What to expect with ERPC

[Rockchick1984]

12 week scan today, and despite fetal pole still growing baby hadn't grown since 8 week scan where we had seen the heartbeat. Now no sign of heartbeat and been told it was a MMC.

I've opted for surgical management, I am a SAHM to a toddler and just want it all over with as soon as possible, DH can only take unpaid leave and we just don't have the money for him to be off longer than necessary.

I'm having ERPC on Wednesday afternoon, just wondering what to expect afterwards, both physically (how painful, how long will I bleed etc) and also emotionally - I've sobbed today but am currently trying to convince myself that Mother Nature knows what she is doing and there was obviously a reason this pregnancy wasn't meant to be. Just don't know how I'm likely to feel afterwards - hormones are still high due to fetal pole development (still having morning sickness etc) so will these come down gradually or just suddenly crash?

Sorry for long post, still trying to get my head around it all!

Sorry for your loss sweetie. People react in different ways and can have ups and downs for many months after. I can only comment what happened to me. For me, the waiting was the most painful emotionally as I didnt know if I would miscarry naturally before the op. The actual operation itself was fine, and I did have a blub as they wheeled me down to the op theatre. Once it was over, it was a kind of a relief. I did have a big melt down about a week later. Physically, once it was over I was fine. Had small amounts of bleeding and no cramps. And my period came back about 6 weeks later, although that was heavier than usual.

Thinking about you xx

Sorry for your loss. Like the previous poster, the waiting was worse than the op. I found the op fine really. No pain after, bleeding like a very light on / off period for 2 weeks (really just spotting). AF back after about 4 weeks.

Psychologically I was very up and down for ages. Got pg again after 3 periods, and was terribly anxious about that pregnancy, which resulted in a perfectly healthy though slightly prem DS2. He's now 4 months and I've been on anti depressants since he was a month old. They're amazing. I feel better than I have in years. I'd like to be on them for ever. But I digress....

Thankyou both. I'm feeling a bit numb this morning, at least now I know the physical side isn't too bad so I can focus on the emotional side of things and dealing with that when I need to. The EPAU have said next pregnancy I will get fortnightly scans until I'm past 12 weeks which is nice - have seen posters on here who still have to wait for normal scans following a miscarriage so I'm lucky not to have that to deal with.

Hi rock

So sorry you are going through this. I had a ERPC 2 weeks ago and it really was fine. I was worried about going under GA but it was fine, I was a bit woozy for about an hour after I woke up and then was fine to go home. I was in from 7am (op at 9am) until about 11am. You will need to take it easy for a couple of days, so make sure you have help - especially the day of the op and the day after.

I bled quite heavily the first week and it's pretty much stopping the second week but everyone is different. Emotionally it's a bit of a rollercoaster, some days I feel good, others I feel awful. Just go with how you feel and be kind to yourself.

All the best x

hey rockchick, so sorry to hear you're going through this. i had an erpc in october. i actually stayed in the hospital the night before as the op was at 9am and they wanted to monitor me. had to fast after dinner and then no water after midnight (which was awful as hospital was hot and i drink water like a fish normally.

it was very emotional on the morning of the op. i woke early so the hanging around was awful. they gave me a tablet at 6am which was to help open up the womb entrance for the op, (although after they said that it was quite open anyways as i was beginning to mc,) it caused some nasty cramping which they didn't advise would happen and i was freaking out in case it wasn't meant to be that sore. i was bent double in pain but it subsided. i was very teary on the way to theatre. don't be afraid to cry, you need to get it out. the lovely consultant was very reassuring and instead of saying anything medical, just said, 'this is shit isn't it'. i firmly agreed and went under.

afterwards was strange. i woke up with a huge sanitary towel in between my legs (huuuuuuge) and each time i shuffled in the bed i could feel bleeding. however after a day or 2 i just had some spotting for about a week and a half. i was very sleepy after the op, probably due to crying as well as the GA. you will defo need a day or two of lazing about, i didn't go back to work for a week and a half. just needed time. physically i was fine, but in a way i was also glad that i had had the op rather than waiting for everything to pass naturally. everyone is different though. after 2 weeks i was ready to get on with it, don;t get me wrong, i still got teary the odd time.

it took 10 weeks for my AF to show up again (i have very long cycles - 46-50 days) but most come sooner. i am now nearly 8wks pregnant and i'm very very nervous, almost waiting for something to go wrong. this week is my milestone week i wish i could start enjoying the pregnancy but after mc i think everyone is wary.

sorry i just realised how much of an essay i've written! good luck tomorrow, cry as much as you need to and then cry some more. lots of love xx

Hello
I'm new! Sorry about your loss and hope everything from now on goes smoothly for your.

I've been a reader for ages but feel I need to join in now. I had an ERPC 7 weeks ago. I had a mmc at 9 weeks. Previously, last year, I had a late miscarriage at 20 weeks, that was why I was going for early scans. Anyway, I was very nervous about the ERPC but it was fine, bled for about 2 weeks after, not very heavy, no pain at all, and now waiting for AF. Feeling a little anxious about the fact it hasn't arrived yet. I've done a pregnancy test and it was negative... :( ....

I hope it all goes ok today and try to take as much rest as you can now, as the GA can take a lot out of you.

xx

Thankyou everyone. Well, had it done a couple of hours ago, physically feeling ok so far, it wasn't as bad as I expected. Thanks for all the advice

Glad it went well, make sure you take it easy over the next couple of days as you'll feel pretty wiped out x

Hi rockchick. I had an ERPC yesterday too. All went well and I'm at home today. A little bleeding so far, but relatively little.

Hope you're doing OK too.

Hi Poppy sorry to hear you had to go through this too. How r u feeling? I'm hardly bleeding at all, but rang the hospital and they said that's ok. I think my DH is finding it harder emotionally than I am so far, but he's just trying to be strong for me!

Hi rockchick. Yes, hardly any bleeding at all. Not feeling too bad emotionally so far. Just sad and disappointed - we've been about 2 yrs TTC. But at least proof now that it can happen. DH also finding it hard. I think I had prepared myself a bit because I had been bleeding for a day or so, so I had braced myself to hear the worst. It came as much more of a shock for him, and I was putting a brave face on it until the scan.
Was hard to tell the parents too - we only told them about being PG 10 days ago over easter.

Glad to have got it over with though - I started bleeding Monday, scan to confirm is was over was Tuesday, and ERPC Weds evening. I think I would have had a much worse time handling it if I had had to wait and have all the uncertainty.
Just started to get a little bit of an ache now, and have taken one of my painkillers (diclofenac) to see if that sees it off.