No Sure What Is Going on with Me but Need Advise!!

You should find a UTMB clinic (or another teaching hospital or their associated clinics) if there are any in San Antonio. They charge based on a sliding scale and if you do get pregnant they have an OB package plan. Five years ago I delivered at UTmB (Galveston) and the OB apts, ultrasounds, hospitalization for preterm labor, c-section, and 2 weeks NICU stay for the baby was only $1800.

Many hospitals have OB packages as well. Getting a midwife and having a home or birth center birth may be cheaper. I have c-sections but I've always wanted to have a home birth.

I hope you find out what's wrong!

S. in Houston

I would seek a doctor's advice on this one!!! I know that it costs money, but if you need to change birth control, it might be worth it if you are not pregnant yet. I have had breakthrough bleeding with 2 kinds of birth control that I have taken. If you find the right one, that is not suppose to happen.

As someone whose been pregnant 7 times, and also graduated as a medical assistant, it doesn't sound like much reason to think you're pregnant, but you can find out for free or for a one dollar. For free how you do it is take your thermometer and lay it beside your bed, get a good night's sleep and then take your temp in the morning. If your temperature is BELOW 98.0 then the odds VERY high that you are NOT pregnant. If your temp (immediately upon waking up, BEFORE you use the restroom or anything) is 98.0 or higher, then go to your nearest dollar store and buy a $1 pregnancy test-YES they are accurate, but don't take it til you are at least 1 day late.

You may have had a miscarriage. You could also have
Endometriosis. I think it would be worth a trip or call to your doctor just to get his/her opinion. It sounds like you know your body. No reason to take any chances with something so important.

First of all..take and deep breath and relax. Now go get a pregnancy test and take it from there. If you are not pregnant you may want to get a check up.

Hi K.!

I had a miscarriage years ago that sound like what you are going through. Difficult to go through whether or not you are planning a pregnancy.

I strongly suggest you get checked out. You can still have your period or bleeding when you are pregnant.

I know it is expensive, but I humbly recommend your trying to buy insurance for yourself.

You can also look into clinics that will charge you on a sliding scale like Planned Parenthood. http://www.plannedparenthood.org/ppaustin/

Best of luck!
J

All I can offer is what I know from my own experiences. I'm not a real faithful religious person, but if you are blessed with a baby then please by all means be greatful. Stress of worrying about being pregnant will also stop your cycle. So RELAX! There are ways to have prenatal ob care w/out insurance, and excellent care too not just medioker care. The other about moody, headache, feeling bad, and just not feeling like yourself, I hear you sister that's all I can say. Moms, and wifes are the center of the families universe...it is a HUGE job but someones got to do it. It's all easier said than done I know.

Take an over the counter pregnancy test. Even if you miscarried it would still show you as pregnant. if it comes up negative then you have nothing to worry about. A womans body can go through some strange cycles. If you have been hanging out with other women it could be as simple as your cycle changing to be on schedual with them.

Hi, I think it would definitely be something to look into because it's so strange and abnormal. I have had two miscarriages in the past 6 months and both were different but neither was like a period...I have heard of people bleeding during their pregnancy. I hope the best for you! On the financial end- I didn't have insurance with my little girl but we went with home birth which in our state at that time doesn't cover with insurance anyway. I love home birth and Lord willing will never have to give birth in a hospital. I suggest checking out the birthing center in San Antonio or New Braunfels- they have great price and service. best wishes!

I understand the whole issue of getting ready and not being ready. My husband had just lost his job we only had health insurance for 6 more months and then I get pregnant and I don't work (other than being a SAHM). There are organizations out there that can help you and get you the care that you need for you and your baby (Medicaid) and don't be afraid to use them. They are terrific and will definately take a lot of stress off your shoulders. I know that it did for me once we got on it. If you are unsure then I would even do an at home test or just call and talk to your doctor. That is your body and no one can know any better than you if something is changing with you or your systems. It is better to be sure because if you are then you need to can the proper care as soon as possible and if you aren't then the stress of wondering isn't good for you or your body either. Let me know how things are going and I will be praying for you.... God doesn't ever let anything happen that he isn't aware of and He definately doesn't give us any more that we can handle

It sounds to me like you may have miscarried. Especially since you then had a regular period... I would wait and see if your cycle continues normally and if so you are probably in the clear.. You may never know for sure...

This happened to me and to my mom. We both were told that it was possible that we had a "miscarriage". I know it is called something else that early on. But, we were both a little bit late not early. It could be several things actually. Another time, I had a cyst rupture which mimicked a miscarriage, but I wasn't pregnant. Nothing was done to treat me. If you can't afford to make a doctor visit this time around, you should make sure to go to the doctor if it happens again. Sometimes, stress and other factors can cause unusual periods. But I wouldn't ignore it if it continues. I would also treat my body carefully as if I was pregnant until I was sure I wasn't.

My advice is if you are pregant, rejoice!!! God obviously put that baby there for a reason and will give you the grace you need to be a mother of another child if you ask for it. God Bless, K.. You are in my prayers!

HI, I am not sure where you live, but in Huntsville there is a Pregnancy Assistance Center. They will give you a free pregnancy test. They also offer parenting classes and a way to earn diapers, formula, etc. If you are pregnant and don't make a whole lot of money, you probably will qualify for Medicaid while you are pregnant. You will probably also qualify for the WIC (Women, Infants, & Children) program for yourself while you are pregnant and your 4 year old. The ladies at the Pregnancy Assistance Center would be the first place I would suggest you go. The second place is your doctor. You need to be healthy to take care of the child you have. Good luck.

acupuncture! during the spring women often have a lot of problems like that because the liver is most active and is cleaning itself out! you can get a $20 treatment at one of the acupuncture schools in town....Texas college of traditional chinese medicine or AOMA in north austin. try it! if you haven't miscarried...which i don;t think you have, it is probley something just a little off, but not serious! good luck!

I would apply for medicaid it will pay for all your expenses and you will get the best "same" treatment out there even if you had insurance..I know I went through the same thing I was teaching and did not have insurance my husband was in Ph.D school and they only offered it him..Been there....If money is the only issue pray you will be fine. Congrats if you are pregnant

Take a pregancy test, you might have miscarried. If you are pg then you can go apply for medicaid to able to get prenatal care. The finances will be tough but first you need to be healthy. You might not even be pg, just go buy a test, take it and go from there.

It could just be a hormonal response to being sick. I would recommend taking a pregnancy test. If you were pregnant and experienced a misscarriage, I hope not, the pregnancy test would still be positive. Then you would know where to go from there.

The financials will work out if you get surprised by a baby. Worry about one thing at a time.

Since you said you had a bit of a stomach virus (and I also read that your preg test was negative), it might just be that you are slightly dehydrated. Plus, if your calcium, sodium, or potassium levels were low (because you didn't feel like eating while you were sick?) then that could bring on more cramps. Buy a good quality women's multivitamin.

You may have had a miscarriage or it may just be that your period was acting different. Mine isn't the same every time. Sometimes is just hard to tell what's going on with our bodies--the pregnancy symptoms and PMS symptoms are almost identical. If you've had a heavy period, chances are that you're not pregnant, but if you want to double check take a home pregnancy test or see your doctor.

You can try to get in at plannned parenthood. They are not as expensive as an OB and can probably answer your questions.

Good luck,

L.

Go get a pregnancy test from Walmart! They are basically inexpensive and will either relieve your fears or get you prepared! Stress does alot on a woman's body. Could be your just stressed out or you may need to get into your Dr to have her check you for Fibroids. Remember even though you think you cant afford another baby....they are a blessing and you will find the money somewhere.

I recently went through pretty much the exact same thing, but I had a really bad case of the flu, too. I talked with my doctor and he said that it's probably just my body is a little out of wack from being so sick and I've been under a lot of stress. I took a pregnancy test while at the doctor and it was negative. Being a mom of a 4 yr old and also working full time, there is always some amount of stress. Maybe you should call your doctor and just talk with a nurse and ask their opinion.
Good Luck!

It sounds as though you need to see a Doctor. It is possible that you could have had a miscarrage.

One thing, don't let the insurance part worry you. I didn't have insurance when I got pregnant with my son so I got Medicaid. It is my understanding that if you're pregnant they will make sure you get doctor care. Then once you have the baby, the baby automatically gets Medicaid for the first year. And as long as you have Medicaid you do qualify for WIC. So there's at least two places you can go to for help. I used both of those for as long as I could. I do know how difficult it can be. My husband and I both work hard but money is still short. Although now we both "make too much" for Medicaid or WIC. But we did have both for awhile. We made it through the formula times without spending too much money on it and we made it through the first year when the baby goes to the doctor every couple months for well checks.

Sometimes our plan of waiting to have children is not always the divine plan. I had my first son and swore to not do that again for another five years. Well 6 months later i was pregnant again and talk about disappointed and tired! Well, even though i was unhappy about the "too soon" pregnancy, it brought a diagnosis of Ovarian Cancer that would not have been detected if it wasn't for the new life that was brought thru me, my son.

I have also been told that as we come to the anniversary of our period or even a birthdate that our cycle will act up b/c our body is changing (per my doctor).

Hi K. -

The best bet, and safest to is to go to your OBG and get checked out. I think that they will give you a free test to see... just a urine test I'm sure. Call to verify first.

Should you find that you are pregnant, another option, aside from paying out of pocket for an OB, is to have a midwife offer your prenatal care. This option would probably be the best fit only if you are open to having natural unmedicated childbirth. (I've done it twice, and prepping for #3 in summer. Both very positive experiences. I am very grateful.) I had my first with a midwife & my second with an OB, b/c I thought it would be more cost effective because I had insurance that would only cover the OB & not a midwife. But lo and behold, that was not true. The fees I paid my OB for prenatal copays & to reach my deductible PLUS what I still owed the hospital after the delivery was said and done, was still higher than what I would have paid a midwife to deliver. The risks of having invasive processes & epidurals will add much more cost as well. I didn't even have an epidural (approx $1500).
Also, when I began interviewing midwives for this pregnancy, I found that they were so very interested in the general health & well being of me & my baby, that they were also very flexible on payments & plans as well. i think you would find the same compassion for you in your situation. They can help educate you how to keep your body in optimum health both physically, mentally and possibly even spirtually if you so desire to allow for the best entry of your baby into this world.
I would be happy to answer any questions that you might have.
Whatever happens, whatever direction you go, best wishes to you and your family!
Kindly,
K.

others told you to see a obg and i agree, especially if you had a miscarriage; you might need a d&c, and if you don't get one and do need one, you could get very ill. better to spend money on that than to be sick! not to scare you, but you just have to get checked out.

Definitely go ahead and find out if you are pregnant. I had my second when my husband was self employed and we did not have prenatal insurance. My husband made too much for us to qualify for Medicaid or anything like that. We went our OB and he worked out a payment plan for us. It included hospital, epidural, everything. It was for around $2000.00. If that sounds too steep, then just be honest with your OB about what you can afford and I am positive they would work something out. They don't actually get too much from insuranc companies for vaginal births anyway, so I know they would be happy to work with you. Doctors can also get some tax breaks for during some free care too, so ask about that. But if you qualify for Medicaid, then your set.

Have you taken a home pregnancy test yet? That is the cheapest way to find out if you are pregnant. If it is negative then you may need to see the doctor, there could be something going on. You might check into whether there is a low cost clinic around.

Take an over the counter pregnancy test. I have heard of some people having a period while they were pregnant. If you miscarried, (I have had two), than there is really nothing to do. A D&C is medically unnecessary in the majority of those situations (according to my midwife). If you are pregnant, than ask again about the possibility of getting on your husband's insurance. There is not a reason that I know of why a family cannot be included on an insurance plan? If not, perhaps there is a group plan you could join. Good Luck!

I empathize with the no insurance issue, we have a small business so we aren't covered either.
My Sugesstion:
Make an appointment with your local Health unit, they can test for your hormone level to let you know if your pg, in the middle of miscarrying, etc.
They can also get emergency medicaid set up for immediate care.
My daughter miscarried about 5 months ago, went to er they said her hcg hormone level was 47, I took her into the Health Unit it was down to 8, she had lost it, but she wasn't far enough along for a dnc. So she is now 2.5 months pg, she passed the remains of the first pg about 3 wks. ago we thought she was loosing this one too, but it's doing fine.
Good Luck too you.
I've also had a friend that miscarried had a dnc, and gave birth to a baby boy full term 6 months later. How: you might ask, it was twins in seperate sacks. She thought she was having a sympathy pregnancy.

Most communities have free or low cost family planning clinics. You can go to one nearby and have them do a pregnancy test. Even if you may have been pregnant and miscarried, they should be able to tell due to a hormone that you produce only when pregnant until a few months after pregnancy.

Maybe you miscarrried since you had the cramping.

Go to the Dr, save the money the preg. test would cost. I have been pregnant without knowing and tested neg. I also miscarried that time, and the hospital tested me by ultrasound only to find out I was still pregnant and further along than I had thought I would be.

Get to a doctor and let them tell you.