So I go through three weeks of bleeding after deciding to do it naturally ...

[georgee]

... and then go for a scan today 'to check it's all gone' and the sac's still there, larger than ever - quite literally. It's grown since the last scan. Sigh. The next step is the pills.

I just wanted to move on, and I'd started to. But it seems that I have to undergo a final painful hurdle before I'm allowed to do that properly.

Just a rant really, sorry. This is my 2nd mmc in five months and I'm sick of bad-news scans. The only time I've really cried is watching Nina and the Neurons with DD and seeing a lady having a scan (it was an episode about 'where does your bellybutton come from'). Luckily my DD is too young to be disturbed by her mother sitting pathetically weeping in front of a children's programme!

Anyway, thanks everyone for this board. It's really helped me over the past few months. Wishing everyone happy and healthy pregnancies in the future. x

Sorry you are having a hard time and for your loss :(

I had 2 m/c's prior to my current pregnancy and it really does take everything out of you, physically and emotionally.

Would you not consider a D&C? Even with the pills everything still may not come away and you may ultimately end with one anyway. Just a thought. Perhaps you can speak to EPU about it?

Hi banana, thanks for your post. I'm such a wimp when it comes to anything medical that I just can't get my head round and be happy about having a general anaesthetic for this - I didn't even have a general for my caesarian for goodness' sake! However, like you say I may end up with a D&C anyway ... perhaps I'm trying to put off the inevitable. I can't help wondering what would have happened in the old days - just go on and on for months with a sac inside me? That wouldn't be good either!

Thanks for letting me know how it went with you - it's always so encouraging to hear when people have DCs after miscarriages. I'm beginning to resign myself to never having a healthy pregnancy again, so that really helps

Georgee, I totally get where you are coming from, but I promise you a D&C is not bad. You are only under for about 20 minutes, and then you go home once you've weed and eaten. All in all about 4 hours. It's not painful and you only have slight bleeding after. In my experience, a natural miscarriage is very painful, involves a lot of bleeding, and for me ended in emergency surgery twice after all that. Very traumatic. I have had 2 mmc and opted for the D&C straight away and had a much better experience, if there can be such a thing in that situation . Why not call epu and see if you can talk about the pros and cons of both?

Georgee so sorry to hear you are going through this, especially after the three weeks of bleeding and still it is in there. It must have really taken it out of you and be terribly physically and emotionally draining. Having had one natural miscarriage at 12 weeks in March (labour pains, bleeding for three weeks or more) and one ERPC in August I have to second Banana and say I would go for the ERPC any time.

I was a bit panicked about the anaesthetic just before going under but it really was painless and even relaxing (if it hadn't been for the shitty circumstances). I went along on my own as DH wasn't able to make it and I am glad I did as everyone else was on their own (different procedures, all having a general) and all the nurses were so lovely.

I haven't had the pill option yet but if I have to go through it again (I have a diagnosis of very high NK cells) I would definitely go for the ERPC. Good luck with it all and I guess it is no consolation but whatever option you go for I hope it is soon all over for you and you can move on to the next stage, whatever that might be for you.

georgee I had the exact same thing. Personally I would have the erpc every time. The pills just did not work for me. I have had the procedure 3 times and it really is over very quickly.

I'm sorry that you are going through this. Life can be utter crap sometimes.

Thanks all, that really is food for thought. I might give them a ring before going in tomorrow and see whether I can talk about a D&C (scheduling etc). The added complication is that next Wednesday it's my 40th birthday and I'd like to avoid any unpleasantness on the actual day and on the day of my birthday bash (the 12th)! I'll have a think. Thanks so much, you really have helped.

xx

If it helps, once they had decided it was definitely going to be an mc my ERPC was arranged for two days time. They fit them in pretty quickly I think. I was quite fully functional within a couple of days - just a bit tired after the anaesthetic and minimal bleeding. Good luck and hope you have a good birthday in the circumstances.

Just another person recommending an erpc, it worked very well for me last month, no trauma or prolonged bleeding, no pain. I had never had a ga before either, but it was just like a lovely sleep.

Whatever you decide I hope it works out and you can start to move forward soon.

How did it go Georgee? What did you decide to do?

Hi banana and all, just picked this up! Thanks for asking, sorry not to check the board sooner. I did the pills in the end. Just couldn't get past the thing about anaesthetic. Horrendous pain for 2 hours, I actually think the sac was stuck in the cervix because the bleeding just stopped when the pain was at its worst, then a weird internal 'pop' and felt absolutely fine (having been clammy, nauseous, in extreme pain). When it came out it was between the size of a golf ball and a tennis ball so no wonder it took a bit of getting out of the cervix. No problems since, just some period-like bleeding. So relieved it's all over. No idea what I'd do next time - I'll just cross fingers that there won't be a next time but if it does happen I may well go for the D&C having experienced the pills!

Best thing was the nurses at the EPU - they really were excellent and made sure I knew exactly what to expect. Since it all happened I've had my 40th and a lovely party complete with champers, pate and medium steak so I've been making the most of not being pregnant! Now it'll be 'wait one cycle and try again' ... thanks for the great advice. I'll certainly bear it in mind if I need it again in the future. Thank you all and good luck!

Hi Georgee,
Really glad it's all sorted itself out for you.

I was using expectant management for 2 months!!! Even had a period during that time, and still the sac remained!!!

They only gave me the option of an ERPC - that itself wasn't too bad, but the after effects made me feel so ill!!

Still, it's all done now too.

Fingers crossed for us both.

Hi Tw1nkle - sorry about that, I know exactly where you're coming from. A period too! Unbelievable. I suppose in a way we can both congratulate our bodies on being able to hold on to pregnancies - it would be great to have nice viable ones next time so that the holding on is a good thing! Good luck for next time. x

Hi georgee,

Glad you have got through this now, but sounds like a really difficult experience. And I really wanted to say 'hello' and 'happy birthday'! I've also got my 40th end of this month. (Just before my 30th I broke up with a long term boyfriend, I think that my 'big' birthdays are jinked in some way to have awful run-ups!) So not going to be going through this one pregnant :( , but am going to be able to glug some wine. And good luck to us all for next time round...

Oh happy birthday Comeon! Hope you have a fab day. I was similar and split up with someone just before 30 - didn't meet anyone decent then until 35! My 40th, after all these problems, did truly feel like a time for looking to the future and hoping for better. And so far I'm loving my 40s far too much. I think I must always have been secretly middle-aged! Good luck and I hope we both have better news before long. x