When should I start to get really worried?

[zuzkah]

Hi to all. I'm 7 weeks pregnant ...or am I?
I started bleeding five days ago....(sorry poss TMI)... well just some brown stuff mostly when I wipe with a bit of teeny weeny tissue. No pain, no headaches. My only pg symptom has been sore boobs, which was the same as with my first one. However, this is my fifth day and I feel like I don't have sore boobs anymore.
I just don't know what to do. My mw said to go to A&E if I bleed red and heavy or in pain. I'm clearly not. But as you probably all know patience is short when you want to, no need to know whether you are actually pregnant or what's going on!
Any advice please? Any similar experiences? Would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

[nancy10]

If it's still brown and only when wiping and five days on, everything may well be fine! It is the red blood and clots that are cause for concern. Could you ask your mw for a scan to put your mind at ease?

[jellycat]

It may or may not be OK TBH. This happened to me, and I was told if it was brown blood it was OK. It went on until 11 weeks when I finally miscarried . Hope this will not be the case for you, but if you don't have strong symptoms and feel that those you had are disappearing, I would be inclined to try and arrange a scan.

[zuzkah]

nancy10 - I'm trying not to think about it much as I find that time passes faster if I'm doing something else than worry about it. Thanks

jellycat - so sorry for your loss. it must be terrible to carry on thinking everything is fine just to then miscarry. all the best

My mw is going to call me at the end of the week with my blood results so I'm going to speak to her about my options. Hope she'll agree to send me for a scan. For now I'm still trying to think positive thoughts. Thank you

[metalelephant]

Do stay positive because worry won't help in any way; plenty of women bleed without further problems.

When I miscarried I had a lot of blood, big clots and pain, and the doctor I talked to was more concerned about the pain... All three together can be bad, but brown spotting on its own shouldn't mean something is wrong.

Talk to your GP if too anxious, surely they won't let you suffer with anxiety.

Good luck, I hope all goes well! xx

[metalelephant]

sorry, I didn't mean to say "do stay positive" it sounds like an order! I meant "do try".

[WanderingInAWinterWonderland]

I would go to the GP and ask to be referred for a scan so that you know. I'm so sorry that you're going through this, there's nothing worse than when they say, "wait and see," and you have no idea what is happening!

I had a similar experience to Jellycat a few years ago. I didn't know what I was supposed to do as I had never been through it before and I kept calling the antenatal clinic who told me not to worry. I didn't know that I would have to see the doctor before they would scan me. I started to experience pain when I was actually miscarrying though so what you are experiencing could be implantation.

They need to give you a scan, though! They need to check that it isn't ectopic. It makes me really cross that they tell so many pregnant women to wait and see what happens!

Good luck!

[jellycat]

zuzkah, thank you. It was all a long time ago and I now have 2 dses.

I'll be thinking of you.

[lovemysleep]

I've had 4 mc's and they have all started with brown blood/spotting, which continued for about 3 days before it got painful, with heavy bleeding. I would try and get scanned as soon as you can, as I think the waiting around is hard for you. You may well be fine, as alot of people do experience spotting. Fingers crossed for you - hope things turn out ok xx

[zuzkah]

metalelephant - good order is sometimes better than a well meant plea! :) thanks for reassurance and your advice

winterwonderland - sorry I shortened your name :) Thanks for your advice too. I didn't know I would have to see a doctor! I thought once Im under antenatal clinic they would deal with that. Well obviously not as you all say. Good to know where to go. Thanks

lovemysleep - sorry to hear about your mc's. 4 is a big number and a lot of pain to go through. I hope the bad is behind you now.

So sad and unfair to hear so many sad stories but I guess it's life. However, it doesn't mean it hurts less and it takes a lot of courage to try again. Thank you so much for all your advice, it helped me a lot. I'll give it till Fri I think and if it doesn;t stop I'm going to see a GP.
Thanks again and wishing you all good luck!:)

[WanderingInAWinterWonderland]

I think it possibly depends on where you live, but where I am you have to be referred by GP. Some early pregnancy units can be self referral. It just makes me really cross when they make you wait! "Oh don't worry, take it easy and if you feel any pain, bleeding gets worse etc etc then go to blah blah." It's hard not to worry, although I suppose they've told you to go to a&e if anything gets worse, they didn't tell me to do that.

I really hope everything is ok! Let us know how you are x

[zuzkah]

thanks winterwonderland, I'll speak to my GP to find out what is the right think to do. Btw I live in London. I ll let you know when I know something. x

[katherine2008]

Zuzkah, hoping that you have good news from your mw tomorrow - thinking of you at this difficult time. x

[zuzkah]

Hi to all.
So here it is...the sad update. Had a scan this morning and there was no heartbeat :( I went to A&E on Wednesday and waited for 4 hours to be seen, had a scan but the doctor couldn't tell much as she said 'she was no expert.' They booked me for another scan this morning which revealed the sad truth. I'm just so glad though I got the ball rolling so soon even than there was no big bleeding or pain. I just felt not pregnant anymore.
So pregnancy is over and now Im dreading to face the next step. Should I ERPC or not? The doctor said that nearly 50% of women who mmc normally, need to go for ERPC anyway as not all clears. Any thoughts/experiences?

[katherine2008]

Zuzkah, I am so sorry for your loss. I have followed your story alongside mine and I offer you every sympathy at this awful time. Having had an ERPC only yesterday I can highly recommend it to help you find closure and move on. I showed no signs of miscarrying after I had the scan showing no heartbeat over a week ago. For me the ERPC seemed the most sensible, especially with Christmas looming. At least now I feel that I can enjoy Christmas, even though it is with a much sadder heart than I ever imagined. Sending you huge hugs, and I hope you find the right decision and path.

[jasmine51]

Zuzkah
So sorry to hear your news. Have had 4 mcs too so totally understand the limbo you have been in. The choice re whether to ERPC or not is your preference and your need for closure. However as you are spotting, you might find the mc builds up momentum on its own. If you werent bleeding at all (which happens alot) then it might be more tempting. My last mc involved spotting for about 5 days then the real bleed started..and completed. ERPC has its advantages and disadvantages but make the decision that is right for you. Take care x

[zuzkah]

katherine2008 - Thank you. I remember you. We started in pregnancy thread, didn't we? Now we both ended up here. Well that's life I guess. So sorry for your loss too. It's good to have at least one dc already at home. I have a 3yo ds. Enjoy your Xmas with your 2yo dd. Hope you are not in pain. Was it painful? Good luck with your recovery.

jasmine51 - 4 mcs, poor you. that must have been terrible. I actually think that my bleeding has lessened now. thank you for your kind words.

I think I am inclined to have the ERPC done unless my mc progresses naturally somehow. I was told that if I start bleeding I should come to A&E. Did you? The doctor said I can start bleeding quite heavily and be in pain so to come to the hospital straight away.
And also, do they scan you again just in case they read the first scan wrong? I know I'm being silly for thinking that maybe, just maybe there could be HB. Has anyone heard about this kind of mistake/miracle?

[jasmine51]

From my experience, once the mc starts properly you will know. Bleeding will be heavy and cramping. If the bleeding gets alarming (more than 1 pad an hour) or you are in alot of pain, go to A&E.
Yes I went to A&E for my last mc...but (shhhh) that was because I was feeling abandoned by everyone, noone would give me the reassurance I needed and my GP basically said 'go home, get over it'...all I wanted was a few kind words and a scan. I was bleeding heavily but I did exagerate. I was taken to urgent gynae for a rest, given an hcg test and a scan that confirmed the mc...that was all I wanted in the first place.

It is possible to be bleeding and still have a pg...I am currently 14 wks pg and was written off at 5 wks because I bled heavily for 6 days. It was my instinct (and sickness) that told me it wasnt a mc and happily I was right. It is also possible to be booked for an ERPC and not be scanned before they go ahead...so absolutely insist on it - there was a horrific story on here recently about someone who nearly had an ERPC and still had a viable pg - this would be rare though. Go private if you have to...anything to give you the absolute answer you need

Do you, in your heart still feel pg?

[zuzkah]

jasmine51 - congtat on your pg! :) your GP sounds like a horrible wo/man? What an attitude.

I have to say that today I spoke to two professionals (women) and they were all so nice and sympathetic. I almost wished them to be more down to the fact as I could have hold it together then. However, they were so nice, so sorry, touching my knee and offering sympathy and that is when I broke down and cried. Well they had the tissues ready too.
I already had blood taken for the hcg, they defo said there is going to be another scan as well. Unfortunately, I don't feel pg anymore. Well my only symptom was sore boobs which are still sore a bit but maybe I just wish they would be. I actually went to the A&E on Wed to find out what was going on. I was just spotting with no pain so I had to exaggerate a little bit. I just had this gut feeling that not all was right.

[jasmine51]

So sorry you are going through this. I know only too well what its like when the hours seem like days and days are like months. I hope you can get the definite answer and closure really soon.
It might be hard to see at the moment, but once its all over, there will be a time when you start feeling a bit better and when you can start looking ahead. In the meantime, do whatever you need to do to look after yourself - cry for days on end...go and talk to a counsellor...hit pillows etc, dont let anyone tell you how you 'should' feel...or what you 'should' do. Especially over christmas, if you want to lock yourself away and be alone, then do it. If you want to go out and have a skinful and a laugh with the girls then do that...its your welfare that is primary at the moment.
By the way, you mentioned that you are in London - you have one of the worlds leading mc clinics within your reach at St Marys in Paddington. Only really for rmc which I hope will never apply to you..but its a comfort to know the best specialists are within your area
Take care and look forward to seeing you posting a new pg very soon
xx

[zuzkah]

Thank you Jasmine for your kind words. I feel weirdly cool now. Cried a bit yesterday but Im taking it as it is. I think the worst bit is going to be the actual mc or the ERPC hospital bit.
Also I actually gave birth to my first son at St Mary's in Paddington. :) Now Im Whittington in Archway which seems ok too.

Merry Christmas to all and thank you for all the support!

[metalelephant]

Really sad for you zuzkah, take care and courage xx