I think I'm miscarrying, also living abroad

[DontBeBlueBeARainbow]

I'm 7+3 according to my dates, and starting to miscarry.

Ultrasound showed the sac the size of 4-5 weeks, no embryo, brown discharge and slight aches. My progesterone levels are also low.

The doctor prescribed progesterone injections daily for a week, then a repeat scan, but i think he's assuming i mixed up my dates, but i know i didn't. I'm abroad, and don't have the most confidence in the doctor. I think it's a missed miscarriage and i will start to bleed soon (or when i come off the progesterone).

It was an unplanned pregnancy but i feel pretty sad, and want to start grieving for all the things I'd been looking forward to.

Reading through other M/C threads has been invaluable already, I'm glad I'm not alone.

[Catlover2014]

Just wanted to send a hug across the waters. Hope you have friends where you are who can help you through this.

Thinking of you x

[IpanemaMeisje]

Sad for you, especially as you are overseas and away from family?? Same happened to me a few years back while living in the USA and DH was travelling too. I hope you have someone in RL to do some hand holding

[DontBeBlueBeARainbow]

Thanks both, it helps just to hear from you. i am away from family, just DP and his family.

Trying to navigate a foreign hospital system in a language I'm not yet proficient in was certainly an experience. Plus cultural differences, e.g. MiL reminding us she told us not to go running/eat more eggs/etc. But i know I'm not to blame.

I never expected this to happen to me, life is so unpredictable.

[escorpion]

So sorry Rainbow I have had two miscarriages (living abroad also). Even being fluent in the language it was difficult to understand everything what was happening to me. There is little support where I am for miscarriages, and I have to have 3 before I get referred for testing. It sucks!! And also the cultural differences do not make it easy. Look after yourself and if you ever want to chat just PM me x

[DontBeBlueBeARainbow]

Thanks escorpion sorry to hear about your losses.

It seems there are pregnant women everywhere, even the obstetrician was pregnant!

Really don't feel like bothering with the progesterone injections, but don't want to go against what the doctor said...

[bakingtins]

rainbow I'm sorry you are going through this and it must be especially hard being away from your support network. The progesterone may delay the actual miscarriage but will not prevent it, I've miscarried while still taking it (pessaries not injections though). It would be standard in the UK to err on the side of caution and rescan in 1-2 weeks if a "missed" miscarriage is suspected but the foetal pole is measuring before the stage where a heartbeat should definitely be present, so I think your care is probably following the same pathway, though progesterone would not normally be given. Most medics here would agree that in pregnancy low progesterone is a sign of a failing pregnancy and not the cause of it, though it is used after IVF procedures and in recurrent miscarriage patients.

[DontBeBlueBeARainbow]

Thanks for your insight bakingtins, what you describe is exactly what I read round and about the internet.

I also think the falling progesterone is the sign of miscarriage, everyone seems to be quite positive (the ladies giving my injection were chatting about me today), but after reading things through, and also the way I feel, I just want to shout 'the baby is already dead!'

I'm sorry that you have also been through this xx

[DontBeBlueBeARainbow]

I had another scan which confirmed the 'baby' is deformed, and they recommended a D+C (not sure it's still called that for miscarriage). I'd rather wait it out. They say that natural miscarriage is 'risky' but i don't know if that's just because they want me to pay... I've heard that kind of thing happens here.

Ahhhhhhhhhh, so did not expect to be in this position, life is certainly full of surprises. I hope the next surprise is a better one.