Please clear this up for me, the EPU has done nothing to allay my fears!

[minxofmancunia]

had crampy pains last tuesday, had had them n and off for 4 days but panicked and went to walk in EPU, expected I was 4 to 5 weeks pg, couldn't be sure.

Had bloods, hcg 1225 (or something v similar), told to come back 2 days later for anothe blood test to see of increasing by 66%. However arrived and was sent for internal scan unexpectedly with no proper explnantion as to why, asked about the bloods they said "it's just a number and we'd rather not keep stabbing you if we don't have to" reluctantly agreed to scan (sonographer a bitch, explained nothing). Just a "gestational sac normal for 4 and a half to five weeks". Midwife said "everything is as it should be come back in 2 weeks for another scan". Why wouldn't they just take more bloods, was 1225 too low for dates? is there something they're not telling me?

If so doesn't it mean another possible mc? Have been agonising like mad since last week. Feel pg, sickly and sore boobs v tired but know this means nothing as it could be anembryonic.

cramps have calmed down now but I'm so worried think my hormone levels were quite low and this has frightened me, had mc in sept 08, just want to know what's going on (no blood this time though as yet)

Please reply!

[tristaleejac]

Midwife said "everything is as it should be"

I'd be reassured by this. If you were miscarrying she wouldn't have said this. They can probably tell more from scan and looking to see inside than just reading figures from blood test.

I think you're ok hon

[minxofmancunia]

thankyou trista just want to know the significance of the hcg level was it low???

[tristaleejac]

"is there something they're not telling me?"

they'd have no reason to hide anything from you, if they had concerns you would have been told about them

keep your chin up I know it must be bloody awful for you but remember she said the baby's fine

post as often as you need support though x

[tristaleejac]

sorry I know bugger all about hcg levels, I'm sure someone else will though x

[TotalChaos]

the scans are a lot more reliable an indication than the blood tests = it's possible to have a healthy PG and the HCG levels don't go up by 66% in 24 hours. From memory, I'ld say the 1225 sounds OK - when I was PG with DS mine were 4600 at 6 weeks.

[littleboyblue]

minx calm down, it all sounds ok. If midwife has said everything is as it should be and sonographer said what she saw was normal for 4-5 weeks, then that's what it is, normal. Please don't worry too much, I know that's hard as I have mc 3 times and know how awful these weeks are but they really wouldn't give you false hope like that, they wouldn't. If it is all normal at the moment, it is normal at the moment.
Cramping pains are also quite normal at this stage so please try not to worry unless you get negative symptoms and have a reason to worry.
Goodluck

[wuglet]

Not sure if this is what they were thinking but normally with a hcg >1000 you should be able to see something (even if it is just a sac). So if it was 1225 and there was no sac in the uterus it can be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy. (but you do have a sac so don't worry about that!)

AFAIK that is a usual level for 4-5 weeks preg.

[olivo]

oh minx, sorry yuo're having these worries. fingers crossed for you, but as the others have siad, I'm sure they would have told you if they had concerns. good luck.

[minxofmancunia]

thanks for your messages i know I'm a neurotic, over analytic mess at the mo, it's just mumsnet is the only place I seem to be able to get any answers!

[TattyCatty]

Once they have seen a sac on a scan, and assuming that it is a normal size and shape for the stage of pregnancy, then this is a far better indicator of a continuing pregnancy than any HcG levels. 1225 is a very healthy HcG level for 4 to 5 weeks pregnant.

My first bloods at exactly 4 weeks (IUI baby, so very sure of dates) were just 89 which was considered by my clinic to be low, and they did do repeat blood tests plus scans. However, as soon as they saw the pregnancy sac in my uterus, they didn't do any more bloods, despite the fact they said that they weren't increasing as fast as they should have been. My slow increasing HcG levels are now in the bath, in the form of DD, nearly 3 years old!

I completely understand how worried you are, but crampy pains are very normal in early pregnancy as your uterus streches and you have got good HcG levels plus they can see your pregnancy in the right place .

They will have offered you another scan in a couple of weeks to try to reassure you, at which stage you should probably see a heartbeat. Unfortunately, not every body in the caring profession has got the greatest people skills and sounds like you met a couple of these today.

Please try to relax and fingers crossed that you have a happy, healthy pregnancy.

[minxofmancunia]

thankyou tattycatty that is a lovely reply, I already have dd who's 2.4 and fabulous but she was a v happy accident didn't find out til 8 weeks (of boozing, strong coffee and 3x weekly gym sessions) and was so blase about everything.

Now I've had a mc I microexamine everything!, How times change!

[xxhunnyxx]

I think you're feeling like this because they don't seem to be telling you much but the truth of the matter is that they don't know themselves. You're at such an early stage in your pregnancy and it's so difficult to really give you definite answers cos a lot of it is just a waiting game.
I know it's frustrating but try not to worry, I'm sure everything will be just fine.
If it makes u feel any better I didn't even know I was pregnant till I was 7 weeks gone as I kept getting cramps and spotting so I was convinced that I'd wake up the next day to find my period had turned up. Cramps are quite normal at this stage, it's usually just baby getting him/herself comfy x

[TattyCatty]

Glad it helped! Although I have never had a miscarriage, I was put through several weeks of hell by my over cautious clinic over the low rising HcG levels, so know exactly what you mean about over analysing things. I reckon happy accidents are a lot less stressful in the early weeks of pregnancy, because you can't worry about what you don't know about! Let us know how you get on with your next scan.