Follow up appointments

[MrsGiraffe12]

Hi ladies.

I've been lurking on here a lot since my mmc and ERPC but haven't really posted or replied much (well, hopefully not enough to annoy people)

I've noticed a lot of ladies have mentioned follow up appointments with either their doctors or EPACs follwing miscarriage and erpcs etc. some even mention scans to make sure all is passed and uterus is normal size etc....

I've not been told anything about a follow up appointment at all, no mention of it. Is it an automatic thing or do you need to request it? Should I have one?

Thanks ladies x

Sorry to hear about your loss.

I had a scan after my miscarriage. But it was a natural miscarriage so they needed to check everything had gone. I'm not sure if the same is true for EPRCs.

Did they give you the infection symptoms to keep an eye out for?

I had an ERPC. The hospital told me to see my GP after 6 weeks which I duly did. It was pointless tbh, as I had no issues to discuss.

I think you would be scanned as part of the procedure with an ERPC so they are reasonably sure they've cleared everything out. I've either been booked for a scan after (natural and medical) management of miscarriage or been told to do a HPT a couple of weeks later to check it's negative. Since it never has been they have then monitored HCG levels to make sure they were dropping (and they were, it's normally taken about 3 weeks to get a negative test after MCs at 8-10 weeks pregnant).

Sorry for your loss, MrsGiraffe.

I had medical management of a 11+4 week MMC about 5 weeks ago. I didn't get any follow up appointments, or any advice re. HPTs.

However, for peace of mind, I took an HPT after about 10 days which was (thankfully) negative. And today I started my first post-MC period which is not at all painful, nor exceptionally heavy (yet). So I am feeling pretty thankful. Hope you have a similarly straightforward experience.

Sorry for your loss

After a complete mc at 6/7w, no follow up. Was advised to use HPT to get a bfn before ttc again.

Missed miscarriage with medical management at 10w, scans a week apart to confirm mc, then MM, then follow-up scan a few weeks later to confirm all "products" had been passed. I forgot to go and had to rebook.

I think it varies. Follow up scans not essential if you are feeling well (retaining products would lead to infection). For one of my miscarriages I was called back for a follow up scan but told to speak to my GP after 1 month for my other two. All were natural miscarriages. I think that retaining products (sorry for hideous phrase) is highly unlikely after an ERPC.

Thanks to all that have replied :-) and so sorry we've all had losses :-(

eeyoreish I have been on antibiotics for a week for post ERPC infection, so perhaps ill have a follow up for that alone??

bakingtins I've been thinking of you, how are you getting on? I hope your coping as well as you can with the wait between scans etc

MrsGiraffe x

I had a follow-up appointment 6 weeks after after my ERPC but that was because it was done privately. They're not offered on the NHS in my area.

In fact, I then had a whole bunch more of follow-up appointments (and am due 2 more, at least, because of complications).

If you're keen to see a doctor, I'm sure your gp wouldn't mind seeing you. mine was very understanding, I hope yours is too.

I too had my ERPC done privately as the NHS couldn't get me in for a week. I was told I'd have a follow up after 6 weeks, its only been 2 weeks since my mmc at 16 weeks so I'm currently waiting for my appointment letter to come through!

So from what you've all said it depends on what area/trust your from. In hate being in limbo still, whether I'm going to get any follow up at all or not. Ill just make an appointment with my gp and have a chat with him. Ill do it about 4 weeks post mc/ERPC I reckon.

Thanks everyone for advice x

I've had a million scans now, but that was because I was unlucky enough to have retained products (sorry :-/ ) that made me pretty ill... If you're unwell at all, getting pain more than a few days after (or pain that's gone away and come back again), or heavy bleeding (again, especially if it's gone away and come back again), any unusual discharge, etc, I'd go right back and ask for a scan. My GP was effing useless btw - if possible, I'd speak to EPAC/gynae/etc if you can; my GP fobbed me off, but when I got through to the gynae consultant, they admitted me as an emergency...

Sorry to hijack your thread MrsGiraffe but I am also wondering what to do about follow ups. I had my miscarriage 4 weeks ago (no scheduled follow up after medical management) but 2 weeks ago had to go to A&E as miscarriage was "incomplete". When I was discharged the second time I was told to wait 3 weeks and if still getting a positive pregnancy test (which I still am) then to go back, and only then would I get a scan (that would be 5 weeks on in total from start point!) I have been on iron tablets for two weeks and don't know whether to go to GP and get them to check my bloods to see if iron levels are back up? Am dreading pregnancy tests still being positive at the end of this forthcoming week as it means the saga isn't over. I'm still getting some brown spotting so don't know whether this is a bad sign....Those of you with scans earlier on I think have been lucky; saves a lot of worry - I'm terrified of ending up in hospital a third time!

Hi- what I would advise whether you have a follow up or not is to take a home pregnancy test a month after, if you know you're not pregnant and there's a pink line see your GP. This is because of a rare condition (molar) which can lead to tumors if untreated. It has a 100% cure rate in the UK and the main way it's detected is via pathology after ERPC and - as in my case - if your HCG takes a long time to fall. Also if your HCG hasn't fallen you may just have retained tissue which is quick and easy for them to sort with an injection or repeat procedure.