Medical Management experience- need some reassurance!

[afdd]

Hi everyone,

A few weeks ago we unfortunately found out at an early scan that I was likely having a delayed miscarriage. I was asked to come back for a few more scans to confirm, but there was no baby, only the sac which grew a little each week. On Friday I had my last scan where they decided that I would need to receive treatment, either surgical or medical management. I chose medical because I just thought it seemed to be less invasive.

On Saturday I started spotting a little, but nothing substantial, and I went into the EPU on Monday (I would have been 10 weeks at this point) to receive medical management. The Dr said that she thought that medical management would be quite successful since I had started spotting, as I was concerned about it not working. I had 4 pessaries inserted, and waited in the hospital for half an hour to ensure that there was no allergic reaction before my partner and I went home. I spent the day on the sofa awaiting the heavy bleeding and pain that I had been told to expect, but by 6pm I'd felt nothing except a bit nauseous. Worried that they weren't working, I phoned the EPU who reassured me that they can take up to 48 hours to work.

Now, over 48 hours on, I'm still at home sort of waiting for something to happen. My bleeding has got slightly worse, but i've been in no pain at all and the bleeding is still less than a normal period for me. I feel so worried that this hasn't worked. The hospital say they will call me on Friday as a routine to check how I am, but I just feel so nervous that nothing has happened/ really want to know if what I've experienced is 'right'. I'm a workaholic and honestly feel like i'm skiving off work (which I know is silly, especially since EPU gave me a 2 week drs note), and would really rather go back to work as soon as I know its all over because it helps me to take my mind off everything.

Has anyone else experienced anything similar where their medical management worked but seemed very mild? How long did you take off work? Part of me is honestly just wishing that I chose the surgical option now so I knew what was happening. :( I'm also supposed to be travelling a few hours away on Friday for the weekend for a milestone family birthday which we can't miss, but is also making me anxious since I'm not sure what is going on. :(

[KnitKitty]

Hi afdd,

I'm really sorry for your loss and that you're going through this.

I had a missed miscarriage too and opted for the medical management as I didn't fancy the surgery.

I had the medical management twice in the same week as it didn't work for me. Like you, I had the pessaries in the morning and was sent home. I started bleeding a bit around 10pm, but then nothing over night. I had a bit of bleeding the next day like a light period bleed but then it just sort of tapered off. I'd had very, very mild cramping but that was all. At my hospital they ask you to ring them the day after your medical management to let them know how things are going and when I rang to tell them what was happening they booked me in for a scan the following day to check if anything had passed. It hadn't.
I then had another lot of medical management two days later, and it was pretty much the same story all over again (I did pass one small clot this time, but it wasn't the pregnancy). Another scan confirmed the pregnancy was still in there, so I had the surgical management the same day.

I had avoided the surgery as I've had a few gynae related surgeries before and don't have very fond memories of them, so I was really reluctant to be put the sleep etc. However, I was very glad of the surgery in the end and it was a lot simpler than I had imagined it. Being put to sleep was fine, and the nurses/doctors with me were really lovely and chatty and made it easier. When I came round I had some period pain for up to an hour and bled quite a bit just at first, but then once I was back on the recovery ward the bleeding slowed down to a normal period bleed and the cramping was a lot milder (no worse than a normal period). I was let home the same day, once my blood pressure had gone up a bit. Other than feeling sleepy from the aesthetic I recovered really quickly from the surgery physically. My partner said I looked better after it than I did after the medical management.

If it turns out that the medical management didn't work for you (your EPU should offer you a scan to confirm this), don't be afraid of opting for the surgery.

It is a very anxious time.
I expect if you ring your EPU again they will offer you a scan to see what's going on. At least then you know what's happening and can plan for the next step.