[tmi] Bleeding/passing clots but PUL and closed cervix? Confused! Help!

[neutronflow]

What a confusing couple of days I've been having! I had what I could hardly call a BFP a couple of weeks ago given the second line was so faint, but nevertheless, a clearblue confirmed me as 1-2 weeks pregnant. I didn't get my hopes up after an mc back in September (blighted ovum) so when I started spotting on Tuesday and having mild cramps, I rather pragmatically rang the local women's hospital and booked in for an early scan, which they booked for Thursday (yesterday). (I would be six weeks pregnant at the moment going by my LMP, length of cycle, and also my ovulation date.)

Thursday morning I went to the loo in work and on wiping discovered the spotting was turning more like period blood. I called the early pregnancy unit and they said I could come in, especially as the pain (which was very mild, I must say) was all on my left side.

A doctor examined me and said my cervix was still closed so there was a chance I could still be pregnant, but when I had my scan, there was nothing there except a thickened lining of the uterus. They also looked with the transvaginal scan towards presumably the fallopian tube/ovaries especially the side where I said I felt the (mild) pain and saw nothing. With this in mind, and the fact my cervix wasn't excited (I think that was what she said anyway!) and the fact I had none of the risk factors for ectopic pregnancy, they gave me the world's most helpful diagnosis: pregnancy of unknown location.

I was with this hospital for my last mc and last time they were super helpful, but this time I can honestly say I felt like no one had enough time to talk me through what was going on (I realise the NHS is under huge strain so I'm not blaming anyone, but it does leave me very confused). The nurse said she thought it probably wasn't ectopic and the chances were I had already miscarried. I asked how this could be as my cervix was closed and I was still bleeding and she didn't seem to explain very well. Anyway, they did a blood test yesterday and I am back in for another blood test tomorrow and if the levels of HCG drop significantly between tests it isn't ectopic but if they don't, if they stay similar, it could be.

Anyway, I was kinda okay with that, well, as okay as it's possible to be in these circs, but today (have taken day off work) I have been bleeding a little more heavily. Not soaking pads in an hour or anything like the warning signs, but certainly as heavy as mid-period bleeding, and about half an hour ago I passed a really big clot.

So. Firstly, how can I pass a huge clot if there was nothing on the scan for me to pass? Where on earth WAS that clot when they were scanning me? Also, how can I have already miscarried if my cervix was closed and up until that day the only bleeding I'd had had been light spotting (very mild brown discharge on wiping)? And if I had already miscarried, what was that huge clot? I feel quite worried but I have no-to-very-mild pain, and I'm not soaking pads, I have no shoulder tip pain or anything like that...

I just don't know what's going on. I wonder if anyone with a bit of medical knowledge could explain or answer these questions; I'd be really grateful.

[InanimateCarbonRod]

I've had an ectopic. First diagnosis was PUL. Only when the tube ruptured was it confirmed. I didn't have any shoulder tip pain but one I started bleeding internally after the rupture I felt like I'd been stabbed in the arse and couldn't sit down. All throughout this I had very light spotting. The face that you're bleeding is a good sigh. If the pain gets worse and you feel nauseated go straight to the maternity emergency room.

[neutronflow]

Thanks ICR. That sounds terribly scary.

I realise I will know more tomorrow, and I was fine (well, fine-ish) with waiting, until I passed the clot earlier and then I felt very confused.

[neutronflow]

Bump... in case anyone has any explanation of my symptoms ... ? Still v confused by clots and bleeding but no real pain...? DH suggests to ring hospital but tbqh yesterday I got the feeling I was a bit of a nuisance asking so many questions. :/

[neutronflow]

last little bump as would be so grateful if someone/anyone could help explain? main thing that's upsetting me about the hospital experience is how no one seemed to have time to explain and not ONE person said 'sorry for your pregnancy loss' (they did last time I miscarried).

[jinglebellmel]

Hi, sorry for all the stress you're going through. I've recently had a miscarriage and they said that clots were either the lining of the uterus coming away, or blood that had pooled and clotted in the womb being passed. I don't know much about eptopic/pul pregnancies but from the explanation I was given I'd have thought you could still have clots in those situations. I've actually still got a small retained clot now, so it is possible to still be passing them after a miscarriage

How big was the clot? I know that I was told to call epu if passing very large clots, so might be worth giving them a call.

[jinglebellmel]

Just realised you posted this yesterday, so hopefully you've already had some answers? I found the epu and everyone I dealt with to have a really poor knowledge of miscarriage and I had so many questions left unanswered or given conflicting answers to, so I can totally sympathise. Also with no one acknowledging the loss, I think care in this area sadly has a long way to go. I hope you're okay.

[Paulam76]

Hi
I'm currently in exactly the same situation, what was your outcome neutronflow??

[JayneAusten]

I'm really sorry you're going through this. From what I remember from my ectopic scare, you want to watch out for very dark blood that is like prune juice, shoulder tip pain, severe pain on one side, dizziness/fainting. If you are about 6 weeks and had been bleeding a little it's perfectly posssible that you passed the pregnancy (think about the size of it - like the size of a seed) or that it was already partly or completely absorbed into the lining of the womb. Keep an eye on yourself and go straight to A&E if you're at all worried, that's what they're there for.

[Wombletor]

Hi
I had a PUL 2 years ago. I had several hcg tests to rule out an ectopic, and several scans. I eventually miscarried the PUL ironically on Mother's day in a restaurant. I had no pain or warninf, just felt flushed, ran to the ladies and passed a great deal of blood and clots. I wasn't expecting the amount of blood loss to be so great. I had an hcg follow up blood test to confirm the conclusion. Take care

[Mel82issa]

This is Happening to me Atm. Do you mind me asking what your outcome was?

[BCJPNH]

Hi! What was the outcome of this? Did you miscarry? I’m going through a really similar situation, I miscarried in October and this feels slightly different. But I’m not hopeful that this is a viable pregnancy.

[Lozgu]

Hi there sorry to jump on after so many years but I’m going through the exact same situation if u don’t mine me asking what was ur outcome x

[neutronflow]

Hey so if it helps — I was fine. I mean, I wasn’t fine fine, I’d lost that pregnancy. But it wasn’t ectopic. I didn’t actually have a period after that second miscarriage as I got pregnant straight away afterwards. If it’s a comfort to anyone, that last pregnancy stuck around and is now a wild, crazy little kid of nearly seven years old.