Medical Management - How painful is it?

[Coconutfeet]

I had an ERPC at the end of January but it turns out that I've got retained products. I passed quite a lot of clots naturally but the bleeding has stopped for a week now and it hasn't all come away.

I've got a follow up appointment next week and I think I'm going to have to make some decisions as just want to be able to move on. I'm not keen on another ERPC, but I'm worried about what medical management would be like. I've heard it's really painful.

I'd be interested to hear about others' experiences.

Hi coconut, I am sorry that your mc is taking so long. I had a medical management with my last mc and I had no pain whatsoever.

They give you a pain relief suppository that you place (there's no nice way to say this!) up your bottom, the same time you insert the vaginal pills. They also give you co-codamol and paracetemol orally right at the start, and again whenever you start feeling any pain. I had a very heavy feeling in my lower abdomen, but no pain even when I passed everything about 4 hours later. I also asked for a pill to relieve sickness, as medical management can make you nauseous, and I had vomited a few times after the first oral pill.

I think as long as you keep topping up the pain relief every 4 hours then it shouldn't be too bad.
However, as you know, everyone is different, and there was a woman in the bed next to me who was in alot of pain and hadn't passed anything even after I left, which was about 7 hours later.

Hi coconutfeet sorry this is happening.

I'm afraid I found it vey painful .

I want given anything for the pain until I asked but I was told to ask if it was painful. I had paracetamol, then gas and air, then pethidine.

Wasnt, not want.

Ps I passed everything after about an hour ish.

Thanks Hairylights and Milkyway. Sounds like it varies a lot. I read somewhere that it's more painful the less there is to expel as the uterus has nothing to contract around. No idea if it's true. But if it is, I would assume that as I've not got that much left to pass so it could be very painful for me.

Hairylights - It sounds like you passed it all very quickly. Did you recover quickly too? It sounds like it was very grim for you. Would you do it again if you had to (and I sincerely hope you never have to decide)?

My first mc was pretty awful and I ended up being admitted to hospital becuase I was passing out with the bleeding. I'm worried about the risks of another ERPC though. The doctor was reluctant to do another one which was why he wanted to wait to see if I passed it on my own. I don't think there's really a good solution for me.

Hi

I found it as painful as a period, there was one 'contraction' that was worse but it soon passed. I was given co codamol and volterol for the pain. I would do it again but I really hope I never have to! I had an achy feeling for a few days afterwards. Having my wisdom teeth out was fad worse and it was nothing at all like labour.

Hth

Thanks Meliesmummy. I sincerely hope you don't have to do it again either. Did you feel physically well enough to go back to work fairly quickly? That's another consideration for me as I've had quite a bit of time off for this MC already.

Hi, i also found it very very painful. Had to have morphine, gas & air and Tramadol.

Ive had 3, and each was the same unfortunately.

There are lots of folk that say that they felt like they were having a period though so i may be a bit weird!

Needed about a week off work afterwards because still had allot of pain and was on strong painkillers that made me woozy.

God that sounds awful. Poor you Cherrychoo and sorry you had to go through it all. Thanks for replying.

I'm beginning to think an ERPC might be better.

I had 2 weeks off work but that was more because I didn't feel emotionally ready and physically I was very tired.

I foubd it very painful but am not sure if I took the painkillers at the right time. I never have period pain so can't compare it to that but it wasn't pleasant. I also vomited (I think the painkillers didn't agree with me) and had horrible sweats. At the time I did say that I would never ever do it that way again.

I have to say, it sounds horrific. Seems like it's luck of the draw as to how badly it affects you. I think I need to sit down with the doctor and establish just how risky a second ERPC would be and weigh it all up.

Thanks everyone, I really appreciate you taking the time to reply.

Hi Coco I would do it again if I had to, yes. I had medical management at 7 weeks and the sac was only just less than 1cm (I did see it).

I had a previous ERPC (well, two, actually, because the first one only got out a teaspoon of blood - false passage, apparently ) at 10.5 weeks for a 8.5 weeks size fetus. Whilst that was lots easier, and I didn't bleed much at all afterwards, for an early evacuation I'd choose medical management again.

I have to admit it was very draining, the bleediing afterwards was heavy, and it was not nice to go through. But I'd do it again that early to avoid anaesthetic, I think

After the medical management I only took one day off - but I needed more - I was a bit of a zombie for a couple of weeks - bled a lot for a week and felt emotionally drained, but I'd lost a previous baby only two months before, so I think possibly it was the emotional bit that really did me in, rather than the physical bit.

I hope you have an easy time (well as easy as it can be) whatever you choose.

PS: I get very heavy, painful periods (sometimes debilitatingly painful) and I have to say, the medical management was like a bad period x 5 for me.

Thanks for that Hairylights. I know exactly what you mean about feeling drained. This is my third mc since last summer and I can't really figure out how much of what I'm feeling is really the physical side effects of it all and how much is just emotional exhaustion.

Sorry you've had such a horrible time too.

So sorry :( I've had three in a year too :( it is emotionally exhausting ... I'm only now starting to feel a bit more normal.