AF even with retained products?

[StrawberryCreamTea]

Hello ladies, I was hoping for some advice from you,

I'll start with a bit of background...

I had an ERPC just over two weeks ago for a mmc at 8 weeks. TTC#1 and this was very our first pregnancy as well as first mc.

I was scanned at the EPU this week (10 days after) and they found retained products, but apparently below the size where they'll automatically do another ERPC. I wasn't surprised as I'd bled heavily with bad cramping pains and clots for ten days after the op.

I poas yesterday and while the line was faintish, it's still unmistakeably positive.

I'm back for another scan in Jan but I can't stand sitting around wasting precious time when I'm so desperate to start ttc again. The consultant said I'd probably pass the retained products "with my next af", but I don't see how I'll have one if I'm still showing BFP and my body knows there's something still in there?

Really hope you can help. I should have asked the consultant but she was pretty 'businesslike' and I was so upset the whole thing wasn't over that I forgot my normal thing of drilling for every last bit if info I can get. Google isn't turning up much useful advice either.

Sorry for the essay, thanks so much for listening and hope you can help...

[hairyfairylights]

Your body will possibly try to reject the 'retained products' - this is what happened to me. I bled for three days, then stopped and was still showing positive, then twenty days later I started to bleed again.

[koolforcats]

Hi strawberry I'm so sorry that you've been through this experience. A month ago, I had a mmc at 10 weeks (also ttc #1 and first pregnancy). I was also showing some remaining tissue when they scanned me after the mc and also quite high hcg levels when they did my bloods. So like you, I was wondering how I'd get my af if my body still thought it was pregnant? Well this weekend, it arrived! And from what I can tell (tmi alert) I do seem to be passing some tissue - nothing painful but not quite like a regular AF. So I guess somehow or other our bodies just start doing their thing. I was meant to be going for my next blood test tomorrow to check that my hcg was going down. I called them to say I didn't think I needed to as my af had started but they still want me to, so that they can check the hormones.

So sorry for wittering but in short I completely see what you mean about wondering how you will get your af if your body still thinks it's pg, but I'm sure it will be along soon enough. Another clue is that the line on the poas was faint which probably indicates that maybe there's only a low level of hcg still hanging around. I'm keen to ttc again asap too so my thoughts are with you - I guess we're pretty much at the same point. Waiting is really frustrating isnt' it but I'm sure it'll be along soon and I wish you all the best

Btw I'm on a really nice thread ttc with some lovely ladies originally from our due date thread (we were the unlucky ones ). I'm not sure how to do a link on here but if you're interested in joining us I'll try a bit harder to find out! We've all just been through the same as you and are hoping to ttc again soon.

[MummyBellsAllTheWay]

Hi Strawberry

I am very sorry for your loss. I also had an mmc with retained products. I found this site very useful www.pregnancyloss.info

especially this page
www.pregnancyloss.info/waitingforaf.htm

which describes how a small piece of tissue can start to draw blood from the uterine wall and make your body produce more HCG for a while until it realises there is no real pregnancy, stops producing HCG and then you start your cycle again normally.

For your own piece of mind, why not get some cheap HPT's (amazon do them 25 for 5 pounds) and keep testing until you see a negative? As others have said you can tell a lot by the darkness of the line too. Or you could go the other way, and buy some expensive digital tests which tell you how many "weeks pregnant" you are which would give you and idea if your HCG is rising or falling. If you feel that it is not dropping then go back for more blood tests.

best wishes xx

[StrawberryCreamTea]

Thanks so much for the advice.

hairy That sounds like a really difficult experience, at least in my case the bleeding only stopped for two days before starting again. I hope you're feeling well and stronger now after such a tough time. x

kool I'm really reassured to hear that, thank you! So sorry to hear about what you've gone through, it feels so scary doesn't it - when you start ttc-ing and the first time it happens it goes wrong? I'm feeling really nervy and thrown by the whole experience (especially the retained products bit which makes it all feel even more abnormal), and just so keen for my body to get back to normal so we can start again. I'd love to look in on the other thread (if you can steer me towards it?), I think the chance to chat about it would help - in RL we haven't told anyone apart from our respective parents so while we've had lots of sympathy it'd be good to hear how other people in the same position are getting through it. Hope you've had some good news today on the hcg going down. x

mummy That's a really helpful page, thank you so much. Am so confused at the moment about what's supposed to be happening and reading something like that with all the possibilites laid out helps put my mind at rest. I did have a suspected molar but thankfully the tests on that have come back normal so its one small thing less to worry about. The hpts are a good idea too, I didn't even think about doing more than one but if I can see some sort of change that should be reassuring. So sorry to hear you had a similar experience, and thanks again for taking the time to give me advice x

[koolforcats]

strawberry I'm glad we could be of some help to you. I'm feeling nervy and thrown too, as well as keen to ttc again, just like you! I know what you mean about the 'retained products', it sounds horrible doesn't it. Although I think that I am passing mine in this AF. Sorry for TMI but I thought I should use pads -eugh- this cycle and I can kind of see that there's more than just blood. Nothing too disturbing though, I assure you! So this will probably happen to you too. I had my blood tests today and already got the results, hcg is down to 39, compared to 500 a couple of weeks ago and 2000 a week before that. So it just goes to show that your body will know to have an AF even with a little bit of HCG floating around. I'll go back to my OB in a month who will hopefully scan me one last time to check I'm all clear. I'd like to try before then though!

The link we're on is www.mumsnet.com/Talk/conception/1084714-TTC-after-MC-ERPC-anyone-want-to-join-me/AllOnOnePage

You might need to cut and paste it. I've found it to be really useful as like you we've not told many people. We're all at a similar stage to you, all having our first AFs or waiting for them and all hoping to ttc again asap! See you there hopefully.

[yellowtomato]

Hi strawberry

Just wanted to say that I'm on the thread with koolforcats and you'd be very welcome.

I had my ERPC just over 4 weeks ago and haven't been offered a follow up. Haven't had my period yet either.....

Hope to see you there