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Original poster

Miscarriage at 5wks now Pregnancy Symptoms 3+ weeks later

33 replies

Baxter2014 · 02/01/2014 17:37

Hi there - I am new to this forum but have been reading some wonderful advice from everyone over the past few months as me and my OH have been trying to conceive. I thought I would write this to get some specific advice for my situation.

So after just under 6 months of trying (I am 32yrs old) I found out I was pregnant on 5 Dec. I had no real symptoms other than bloating. After a few days of brown spotting and mild cramps, I noticed blood when I wiped after going to the loo on 10 Dec (I was 5 +3 at this stage). This continued for 4 days - never enough to use a sanitary towel (a panty liner would do) and the cramping was mild - moderate. Tbh it was just like a normal period for me just quite light (although the devastation was overwhelming). After visiting my GP on day 1 he gave me little advice other than that I could try again as soon as we felt ready. I wasnt offered a scan or bloodwork.

We were keen to conceive again as soon as possible and have DTD a few times since the bleeding stopped. I have done a few cheapo pregnancy tests since and have not yet got a negative result.

My concern is that a couple of days ago (thats about 3+ weeks after the miscarriage started, if you dont count the brown spotting) I got extremely sensitive nipples (red hot poker style), swollen veiny breasts, bloating and mild cramps. I did a CB test which said pregnant 1-2. I don't know if it is residual hormones or a new pregnancy. I have never had symptoms like this, not before a period or during the previous pregnancy which makes me think this is something different, but it would surely be too early for a new pregnancy to show up on a test, and if there is residual HcG how could I ovulate in the first place and why would I have 3 weeks with absolutely no symptoms for them to show up with a vengeance?!

I am driving myself mad trying to work this out. I have an appointment with the GP tomorrow but feel it will be a waiting game to see if the HcG is rising or falling.

Would love some advice from ladies in a similar position. Sorry for the epically long post, just wanted to ensure I covered all the details!

OP posts:
permaquandry · 02/01/2014 17:49

Just wondering if you'd be better off phoning your local EPU in the morning and getting an appt there?

Your situation must be very confusing. I am no expert but would be very surprised if you'd still be getting positives from what you thought was a miscarriage from 3 weeks ago? That's why I think you'd be better off going to the EPU so they can do full hormone blood test and a scan.

Good luck.

Blueuggboots · 02/01/2014 17:51

Are you sure it was a MC and not an implantation bleed?

impatientlywaiting · 02/01/2014 17:56

What a confusing time for you. I'm not an expert in any of this, but had something similar happen.

Miscarried at 5 weeks, positive pregnancy test 3 weeks and 5 days after bleeding started with a new pregnancy. So it could be a new pregnancy. I had both a scan and quantitative HCG test when I miscarried though so I knew that it was new.

I hope that your GP can help tomorrow, at the very least I hope that they do a HCG test to show whether your HCG is rising in line with a new pregnancy.

Fingers crossed for you.

Original poster
Baxter2014 · 02/01/2014 17:58

Thanks for the replies.

Blueuggboots - I did wonder but If I hadn't miscarried then I would be 8+ weeks and the CB only came back as week 1-2 and the IC I have done have also been very faint lines, so something would be def wrong :(

Permaquandry - maybe you are right but my Gps appoint is at 0910 tomorrow morning so he may refer me anyway. I know the HcG can take a while to drop, but I thought that seeings I was so early in my pregnancy and had no real symptoms it would be out of my system fairly quickly.

I'll let you know what the Dr says...

OP posts:
permaquandry · 02/01/2014 18:14

I think the cb gives a number of weeks from conception. is it 1-2 weeks since you started ttc again? I have always known I was preg before a test, with the symptoms you describe, but these are normally 2 weeks from conception (obv, with hindsight I have been able to work this out).

Do keep us posted, will be thinking of you tomorrow.

MissHobart · 02/01/2014 19:07

I've had 2 mc @ 5+weeks and the bleeding was not light, from your description it sounds more like implatation (fingers crossed). I've learnt from these forums that the cb digital can be quite unreliable (up to 10 days out!) so I'd go with a pregnant/not pregnant thought rather than a how long one. If it's showing 1-2 you could be 1 or 5+ from conception!

Did the doctor give you a test when you went to see him or just take your word that you had mc'd? Take a +/- test first thing and go from there! I don't think if you'd mc'd that you would still have hormones by now. I called my epu when mine started and they said to take a test in 1 week and if it was positive to call them, I think they would expect a negative result after a week if there has been an mc.

However I am no medical professional!

In my own experience I had your symptoms which stopped almost overnight leading up to the mc so I wouldn't have thought they would go and come back if you're not still pregnant!

Take a test, if it's positive you're pregnant until confirmation that you're not! I wish you luck! Let us know how it goes! Smile

permaquandry · 03/01/2014 10:15

Good luck today, let us know how you get on.

CallingAllEngels · 03/01/2014 10:20

Baxter I had a mc mid-October at 6 weeks and my HCG still wasn't 0 one week before Christmas. Had a blood test earlier in the week and hoping for all clear from hospital today. I didn't get a BFN till early December so it can take a long time to settle.

They really need to scan you to make sure that either the mc was complete or that your sympt I ms are due to a new pg.

Good luck today.

CallingAllEngels · 03/01/2014 10:21

Oh and I still had strong pg symptoms 3 weeks post-mc due to the high levels of HCG still in my blood.

Original poster
Baxter2014 · 03/01/2014 10:22

Hello lovely ladies, thank you for your kind wishes.

I went to see the GP today and he sent me to the hospital for a blood test to determine the HCG levels. He said we should ring the surgery around 6pm to get the results. I think I have worked out in my head there are a few possibilities:

[1] I did not have a miscarriage, it was an early pregnancy bleed - unlikely imo as HCG levels remain low based on CBdigi and ICs.
[2] It is a very early new pregnancy
[3] I had an incomplete miscarriage and this is all to do with left over hormones.

I am driving myself mad thinking about it all. At least we should be able to rule out [1] by tonight depending on the HCG levels. The other two scenarios will be ruled in/out by another blood test next week or a scan.

I am praying for good news but don't want to allow myself to be hopeful and then disappointed. I am not sure if I can deal with it all again :(

OP posts:
CallingAllEngels · 03/01/2014 10:24

Sorry, just read the other replies above and realised I sound really negative. FX it's a new pg for you.

If you do need support, there are some great threads on the pg loss/mc board. Really helped when I had my 2 s.

permaquandry · 03/01/2014 10:25

Calling, that's not good, hope you're ok and that things work out well for you.

permaquandry · 03/01/2014 10:27

Baxter, thanks for letting us know, been thinking about you all morning. Think the 3 scenarios you are imagining are all a possibility. At least you'll find out tonight, try to stay positive and don't stress (easy for me to say), I've been in a similar position to you (not quite the same scenario) but have had 2 healthy pregnancies since and fgrs crossed this works out for you.

Take care of yourself today, can you do something nice to distract from the waiting?

Original poster
Baxter2014 · 03/01/2014 10:43

I know it could be left over hormones leaving my system - the strange thing is I had no symptoms at all (other than bloating and discharge) when I was actually pregnant, and nothing for 2 weeks afterwards and now I am getting more stronger symptoms out of the blue. :/

I will try and distract myself - I have exams all day on Monday but all this is making revision VERY difficult! I am positive that things will work out in the future. It just depends how long we have to wait!

OP posts:
kalidasa · 03/01/2014 11:03

When I had very early miscarriages (one at nearly five weeks and one at a bit over five weeks, like you) there was more bleeding than you described, and the tests went negative pretty quickly, within a day or so. Both times I conceived again a fortnight later, so it definitely is possible to ovulate and reconceive very quickly after an early loss, from your body's point of view it isn't much different from a period. But if your tests have never turned negative I suspect you might have been pregnant all the time - if so I guess you'd be about 8-9 weeks now and that is about when early pregnancy symptoms peak for most women. I hope you get a clear answer tonight in any case, what a stressful time for you!

CallingAllEngels · 03/01/2014 13:40

X-posted with you baxter.

Can't believe the GP didn't send you for a scan. My HCG kept climbing for 3 weeks after the mc and was stillat 400 a month after. Even though it was incredibly frustrating and upsetting (especially when accompanied by pg symptoms- massive stomach and nausea) at least I knew it wasn't because I was still pg as I'd had 3 scans by that point to makesure therewas nothing left and it wwasn't a molar pg.

They were very strict about telling me that I wasn't allowed to ttc until the HCG hit 0 (even though I had BFN a m8nth ago and my periods have returned).

I know exactly how you feel Baxter. The not-knowing really messes with your head. Initially I just tried to carry on but I ended up taking a week off work about 3weeks after when everything was still up in the air.

Every mc is so different - my first was quick and had BFN within 2 weeks, but it doesn't always work like that.

I really hope it works out and that you're pg again. Fx. (PS I got pg with DS my first cycle after my 1st mc!)

Original poster
Baxter2014 · 03/01/2014 19:51

GP said he has not received the results yet so have to wait until Monday :( Will keep you posted on the outcome and thank you so much for all the support so far. Trying to stay positive!

OP posts:
MissHobart · 03/01/2014 19:56

Damn Sad

Have been watching the thread and thinking of you with fx for a happy result, the waiting is bad enough for us so I know for you it'll be near impossible!

Just 2 days, hold on! Smile

permaquandry · 03/01/2014 20:03

Oh Baxter, what a shame, it's always a Friday when things like this happen, blooming typical.

I hope you can try to put it aside for the weekend. Thanks

CallingAllEngels · 03/01/2014 21:01

That's rubbish baxter. Keeping everything crossed for you.

impatientlywaiting · 03/01/2014 22:52

Can't believe you have to wait all weekend! Try and distract yourself with lots of nice things in the meantime.

Fingers crossed for you.

SoonToBeSix · 03/01/2014 23:03

Thinking of you, its rubbish they are making you wait the weekend.

Aahleigh1989 · 05/01/2014 02:32

first of all, i hope it all works out in your favour!

this happened to me, i found out i was pregnant because a i had a spare pg test, i had no syptoms what so ever, i lost at 6w4d. 3 weeks after my d&c i had the same as you, pos preg test, loads of symptoms, went back to the drs with all hope, the dr was even convinced, i was sent for a scan and there was nothing there.. i know its hard but try stay calm and dont get your hopes up..

on a happier note, the same thing happened again and i was pregnant, so it really can go both way,

wishing you all the luck in the world xxxx

Original poster
Baxter2014 · 05/01/2014 09:38

Hello lovely people,
I couldn't resist and did an IC test yesterday afternoon (I wanted to see if it was a stronger line or whatever). Anyway it was negative. At least I now know that I did have a miscarriage and more importantly it seems all (if not most) of the residual HCG is now out of my system.

However, the mystery continues...my boobs are so swollen, painful, veiny, erect sensitive nipples, itchy, stabbing pains, I'm having mild cramping, night sweats and need the loo every five mins it seems! This has been going on for the last 7 days. I figure I am either due on the biggest period of my life (never do I get pre-period symptoms like this, most I have had before is a bit of cramping 24hrs before but I suppose after miscarriage anything goes) or it is a new pregnancy and it is too early to test (based on a 28 day cycle and counting day 1 of miscarriage as day 1 of AF) - I would be due on Wednesday. Maybe the HCG has been very low for ages (I have only ever got super faint lines) and therefore below the threshold to allow ovulation (I have heard of many women that have ovulated with low HCG). Clutching at straws much??

So surprisingly I feel very hopeful. If I get AF at least I can start again and we know our bits work. My worst fear was having to wait weeks for everything to pass naturally or having to go for a D&C after all this time. When I get the bloods back I expect the HCG to be low - non existent but I will ask if I can have another test in a weeks time which should hopefully confirm for definite one way or the other.

Eek! I cant stand the wait/not knowing - its all consuming!!!!!!

OP posts:
CallingAllEngels · 05/01/2014 09:47

Hope it works out for you baxter. I know how distressing and upsetting it is.

Didn't get the all clear we hoped for from the hospital on Friday. HCG still not 0 so have to go back in 2 weeks and will miss ov for ttc this month. And this is nearly 3 months post-mc, so it's possible it may take some time Baxter.

But I reckon if your HCG is low enough for a BFN you shouldn't need a d&c or anything. I have ahd 2 periods since mc so still ovulating even though HCG is low.