The 6th form post mc ttc and pregnancy common room Part 2

[brokenbarrenbrook]

Getting us started on a new thread; this one is gonna be a lucky one!

hello louise and diamonds sorry for your losses but welcome here.

knitter hello lovely lady, I hope you are holding up ok.

to everyone else.

Ooh battery fingers crossed

mummya is right freelance we seem to be in the same position. I have a retained (after 2 erpc and medical man) and am waiting for af to clear it. Things have been a bit odd over the last few days; I've been leaking brown sludge since the medical management but have just started spotting dark red/bright red blood. It's not af and it's only now and then but aaarrgh!

Actually, the wisdom of MN could probably put my mind at ease... mummy ???

Forgot to give a big squeeze to my old pal knitter Ive been thinking about you lots my dear. xx

So very sorry to hear your news knitter, but glad to see you're ready to rejoin the game.

bbb I second the option to get a private prescription if your local surgery start playing silly buggers. But that is because now I've gone private the seal has been broken...

Speaking of which, I thought I'd update you all (for those not lurking on the recurrent buns thread) about my follow up appointment today with Mr S's colleague (S himself couldn't make it due to a family bereavement).

Turns out I do have a high NK Cell count. Total NK CD69 absolute count was 1.25 and anything over 0.8 is high. Between 0.8 and 0.9 is borderline, but I am in the definitely high territory. Mr S has two treatment programs, one for high NK Cells, one for very high. I asked if it was very high and was told that it wasn't, but they would retest me during pregnancy to see if the levels increased and if they did they would up the dosage of steroids and consider intralipids.

Thyroid antibodies and Anti-Nuclear antibodies came back clear. So that's good. Of all the rmc causes I could be screened for this is the least harmful to my general health, unlike say a clotting disorder (every cloud etc).

Had a dildocam to check womb post-erpc and thankfully the lining is a good healthy mid-cycle thickness, completely clear of any fibroids, polyps or scarring so that's good. However, ovaries seem to be out of sync as the right one looked completely inactive and the left one had only a few small follicles but nowhere near big enough to suggest that ovulation was due in the next week (I thought I was due to ov this weekend). And this evening have had a massive batch of ewcm, my first since the miscarriage, so am very pleased I had that scan today other wise I'd be jumping on DH for no reason. Anyway, in light of my non-egg hatching ovaries and the fact that I haven't had a proper period since the ERPC we're going to start treatment next cycle. I am impatient as the next egg is a good 5-6 weeks away, but at least I get another month or so to take the supplements, Metformin, exercise and ensure my body is completely baby-friendly come the next egg.

A diagnosis! A treatment plan! After 4 mcs and a shrugging of shoulders from the NHS, I have a renewed sense of positivity!

To newbies asking what's normal in the WTF cycle post-mc...well everyone's different but after every single one of my miscarriages I've had a few days of brown spotting from CD30 (if you count first day of red blood of mc as cd1), then a proper full-on period on CD60. Then after that my cycles have resumed their usual long length. However some women ovulate only a week later in their wtf cycle, and others don't ovulate at all till the next cycle or the cycle after that. All are normal.

freelance swollen tummy could be caused by fluctuating hormones. A drop or a surge in progesterone can slow down your metabolism which can lead to all sorts of IBS-type symptoms e.g. bloating, constipation/diarrhea, stabbing pains in your bowels etc. But if you get a temp, then def see your GP in case its an infection.

battery nice chart! looks promising.

My TTC journey restarts end of May, so in the meantime will continue to lurk...

Hi ladies, sorry I haven't been around for a bit. Was finishing up at work after the holiday and before the move and then had DS's birthday party to organise and hold and DM's departure today. Phew!

Lots to catch up on

Firstly BBB 5th pg lucky i really really hope - God that sounds like some sick joke, but I'm really hoping for you. ALso that you get the prog.

knitter oh lord, just saw your message, I had no idea what you've just been through. You poor poor thing, I'm so sorry. I wish I could give you a proper hug, we've been through quite a similar path but this latest twist for you is too cruel.

Hi Freelancegirl I think I've seen you on some other threads, glad to see that you're on a track to get some answers. Does the Dr Beers book have any 'do this, change this' advice or is it more his theory about why MC/infertility happens?

MummyAbroad lovely about the good scan, how are you feeling now? the sickness easing now?

AandRMum onwards and upwards, did you get results from tests?

Velvet nice to c u (haha, see what I did there?) is there an actual date/time/place/thread for the meet up?

Loola was it an HSG they did? Sounds painful. But hopefully with the flush out it might have cleared the tube - not sure if it'll help chances of pg but maybe up chances of not having ectopic

Hairy I would say you sound physically ok but how are you doing mentally? Do you think you would cope with a BFP before you got test results back or would that screw you completely?

So...I think I'm on day 14 and really need to get a shag in tonight if I'll have any chance this month, but don't think it's going to happen and don't think I care, to be frank. I have a list about arms length long of stuff to get done in the next few weeks before leaving and it's one amazing distraction from all of this..(for those who don't know me, I had my 4th mc (3rd consec,) in late Feb., was diagnosed with a clotting factor (leiden factor v) and I have PCOS - was on meds when I MCed the last time and consultant has said progesterone can be added to the mix for next time. Got to get that in writing to take back to NZ with me, I guess

Anyway, I'll be off and on here I think, I feel better for letting it take a back seat in my priorities, and I think taking a break from MN has helped that too.

LOVE the chart - looks spookily similar to my diffed one

freelance my mmc was discovered at 14 weeks, the bean measured 9.5 but my uterus measured 11! I am not sure how that works, I was told that bean could have shrunk but maybe its possible that the uterus can keep growing after bean has stopped? I was certainly bloated and it looked like I had a proper bump (second pregnancy for me too) I remember that I really wanted to feel "normal" afterwards and that meant looking the part too. I hope yours shrinks back fairly quickly.

mouse maybe this red spotting is the clots passing? The meds will make your uterus contract and try to expel whatever is in there, if it doesnt co-incide with a progesterone drop you wont get a full bleed like a period. Are they planning on scanning you again at some point? If so, it would be great if they could tell you if there are any follicles growing on your ovaries (and what size) as this would give you an insight into whether your cycle has started back up again. Are you charting at all? I did manage to detect cycles starting back up again that way despite lack of period. Hope you are enjoying your time off work. xxx

x posts digi WOW a diagnosis!!!! So pleased for you!!! I didnt see this on the recurrent buns thread (its got so huge!) Apologies to anyone who might think it a strange cause for celebration, but I imagine you feel as I did, to finally have all the vagueness removed from the equation and get an explanation for all this suffering, and even better a plan of action that you can really believe in. I am so glad, things just look so much more positive for you now. I wish everywoman was investigated with the attitude of "lets not give up until we find out whats wrong"

hello LadyB Yes, I am feeling brilliant now thanks. Just the very occasional wave of quease to remind me I am pregnant (which made me run off and get scanned - but all is alright!) I am in awe of your energy levels though (DS party - that would wipe me out for a week!) hope your relocation planning is going well.

Thanks mummya My next scan is the 4th of may and I'd love it if the cons could tell me where in my cycle I am and if I should try again. I have started temping again and my temps seem to be of the pre ov variety. I'm so fed up!

Anyway, how are you? How's the sickness? Hope you're feeling well xx

Hey Mouse, welcome to the brown sludge gang! I have had sludge of varying consistencies, just to mix it up a bit. Never boring? Some looking rather like finely chopped prunes (sorry to put anyone off prunes?) which HAS to have been clot-based and now it?s paler and more sludgey. Mine too is only every now and then.

Thanks for your advice too Digi, have commented on how fab I think your appointment was today on t?other thread. Really interesting stuff and so pleased they are so thorough with you.

I think my bowels are definitely a bit weird too but this does feel like a gynae bloat, ie like period being due but never materialising. Nothing smelly or weird though so I don?t think it?s an infection.

Hello Ladybee, yes I have been floating around for a while now and found it v helpful. Aggh, my brain is being a bit dim and not remembering what I have read in the Dr Beers book, I will have a read through tonight and let you know. It?s nothing I haven?t found out from here with all these very clued up ladies and info that is coming back from Dr S et al. What I do remember is it sets out what causes there might be for mc and I think what tests should be done by the doctors. And vitamin D's importance. But I could be making it up now, I have read so much. I intend to start reading it and taking notes so I will do that and post them. I will look out for leiden factor v info for you too.

MummyA that is fascinating info about your uterus (she says, sounding rather odd to anyone in RL :) )! And it makes perfect sense really. I think that must have happened to me too. Did yours go back or did you get pg again quite soon after? I know you are pg but forgotten how long it was between your last mc and the pg.

How brilliant you all are as a resource for information/reassurance/info swapping etc.

mouse roll on 4th of May, lets hope you find out clots are gone then. Pre ov temps are "good" (at least from from my Ashermans skewed way of thinking), much better a cycle that is a bit stalled and hasnt quite kicked started yet, than post ov temps but no period to match. I know its horrible waiting though, so thats probably not much comfort, sorry. I'm OK. I had a whole day of feeling relieved and happy about low mc chances after the 10 week scan, and then immediately started worrying about the nuchal Costa Rica is not being very helpful at the moment. They dont do the bloods for checking for abnormalities anywhere or CVS. I can get amniocentisis at 16 weeks if I want but not by anyone who does them routinely or has done that many I am just praying that the nuchal meaurement comes back miniscule and hopefully I will be reassured enough by that. I tried to see if I could do a quick flight to miami and get some proper tests there, but internet searches keep showing me abortion clinics which isnt quite hitting the right reassurance note.

freelance at having fascinating uterus info. My uterus did go back and after a bit of comfort binge eating/drinking I then went on a crash diet as I was determined to cheer myself up (clothes splurge too, I highly recommend it ) I didnt get pregnant for a year after though. I had no periods for 8 months after mmc, regrowth of placental cells 3 months after mc (but not molar) and then a few months later Ashermans diagnosis and an operation to remove scar tissue. I got my periods back right away and then got pregnant second cycle after treatment. It was a frustratingly long time to wait, but at least all the delays from physical problems meant I had a chance to deal with the grief. I dont know how so many women struggle to deal with a new pregnancy when they are grieving for the previous one, that to me seems very very hard.

Izzy good luck for your scan tomorrow! deep breaths! xxx

Right I am off to try and make chocolate easter eggs with DS and DH. Costa Rica doesnt sell them either, hurrumph!

mummya thanks for your advice, as always you say the right things! I'll post on the other thread later and see if pink can point me in right direction. GP wasnt point blank refusing she just said if St Mary's agreed it was ok she'd prescribe. Have to call them this morning. If I get no joy I'll ring a private GP and go down that route. It's ludicrous what we have to put ourselves through in order to get help. So pleased all is still well with you and that the sickness is fading x

digi awesome news that you've got an answer! Sounds like things will be well on the move for you now which is fantastic news. I've stayed off the recurrent buns thread as it's way too busy for me and I just can't keep up!

battery oooooooo! If mummya says your chart looks good I'll be taking her word for it. FX

Big hello to the rest of you jolls, velvet, izzy, YRMOTB, freezing, mouse, diamonds, Louise, freelance. I think that's everyone! X

knitter hellloooo What a tough tough time you are going through - so glad you are here with us. You are definitely up for some well deserved luck.

mouse how frustrating. I think we need to invite Dr S and his scanner over so he can continuously monitor what is going on in our bodies. Digi I am so glad you are on track and being looked after. I know what you mean about the silver lining!! I am bizarrely hoping for specific issues that they can do something about!

My test results should come back this afternoon or tomorrow. I have an appointment with a gynae tomorrow so hoping I will get them in time.

Blast DDs are awake and so much going on in here - will catch up later. Big hugs all - waves madly at newbies

YEY for some answers Digi thats great news....:)

BB i was going to suggest speaking to pinketypink who has gone private but also is having her pregnancy monitored, MA beat me to it
Hope you are feeling suitably sick and shattered {meant in a nice way of course!}

mouse hope af arrives for you soon, think you've been messed around quite enough but as mummya says at least pre-ov temps are good.

battery how exciting!! Will be stalking with interest...

digi so pleased (if that's the right word) you have a diagnosis - at least there is something positive that can be dealt with.

bb good for you for being proactive - I know we shouldn't have to sort it all out and pay for it ourselves but it's better than taking the risk. Fx St Mary's and your gp between them sort it out today x

when do you go?

aandr best of luck for the test results x

Well I'm starting to panic here, first scan tonight; I should be 8 weeks but terrified it's going to be bad news. Appt not until 5.40 so it's going to be a very long day..

Will be lurking Izzy for update - good luck!!!

ladyB good luck with the move. Having done it the other way around - my only comment is don't be surprised if you get culture shock. I moved to Germany when I was 17 and was expecting it to be different given the foreign language, small town v big town etc. When I moved to the UK I was really thrown by having the same feelings here as I always thought Oz and UK were so similar!

BB good luck with your calling around today. I might chat with the gynae tomorrow to see if I could have something in place with my GP beforehand.

freelance I had bloated stomach and weight after my first mmc. I had actually just 'popped' on the day of the scan (hence complete surprise to find it had stopped growing at 9+4) I think it takes your body a while to figure things out - hence the mmc rather than natural mc, I guess. I had to work rather hard to get rid of it which was actually rather good as it reminded me how much I need exercise to feel human (hmm should have another go at it!!)

Ok off to enjoy the sunshine. Waves to all (sorry incredibly lazy not name checking)

ma did you see this one? in florida

Thanks for more invaluable uterus info MA, just looked up Asherman's again. Was that as a result of the previous mc? And is it good to hear that both you and AandR also had the bloated thing. Yes part of mine is also down the comfort eating and drinking (I have to be very strict on weekdays and work out really hard 4 days a week to maintain an 8-10) but I know it is definitely swollen too and the uterus thing makes sense. Good to hear that both of you managed to get rid of it. I guess I best stop comforting myself so much and hit the gym, health food a bit more. Am doing ok, I mean I am not overweight, but you know what it's like it cheers you up feeling like you look good and after something like a mc it is nice to feel cheered up. I really feel like I need a spa day with lots of treatments and a posh hair cut!

It must be so frustrating having to really work for the care and attention you need in Costa Rica. AND not having any Easter Eggs!! But CR sounds lovely, have always wanted to go, so I guess there are compensations.

izzy hope your scan goes ok, check in later as we will all be thinking about you.

Mouse and other Dr S watchers - maybe we should kidnap him and his equipment, keep him in a big house somewhere.

And BBB yes it is ludicrous all the jumping through hoops. I have said it before but it astounds me and also makes me worry that people who don't find the right info, and who aren't say reading thing these posts and other research, will have little chance of getting any treatment.

LadyBee I had another read through Dr Beer's book last night and it definitely does come up with a lot of info re treatment. More for the docs to prescribe rather that what we can do ourselves. I would suggest you get a copy as it is really good reading, although it does take a bit of concentration - probably more concentration than I am giving it when I get into bed around midnight. If you can't get it yourself let me know and in a few weeks I can lend you my copy if you fancy.

Hello everyone else!

digi great news that you finally have a diagnosis and a plan!

Hey all
Just a very quick catch-up here as I really do have to work today ( Freelance your description of some of your non-working "work" days sounded very familiar, made me . I am now suffering from a few too many of non-work work days too)

Welcome to Diamonds and Louise

and a big welcome back to Knitter, so sorry that you've been through so much. Life really can be cruel sometimes.

Battery afraid I don't really understand the chart thing so I will take the others word for it, but eek sussies at the ready!

BB good luck with getting the prog, and I'm dancing round the kitchen again for you coz the upduffedness news makes me do that kind of thing

digi great news that you have a plan, that's really positive

Izzy will be thinking of you this evening

I'm abit arrghh and at the moment. So much for the SMEP - I don't think I've ov'd this month. I only got a couple of less feint opk's last week but not positive according to instructions. Plus no EWCM - sorry probably TMI . Bloody typical. I'm really torn between trying to be more proactive about giving myself best chance to pregnant and trying not to overanalyse things and get stressed out. I just wondered has anyone else who uses opks had not very positive positives IYSWIM?

big waves to everyone else jolls, hairy, wiggle, AandR, mouse, zam, ladybee, MA, YRMOTB, Loola, velvet, chloe, blackkat

...right now I WILL work

digi that was a great x-post last night, good to see your results, haven't made it make to the recurrent buns thread yet - am rationing time on MN. I never got to Shehata and don't think I'll manage it, but will look it up when I get to NZ, I'm sure someone will at least be able to email him about the testing or things can be sent.

Izzy good luck chick, I really hope you get to be one of the happy smiley ladies coming out of the room

Freezing how many times did you use the OPKs? once a day or twice? I used the clearblue fertility monitor previously, although stopped last time, and haven't used it again yet this time around. But my impression of the test sticks is that the results can depend on hitting what can be quite a short timeframe for the LH surge? So maybe you got the beginning and tail-end of the surge but not the peak IFYSWIM? It's so hard to know isn't it - really my only way to know is through temping, but I'm not doing that yet either ( you can tell, my heart isn't really into this at the moment, can't you ).

• If you didn't ovulate yet, then your body might give it another go, so maybe keep eyes peeled for signs.
• Did you shag anyway? then it doesn't really matter either way.

YRMOTB ooohhhh, that place looks really good, just what I was looking for. Thanks! Hope they dont turn out to be ludicrously expensive - I am a bit fearful of US prices for hospital type stuff, will check it out today.

freelance I got Ashermans from the crap labour ward nurse delivery of DS (in the UK by the way). The third stage was completely mismanaged, I had retained placenta which wasnt noticed for a month and then a very dramatic emergency ERPC. This caused scar tissue in the fundus of the uterus (where embryo's implant) which grew for 2 years and became very dense, and caused my mmc. After the mmc I had another ERPC and that one caused scarring of the cervix. It closed over completely so I had no periods. It was "lucky" in a way, because the no periods things alerted me that something was seriously wrong (despite all the doctors just telling me to wait for it to come back - for 8 months!) After my operation I learned about the original scar tissue which would have gone undiscovered and caused repeat mc's forever! Being in Costa Rica has had its advantages in some ways - private healthcare is much more affordable here than in the UK, so I have been able to get loads of blood tests/scans etc for this pregnancy - the nuchal thing is political. Its a catholic country and abortion is illegal, so they dont offer screening tests because if you get bad news there is no sollution to offer. I also had a really hard time getting medical management drugs for my mmc for the same reason, as they are effectively "abortion pills" I had to sign a million forms and show all my scan results and signed doctors letters to prove the baby had already died. Not a pleasant process to go through when you are sad to have lost your baby.

Freezing I had plenty of times when OPK's didnt work but temping and other signs showed me I did ovulate. I decided in my case it is a fast LH surge and easy to miss. I tested twice a day with cheapies and tended to see the "most positive" looking one in the morning and not as the instruction packet says in the afternoon. Have you tried anything to increase EGCM? Drinking more water, evening primrose oil, grapefruit juice, Guaifenesin?

ok I have some test results and wouldn't mind some opinions. My TSH level 1.07 Urea 5.7 (?) and antibodies normal (I assume this means no antibodies?). No info on t3 or t4 yet.

That's one hell of an experience you went through there MummyA, what a total and complete nightmare. How frustrating that the problems were caused by blunders, a series of them no less. Thank goodness you have had the wherewithal to take charge yourself and find out what you need and ask for it. No easy feat though.

AandR that is a very good TSH result. Spot on. Anything that is creeping towards 2 and over, imo (and I have been dealing with thyroid probs for 15 years) is not good. So that's one good result. Was it thyroid antibodies or others that were normal? I was tested for a whole range and only the thyroid were high. Can't tell you about Urea but can about the other thyroid hormones so let me know. But if thyroid antibodies and tsh are ok, I imagine t3 and t4 will be. Though they are not always.

I actually have some test results too. TSH is ok at 0.03, a little bit low but fine, T4 is ok at 16, thyroid antibodies have gone down from 429 to 400 (not sure if that is significant - have been taking selenium), Vit D is 24.8 which I think might be normal for some people and slightly on the low side for others, Ferritin is 29 which I think is normal but veering towards the low and anticardiolipin antibodies serum was IGG 0.6, IGM 2.5, which I am not really sure what that means.

Anyone can shed any light on these do let me know!

Hi there girlies! Hope you are all fine...just had a very good, productive day. Managed to get lots of work done, mowed the garden, put some new plants down in the front garden and cleaned the house from top to bottom (hoovered AND dusted!). Feeling like I've turned a corner now. the brown discharge is continuing, but I think as I'm so full of beans at the mo, things may be resuming back to normal (touch wood!). No pains or anything, which is fantastic. For approx four weeks I've felt like death warmed up, couldn't see the wood for the trees. Just goes to show there's hope for all of us! Will name check another day, when the weather isn't so conducive to laziness! Forgive me lovelies x

Hi AandR this site shows what the "normal" ranges are for FSH, T3 and T4 and what out of range values might mean. Is urea for kidney function? Sounds like you are getting a thorough workover

freelance Yeah, the blunder thing really gets to me sometimes, for a long time after the birth I had horrible flashbacks and a bit of PTSD about it all. Two midwives that I saw afterwards encouraged me to complain, but I was so busy being a new mum, I just decided to put it all behind me. When I found out that it caused AS and a mc, I thought about suing the NHS (it would be nice to recoup the the thousands of ££ i have paid in private treatment), but never really got up the resolve. It will be 3 years in June so after that I wont be able to. Its wierd as well how being pregnant brings it all back, I have been thinking about the birth a lot, its such a shame that it all went so wrong, because up until the 3rd stage I had a brilliant text book natural birth and it was wonderful.
Your test results sound like a foriegn language to me, but you seem to understand them OK. Where did you find out the normal ranges?

diamonds glad you are feeling better