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Conception

When's the best time to get pregnant? Use our interactive ovulation calculator to work out when you're most fertile and most likely to conceive.

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Original poster

Looks like we can get 'pregnant' - its just holding onto it that's the problem! :-(

20 replies

3isamagicnumber · 08/12/2011 13:19

We've been TTC for the past 7 months and in that time have had at least 3 (maybe 4) positive pregnancy tests - but within a week, the symptons have subsided and old AF has turned up!
I get the symptoms such as weeing more, feeling sick, tiredness etc. about the week before AF is due, so I get very excited, do a pregnancy test and find out its positive!! Happy happy joy joy....
3-7 days later, symptoms gone and AF shows up!! Not so happy happy joy joy!!

Obviously this has brought lots of heartache, up and down emotions (and hormones!) and I just dont know what's going on!

On a positive note, it looks like the old egg and sperm are ok but maybe there is a problem wit implantation / my womb (not a good environment to grow a little one?).

Just wondered if anyone else has experienced this and if there is anything I / w can do about it??
Thanks!!

OP posts:

beangrower · 08/12/2011 13:23

Get straight to your GP and stress you have had at least 3 MCs. They will take notice of this many MCs. Sounds like the hormones aren't kicking in after implantation. But they should be able to sort this out and as you say at least you are getting off the starting block. Good luck - I'm sure it will be fixed. Read up on aspirin too; I seem to remember this is very important for some women at this stage in their pregnancy. But stress you need to see a doctor straight away.

SecretSparkle · 08/12/2011 13:30

This reply has been deleted

The OP has privacy concerns about this post and so we've agreed to take it down.

Original poster

3isamagicnumber · 08/12/2011 13:35

Thankyou.

I've used a range of tests including First Response, Boots own brand ones and really cheap ones from Poundland (prob not the best I know!)

As for the docs, well he does know about one of the MC's as the first time I got a positive test, I went straight there. Bleeding started about a day later so he sent me straight to the hospital to get it checked out. Another week later, it was confirmed I wasnt pregnant anymore :(

Didnt bother going to the doc the other times as found it quite upsetting saying I was pregnant (he booked in with the midwife and it went on my notes etc.) only for it not to last - just seemed like a waste of time.

OP posts:

lovechocolate · 08/12/2011 13:37

I agree with beangrower. You need to go to the doctor. I had exactly the same problem. After 3 miscarriages I was referred to the recurrent miscarriage unit. All the blood tests showed there was no reason why I couldn't have children. They discovered that I conceived every time I tried to but my body saw it as a foreign body and rejected each pregnancy. The changes that should occur in the womb didnt so it resulted in miscarriage. It was easily sorted by having a scrape to change my immune system and taking cyclogest suppositories (nice!!) and heparin injections every day. I now have two beautiful children :) good luck with it all

Original poster

3isamagicnumber · 08/12/2011 14:06

Thanks again for your replies.

I guess because the pregnancies ended so quickly - I couldnt have been more than 5 weeks pregnant either time - I hadn't really seen it as a 'proper' pregnancy or miscarriage. I think a trip to the docs would be wise though.

OP posts:

razzdazz · 08/12/2011 14:37

Firstly, sorry to hear that you have gone through this.....I have walked that awful path of hope followed by such upset.
I had 4 m/c in a row, chemical pregnancies I believe, while I was waiting for proper investigations the fertility nurse suggested that I take small dose of 75mg aspirin if I was to concieve again. I started taking it the week after ovulation and baby actually became a sticky one!!! Did the same thing with my current pregnancy also. No idea if it was the aspirin that helped but I at least felt like I was doing all I could do. Good luck, hope all becomes well.

Original poster

3isamagicnumber · 08/12/2011 15:12

Lovechoc - how long was it from diagnosis to treatment to you conceiving?

Razzdazz - thankyou so much for that advice, might start taking some aspirin now! Def worth a try! :)
Thankyou!!

OP posts:

farfallarocks · 08/12/2011 15:15

3 you poor thing, its awful isn't it?

The same thing has happened to me twice now and like you, I seem to conceive reasonably easy but am losing them very early at 5 weeks. It could just be bad luck. My consultant has said that of every 100 conceptions only 30 implant properly to be picked up by the less sensitive tests (not first response etc)

However, it is worth investigating further and I certainly did.
I will also have to take heparin in my next pregnancy as they have found I have an 'impaired fibrosomething response' i.e. I don't break down clots quickly enough and this can prevent implantation.
There is also evidence to support that aspirin and progesterone can help in these situations but only if a doc recommends it as aspirin can also have a negative effect.
My GP took it all very serious and referred me. I have seen both a private consultant and a rmc on the NHS and neither of them made me feel like I was making a fuss over nothing (I was concerned that they might because they were so early or 'just a late period' as my lovely MIL put it!!!!)
They may refer to it as a chemical pregnancy,. don;t be upset by this terminology it simply means that the pregnancy can only be picked up by a test (i.e. chemically) and not via scan.

love I am very interested to hear about your scrape, what did that involve and which clinic were you in?

Goldrill · 08/12/2011 15:30

Similar thing here - two in a row and think I might be pregnant a third time but am refusing to test till 6 weeks as I really don't want to go through all those emotions again. I'm still BF 1 yo DD though, so I suspect an excess of prolactin and lack of progesterone as possibilities - have started taking B6 supplements and keeping fingers crossed. I'm also shortly to be 37, so if it happens again I will be at the docs like a shot and will definitely make sure it's taken seriously!

I had a much later miscarraige a few years ago and it didn't seem as bad as that so I just carried on as normal: the second one this time seems to have affected me much more. We got pregnant first try with DD, with no problems at all and the fact we don't seem to be able to now is worrying me hugely. But I do look on the bright side sometimes - I gather you're recomended to SWI every other day whilst TTC: we manage it about once a fortnight but have still got lucky twice - so at least that bit is ok!

Hope we all get this resolved soon...

Original poster

3isamagicnumber · 08/12/2011 16:38

Thank you ladies, this is a big help!! :)

I will be making a docs appointment as soon as poss and take it from there.
I've also bought some aspirins (just 75mg once a day so shouldnt do any harm and hopefully actually might help!)

I know it could all just be bad luck and nature taking its course etc., its just that I'm impatient and want a baby so badly!!!!! At least me and DH are enjoying the SWI and trying to stick to the 'every other day' recommendation, whoop! :o

OP posts:

Original poster

3isamagicnumber · 08/12/2011 18:15

Hmm... just been reading up on aspirin during pregnancy and in most caszes it says to avoid it unless recommended by a doctor??!! So maybe I should wait until I see what the doc says next week...
You never know what to do for the best sometimes huh???!!

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lovechocolate · 09/12/2011 05:28

Hi again

3, after the third miscarriage I was referred to recurrent miscarriage unit at queen charlottes maternity hospital. My doc was professor brosen, he was excellent can't recommend him highly enough! I lost a 4th when seeing him and that was on the medication. It was then he did the scrape and I conceived with my daughter straight away. I know it's hard but it will be worth it in the end :)

Far, the doc decided to do the scrape/ biopsy after 4th loss as he explained that if he changed the immune system the egg may not be rejected. I had two scrapes and conceived both my successful pregnancies that month. My doc was trialling different treatments so when I explained to a doctor where I live now (abroad) he wouldn't do a scrape as not heard of it before but asked for my doctor in London to send info on it. I didn't understand all the technicalities of it!!

farfallarocks · 09/12/2011 09:45

Thanks for that love I had never heard of that, were all your losses very early, i.e. chemical pregnancies?

beginnings · 09/12/2011 18:20

Another one here in the same position. I ended going down the ivf route but that was because I have a low egg reserve so also have an issue conceiving. It turns out I have an over zealous immune system so was on prednisolone for the first 14 weeks. I also have thrombophilia which is a clotting disorder which was affecting implantation. I'm taking a blood thinner daily to deal with that. Am 20+1 now and all (knock on wood) is well. Definitely go to the doctor and do not leave until you've been listened to and referred on! Oh, I'm also on aspirin which helps with the thinning of blood obviously and also apparently, to prevent pre eclampsia!

halterskalter · 09/12/2011 18:47

I had two mc, both at 6 and a bit weeks, last year and we are about to start trying again after a bit of time off; I asked my doctor about APS recently and maybe taking aspirin even if I've not been diagnosed (the NHS won't test until you have 3 m/c). He said if everyone took a low dose aspirin a day, 20% of people would have stomach bleeds, so it's best not to take it and run that risk unless you KNOW you are actually treating a real problem.

Having said that, I think if I get pg again I will take it though as I don't want to go through another m/c thank you very much. It was going to be 800 quid for a possible non-conclusive set of tests for APS if we went private!

lovechocolate · 09/12/2011 23:45

Far, all my miscarriages were between 9 and 12 weeks. I lost 4 then a successful pregnancy then lost two before having another successful pregnancy. The problem with conceiving everytime is even when most women's bodies would miscarry a 'bad' egg my body didn't so many women would have lost those pregnancies earlier and wouldn't know they were pregnant at all. Added to that my body would then reject all pregnancies (good or bad ones) between 9-12 weeks. Hope that makes sense!

Original poster

3isamagicnumber · 11/12/2011 18:08

Thanks again for your replies. It's nice to know that other people are going through the same sort of thing - did feel a bit alone with it all to be honest. DH is fantastic but haven't told anyone else we are ttc so can't talk about it to anyone. Docs Appt booked in for Tues, will let you know what is said...

OP posts:

Original poster

3isamagicnumber · 15/12/2011 09:46

Hi again,

I went to the docs yesterday and she sent me straight for a blood test - thogh I think she sid they were just checking HGC levels to make sure after my most recent MC, the hormone levels had returned to normal. I need to go back next week to get the results and then she said we'd take it from there thogh likely to get referred to a recurrent MC unit and have more blood tests.
Am happy with this, at least it feels like I'm doing something useful! Though, esp because Christmas / New Year is going to get in the way in terms of doc / hospital appointments, I still want to keep ttc in the meantime so might try the aspirin route.

Razz - when did you start taking aspirin and for how long? Going off what you previosuly said, Im thinking from about day 15 for a week or so (from conception to implantation?)

Anyone else have any advice on the taking of aspirin, when, and for how long?

Many Thanks!! :)

OP posts:

worldgonecrazy · 15/12/2011 09:52

I would ask for a specialist referral as advice changse so frequently your GP may not be up to date. During IVF I researched about giving the embryo the best chances and for one round we were told to take baby aspirin and the next time we were told not to take it, so who knows.

For my succesful pregnancy I was on Metformin for 6 months before and the first 4 months of the pregnancy, on baby aspirin for the 2ww, and a hormonal pessary for the first 2 months.

Good luck - we were told during IVF that actually being physically able to get pregnant is often the biggest hurdle.

Original poster

3isamagicnumber · 20/12/2011 18:06

Went th docs today - he has now referred me to the recurrent miscarriage unit and said I should expect to be seen in about 8 weeks.
He did seem a little reluctant to refer me as he said we havent been trying for too long (7 months) but that the 'criteria' is 3 miscarriages so I do meet that!
He said theres a good chance we could conceive (and hold on to it!) before I get seen anyway - just natures ways!
He said as I didnt have any of the risk factors (ill health, infections, etc.) and that me and DH are in good health and the fact we are actually getting pregnant, it could just be bad luck and to keep trying!!
The final thing he said was when I asked about aspirin - he said he wouldnt advise taking it. Am tempted though after some of the posts on here???!! But probably wont...

Any other advice / similar experiences please? Thanks!!

OP posts:

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