joy I did go to one counselling session during my NHS round when I was finding the whole concept of IVF difficult and the downregging was sending me into a bit of a spiral. TBH I didn't find it helpful. The counsellor was a bit useless and just did that irritating headtilt thing. I didn't bother going back. Crying is definitely expected - I was sat in a chair with a box of tissues next to it.
I do think it could be helpful with the right counsellor. I have found talking to my acu and hypnotherapy ladies helpful, so I do think "talking therapies" can be a good thing, but it needs to be with someone you click with.
A 13lber?!? 
fox I don't think I had any spotting at all after my scratch. But then I had a light start to my period, to the extent that identifying day 1 was unhelpful, and that never happens to me. My usual pattern was brown blood for about an hour as the cramps get going and then heavy red bleeding. So it did change something.
I'm sorry to hear about what you went through recently. I am not a public crier either. But I think it is good to let it all out sometimes, whether in a counselling session or with a partner. You are right that we bottle up so much.
ray the blood flow issue is definitely the most likely cause. I've been screened for infections and that came back clear. The other possible cause is chromosomal. That's a slight worry because the embie was behind even at day 3, but I came back as low risk both on the Harmony and nuchal testing for Down's, Edward's and Patau's, so it would be unlikely. I've been offered an amnio to rule it out, but turned it down. I just couldn't take the risk at this point, or possibly act on the result.
I know plenty of people who have had a less than straightforward birth, but most have had fine pregnancies. The one I know who has struggled most is my bestie, who also had IVF (she lost one twin with her first pregnancy and then had too much fluid around the baby and with her second pregnancy (id twins) there were a lot of worries about twin to twin transfusion syndrome and then her waters went at 31 weeks so she was on bedrest for the next month with regular testing for infections until they did a section).
I think going to see the other clinic is a good plan. We had been planning to change too. I lost the faith in my clinic after I felt they didn't handle my EC bleed well. But as you know we gave it one last roll of the dice there.
critter you are doing amazingly. I know what you mean about the drinking though. I love a few glasses of wine and usually that's fine, but when I was grieving a few years back (gdad had passed away and my mum had been diagnosed with cancer for the second time) I wasn't drinking huge amounts but coupled with the emotions I didn't feel particularly in control of myself.
cos as an IBS sufferer, I am well experienced in all kinds of bum crapness. I've had piles and a fissure. I find the bleeding never seems to last that long from them and is very bright red. If it persists, you should get it checked out though. Oh the glamour, the glamour.
Hurrah for the end of HRT! What comes next?