The November 2015 bus is back on the road, chugging through beautiful scan pic landscapes, picking up plenty of Dairyleas, muffins and whathaveyous on it's way!

[Focusfocus]

Did the last November bus crash without a new thread? Worry not, here we are again! Toot toot!

Newmrsx I'm sorry that must be horrible, I'll admit I haven't even thought what would do in the circumstance :(

NewmrsX - can you afford a private harmony test which will give you a much better calculated risk? Something like a NIFTY Would do too. They range around £400 plus minus.

I have developed the most achey back, waist, and legs, it's so achey I had to have a bath at 3:30 am last night! It's constant. Booked a pregnancy massage and considering acupuncture. Sometimes I get the stich on a side if I am constipated. Could that be the case cryingbabymess?

I've had a sad encounter yesterday. My friend/colleague with whom I am doing a joint project, we both decided to TTC after Xmas. I conceived first time, I told her after three months which was recently obviously, she was lovely and congratulated me. It's only today that her husband told me that in fact she too had conceived the same time as me, but had to have a D&C at 7 weeks because it didn't stick. I feel awful.

Onto good news, DH's parents have offered to buy us the buggy, my mum will gift us the car seat and....drum roll....my Dad has offered to pay for...everything else! He says even small and tiny items like wipes and bibs are on his list! We are quite thrilled :) it's first grand kid for my parents, and I am an only child, and they live halfway across the world, so I guess our kid will be a ridiculously spoilt kid :p

So sorry NewMrs – it must be very worrying. Really good advice from GuyBrush though. Just to contribute something less useful: imagine if you placed 333 numbered cards on the floor (face down) and you were asked to select the card numbered ‘99’ by picking up one card. You wouldn't be very likely to pick it.

I've been reading threads on MN (was a bit worried about my results as I’m 37 soon). Quite a few people are deemed to be high risk and things turn out just fine - even when the risk is much less than 1:100 )(or even less).

Oh newmrs I'm sorry to hear you have such a worry . Good luck at the hospital today. I hope they are able to reassure you a bit.

Sorry about your news MrsX I don't know too much about it so I can't offer any advice, just some support, a and some hope you're ok x

We were talking about what we'd do if we got a high reading only last night and it seems we disagree so hoping we get a low one tomorrow because making a decision will be hard (and hoping for a low reading for obvious readings aswell of course)

No scans going on today? I know there's a few of us tomorrow isn't there, these scans are coming like buses

NewMrsX if you can afford it, you could try the harmony blood test. It is much more accurate than current NHS screening and may allow you to bypass a CVS or amnio. I've had one because i knew I'd come back high risk due to my age. The NHS fetal medicine specialist said he would trust the harmony test absolutely and that with a low risk result on that, there was no need to consider a diagnostic. The other thing is that with your risk score, it means that 333 times out of 334, your baby will be perfectly fine. That doesn't sound as scary, does it?

You will wait two weeks for harmony results at which point you will close to when you could have an amnio, which is slightly lower risk that a CVS. PM me if you want to chat more.

Focusfocus I'm starting to think it's down to constipation....trying to think when I last went hopefully I can go soon or get something from MW!

NewMrsX I am sorry you're stressed by it, understandably, but the odds are still so so stacked in your favour, and 1:300 is still not "high risk" generally (I'm hoping for anything over 1:150 from my results).

The Harmony test would be expensive but is non-invasive, but even if you decided on CVS or amnio, they are still only a 1% risk. Thinking of you.

cryingbabymess it's not pretty but the prune juice is definitely working for me.

For those mentioning prune juice where do you find it and what brand? I can only see prune juice drinks with sweeteners and sugars, not sure I want that, on the other hand, I do need help going. The prunes on their own are fine but really not helping!

Focus I'm using the Sunsweet one which I've found in Tesco, and which has no added sugar etc. It's in a bottle rather than a carton, if that helps.

Prunejuice

Thank you for your comments everyone

I've just realised I typed a 3 instead of a one the result is 1:133. There is so much to think about and consider. I didn't think of the Harmony test as an option so I'll speak to DH about that.

We keep changing our minds the more we talk about it. The main things going through my mind atm are what would happen in the long term with a Down's baby. I know a baby isn't that much different but will they ever live an independent life. But then I could have a physically healthy baby with severe sen which wouldn't be apparent till after the birth so maybe that isn't something to consider, it's just a risk you take when having a baby.

Another thing is I know Down's babies can have other health conditions such as heart problems. My mum keeps saying not to consider all this stuff because we don't know if it has Down's yet but I think we need to consider it now because if we aren't going to do anything with a positive result then what is the point of testing? The being prepared argument doesn't seem a strong enough reason to risk miscarring a healthy baby to me.

Dh pointed out that as the result is 1:133 and the miscarriage risk is 1:100 we have a higher chance of miscarriage than we do of a Down's result. I think this would be easier if our risk was higher than the miscarriage risk.

Then I'm worried about the other trisomys but the hospital doesn't seem to want to focus on these as they're not so common.

I hope that all makes sense. I know it's a bit of a ramble but as you can probably tell we're going round and round in circles

newmrsx this such a difficult, diffuclt moment, and feel free to go around in circles as often as you need to.

If the money isn't an issue, or could be arranged, is it possible to not think about invasive testing I.e. CVS or amino up until the Nifty or Harmony actually give you a reason to think about it. So maybe -

First you could book in ASAP for a nifty or harmony.
If results come back satisfactory, then that's the end of that.
If results come back with a high risk which is much much more precise then you need to think about invasive testing, which, in the end boils down to whether you will terminate or not. Which is where it gets hard, really, but not before then.
IF, and only IF, the harmony gives you a high risk, is this question relevant. And then too, you could also just not test invasively, prepare for Downs anyway in terms of research and systems etc, and then give birth and see which way it goes? That way, the preparation point is taken care of without the test? To be honest, if you prepare anyway, and then don't need it, you'll be the happiest person on earth.

I am just trying to phase things out for you a bit, so you don't feel overwhelmed into making all the decisions all at once. Perhaps make harmony step one for now, and forget the rest? Sorry if it sounds flippant, not my intention, but it's so overwhelming all together.

NewMrsX this must be very hard for you, but are were quite close to being low risk.
Like you say there are degrees of Downs, many work and have independent lives, some sadly don't. My brother is severely disabled and is in independent supported living with some Downs adults. Heart defects they can scan for and usually they can operate soon after the birth. The reason there's so many adults with Down's and health problems is partly because as late as the 80s they used to think it best to not treat them. My brother's friend just had his heart op at 40, it would've been less complicated as a baby.
Anyway it's very difficult but hopefully you won't need to worry about it.

Forgot to say there's an antenatal tests bit of mn with threads about harmony if you go for that

Me yet again, sorry! I keep thinking of bits of pieces that might be useful - blame my baby brain!
The 1 in 100 miscarriage rate with amino varies a lot. You can get the doctor at your hospital's rate somehow, some are more experienced than others and that would give better odds.
Also do you know what's putting your risk up? The NHS test is a formula of age / NT / markers in blood. I'd personally be more concerned if my bloods were bad as the age thing is an average but the bloods and nt are real results if that makes any sense at all?
Thinking of you, it's tough whatever you decide x

And thanks to all the c section replies. Why did no one mention the year thing in hospital or at my postnatal check? Oh well, it's done now!

Just on the way home from the hospital now. It's my bloods giving me a high risk because my nt result was within normal range and I'm young.

I've been told at my hospital the doctors have a less than 1% miscarriage rate as they are very experienced. It's the regional hospital for the tests in the south west I think she said and they get lots of referrals from surrounding areas.

We did talk about the harmony test but at the moment I think we're leaning more towards the amnio. It's going to be a long 4 weeks until we can have the test and then another 3 weeks whilst we are in the miscarriage risk time frame. And in the middle of that we will get the results. Time is going to drag I think

I had no idea it all took that long, that's going to be tough. I suppose a tiny bit of good news that you have experienced doctors. Thinking of you

Aww new mrs x it's awful for you and all the waits as well, I think I would do what you are doing too in your situation I would want to know one way or another. Try to be brave and I hope it turns out well for you xx

I didn't either Abbey. I could have the cvs test done now but there's a chance it could come back inconclusive so we'd then have to have the amnio anyway. Then the miscarriage risk doubles. So still not sure

Thank you Laura

NewMrs try and focus on the fact that it's still overwhelmingly likely that everything will be fine. More than 99%.

Poor you, it's such a long wait, and I hope it passes quickly for you - at least having that time will give you a chance to really think through what your options and choices are. The odds are still very very much in your favour but it is obviously a really worrying time.

God I feel shit! I'm knackered feel sick and to top it all I've got a cold!! Sorry to moan on but I'm fed up with it I'm praying it goes after 12 weeks! Plus I don't think my husband understands at all either!
Is anyone feeling any better?

I'm starting to feel a lot better nausea wise Laura and I'm 13+5 now. Went on to around 20 weeks last time so I'm hoping for a good second trimester this time. I wish there was some sort of stimulator of early pregnancy for DPs / DHs. DH is lovely but its hard to explain how tiring it is.