12th miscarriage!! Pulling my hair out now!

[DedicatedMum]

Hi, i've sadly just had my 12th, YES 12TH, MC. Although I have 2 perfectly healthy children already (7 year old girl and 5 year old boy) i'm terribly cut up. I have often wondered about taking asprin (75mg) but never tried it. I've only just been referred for test but been told I could be waiting atleast 6 months for my initial appointment. I can't bare to wait that long. My husband and I are so desperate to add to our family and seems luck is against us at the moment.
I would really like to hear your advice on taking asprin to help prevent any more MC.
I haven't had ANY tests yet for 'sticky blood syndroome' yet, but can't help but think this may be the prob, as (sorry to go into detail, but we're all woman on here) when I have my periods they are often heavy and seem quite sticky? Could this be my problem? All your advice would be a great help. Thanks xx

[wannabeglam]

I think it's St Mary's in London where the country's expert in recurrent miscarriage works - try and contact them direct. I don't know why your doctor hasn't referred you before.

Sticky periods aren't a sign of anything I think. I've heard of Natural Killer Cells being a problem - ie too many. There's also hormone imbalance - not enough progesterone to support the pregnancy.

Go private for your initial appointment - about £170 I think. Talk to the consultant's private secretary (quite often their wife if a man). Aspirin and another blood thinning drug are used, but you should be tested first to see if you need them as they carry risks, and you should be monitored.

Your womb could have changed too - polyps, fibroids...

How old are you? Do you have time to wait? Age of eggs could be a factor too.

You poor thing.

[wannabeglam]

It's St Mary's, Paddington.

[wannabeglam]

Oh, and the other blood thinning drug is heparin.

[wodalingpengwin]

So sorry to read about your miscarriages. I can't believe the GP hasn't referred you before now. 12 mcs is not just bad luck.

'Sticky blood' or 'thrombophilia' does not relate to period blood, which always clots and gets a bit sticky when it comes into contact with air, it relates to how quickly your blood clots in general, although people with thrombophilia may actually have lighter periods not heavier ones.

I speak as someone who has 'sticky blood' and was put on aspirin and had successful pregnancies. I'm not a doctor so shouldn't advise anything but 75 mg aspirin is a very low dose (quarter the strength of an ordinary aspirin tablet) and I'm sure I remember the adage 'can't hurt might help' being applied to it when I had my problems.

However, if you get pg between now and an appointment, you can't be tested for sticky blood because your blood is more clotty in pg anyway, so this may stop you getting the answers you need. I agree private consultation if you can afford it before getting pg again. But even if you do get pg between now and then and things are going well, insist on CONSULTANT-LED CARE since problems can occur with sticky blood (and other problems) at any stage of pregnancy, not just first trimester. You deserve much more attention after so many heartaches.

Good luck

[DedicatedMum]

I'm 27. I had cysts removed from my left ovary years ago but when had a scan in july after another miscarriage they said my womb, tubes and ovaries looked perfectly normal/healthy.
Years back after 5 miscarriages I had some blood tests done but nothing came up, one doctor said there was a possiblity that my body was rejecting male embryo's which turned out to be false because I went on to have a boy. None of my pregnancies have been 'normal'... When I was pregnant with my daughter I started bleeding heavy at 6 months, was taken to hospital as I went into labour. A large clot came away from me and it turned out to be a 'new' embryo, i'd fallen pregnant while pregnant and this had triggered early labour which thankfully was stopped and my daughter arrived two weeks over due. With my son, I miscarried his Non-identical twin at 9 weeks and was then induced 2 weeks before my due date because he began to gain weight so fast if i'd gone full term he would have weighed 10-11 lbs, of course I panicked because my daughter weiged only 6 lb 9 oz and I had stitches inside and out. so imagine me trying to push that size baby out (wasn't going to happen). Suffered Hyperemisis Gravadium throughout BOTH pregnancies too. My partner and I have decided to try this asprin thing, the last time before any investigations begin, if it works then WOOPPII, if not hen we'll stop and wait for the tests to be done. Thanks for your advice x

[sotough]

well you certainly have a very complex gynaecological medical history and definitely need to talk to an expert. i can't understand why your GP has not gripped this problem properly - perhaps he/she thinks that because you have two healthy children there's "no point" investigating
How many miscarriages have you had in a row since your last child was born? you need to push for prompt testing now - there's no excuse whatsoever for a six month wait for testing, which would be well outside government waiting guidelines - and for a referral to a consultant, again, promptly. Time to get pushy. don't just 'try aspirin' on the off chance it will work. After all these problems the least you deserve is thorough investigation, and hopefully some diagnosis.

[lovemysleep]

I agree with sotough - you really must push for some specialist help here, as alot of EPAU aren't experts when dealing with recurrent mc. Try to get a consultant apptmnt asap, and then get them to refer you to St.Marys in London - who have a wealth of expert knowledge on this. If you can afford to go private, try that - Dr.Shehata at the Miscarriage clinic, maybe?
There is definately an issue here - and with the right help, you can get sorted. You are also young, so no worries about time running out - you have enough time to wait maybe a few months to try and get this sorted, as I should imagine that the problem will continue, if you don't get expert help.

I'm really sorry that you've had to go through this - I've had 4 mcs, and they have almost sent me loopy, so cannot imagine how you feel after 12. I am in the process of going private to try to get some answers, and am having to wait to ttc - and I'm 39 in Jan, so am a bit of an old duffer! Just trying to say,take some consolation in being young...I'm sure you will get to have your much wanted other child, as you have time on your side

[wannabeglam]

You have loads of time so do get an investigation. All medication carries risks, even low dose aspirin. I was on it and miscarried - doc. wondered if that caused it!

[lissieloucifer]

hi, another veteran of the 12 mc club here. your gp should have referred you before now, especially since you have such a complicated gynaecological history. you can certainly try the asprin. you can get it over the counter. when was your first mc? you need to see a specialist rmc consultant and really push for tests. which area are you in?

[Squiggers]

Hi Dedicatedmum. So sorry to hear that you've had to go through 12 miscarriages. I admire you for your strength as I know from just 2 that it's not easy!

I wanted to ask / add a couple of things. Firstly (and obviously this is NO medical opinion - just my own experience) after 2 miscarriages I asked my doctor about taking 75mg aspirin a day. Her advice was I should take it as 'it couldn't hurt'. My next prenancy was successful (but obviously this could just be chance.) Also I had lots of blood tests done and was found to have an underactive thyroid -something worth checking for.

My quetion to you and the others was, by 'sticky blood' do you guys all mean Hughes Syndrome? DH and I are tryong for another baby now, and on my request, I had blood taken last week to test for this - results back this week. Can you just ask your Dr to test for this like I did without having to be referred, or have I just got a lovely Dr?

Hope you get there soon,

[jasmine51]

Hi
Sorry to hear about your mcs,horrible.
Please get referred to St Marys if you can, they can get the tests underway without delay and if there is an answer to be had then you'll have it about 6 weeks later. if you have to go there privately and can afford it you will cut down on the waiting time - for 2 consultations and the whole battery of tests for me and dh it was about £1500 - expensive but so worth it. Dont take anything without confirmation that you need it. Aspirin seem to be the wonder drug of the moment but dont believe it 'cant do any harm'...yes it can if you have a clotting issue ie thin blood - I took it before my test results came back and it is possible that it was the cause of my next mc due to uncontrolled bleeding. Once my test results came back they also showed I had polyps, polycyctic ovaries and a severe problem metabolising vit B (folates)- the first 2 are recent developments that might not have existed before, the latter is genetic but all can be managed...and are being managed.
Please push for referral to a rmc clinic or go private

xxx

[DedicatedMum]

Haven't been here for a while, thanks for all your mesages guys :)
Since I started thhis thread, i've suffered 2 more losses! December and this month April! Now 14 Misscarriages in total!!
I had all blood tests/scans done and so did my partner, all are perfectly fine. Basically i've been told theres no medical reason for all these miscarriages which leaves me feeling theres something i'm doing to cause all this. My family assure me i'm not, I don't smoke, drink or eat unhealthily. I take all my vitamins and supplements recommended for pre pregnancy yet I still get unlucky :(

[sotough]

i don't see how this number of miscarriages could possibly be "unlucky" ! of course there's a medical reason for your losses, as there is for each and every miscarriage - it's just that the science of recurrent miscarriage may not be advanced enough to identify what that medical reason is.
also, of course it's not something you're doing wrong....
Personally i would not continue getting pregnant 'on the off chance' it will work because i would find it too distressing, after so many losses, unless i had some reason other than faith to believe it would be different the next time etc. but that is a very personal choice and i massively admire you for keeping going.
i don't for a minute think you should give up, but i do think you should try to get a referral to St Mary's recurrent miscarriage clinic in London, where you will have access to the most sophisticated testing protocols. It might also be worth investigating NK cells, which you will probably have to do privately. i am amazed at your strength and happy for you that you are still so young, meaning there is loads of hope for you.

[confuddledDOTcom]

I'm marking my place so I can answer properly later.

You could be seronegative for Hughes Syndrome, has anyone said that to you? Prof Hughes works at St Thomas in London and if you're anywhere near ask for him!

I'll explain better when I'm online.

[idliketobebythesea]

hi DedicatedMum, i think its worth trying another dr. I'm seeing a natural health gynae dr who has done blood tests sent to the US for cutting edge research after 3 consec mc, 4 in total. They did find something though any nhs dr will say that not proven. I'm willing to give it a go... I've just started taking the meds so fingers crossed that next time will be better...