TTC after pregnancy loss - thread 27 - BFPs are coming!

[Yukka]

New Thread as we're at 988 messages on thread 26. we'll do a quick roll call:
Age 39
TTC x1
MC x 3 = Sept + Dec 2017 + May 2018
Currently pregnant again 5w4ds
Diagnosed with APS/Hughes Syndrome. On Asprin since October and start Heparin tomorrow. First scan Monday.

xx

@SJR86 I'm sorry I'm not up to date with where you are. I assume that this is a new pregnancy, how far along should you be

@Yukka thanks hun. I think there is confusion as to weather this is left over from mmc or this is a new chemical pregnancy. I didn't think it was possible but midwife seems to think it might be the latter of the options. I really hope that it isn't though.

Thanks @InDreamland

@Lilimum5 yup, this is a new pregnancy-we were very lucky and it happened quickly after our loss in October. This pregnancy is 5 weeks, I don't feel I can put it in past tense until the hospital confirm it's definitely a miscarriage.

I share the feeling - there seem to be very pregnant women everywhere (including a close work friend) and I have to take myself off for a walk every time she has a moan about being pregnant!

Bloods today down by just 5 so we are one the wiser, I just hope the bloods and scan hasasnwers on sunday

@SJR86 I think we are on the same page. I'm going for my scan and bloods Sunday. My numbers have gone down today so I think I know the out come. Last bloods was 80 and today 75 so not looking great

@Lilimum5 Yes sounds like we are. I didn't ask for my levels when they rang with the results, will ask for them on Sunday for sure.
Does anyone know what level is too low for viability? Trying so hard not to clutch at straws.
The whole situation sucks and it doesn't help I'm also feeling crap with a cold.

Crikey, sounds like we're all having a really rough time at the mo for different reasons.

@InDreamland I'm so sorry AF turned up. Big hugs.

@Lilimum5 and @SJR86 what you are both going through sounds awful. It's just so cruel.

@Ithinkthatsenough sorry for your losses, this board is a lifesaver. Welcome to the huddle.

@Chilliandlime they did my tests before my negative test too-I've only had the two I mentioned but both came back as negative for clotting. Thanks @Yukka for the info-I'm wondering if I should ask for the third test now?

Well my body is determined to screw me over it seems. Was on a 26 day cycle before losing Bow, my second in September. Took 53 days to get my first period, and last cycle was 35 days. AF started last Friday, and I thought she was outta here yesterday bar a teeny bit of brown on wiping. Now this evening I've had a bit of cramping and back to red spotting again. Anyone else had this? Seriously getting hacked off with this useless carcas now. Beginning to worry with my age the trauma of the MMC's has tipped my body into peri-menopause. I just want to feel normal again.

I've had a tough Christmas. Few busy ups with OH, better now but lots of tears. He just doesn't understand why it's made me the way I am. I've tried to explain and I think we've made a bit of progress but I don't think he'll ever really get it.

I've had a few more tests done-GP agreed to do vitamin b12, vitamin D, folate and ferritin -all normal according to their standard ranges but I think my vitamin D is lower than it should be as I'm taking a supplement and it's only just into the adequate range, so adding a top up of that. Also paid for one of those finger prick medicheck tests for my thyroid antibodies -again all came back ok. So I've ruled some possible explanations out, but still nowt to suggest why I lost both my babies. Xxx

@lilimum5 levels are difficult as its not the same for everyone, but at 4 weeks I believe should be 25-150 then doubling every 48 hours from there. So if you were 5 weeks and levels are more like 4 then it could be bad news. BUT the drs don’t use the actual level as a measure because it varies so widely, hence they simply track whether its increasing or decreasing. Decreasing would sadly suggest the pregnancy has failed and the body has recognised this, but again I’m sure it’s not the case for everyone.

Good luck for the scans on Sunday for you and @sjr76 xx

Just seen this article from today, perhaps this will start to become part of routine tests?:
www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/jan/04/more-male-tests-needed-in-cases-of-repeated-miscarriages-uk-study
@Laney79 thank you for letting me know about the timing of your tests, that's good to know. I had a stop-start first af after first mc with brown then back to red a few days later. So sorry to hear Christmas has been tough, not what you need right now. Have you been offered any further tests?

Hi ladies,

Just dropping by to say hello again. I have been reading your posts every so often. I'm so sorry to see so many of you are having a tough time at the moment.

Massive penguin huddle cuddles. Stay strong ladies.

@Yukka I'm really pleased for you and heartened to know that your pregnancy is going well so far. It really gives me a spark of hope.

As for me; I got a letter just before New Year saying one of my blood test results came back as "significantly elevated" for prolactin. I've had to redo the blood test and have another MRI; this time on my pituitary gland. I had the MRI today. I don't know if I'll get results for that by post or if I have to wait for my next appointment at RMC... But I don't have that appointment through yet.
On the plus side, I'm starting a new job a week on Monday and really, truly enjoying having a break from TTC. I really feel like I've done a lot of healing and managed to enjoy Christmas and New Year, which I don't think I would have if I was still TTC.
I had my acupuncture appointment today. My period hasn't really wanted to get going properly this month; I had spotting and then very light flow brown bleeding for a couple of days and then felt like it'd dried up completely again. The practitioner said she'd try to set it off... lo and behold, AF arrived a few short hours after my appointment. So CD1 of another cycle sans TTC right now.

@Laney79 sending you huge hugs hun x
@KnitKitty lovely to hear from you. God to hear that you might be getting some answers x

Welcome to the 🐧 huddle to the new ladies and sorry for your losses. As @Laney79 said this tread is a life saver, I wouldn't have gotten through all this with out the support of the ladies I've met here.

@Chilliandlime sadly not. I've pushed and to be fair you wouldn't normally get nhs tests for lupus/anticardiolipin until you've had three MC's so my consultant has been helpful in that sense. But what I really want is a referral to prof Quenby at Tommy's in Coventry - but my consultant says not until I've had a third loss. I'm 40 in July and have no kids so I feel I'm really up against it time wise, and worse still I know the prof would accept me if I was referred as I asked her secretary. But I'm stuck. My consultant obv thinks it's age/old eggs and that I've got a decent chance of success next time-but I feel like I've been told to go away get pregnant and miscarry again before I'll get help that I know is out there. He has said to take baby aspirin from BFP so I just have to hope that if we do catch that will help.

I'm toying with another medichecks test-the female hormone one, just so I can get an idea of where my hormones/egg reserves are at. Just worried the results will be dodgy if I do it now as my cycles are so all over the place, but it's on offer at £59 and it's another finger prick one...I can see I'm going to get addicted to doing these tests, at least it feels as if I'm doing something.

@Laney79 are you being seen under your local rmc, sorry if you've already said? I think quite a few rmcs will do the full range of tests for if you are over 35 after 2 losses. I had quite a few tests like fsh, prolactin, testosterone, lh, tsh, t4 and full blood count done in September at GP in between 1st and 2nd loss as I'd been having irregular cycles since coming off the pill at the end of 2017. Have you had those already? It's so frustrating that your consultant won't refer you until after 3, with no regard to the huge impact on mental and physical health from each mc.

@Chilliandlime sadly not. My GP got me seen by consultant at my local hospital but he's not a MC specialist. They've tested my thyroid and done basic bloods but no hormone tests. I asked the sonographer to check during my last MC confirmation scan that everything looked ok in my uterus/ovaries (ie no sign of pcos etc) and age said all was fine.

I was on the pill for 20+ years and fell pregnant 4 months after coming off so didn't have regular cycles either (they were very up and down I assume due to coming off the pill) then I had a pretty rough time with the first MMC-took from early March to June to complete. Had two 26/27 day cycles and then caught again...the only relatively consistent thing seems to be luteal phase at 12/13 days.

@Laney79 is there any way you can push your gp to refer you to a rmc? The consultant who did my mva last Friday said she runs a rmc and will request that I'm referred to it on my discharge letter even though I'm under 35, I took it to the gp on Monday and he was a bit reluctant but I said the consultant had 'insisted' (which was the word she used to me). It shouldn't be so variable depending on where you live. I'm trying to speed up the process by trying to get an initial consultation with Raj Rai in London in a few weeks but I'm very aware that it's not an option for everyone. I know exactly how you feel about needing to do something xx

AF arrived for me this morning. I conceived first month for each of my three previous pregnancies so just assumed this one would be the same and feel so disappointed. Although I know rationally I was incredibly lucky those previous times and it’s totally normal for it to take longer can’t help but feel gutted

Laney79 - that all sounds really frustrating re the referral, the lack of consistency and fairness depending on who you see/where you live is bonkers.

Good luck for the new job @KnitKitty and I hope you receive good news from your MRI. My Mum has/had a tumour on her pituitary gland and it was treated with medication that shrunk it to the point where it’s now practically non existent.

Chilli, great you’ve got a referral and another route to explore too.

Hope everyone has a nice weekend.

Thanks @Lilimum5. I'm so sorry you're still going through the mill. Hugs xxx

@MakeLemonade Thank you, that's really good to know about your mum's tumour. It looks like it's fairly common, but worrying. Did she have many symptoms? Hopefully what ever is causing the high prolactin levels can be treated easily with medication. If it is that causing the miscarriages, at least they've found it!

@MakeLemonade And sorry AF arrived. Try to see it is a little bit longer healing time. Your body might need it; be kind to yourself. xxx

Hi ladies,
Knew to the group...but would appreciate any advice as I found the EPU really unhelpful.
I had a MC early December at 6 weeks. It was my pregnancy and left me absolutely devastated. Was given a leaflet and that was about it.
I wasn't sure if I could conceive instantly but have continued trying since the MC.
Currently 2 days late according to my little period app, but I no this could be incorrect due to my MC.
Done two digital pregnancy tests both saying negative.
Has anyone been in a similar situation?
Thank you

Hi @Ann88l sorry to hear about your loss, but welcome to the board, the support here is incredible.

When did you get your negative hpt? Were you tracking ovulation after your MC? If you know when you ovulated you'll have a better idea-from what I understand digital tests aren't very sensitive, so if you think it could be a new pregnancy maybe try a more sensitive test? Either a frer or I've found the b&m clear and simple ones pretty good (not frer sensitivity but still good) . That said first AF after Mc can take a while. The general advice is 4-6 weeks but it can take longer than that. Mine took 7 and a half weeks the second time and that was a natural loss. Much longer after first loss due to issues with medical management and prolonged Mc bleeding etc. Xxx

OK had my scan and it's another mc. I'm now being referred. Also changing my name to lilimum6 now.

OK all changed

Oh @Lilimum6 I'm so sorry. Are they going to refer you to Tommy's? Xxx

@Laney79 no the fertility clinic at sundorne.

What tests should they be doing?

@lilimum6 sorry to hear that. Can you describe how they confirmed it waa another mc?

Re testing, for you Hun = EVERYTHING. I would seriously recommend you buy Lesley Reagan’s book. It has the low down on everything that could be a cause, how the tests and treatment options, and it’s cheaper than a pack of ovulation tests. Amazon deliver next day xx