Please help - exhausted after ERPC / D&C and hypothyroid

[pughpughbarneymcgrue]

Really hoping someone may have some advice on insight into this.

I'm reeeeaaaally old (43) and recovering from ERPC. I was supposed to be 8weeks 4days pg but embryo had given up at 5weeks and a bit. I opted to have ERPC as miscarried naturally in the past and it was extremely painful - due in large part, I think, to having a very bulky fiboid uterus.

So I went in last Monday (12th) at 10.30am. I had two pessaries inserted to open up the cervix and quite quickly was in a lot of pain. I was given 60mg codeine, which helped. They moved my procedure forward in the list as I'd had a bit of trouble with the pain. Once at theatre, I had a general and of course don't remember much, but again had some trouble coming out of the anaesthetic.

My blood pressure dropped dramatically and was as low as 70/40 at one point. I'm not a nurse but I gather this is low. My teeth were chattering and I was in lots of pain. I was given a warm blanket, a drip, some oxygen (don't recall having it placed over my face but found the mask there) and intravenous Fentanyl, (in that order). Spent a couple of hours in the recovery bay next to theatre getting bp stable and sleeping off what I assume was - by now - codeine, a general AND Fentanyl.

Eventually I went back to the ward, very groggy, and was eventually allowed to go home at 8.45pm. It was a long, painful sad day.

Fast forward one week and I'm absolutely shattered. Properly, horribly bone tired. But I don't understand why! I had to go back to work today and felt as though I was in a fog. I slept or two hours the moment I got home.

I'm troubled by how dreadful I'm feeling. I felt fine before the ERPC (in part, no doubt, due to the diminishing pregnancy hormones so no nausea or exhaustion). I'm really genuinely worried. I'm also hypothyroid and take 150mcg of Levothyroxine. Would this be a factor in recovering? Perhaps I should increase my dosage, as the way I feel right now feels very much like the way I felt before my thyroid issue was under control. It was well controlled before this ill fated pregnancy and I felt properly medicated. Now I don't.

I'm not brilliant emotionally, either, but that is a personal thing I feel is my private thing to work through. I'm after any input anyone might have about the physical / energy-levels side of things rather than the emotional.

Thanks to anyone who has read this far. Wishing swift recoveries to anyone affected by early miscarriage.

[jimijack]

Hi pugh, so sorry, it's all a total bitch isnt it.
My last mc was when I was reeealy old as you say, I was 42, didn't have a general but as you also say I had a natural loss.
I too found the pain overwhelming, I was about 7 weeks as I recall.
I needed morphine, codeine, paracetamol and was still in pain (I described it as labouring) but felt wiped out for a good couple of weeks.
I kinda put it down to blood loss, hang over from heavy drugs, emotional exhaustion, combination of things.
I had the mc on the Friday and went back to work on the following Monday, business as usual. I did that with all of my mcs, I had alot of the feckers.

Do you think that you underestimated how much it would affect you physically do you think?

[pughpughbarneymcgrue]

Jimijack, thanks for replying :)

I totally underestimated the whole thing. I told work I'd be back on the Thursday (had the procedure on the Monday). I honestly thought I'd only need two days. In the event - not a chance. I took the whole week. I certainly hadn't anticipated feeling like a zombie eight days later.

I take my hat off to you for going in three days later. There's no way I could have done, not this time around. If I could know that I'd feel better in a few days, it would be a relief. It's the not knowing how long my physical recovery will take.

As you point out, heavy drugs, plus blood loss, plus hormones and the emotions... it's going to take a toll, I suppose.

[INeedNewShoes]

Sorry that you're going through this pugh

I really struggled with tiredness after my ERPC in May. I think it was a reaction to the general anaesthetic but I was just absolutely exhausted for a good couple of weeks and it took even longer to get back to my normal energy levels.

You need to look after yourself, eat well, and try and get some fresh air and a little walk every day etc.

The emotional toll shouldn't be underestimated either. I am generally stoic and not a particularly emotional person. I wasn't 'attached' to that particular foetus like some women are even after only a few weeks. Despite all that I was a bit sensitive for a few weeks and I think the emotions added to the tiredness.

[jimijack]

I'm not proud that I went back to work so early, I just thought that I should. I wasn't fit for anything, seeing pregnant women floored me, feeling groggy and still bleeding was not a good state to be in.

Didn't feel any better 10 weeks on...turned out I was pregnant again.......felt like death.

My friend, I'm not sure if you are going to try again, but after 7mcs and giving up all hope of ever having a baby, I Gave birth to my son aged 43 and still cannot believe my luck....
Just a wee story of hope and happiness that may spur you on xx

[pughpughbarneymcgrue]

INeedNewShoes, back to you. Thanks for replying.

When you say, "I was just absolutely exhausted for a good couple of weeks and it took even longer to get back to my normal energy levels" do you have any theories about why? When you say "it took even longer" (for normal energy levels) this is precisely what worries me, esp. with Christmas and all the faff and travel and bother that it entails. How much longer did it take you?

[pughpughbarneymcgrue]

jimijack, congratulations to you! That's a lovely story. Did you do anything differently during the last pregnancy?

[INeedNewShoes]

When I came around from the anaesthetic I was shivering uncontrollably which made me wonder if I am particularly sensitive to the drugs they used. I was calm about the procedure so I think it was a reaction to something physical rather than shock if that makes sense. So maybe the effect the anaesthetic has on me leaves me drained.

Other than that I don't really know. I did manage to go back to work after a week and resume other commitments so the tiredness wasn't insurmountable but I did feel extremely tired for another 2–3 weeks after that and I wonder if I had rested more whether that would have helped me recover sooner.

Mentally I felt quite apathetic about everything for a few weeks so I didn't eat as well as I should have, or get as much exercise as I usually do. I'm sure that more fresh air, exercise and a better diet would all have helped me to get better sooner.

[jimijack]

No, tried and failed for 10 years, cut out caffeine,alcohol, healthy diet, double dose folic acid, vitamins, miscarriage after miscarriage. 're occurring miscarriage clinic told me that they cannot say why 80% of miscarriages occur, they had no answers for me.
So
Mc number 7, aged 42 me and dh said no more. As the mc was ending I went to the gp and got the pill. Was waiting for my period to come, felt like death, very unwell, no period. Presumed I had retained products of miscarriage so went for a scan to check and there was a baby. Assumed that this one too would end as all the others did, so did the hourly knicker checking for the bleeding to begin. Well it didn't, weekly scans showed this little fella doing ok, and then he was here.

Did nothing different, nowt. Just luck I spose, no explanation for it.

[pughpughbarneymcgrue]

jimijack, well your perseverance paid off. Well done you but by god, it sounds as though you well and truly went through the wringer! As they say, "it's not the journey it's the destination" and you got there in the end. Good for you.

Somehow I don't think I will. :( I've had several very early miscarriages. Another thread on here is titled 'get pg very easily but don't stay pg' and that is how it is with me.

INeedNewShoes, I sound similar to you. I'm not in the least scared of needles / medication / anaesthetics so wasn't at all worried. But blood pressure nose dived anyway. I normally go running a couple of times a week. Couldn't run anywhere now even if the house was on fire.

[INeedNewShoes]

Pugh, I've been pregnant four times this year. I lost the first three, two of which at 5 weeks and one was the MMC discovered at 11 weeks for which I had the ERPC.

After the third loss (although I think of the two very early MC as pregnancies that never established rather than 'losses' if that makes sense) I asked my GP to run some blood tests and found that I've got a couple of blood clotting issues. A dose of heparin a day and a low-dose Aspirin seem to have done the trick and I'm pregnant again and at 19 weeks now so it looks as though the meds have made a difference.

You could ask your GP to run the Antiphospholipid test and Thyroid function tests as these are two of the more common causes of recurrent early miscarriage I think.

[fempsych]

I've had an ERPC and a medical management of a miscarriage. I was exhausted after the ERPC and i understood that it was probably my reaction to a GA which can make you feel like that. I also have low BP which doesn't help. I took lots of time off and rested. Was in no way ready to work.