Sixth Form Common Room part IV - ttc and pregnancy post mc

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Roll up, roll up...

This is the place to be if you are ttc post mc / pregnancy loss and need a little spot to call home.

Hi ladies,
Amandine and Tomboy, on Monday I called the EPU for the results of my BHCG blood test, from the Friday, and it was 178. They asked me to go straight over (luckily I work just down the road!), and get my level to checked again, to see if it had doubled. I got the result on Tuesday, and it was 395, so it had doubled. Although that was positive news, the only was to rule out an ectopic is for another scan, so I'm booked in at 10.30 tomorrow, and will also see one of the consultants. I have been having some brown bleeding and a bit of cramping, which has been quite worrying- EPU didn't seem to concerned about this. I had been trying to carry on as normal, but combined with my stressful job, and having had a horrible cough and cold, it all got a bit much for me on Thursday, so I went home sick, and have had a lazy few days, just looking after DCs and a bit of light housework, and lots of trashy TV! Am petrified about the scan tomorrow.

Amandine, they say that nausea reaches a peak at about 9 weeks, so hopefully you should be over the worst of it soon, but I understand about it being reassuring at the same time. No real nausea for me yet- just a couple of times but it's passed quickly. But my boobs are killing! Much more than last time I was pregnant, I am hoping, in a weird kind of way, that the nausea does kick in soon! Congrats on having a little bump :-). x

Good luck for tomorrow moomin. I had cramping in the early days of this pregnancy, it's just all the stretching I'm sure. My ms with dd never really eased, it got gradually worse and peaked at around 14 weeks, then got better through the day but I absolutely had to be in bed by midnight if I didn't want to be sick! Which doesn't really combine well with night shifts! I vomited most of my honeymoon and wedding night , that'll teach me for getting pregnant before the wedding

Well, I had the scan, but it was still inconclusive, which doesn't really bode well . I was actually a bit confused, as every other early scan I've had, I've ended up having an internal one, due to my tilted uterus. However, I told the sonographer this, and she carried on to do an abdominal one. The free fluid in the pelvis had gone, the cyst (which she now thinks is a corpus luteum) was still 18mm, my uterine lining had thickened to 14mm, but there was possible retained products of conception and no sac visible. This apparently could mean that I've had another early miscarriage. I then had to have another BHCG blood test, will get the results tomorrow, then might have to have it repeated if it is still rising. Then, I'll have another scan next Tuesday, unfortunatley DH can't come, as he's got to get DD to school. They still haven't completely ruled out an ectopic- my BHCG result will need to be at least between 1600-3200 from last time. I would have thought that if they were falling though, my boobs wouldn't have got increasingly tender since last week, and I can't stand the smell of our antibacterial cleaning spray! It's horrible being in limbo, I would just love to be able to official say that I am pregnant, and not just that I don't know what is going on!

moomin I'm really that she didn't do a fanjocam - I thought that was standard before 8 weeks? I haven't got a tilted uterus and my early scans have always been internal. I fail to see how she would have seen an early pregnancy with an external scan! When do you get your blood results?

I was really surprised too, Amandine. Last time I was pregnant, I went for a scan thinking I was 6 weeks, and they couldn't see anything abdominally either, so they did a internal one, and saw a sac, measuring 5 week. Then, 13 days later, I went back, abdominally it looked like an empty sac, but with the fanjocam they saw the embryo and heartbeat (measuring 6 weeks 4 days). Considering this is the same EPAU, and the fact that they need to rule out an ectopic, it just doesn't make sense. I've found information in the internet that says that BHCG needs to be about 6500 to see a sac transabdominally, going on my last BHCG result, it won't be that high yet! They aren't the ones having to go through it though! I've got to call at 11am tomorrow for the blood result.

Totally ridiculous not to do an internal. I had internals until about 11 weeks - my first scan at 6 weeks they could barely see anything externally! I'd insist on an internal at the next scan if the hcg is rising - if the sonographer refuses demand a second opinion. Utterly ridiculous at your gestation to do an external scan. You wouldn't expect to see anything...

Moomin definately insist on an internal - my early ones, and those when I actually did have an ectopic, were all internal. I can't believe they're making you wait even longer in limbo now. Have you had the results back yet?

I'm feeling more positive about evertything this week. My due date was Thurs last week and now that its over I feel like I can start again. Plus on Friday my first AF since the ERPC in Nov finally arrived. I have an appt with the fertility clinic tomorrow so hoping I can somehow get back on track now.

Dachs and Lily, you're right. They called me today to give me yesterday's BHCG result (3575). While the midwife was on the phone, I told her that I was suprised, that given the gestation (which I'm not 100% sure about, but somewhere around 5 weeks) and that I have a titled uterus, I was not offered a transvaginal scan. She didn't really say much, just that I needed to come back for another BHCG blood test tomorrow, and the next scan next Tuesday. Lily- glad that you're feeling more positive. Can I ask you a question- at what point did your ectopic show up, and did you have symptoms? Everytime I speak to the EPAU they keep quizzing me about any bleeding, abdominal pain or shoulder-tip pain. I think they're convinced it's ectopic- it's just so crazy that they wouldn't do that flipping internal scan!

Moomin I think you need to put your foot down and demand a scan tomorrow. If your levels are still rising they should do an internal and get you an answer one way or the other. I didn't have any shoulder tip pain, but i did have dark watery bleeding on and off. I had pain deep in my bowels which was much worse when I squatted or sat down. This is what made me go to the doctors - I didn't know I was pg at the time, having assumed the bleeding was AF. Do you have any pain? Its almost certainly not ectopic but they are being very lax in terms of your care by not doing an internal scan to be sure - particularly if they keep asking about shoulder tip pain etc.

This part is really not intended to scare you, but more to point out that you need to be insistent for them to take things seriously. I found out after my ectopic that very few people actually get the typical shoulder tip pain - this is because it only happens when the ectopic starts bleeding into the abdominal cavity and irritates the phrenic nerve which runs to your shoulder. Hospitals, gps etc seem very uneducated in general about ectopics. I learnt a lot from the ectopic pregnancy trust. Sadly my hospital were rubbish and it went from 'normal pg' to 'miscarriage' to 'threatened mc' to 'pg of unknown location' with overnight stay in hosp, to 'all fine, go home, normal pg', to 'oops we missed that on the first scan' and cue emergency surgery. I won't set foot in that particular hospital now, and my second ectopic was dealt with much more efficiently and luckily for me resolved itself with no treatment needed, but they did scan and monitor me very closely.

Hope you are managing to stay sane, let me know how you get on, and fx for a scan showing a healthy pg in exactly the right place

Hi Moomin I've not posted on here for a while but I have been reading and I just wanted to say that I agree with lily wholeheartedly - you need to be demanding an internal scan urgently.

I also don't want to scare you and I hope that your pregnancy is exactly where it should be but my ectopic was discovered at 5w4d and resulted in emergency surgery (inc removal of my tube) I didn't know I was pregnant as I'd had what I thought was a normal period at the right time. My signs were left sided pain and some bleeding which initially I put down to ovulation until I started to feel unwell and dizzy. The day I had surgery my HCG level was 1500 and they could clearly see the pregnancy in my left tube and the bleeding into my pelvis on an internal scan!

Please ring them tomorrow and make sure they scan you asap.

I'm keeping everything crossed that you have a very healthy bean all snuggled up in the right place Do keep us posted.
x

Hi ladies,

I posted a few weeks/months ago when I was first pregnant, I had a second MMC a couple of weeks ago (first was early Sept). We went for a 12 week scan to show the baby had stopped growing at 10 weeks. I was feeling really numb but have started to feel human again. I'm now looking to the next pregnancy, waiting for the test results from the ERPC and my next AF - I think I've stopped bleeding but I've been really worried that I've got an infection as I wasn't given any antibiotics (is that normal? I was given 2 lots with the first).

So I just thought I'd say hello!

Moomin Hope you get the scan you shoddl have already had!! Can't believe that. And fingers crossed for you xx

Ox

Ostrich I'm so sorry.

Re: antibiotics, there are different schools of thought on whether to give them as a precautionary measure. Some doctors think that unless you actually have an infection, antibiotics could do more harm than good (by killing off the weak bacteria and giving the strong, antibiotic-resistant bacteria a clear run).

Moomin thinking of you. I hope you get answers soon, and they're good ones!

Ostrich you poor thing, two in a row is really hard to deal with. Take time to heal emotionally as well as physically. As Tomboy says, different hospitals take different approaches. I wasn't given any antibiotics after mine, but was told to monitor bleeding and if it went on for more than a couple of weeks or anything looked unusual to go straight to GP. Have they organised a follow up scan? I've just had mine today for the erpc in november.

Moomin any news? Hope you are ok.

Well, I had my appt at the fertility clinic today, and the new consultant is lovely, so kind and actually took the time to talk through everything with us. Came away with 3 months of clomid to try again and the offer of investigations to make sure my remaining tube is ok (declined for now but good to know they ae happy to check). I will actually be monitored on the clomid this time too, with day 21 bloods and bloods every 7 days thereafter until af arrives.

Thanks Tomboy and Lily x

No follow up scan offered - didn't get one with the first either....
Bleeding keeps stopping and starting though it's always very light and showed up again this morning when yesterday was clear - I HATE sanitary towels, even the tiny ones. Think I'll go to the doctors if it's still going on next week.

I had a call from the hospital today trying to book me a 12 week scan! I'd spoken to the midwife last week to tell her what had happened and asked her take me off any lists I'm on. Last time I had a letter from the hospital and call from a mw around 20 weeks. I've written a stern email, asking the hospital in question, what they are doing to stop this from happening again - I wonder how long it'll take them to respond.....
Anyone else had to deal with this?

Good luck with the clomid Lily x

Ostrich, hope you're bearing up. It's a horrible thing to go through. If you're bleeding still, I would go to see the GP, Particularly if it doesn't stop in the next couple of days. If it's really prolonged, it could be a sign if some 'retained products', this is what happened to me after my ERPC in October. Otherwise, it could just be your body taking time to settle down. How awful that twice the hospital has contacted you about appointments after M/C. They really ought to have stricter procedures in place to prevent this from happening.

Well, my BHCG had gone up to 6800 on Wednesday, but they have refused to give me an another scan until the one booked on Tuesday, apparently this is upon the advice of the consultant, and because my BHCG is increasing at a normal rate. It is ridiculous- a quick 5-10 minute internal scan might have actually saved them time, as I've either had to go in or call them nearly everyday until yesterday. At least it's only 3 days away now, and should I show any worrying symptoms, A & E is literally only 5 minutes from my house. I haven't had any pain, and the brownish discharge I had stopped on Monday. If my HGC levels carry on increasing as they have been, the scan should show for definite if it's in the uterus or not. I will, however, insist on an internal one!

Lily, glad the consultant was nice, and hope you have success with the Clomid! xx

Moomin hope all goes well today, let us know how you get on x

Well it's good news from the moomin house. I was so nervous about the scan this morning, but the sonographer found a gestational sac straightaway (and in the right place!), and then when she had a closer look, first appeared a yolk sac, and then a tiny 6 week embryo, measuring 4.8mm, and a miniscule flickering heartbeat. And all of this without an internal scan! The relief was immense, my mum (who came with me as DH had to take kids to school), burst into tears, and I couldn't stop shaking. I then spoke to one of the midwives who'd seen me a few times over the last 2 1/2 weeks, and she said that they had all been convinced it was ectopic. I told her my fears, that I have been at this stage before, then found out I's had a MMc at 13 weeks. She reassured me that if the spotting persists, or if my symptoms disappear etc, I can call them at any time and have another scan. Knowing this really helps- it won't prevent anything from going wrong, but if it did, I could deal with it at an earlier stage. x

Moomin that's excellent news. I'm still that they didn't do an internal before when they were all convinced it was ectopic, but at least they were wrong. I'm so pleased for you that all is well. Fx for an uneventful few months now!

Fabulous news Moomin! Here's wishing you a healthy and happy pregnancy x

Hooray Moomin!

That's lovely news, yay Moomin! Good luck xxx

Thank you ladies!
lily, I'm still shocked that they didn't do an internal scan before too. Even more so after they told me that they had been convinced it was ectopic! It's borderline negligent (without sounding like a drama queen!) If it had been ectopic, it could have been so dangerous, leaving me to my own devices without fully examining me. Still, I'm v v pleased that it's in the right place! Still very early days, and definitely not out of the woods for a long time, but I am going to try to be more positive this time! The morning, noon and night nausea is helping in a way, despite being very unpleasant.

Am moving over to the freak out room now, but will carry on lurking to see how you are all getting on. I wish you all lots of luck, and hope that you all get pregnant very soon.

xxx

Hello, how is everyone?

I'm not having such a great time...it's a year today since I found out I was going to miscarry, a year on Monday (also my dad's birthday so a date I'll never forget) since I went in for treatment. And at the same time as struggling with that my grandad (and last living grandparent) died yesterday.

I'm struggling with the constant nausea and tiredness, and without a scan date yet to mental over look forward to I just can't really accept this pregnancy at all. My mw is lovely, and wrote on the scan request form yesterday about my mc in the hope I'll get a date quickly, but I'm still thinking it'll be a few weeks. She also told me that whilst she understands why I want another cs and she'll support me, I'll have to really fight my corner to get one. Great.

Amandine sorry to hear you're having such a rough time. How many weeks are you now? I'm a little surprised you don't have your scan date yet. I got mine pretty quickly after telling my GP I was up the duff.

Hang in there!

I'm on CD9 or so. My last cycle was longish again (35 days when pre-mc I was usually 26 or 27), so I'm not really sure if all my cylinders are firing yet. I'm tired of waiting.

Hello ladies,

Amandine hope you are feeling better - sorry to hear about your Grandad, that must have been so difficult on top of everything else as well. I hope you get a scan date through really soon, I do think they should be more understanding about the need for a date as soon as they can. Be kind to yourself and just take a day at a time. x

Tomboy do you monitor your cycles or temp or anything? I don't at the moment, but did find that temping every day gave me something to focus on previously and more idea of what was going on with my cycles. A month seems like such a long time, doesn't it.

No news here, I'm most of the way through my first 2ww since last spring, already caved in and tested yesterday - bfn. I'm trying not to think about things too much, but clearly that isn't working. AF due on Friday so will test again then I think.