summer) and I called for my superior almost every single time to help me measure. It was more for security than anything else. all my babies seemed to be fine in the end.

Also did they measure the cerebellum? Is that what you refer to as cerebrum? Because cerebrum is just a word for brain and they cannot measure the brain, only the head and the ventricles of the brain (and the cerebellum).
The cerebellum is difficult to see and to measure so do not think that it is very meaningful. And some kids just have bigger feet but smaller hands, or bigger livers and smaller lungs, or smaller cerebellums. If they did not find it pathological, then it probably isn't.

I do not understand the line thing, was it in colou?? Then it is a doppler and that line would be the middle cerebral artery, a vessel that feeds the babies brain.
If it wasn't in colour but in white or in black then it is structural. Black could be the ventricles (which everyone has), white could be the outlines of the hemispheres.

Also: bad bad bad idea to come online to check stuff out. Because you will only find worst cases in it! For example if you have a doc point out a line and say it is fine and it is fine, you do not post about it online, but if your doctor points to a line and it has a trismoy afterwards, then you may come online and write everywhere that lines in the brain mean trisomy! Which they don't.

It really isn't too smart to try to find out things online on your own when you do not know the techniques, or the machines used. I studied 6 years and then trained for another 5 years and still do not understand all ultrasounds (and I probably say millions of them by now)... how would you know??
This is not supposed to sound as smart assy as it is sounding, but really believe me, they are doing their jobs and they trained long and well for it.
Wait for the results and calm down! Millie

 

Well, first I must say I'm NOT FREAKING OUT. I stated I was worried and sitting on pins and needles waiting for results.

For good reason too. My bad for not mentioning my entire OB (Obstetrical) history in my OP (original Post) but I've had 3 previous m/c's (miscarriages) 2 of them due to Trisomy's. One of them was a male diagnosed with Trisomy 14. I also failed to mention that DH's (Dear Husband) side of the family has a history of males having some form of mental handicap (I fall short of saying retardation becuase I don't believe that term is very respectful)

Now excuse the heck out of me but isn't ANY measurement on a baby that is 3.5 weeks BEHIND cause for some concern?? Oh and by the way, you don't know what type of hospital/clinic I am being seen in, and you can be rest assured that just becuase something is wrong, they WILL NOT tell you right away, nor call the Dr. in to look at it. They will process the report through the Radiologist, then the Dr. then you can expect to hear about the results at your next OB appointment. IRREGARDLESS IF THIS IS BAD NEWS OR NOT. I am NOT being seen by a civlian Dr. at a civlian clinic/hospital.

Oh and last time I checked techs are not allowed to council you on anything - that's the whole reason why she wouldn't talk to us during the exam. And I'll be while you were in doing u/s's, you mentioned to your patients that you were in a training phase and that you would probably have someone come in and double check your work, right?? She didn't do that.

And a piece of advice, you shouldn't be blasting someone who is quite obviously worried about the well being of their unborn child. I'm quite sure you would take offense to the same type of post being aimed at you - don't do it to others, especially w/o knowing the person's history. I had absolutely NO intention of making public what my family or personal history was. .

 

Hey,
I am sorry, I did not want to attack you, you are right I did not know your circumstances and I am sorry if I assumed that most hospitals would have a Dr. somewhere around to counsel on certain disorders.
We in England do not have technicians do their work in silence on their own and we do talk to the patients every time they come.

I am not in training by the way, I just needed some experience with certain cases, so that my research would be easier. And no, I do not tell my patients that I am in training even if sonography is not my field. I tell them I am a doctor and i will scan them and then when I call my colleague I tell them that I want a second opinion.

I am sorry if I sounded harsher than I wanted to, all I really wanted to say is that 1.) the cerebrum is one thing, the cerebellum another and if you are googling one it should be the correct one. and 2.) and I say this to my patients but also to my friends, it is usually just more worrying if you go online and try to find the information by yourself. God knows I have done it and it left me feeling more insecure than ever.

I said calm down because there is this post and another one in the health forum and I thought (but now I understand your situation I do apologize) that you were freaking out.
I used to see plenty of patientsday in and day out with what they thought they or their babies had, due to googling whatever they thought they had picked up at Dr. appointments and often being misled to believe the baby was dying etc... even when this was not the case.

I am really sorry, I never meant to attack you personally and you are right, I should have never judged without knowing you and your cirsumstances. I do apologize and if you want to PM me what you saw in more detail and I can check in my sonography books and ask a colleague about it.
Best regards, Millie

 

Blueclouds, I am sorry you thought Millie was attacking you. I didn't see that at all from her first response above. She was trying to help you understand the differences there could be and to maybe ease your worry a bit.

I know this is a scary time, so hang in there.

 

Millie I would be on pins and needles too. Like a PP post said we as mothers tend to worry. I hope it just ends up being nothing and the tech was just trying to check their work. Your in my thoughts and prayers. :hug99: :hug99: :hug99:

 

Ugh!! Sorry to hear you had a bad appointment. Hopefully, it is nothing but a tech being extra cautious. But the not knowing is the worst. Sitting on pins and needles waiting for a doc to call. Try not to drive yourself crazy. I hope you have heard back and have some answers to what is going on with your baby.

 

QUOTE(momotwinsmom @ Mar 7 2008, 12:25 AM) [snapback]656567[/snapback]
Blueclouds, I am sorry you thought Millie was attacking you. I didn't see that at all from her first response above. She was trying to help you understand the differences there could be and to maybe ease your worry a bit.

I know this is a scary time, so hang in there.


I disagree!! I thought that she was being very harsh with her words. She is not an expert and should not give advice. She had no idea what her medical history was and with her having two other children with problem of corse she would be very worried. She has every right to be!! This is a support/friends group, not a rip people apart group.

Erin

 

I am so sorry to hear about your u/s. I will keep you in my thoughts. Keep us posted and hang in there. :hug99:

 

QUOTE(motherof2sets @ Mar 7 2008, 11:29 PM) [snapback]658736[/snapback]
I disagree!! I thought that she was being very harsh with her words. She is not an expert and should not give advice. She had no idea what her medical history was and with her having two other children with problem of corse she would be very worried. She has every right to be!! This is a support/friends group, not a rip people apart group.

Erin

Sorry you feel that way Erin. Nobody is ripping blueclouds apart. We have all been trying to be supportive of everyone. Sometimes it is hard to convey ones thoughts and opinions in words, rather than in real life. And Millie IS a medical dr.