Would like some erpc information or experiences

[babylann]

Sadly found out today that (despite an early scan at 6 weeks where we saw baby and heartbeat) I have just an empty sac inside me at 11 weeks. After considering my options I want an erpc but I'm struggling to find any of the answers to my questions and due to poor care in the hospital, we left between the scan and our appointment withthe nurse. And so ended up with a phone call later instead.

I know it is different for everyone but the internet seems to imply erpc will be painful and followed by lots of blood and soreness, whereas the individual stories I've read say it's painless and barely any bleeding?

How long afterwards before we can TTC again? (Not that I necessarily want to straight away, but I would like to know)

They told me I would go in early morning and be home by lunch, but how long does the actual procedure take?

I read some people can have local anaesthetic instead of general, can you request this or is it only in a needs must basis? I just hate the idea of coming round in the hospital with those few minutes of confusion, only to remember what just happened...

If you have had more than one miscarriage in late first trimester and experienced both surgical and natural, which one affected you least? Or does it not make any difference?

Right now I feel like however it happens will be equally devastating and the only reason I'm opting for the surgery is because I have a toddler and a partner who needs to go back to work, and I can't risk waiting up to 2 weeks for it to happen of its own accord. Have been bleeding for 2 days already and it is getting slightly worse but still doesn't feel like I'm getting anywhere quickly.

Sorry for your loss.
I had a general it was over quickly.
My stomach felt a bit bruised from the inside out if that makes sense and I had period type pains for a few day. Not too much bleeding. I was up and about straight away, figured it was better than sat feeling sorry for myself about it
Got pregnant 3 weeks to the day of the erpc. The doctor told me to go for it as I'd be extra fertile. DD is 6 now !!
Hope you are ok xz

Thank you :)

She said to call her in the morning with what I wanted to do. Do you know how long after asking for erpc it will be before it happens? Is it the kind of surgery that's important enough to do at the weekend or will it be Monday at the earliest do you reckon?

I'm not doing so well with it and neither is dp, but I know we'll get over this.

I'm not sure actually suppose it depends on your hospital, I'm sure I had mine done the day after finding out
Personally i think it's the best thing to do, ive done both ways and it's definitely they least painful and least traumatic.
You will get over this. Just don't think about what you have lost, think of it as a trial run. You know you can get pregnant now which is more positive than a lot of people.
I just had to be harsh with myself.
It's hurtful yes but there was obviously something not quite right this time, next time it will be perfect
Keep your chin up !! (and your feet with lots of Ice cream)

Sorry you're going through this. I had an Erpc last year after the pills didn't work - ican certainly say for me the Erpc was loads 'easier' than the pills - I just bled loads and felt awful but it didn't all come out anyway.
I had an erpc three days after, with a general. Apt at 7 home after lunch. I did have that 'wake up and realise what just happened' thing you're worried about, sorry to say, and I just cried and cried when I came round. But it was still better than waiting tbh. I felt a bit delicate for a few days but only like a period plus more emotion.
I hope you slept ok and good luck with the call this morning.
Btw, I got pregnant two months later (waited a month to try!) and Dh is now feeding our wonderful DD!!

Hi, I'm really sorry you are going thru this. I had a mmc at 11 weeks last December, I just wanted it over with if I'm honest and they got me in for erpc on the day that mmc was confirmed. I kind of felt like everyone was too busy for me on the ward and there was no real aftercare as such. They just said eat something and go home.

The procedure itself only took 7 minutes apparently and I just dosed up on strong painkillers after so didn't really feel any physical pain. I bled for 10 days after and was desperate to start trying again straight away. We did start trying immediately but sometimes wish we hadn't as I became a woman possessed, and every month we didn't get the elusive bfp was just heart wrenching!

It does get easier, although I still have down days even now I am pregnant again, it's like everyone else just forgets (even DP forgot due date)

Be kind to yourself, put your feet up and let someone run around after you. X

Thank you all for your kindness and sharing your stories. I never thought I could feel this bad and although I've always had sympathy for women who've had miscarriages I never realised it was quite this devastating.

The only problem is when I first went to hospital with the bleeding, I had a high temperature and after some blood tests they said I had an infection but since I had no symptoms they couldn't do anything about it. since then I've started to feel quite chesty and got a little cough and started to worry it might be a chest infection, so I've got to go to the gp and check and maybe have antibiotics before I go, so looks like the earliest would be late next week. I was hoping they might suggest local instead.

I'm sorry to hear it was so hard to wake up after the procedure. It was hard enough for me even just waking up this morning and not being pregnant anymore. :(

Hi babylann, sorry to hear what you are going through. I had an erpc and hardly bled afterwards was much better than the natural route when I bled on and off for three months, it was also much less painless in fact hardly any pain at all.

I had a high temperature when I had my erpc, they did blood tests and gave me IV antibiotics as I had no obvious other symptoms of an infection. They went ahead and did it anyway and I was fine. Under a general anastheticPartly because it was Christmas eve I think.

I hope you are okay and get sorted out, allow yourself time to grieve and the best of luck for the future.

Hi babylann. I had one last year after a missed miscarriage at 11.5 weeks. The hospital staff were amazing and it was all done so quickly. I bled for a few days but got an infection so went on antibiotics but the physical side is easy, it's the emotional that takes it out of you. The hospital said its usually best to wait for a cycle but we ttc straight away and got pregnant within a month, the doctor said that is really common. Think its as your body is fertile due to all the hormones. The one thing the couple of people said who we told about it was that at least is shows you can get pregnant which is good. Good luck and you will feel better soon.

Oh I forgot to say, when I got pregnant again I started to bleed at about 6 weeks. we went straight to the hospital for a scan and got the all clear, but they said its quiet common to bleed then as its your body getting rid of any debris so its nice and clean nest for the baby!

Thank you for the stories. I have an ERPC booked for Wednesday, after a scan on Tuesday, but think I will try and reschedule for Friday as that's when I'll finish the course of antibiotics I started yesterday. It's horrible waiting, mmc is a cruel joke by nature.

Although at first we thought we would want to wait a while to TTC, I think we've changed our mind and are waiting until after the mc is complete either naturally or surgically, before we let ourselves decide whether to start ASAP or to wait a month or two. I have very irregular cycles anyway, so if I waited for my next period that could be up to three months.

Hi sorry to hear about your loss babylann.

I had an ERPC back in April, I was supposed to be 11 weeks baby measure 8 and a half weeks, I also chose the ERPC route.

I went in the treatment centre and was shown to my bed, had my obs done, blood pressure, temp etc.

I then had a talk with the anesthetist about anything I was allergic to and asked the usual questions.

I then went down to a theatre waiting room where I undressed and was put on another bed, they then wheeled me in to the pre op room to take blood again and put in an IV. They then put me to sleep.

I woke up tired, but that was all. No pain, bit of bleeding. I did however lose more blood than expected and was sent home with some iron tabs. All in all the actual process was OK and not as bad as I had previously expected. I was terrified!

I came home and was fine, however about two days later I was in so much pain, I was cramping really badly, bad enough to make me cry anyway. However that passed with pain killers and heat pads etc.

All in all it wasn't the awful experience I had prepared myself for.

I am currently going through my 3rd MC and took the medical management route as the wait list for an ERPC was nearly two weeks, I wish I would of just waited, I am finding this option a lot worse than the ERPC.

HTH

Thank you for the experience, it doesn't sound as horrible as I'd built it up to be in my mind.

I'm so sorry for your losses and for the difficult time you're going through. It's just so unfair.

haven't read all replies but FWIW have had 3 MMCs around 12 weeks and 2 early 6 weeks MC.

With the MMCs I had ERPC on the first and third, and MC naturally whilst waiting for ERPC with the second.

The ERPC were fine, I had GA both times as recommended and physical recovery was quick. Probably took a bit longer for cycle to get back to normal, but hard to say as may have done anyway IYSWIM. Bled for about 5 days but quite light.

The nat MC was ok too - a few hours of very intense blood loss when I couldn't leave the bathroom and rotated from shower to loo to bath but the pain was manageable and afterwards it was just like a heavyish period for a day or two, then light bleeding for another 4 days.

I also had another child to deal with hence preferring the knowns of the surgical route.

In terms of TTC you are generally advised to wait one cycle for dating purposes, though acupuncturists etc like you to give it 3 for the womb to repair itself. But I know quite a few people who have conceived again ery quickly, not really waiting at all. It's really what your body and emotions tell you is best.

Good luck - it's a terribly sad time. I found wine and pate helped.

Sorry you find yourself here... Heres my two penneth...

I had an ERPC in November last year. Chose it because I too had a toddler I needed to be back to normal for.

Scan on the Monday confirmed mmc and was booked in for ERPC the next day. Our hospital does it at the day surgery clinic do had to hang around from 7:30 til 1ish for a surgeon/theatre but the actual procedure was really quick, I was in,prepped and out within the hour.

I already had an infection and was feeling terrible as a result but the combination of removing "everything" and a lovely dose of morphine meant I woke up feeling much better physically. Plus after lack of sleep for the few nights before, the sleep with a GA is wonderful. I felt very refreshed/well rested.

It still took a couple of days for the emotional side to hit me, but as I say
Id found out I'd miscarried on the Monday and was in having the ERPC on the Tuesday so not so much time to get my head around it but that's nothing to do with the actual procedure.

God forbid it should ever happen again, I would go for this option. That might sound like an odd thing to say but after always thinking these things don't happen to you/ me, I now have to be "prepared"

Re ttc again... I had one period and was pregnant again. I needed to try straight away and, whilst I did get a bit obsessive about it, ERPC didn't have any effect long term.

Oh yes and definitely treat yourself over he next few weeks... My mmc was in the run up to Christmas so I had lots of mulled wine, blue cheese and bought new clothes... It doesn't make it better but it keeps you occupied!

Thank you for the stories, after the night of pain I just had (I could only relate it to the same level of pain as the gap of time after being induced with dd and getting the epidural I was crying for) and only losing a few clots - not enough to think it was over, this is not a sustainable amount of pain. I feel like the surgical option is my only option.

I definitely think I ought to treat myself but I don't know how! Alcohol could make me quite emotional and I've completely lost my appetite so I can't go and get myself a nice big cake and a huge bar of chocolate! We're not in the best position financially this month either, so can't go on a shopping spree :(

Just want this ordeal to be over!

Sorry to hear that you are in this position. Unfortunately I found out on Thursday last( at 11 weeks plus 5) that I was suffering fom a missed miscarriage. I was booked in for an eprc the next day. I was scheduled to be at the hospital at 7.30 am. Shortly after arriving at the hospital I started to miscarry naturally, and if I'm honest I found the experience highly distressing and quite painful. I was glad that I was at the hospital when the natural miscarriage started as the bleeding was so heavy if I'd been at home when it happened, I'd have freaked out I think. They scanned me again and decided to proceed with the eprc anyway, as there was still tissue remaining. I'm very glad they did, as the bleeding has been much lighter post eprc and I have had very little pain so far. I'm still a bit groggy from the GA, but so far the physical side has been fine, and a far better experience than what I went through in the few hours where I was miscarrying naturally.
They've said to wait until after my periods return before trying again, and we probably will do that.
Good luck with it all. Xx