Red Bleeding - 5 weeks pregnant

[donttrythisathome]

Hi
I'm 5 and a half week pregnant, and I started to bleed last night. I want to check whether I should be on bed rest or whether it is ok to carry on as normal, go to work etc.

Initially the blood was light and brown. Now it is red, mucusy (spelling?) and constant. I rang OOH and have a scan booked on Tuesday when I am 6 weeks. I don't have any pain - maybe a barely discernible lower abdomen/back pain, which does get a little worse when I try to do things.

I know bleeding is common and it might be ok, although red blood constantly is not a good sign. So should I be on bed rest? I am due in work next week and have a long commute. Should I stay in bed or go in? I feel generally ok, though a bit weak. I don't want to take a risk,s but don't want to go over the top either.

I feel a bit stupid asking this, but can't face ringing OOH again!

[berri]

Ring them again, that's what they are there for. Everything crossed for you, I bled a lot during my pregnancy and DS was fine.

[nosleepwithworry]

From experience....... stay home, till your scan and rest.

You need to listen to your body.

Hopefully this will be ok, but if it isnt, you dont know how this will pan out. Do you want to be a commute away from the comfort of home if the worst happens.

Fingers crossed it will all be ok x

[kittycatlover]

I had bright red bleeding at around 5.5 weeks in my first pregnancy. It was really heavy like a period and lasted about four hours. Was scanned at 6 weeks where we could see a yolk sac but had to go back at 8 weeks for a further scan to see if pregnancy was viable. Those two weeks were excruciating but at 8 weeks we could see a heartbeat and DS is now a noisy 2 year old.

Take it easy & rest up. I hope you have a positive outcome - first trimester bleeding is very common and doesn't always mean the worst.

[cinderellabelle]

Stay at home, look after yourself and rest.

Hope all is ok for you and baby.

[donttrythisathome]

Thanks for the prompt replies and advice. Yes I should rest I guess. I've lost my priorities - it would be awful to be far away up in the smoke in the cramped office loo miscarrying! Just wondering what to tell work as I don't really want to say what is going on - very early days. Sure I'll think of something.

[cinderellabelle]

Can you just say your poorly? Food poisoning? I've been off work in the past with pg related stuff my bosses knew everything all the way along and were fantastic very supportive. But if you don't want to tell them make something up.

[donttrythisathome]

I know, but I hate lying but don't feel like discussing the inner workings of my bodes with strangers (new job). Ah feel, tis the least of my problems.

[Midgetm]

I've always been told that resting is pointless and doesn't change the outcome but it is important that you look after yourself emotionally too. So if resting makes you feel better, rest. If keeping busy is your thing then do that. Sorry you have this horrible uncertainty. Fingers crossed for you.

[MinkyWinky]

I was in a similar situation and my GP told me to take it easy. I just told work I needed to see a doctor and they'd told me to take a couple of days off. I just put Gynae on my self certification form and left it at that. Nobody asked for details:)

Good luck with the scan.

[donttrythisathome]

Thanks. Gynae problems is a good one for the cert.
I think I will have to rest as momentarily and jumped around for my daughter which brought on cramps. Just rang OOH again to update them as I now have mild cramping and also remembered I am rhesus Negative so might need an injection.

[donttrythisathome]

Momentarily forgot . Sorry I am getting used to my new iPad.

[donttrythisathome]

I now have an appointment for tonight with a GP, not that hey can do much I imagine.

[nosleepwithworry]

How did GP appointment go dontry? How are you feeling today?

Theres not much they can do other than prescribe pain killers for you and document in your notes about this situation.

The reason i suggest resting is very personal to me.
Its right that no matter what you do can change what is going to happen, but for me, the only thing that gave me some comfort after all of my miscarriages is that there was nothing i did to cause them.
This sounds really bad, but after the event, all kinds of things went through my mind, blame was one of those things. (blaming myself).
So i did evrything that i could to rest assured my own mind that i did nothing wrong.
Im a busy person, so relaxing doesnt come easy to me, but i did slow down somewhat.
I went from slow down to try to save this pregancy, to being normal to speed things up as they were inevitable.

Its very hard to explain, its all very personal, so very hard.

[donttrythisathome]

Thanks nosleep. I am so sorry to hear you blamed yourself.Of course it was not your fault, but it a natural thing to do. I wonder whether it is because I was stressed earlier in the week, or ate too many crisps! Ridiculous, but there you are!
Have you had a successful pregnancy yet? I hope so.
The doctor couldn't do annoying but he did confirm the pregnancy with two faint tests, and checked whether I needed an anti-d injection (no).

I am still bleeding now and am going to rest at least today and decide about work tonight. My commute is nearly two hours each way so it might be wise to stay home. I feel bad as my Mam is visiting and I can't go on an outing today, but definitely the cramps start when I move around.

[donttrythisathome]

Anything not annoying. IPad!

[nosleepwithworry]

From experience, i needed to be near hospital in case i needed pain control.
Near home because of the bath, sofa and loo, privacy & comfort.,

Its very distressing to be out of your comfort area.

I have a son. Loads of miscarriages before and since him. Currently 11 weeks with everything crossed that this will be my miracle.

[donttrythisathome]

The best of luck to you nosleep.
As I have never had a miscarriage before I just don't know how it might go. I suppose I was presuming that there would be more blood, then that would be it. But there might be more pain and contractions even at 5-6 weeks?
I just got up to get dressed now and cramping increased a lot.
I am presuming this is it to be honest but I don't feel too upset. A little sad and disappointed. And hoping this is not a sign I cannot have any more kids. I could imagine if circumstances were different I would be devastated-long time trying, previous miscarriages, later in pregnancy etc.

[MinkyWinky]

How are you today donttry? Hope you're okay.

[Almond301]

Hi Donttry

I just wanted message to say that I am going through the exact same thing. I started bleeding last night with strong cramps. Went to see the out of hours GP who referred me to the Early Pregnancy Clinic this morning. I went and had an internal scan which showed an egg sac and then what looks like an empty egg sac. They said it could be that or a bleed. I'm booked in again next Tues for a rescan as they should be able to see more at 6wks.

The bleeding mainly comes when I go to the loo and is bright red. I'm just hoping it sticks but it could go either way .

Hope all is ok with you.

[donttrythisathome]

I'm the same today minty thanks, still bleeding. Less crampy ough come to think of it. Still had a faint positive on the test yesterday, but I haven't tested today yet.
Almond I am so sorry to hear you are going through this too. Do they think a twin miscarried? Please let me know how it goes next week-fingers crossed.

[donttrythisathome]

Though not ough ...

[Almond301]

Hi Donttry

They did say it might be but they couldn't say for sure. It's horrible not knowing though and the waiting! Are you bleeding continuously? Is it very heavy? I don't know if this is in my head but I feel 'less' pregnant which I'm wondering if my hcg is dropping but they didn't check that so who knows. I'm holding on to the fact that things are more positive today than I thought they would be last night and things will work out if they are meant to. Hope your ok!

[donttrythisathome]

it does sound like there is a lot of hope for you. i am bleeding continuously, like a proper period with clots.

[nosleepwithworry]

Hi donttry & Almond.

tbh i wouldnt bother with the pregancy tests because unfortunately pregnancy hormones stay around for quite a long time.
For me, i still had a faint positive up to 10 days after a complete miscarriage and when bleeding had settled. This isnt a good indicator unfortunatley.

Almond, if this is an empty sac, its called a blighted ovum.
There are loads and loads of ladies on here who will tell you that they had an empty sac on scan at 5/6 weeks then gone back a week or 10 days later and there was a wee baby there, so things definitely CAN work out well. Fingers crossed that this is true for you.

For me, all of my miscarriages have been this empty sac or blighted ovum. My HCG levels have always risen with this miscarriage, this is very misleading and gave me false hope. Again, not always helpful.
If you want any advice, or to ask anything, please ask.

[Almond301]

Nosleep

Thanks for the message. I hadn't heard of that term before so I've done some reading. I'm just hoping the other bean sticks at the moment and anything else would be a huge bonus. I've posted a new thread so I'll see if anyone else can share their experiences. In the meantime the bleeding has subsided and more drips than gush so fingers crossed that is a good sign. It's going to be a long week until my rescan!