Recurrent Chemical Pregnancies

[charlzz]

I have cross posted this so apologies!

TW: Recurrent chemicals

Hi everyone. I was looking for some advice really, and maybe some friendly people I can stay in touch with who have been through a similar situation.

TLDR: Trying to conceive my second child for 8 months. 3 consecutive early losses/chemical pregnancies. Looking for answers.

In April, May, and June I had 3 consecutive chemical pregnancies. For all three I've had darkening tests, followed by them getting lighter then I bleed. The first one was around 5 weeks, the following 2 were just a day or two after my period was due.

I went to my GP after the second, who was pretty dismissive but agreed to do some basic blood tests (iron, thyroid, vitamin levels) but nothing hormonal. The only relevant thing these showed were low vitamin D, which I'm now supplementing. They also showed low white blood cells and neutrophils (but I always have this so don't think it's relevant) and a slightly raised ALT (liver enzyme) which they are rechecking.

Now I've had a third chemical, they have reluctantly agreed to refer me to the recurrent miscarriage clinic but the wait is likely to be at least a year.

This cycle I took a break from trying and checked my progesterone privately. It was 45.5nmol/L at day 21 which looks pretty strong, and indicates I'm ovulating well. My luteal phase is anywhere from 11 to 14 days, although during my third chemical I started spotting at 9dpo. ChatGPT did say I could potentially still look at progesterone suppositories as my levels may not be staying high enough to sustain a pregnancy, but obviously I've got no way of knowing if that is good advice or not, and no way of getting progesterone anyway as I doubt my doctor would agree to prescribe it.

Up until this month I was still breastfeeding my 17 month old. I've now stopped as I convinced myself it may be affecting my hormones. So we will see if that helps at all.

Does anyone have any other advice or ideas of what I could do to try to have a healthy pregnancy?

Really? That’s so interesting. It seemed like it worked for me, but then that could be a coincidence and it was just the right one at the right time.

No way to really know, even everything I’ve read from the trial, other trials, other papers etc. says it’s extremely difficult to pinpoint as there’s so many unknowns and different factors at play

Just makes things so hard for everyone going through this. Looking for answers or something to try :(

Officially joining the 3 in a row club. 3 months in a row all chemicals. So cruel as I still had positive tests this morning then started bleeding just now.
I’m currently on levothyroxine as I have an under active thyroid and also having to take very high dosage iron due to low iron. I wonder if these are having an affect.
I feel very lucky to already have 2 lovely daughters but that feeling of knowing your body isn’t working as it should is horrible.

@BabyBorn literally only this cycle for the aspirin. Just thought I'd give it a go as it wouldn't hurt, so fingers crossed it makes a difference this time!! Omg 2dpo and I am already losing my mind. I wish I could forget about it but my brain just doesn't work that way! When do you think you'll test? Not too much longer to wait if you're 6dpo!! I would like to try acupuncture next cycle if this one doesn't work.

I'm so sorry, it's a rubbish club to be in isn't it. Have you had any tests done yet with your GP, or requested to be referred? Did your tests get darker this time round, or stayed faint the whole time?

@charlzz they stayed faint the entire time. Got my first squinter of a line at 9dpo then got a digital positive at 11dpo, but noticed the following day there was just no line progression so I spoke with my GP that day and she suggested doing a blood test asap and then see what happens over the next few days and then she’s going to call me on Monday to see how things have gone, and if I bleed then she’ll start doing tests etc. My hcg blood result was negative, I had it done yesterday at 13dpo, which I find so bizarre and I still had faint positive pregnancy tests today. The positive digital gave me a false sense of security as I thought well if the digital says positive then that must mean hcg is on the up. But nope 😞 I do wonder if it’s the breastfeeding but I’m just not ready to stop yet. I think we’ll take a break ttc for a while as it’s just been too emotionally draining. And then hopefully during that time we can get tests done.
Going to cuddle my girls extra tight today 😭

Hey @charlzzive been so busy the days have flown. I’m going to test on Tuesday I think! You may as well try acupuncture hadn’t you! Just google and look at reviews first. The guy I’ve started doing mine with has been doing it for years and he said around 25% of clients come to him for fertility reasons. He said the youngest has been 24 and oldest 54!!! Which made feel a lot better about being 40! lol

I a trying to keep my healthy fats up this week and trying not to symptom spot, although I know full well implantation probably wouldn’t have been happened by day 6!! 😂😂

Ahh I'm heartbroken for you, I really am so sorry. Give your little girls a huge hug and take some time to grieve. I was still getting faint lines 2 days after my hcg was tested at a 9, so I'd assume by then it was under 5. Why can't they invent a pregnancy test that tells you your hcg, it would save so much anxiety!!

@BabyBorn ahhh so exciting, only 2 more days! I'm 4dpo and my God is it dragging!!! I've worked out I'm likely away for my fertile window next month so if this hasn't worked we won't be able to try again until October!! So annoying

I’m 6dpo today I think and trying to resist the urge to test until 10dpo (well maybe 9) 🤣 feel really crampy this eve so praying it could be implantation 🙏🏻

@Panda34 ahh so exciting! Yeah I'm trying to wait until 10dpo too, although every month I cave by 8dpo haha. With my son I was actually taking ovulation tests to try to prevent! I'd come off the mirena coil because I was having terrible side effects, so I was just trying to get a bit of control over my cycle and work out if everything was working the way it should. So with that pregnancy I got a VVVFL at what I think was 8dpo, having only DTD 5 days before ovulation. I was so shocked but obviously so happy and felt so blessed. Didn't realise how lucky I was! I just assumed we'd have no problem this time because of that.

@charlzzwell I caved and tested today at 8dpo 🤣 think I could make any test have a line if I look at it long enough and hang upside down lol but probably nothing on it! Will try again tomorrow now I’ve started!

so strange how it’s so different ttc each baby isn’t it, hopefully we’ll both have a bit of luck this month. We ttc ages to have my dd, had a TMFR then ttc for a while again then fell with DD, think about 2 years in total before I got pregnant, strangely no chemicals then though! Been a bit of a journey!!

I’m crossing my fingers for you both.

I’ll be 10dpo and I’m going to try my best to wait till then because I didn’t seem to get my chemical BFPs until 12dpo. Although one of them was actually a clear blue with weeks so maybe it would have shown on a better test earlier. I just thought I was out that month.

I had some major cramping today (7dpo) so logically thinking I should wait at least two days if it meant anything.

@Panda34 oooh so do you think there was a VFL then!!?

I literally so nearly caved this morning at 7dpo (ridiculous I know). Luckily I pulled apart the bathroom cabinet looking for tests and I didn't have any left. 😂

Sorry I missed replying!

2 losses, one barely got started (two days positive test then nothing) and the other 5 weeks.

Fertility appt went well, dr thinks my ovulation needs a boost, as I had a small lead follicle on a day 14 scan, and borderline progesterone, so prescribed letrozole to boost ovulation which should in turn boost progesterone 🤞🏻 think that could possibly be why we’ve had no luck and the two times I did get a positive they didn’t last

I’m mid cycle now, lost hope to conceive “naturally” really so just excited for next cycle to start so we can try the letrozole.

On tests, I always test from about 8dpo but I really want to try and wait it out this cycle!!
but then I had VVFLs at 9dpo and I feel like knowledge is power, I want to know if I’m getting an early positive and it fades if that makes sense? Equally, I think I’d find it less stressful (and less expensive - spending a fortune on tests!) to wait longer?

@EmPeEffingers crossed for you in a couple of days for testing!

@charlzzwell no probably not, more like I’d like there to be lol couldn’t see much on test this morning. I’ve never had a bfp before 10dpo so holding out hope for tomorrow 🙏🏻

@Muddysocks1 I'm so glad you're being listened to. I've heard amazing things about letrozole, I really hope that's going to make the difference for you. There are some things you just need to see an expert like a fertility doctor for arent there, and no amount of blood tests will help!!

I feel exactly the same about you with testing! I think I'm ultimately on the side of I need to know if I'm getting multiple chemicals so I'll test early. That being said I could definitely wait until 10dpo at least haha. But no here I am, 8 dpo, actually feeling disappointed at a BFN. 😂

BFN this morning at 10dpo so think I’m out, every bfp I’ve had has been at 10dpo :-(

@EmPeEf Ahhh definitely let us know how you get on!

@Panda34 Keeping my fingers crossed for you that you're not seeing things!! I tested this morning at 8dpo and there's absolutely zero there despite staring at it forever!! And I'm like you, I can see the faintest lines!! But still early so hopefully tomorrow or Saturday.

Ahh I'm sorry, I missed your message when I hit reply this morning. Don't give up hope, with my june positive I was stark white negative until 11dpo (it did end up in a chemical though). I'm keeping everything crossed for us all!

Don’t give up hope yet. Every pregnancy is different. You could have started out with lower base HCG so your doubling takes days longer to reach high enough to show on a test. It’s why some get BFP so early and some of us have to wait longer x

I had a small bit of pink/brown on the paper yesterday morning so I’m feeling really positive. Cramps most of early yesterday as well.

9dpo today and decided to take a test. Maybe the faintest of things trying to happen but I’m happy to wait and see if it’s real or just the indent mark. Not sure if what me and my partner see will show up here. I have FR arriving tomorrow.

Wow @EmPeEf I got my positive at 9DPO too. I’m 12DPO but away for a few days so haven’t tested today or yesterday 😎

That’s brilliant!! Here’s hoping you come home to some nice dark lines! xx congratulations.

Do you think you can see something on mine then? I don’t know whether to get excited yet or not 😅

I have experienced multiple miscarriages as well as many chemical pregnancies (I stopped counting how many - it seemed to be 50/50 every cycle that I’d get a positive test). I don’t know why but I am obviously susceptible to it.

In the end I gave birth to two children and consider myself very lucky. I had recurrent miscarriage clinic tests but nothing was found wrong and I wasn’t prescribed anything.

Good luck OP and everyone else who is TTC.