What to expect after ERPC - hormone drop/emotions etc.?

[GuffSmuggler]

I had an ERPC on Thurs after finding out I had a MMC at 12 weeks and just wanted to be prepared for how I'm going to feel over the next few weeks. Will the hormone drop be sudden? Will it make me feel better or worse? I have been googling but I can't find anything useful about this.

Any shared experiences would be very helpful.
Thanks x

[Sal1977]

Hiya
Sorry to hear you're going through tis.
I also had an ERPC on Thursday afternoon after a confirmed MMC at 11+3 following some spotting.
I think everyone is different, like some people get bad PMT and others don't. Please don't be frightened by people who go on about a massive 'hormone crash' . You're going to have 'moments' of sadness anyway and of course your hormones are changing again, but it won't necessarily be horrific.
Good luck and I hope your baby dreams come true for you soon. X

[TheAccidentalEgghibitionist]

You are likely to feel very emotional over the next few weeks because of what you've been through, not just because of the hormone drop. Grief has some real physical symptoms.
You may feel very tired, perhaps anxious and wobbly in public or talking to people. I never noticed a hormone drop as such but definitely I felt very emotional. The grief can last for several weeks or months.
Unfortunately you might find that you get some discharge from your breasts as part of the hormone drop. If you leave them it will go away but it can be hard to go through.
I'm so sorry

[Mummyoftheyear]

So sorry to hear you're hanging a difficult time ;(
I have had two ERPCs. The things I recall most clearly are that:
I cried both times as I went under general anaesthetic as it was the reality of he end of a pregnancy I'd so wanted and it was hard to come to terms with entirely.

1. I woke up feeling that no time had passed.
   
2. When I woke up, I remember feeling relieved at the comfort of having no morning sickness (it had been a feature of both pregnancies, despite both babies having died). Then, the contrasting horror in realising that I didn't feel sock because the pregnancy was over. Everything had been taken away - including the glimmer of hope that I subconsciously held onto.
   

Please can I say that since these two sad experiences, I've been blessed with a beautiful daughter who is now 2 years old.
I wish you well at this difficult time.

[Mummyoftheyear]

Having

[Mummyoftheyear]

The - not 'he'
Sick - not 'sock'
Oh dear! Spello City!

[Quodlibet]

I agree with tired and emotional. It may take you several weeks to get normal capacity back and you might find everything hard going at first. Please take it easy - I didn't, and ended up with an infection (thankfully treatable with antibiotics, but it absolutely floored me) after trying to go back to normal activities 4 days after my ERPC. Listen to your body and take it easy, allow yourself time to grieve. Unfortunately there's no way round grief and you can't fast-track it, as I discovered to my cost you have to make space in your life for it to happen.

[meow57]

Hi, I also had an ERPC on Thursday 28th March. I wasn't expecting to, I'd gone back to the EPU as my pregnancy test was still positive two weeks after the miscarriage started and by the afternoon I was in day surgery.

This was my second miscarriage and I am feeling very low.
I've started back at work, just half days which is keeping my busy but I feel just like I have pmt and just want to cry.

GuffSmuggler and Sal1977 how are you feeling now?

I'm so sorry you've gone through this too but it is nice to know I'm not the only one.

[CupcakeFanatic]

It's just over 2 weeks since I had ERPOC (Monday 18th March). My bleeding afterwards lasted less than an ordinary period. Being exhausted was my main side effect, I'm still exhausted even now.

I get sudden onset crying too, I'm glad I'm not the only one.

I still am showing faintly positive on home pregnancy test (cheap boots brand). Does anyone know at what point it's realistic to expect to see negative? I was 9 weeks gestation by dates but the developments inside me were so small that it was classed as 'very early pregnancy' (a sac and beginning of a fetal pole but a heartbeat had never started).

[GuffSmuggler]

Hi all,

My bleeding was really light to start with, but then started heavily in the last couple of days which is getting me down. I'm so fed up of bleeding and having to use hateful sanitary towels .

Has been nearly a week since the ERPC and 2 weeks since MMC was diagnosed and already I've noticed people not mentioning the miscarriage anymore like it's all over and I will have moved on already.

Sorry you have gone through this awful thing too meow and cupcake it really is just so awful, nothing can prepare you for it.

[meow57]

Hi, I am also sick of the bleeding, I have been wearing towels now for over 4 weeks. This morning I have pain again and some red blood, it's not heavy but I am just so fed up of it. I'm trying to work this morning but I feel a little weak and generally fed up.

So is pain and ongoing bleeding a week after the ERPC normal?

I think so many people have no idea what it can be like, even my most supportive friends have been so surprised it has gone on this long and like you say most people just don't ask anymore.

I rang my Mom in tears yesterday, which I try not to as I know she worries, she went through a similar experience when I was little and reassured me that she cried for ages after.

I'm so fed up of towels, bleeding, odd pains, hospital appointments, feeling tired, looking tired, feeling out of shape because I've hardly moved and eaten lots of cake in the last month!

[EuroShaggleton]

My bleeding lasted about 2 weeks (mc'd naturally though). I didn't feel too bad at that point. Now I am a couple of weeks further on, I feel very low emotionally. I'm not sure how much of it is hormones and how much is work stress and miserable ongoing winter-related (seems trivial but grey days always affect my moods).

[Quodlibet]

Meow, bleeding for a while after ERPC can be normal, but it is possible too (and I don't want to worry you) that some residual tissue has been left. I had some quite big clots 7-9 days after my ERPC, and a second scan showed up leftover tissue, which resolved on its own. If you don't get a neg pg test a few weeks after do check with EPU.

Euro, I had the same experience of feeling very low some time after my ERPC. The grief and processing what you've been through can take a while to catch up with you. Look after yourself and don't try to battle on or fight it, take time to acknowledge your loss.

[Sal1977]

Hello ladies, just wondered how you were getting in as I know a couple of us had ERPC's on the 28th?

I'm still bleeding lightly (mainly in the loo roll but enough to warrant a liner/pad) with small brown clots (sorry, I know it's grim) and have a dull ache near my pelvis. Anyone else not stopped bleeding yet? I think I'm going to call the gynae ward tomorrow as I am a bit worried about it.

I did a digital PT yesterday which wax positive and a cheapy one today where the line was very faint, so I hope the hormones are nearly back to normal.

I agree that people forget how raw it is for us still only 9 days past the op and certain friends have surprised me, some in a good way and others in a shocking way!!!

I haven't cried for a couple of days which is good but being reminded of everything every time you go to the loo makes it hard to start moving on!

Would love to hear how you girlies are getting on. Xxx

[Sal1977]

Sorry about the spelling mistakes, chubby fingers trying to type on my phone!! Grrrr...

[GuffSmuggler]

Hi Sal,

I'm still bleeding but it's definitely getting lighter. Like you I just want it to stop as it's a constant reminder every time I go to the loo and am FED UP of bleeding and having to use awful sanitary towels.

I was told 2 weeks post op is normal, I think if it gets heavier or doesn't stop by next Thurs I will mention it to the dr.

People now seem to think it's acceptable to ask if we're going to start trying again straight away which I think is rude and insensitive. I feel like screaming 'well when I stop actually bleeding from the miscarriage I'll have a think about it!"

Grrrr, bit fed up can you tell!!

Hope everyone else is ok x

[Sal1977]

Hey Smuggler,
Good to hear you're alive and kicking!
I called the Gynae ward today and am going in for a scan tomorrow afternoon to see what's going on in there. I guess it's my weekly bit of action with willy-cam!
Had a few good days on the trot which is nice, but still not stopped bleeding which is really annoying on top of everything!!
I will let you know the outcome from the scan!
People have stopped asking how I'm doing as much, I guess 10 days is plenty long enough to get over losing your baby/bunch of cells...?!?!
Keep your chinny chin chin up toots! Xx

[Sundance2007]

Hi all,

I'm new to mumsnet but wish I'd found this a month ago.

I had a miscarriage on 4th March, I was 12 weeks and 3 days along. After rushing into A&E, I was given an ERPC, I'll spare you the horrific details but needless to say, hubby and I were very shocked and saddened by the whole experience.

I continued to bleed for exactly 2 weeks the second week mostly just brownish spotting, and then 13 days of nothing, just me taking pregnancy tests to make sure my hormone levels were going back to normal. My GP said that in theory, the further into your pregnancy you were, the longer your recovery will take as your womb lining has become that much more thicker with pregnancy and it can take a longer time to heal.

Then just wishing for my AF so that we can try and start again asap. Finally AF arrived yesterday (hooray!) though it's a lot heavier and more uncomfortable than usual.

For anyone still in the immediate post ERPC stage, it's normal to be all over the place I think. One minute I would be holding it together, and the next I'm crying my eyes out in the middle of the supermarket with no idea what triggered the tears. It's so hard....not just dealing with your loss, but then dealing with the fact that you look like a crazy person in public!!

Hope everyone is ok. x

[GuffSmuggler]

Sorry to hear you have been through this too sundance but glad to hear you are coming out the other side. I hope you get good news soon x

[CupcakeFanatic]

Well it's been a month since the last post and I was just wondering how all of you ladies were getting on?

[olusia247]

Hi ladies,
First of all, I am so sorry for your losses!
I happened to have 2 m/c within 6 months, first one ended naturally at 6th week, and it was a routine us for the second one, that showed that despite being 13th week, the baby died at 9 weeks, baby's heartbeat was not detected, morever, they have found it is a molar pregnancy and I had erpc just the next day.

First 3 days after the erpc I was head over the heals because of tremendous relief - probably mole has caused that I lived these 90 days in pain, spending long days lying on the sofa, being unable to look after the house, even cooking for myself nor going out of the house. It was incredibly exhausting.... But today I suddenly started crying.....then it became normal again.... I wonder how long will my mood swings last.... I know it does vary from woman to woman. I barely bleed at all, but I am "prepared" it can come and go now and again for several weeks.

I am happy that seeing women with bumps and babies does not make me feel horrible and hating everyone around who is luckier than me. I even smile, they do not disturb me. I think, I was so overwhelmed with grief 6 months ago after my first mc, that I phisically can't experience the same pain again. Probably became immune. And now I don't give a damn if I have baby in the future or not. Or maybe it's my hormones at the moment?

I hope I will not need chemotherapy for my mole (it causes cancer), now waiting for results from the lab. In the meantime I had my toes and nails done, painted in beautiful red colour, looking through spa offers, had great coffee body scrub, next week we are going for holidays to France with my husband - I MUST not get pregnant for at least 6 months - for my own sake - so now my health and well being is my priority - decided to restore myself, enjoy the life and be happy whatever happens to me - if I become a mom or not - I know will be strong, positive and very happy.

[olusia247]

it was my "birthday surprise" - my birthday is just in 3 days, 6 days after erpc, lucky me:)