Recurrent miscarriage support - tests, treatment, trying again - thread 8

[Bakingtins]

Welcome everyone, pull up a chair! A thread for anyone who has suffered multiple miscarriages and is in need of company, information, moral support, tea or sympathy.

Can I suggest we start page 1 with a recap of where we are all up to, because my fuddled head can't keep track?

I am feeling very 'hormonal'. Not in a good way. Half way through the 2WW (or as close as I can work out). Hmmmmm.
Waves to everyone.

Hello an waves to all. I feel weird lately. Have had some dull pains on the right side of my lower abdomen and I'm about ready to kill DH (mix of hormones and that he's feeling well enough for me to get angry with him for all the domestic/ house stuff I've been harbouring for the past 6 months). AF due next Wed. What's the earliest I can test? Stupidly, I have not avoided alcohol- company Christmas do last week.... A few glasses of red did go down.

LB I feel your pain, when can you poas? I have 'crampy' period like pains, grumpiness, tingly and occasionally achy boobs with visable veins (nice) and a little twinge in my old shoulder injury (don't know why, but that's been symptom in the past - probably the hormone that relaxes your muscles). But all of these are also classic PMT symptoms (albeit at their worst), too.
I think the odd small glass of red early in the 2WW shouldn't be a problem. I think the best thing you can do for your sanity is to proceed with cautious normality.... In her book Prof Regan says the occasional glass while you're ttcing won't hurt, and will promote general relaxation stop obsessive behaviour (because we'd never get like that, right?). AF due at some point in a week or so, but I'm not sure exactly when. I'm probably going to test towards the end of next week. If no BFP by Xmas eve, I'm going to the pub!
I hope we all get what we want for Christmas!

Correction - Prof Regan says the occasional glass in LATER pg is probably fine, and advises moderation before your next pg. One or two glasses over the 2WW probably fine (please don't worry LB) but I didn't want to mis-represent the Prof! :)

Fingers crossed for both of you! After seeing Prof Q my protocol was to test on day 28 (or 14 DPO) and I found that helpful, didn't obsess about POAS before that. You might get a BFP from 10 DPO with a sensitive test, but you can't rely on a negative and go get hammered at that stage, and if you do get a positive you just have more days in chem pregnancy territory to panic about AF coming.
Really hope you both get an early Christmas pressie!

Blimey - think of all the Autumn babies that will be born after the office Christmas party excesses, mum won't know she's pregnant over Christmas and will have been pissed every night - and baby will be fine.
The reason you can't test until 10-14 DPO is the embryo hasn't started to implant so has no connection to your bloodstream.
from your general health POV not a good idea to be drinking loads but really would not worry about it if you end up with a BFP next week.

You're right, Baking. I think my AF is due somewhere between 19th and 23rd Dec, so if it comes, I'll be having one kind of celebration and if it doesn't... we shall see. :) But given the +ive OPK on Monday and BD last Sunday, if I'm not getting a BFP by Christmas eve, it's not coming.

Hi everyone, can I join please? I've had 3 MMC and 4 ERPCs as the first one had to be repeated. This was all over a period of 12 months. Last MMC was at 12 wks in May. Since then had all the tests done at St Mary's which all came back clear but as I know that at least one had no chromosome issues they will treat me with heparin from BFP. Always got pregnant very quickly but now it's not happening which is stressing me out! You seem like such a supportive bunch and I think I could do with a bit of a boost - it's so hard to explain to others what it's like - so scared of being pregnant again but desperately want to be...

Welcome Never, sorry you've been having such a horrid time. Good news that you've already had the St Mary's treatment, though.
I suppose the best advise I can give when it comes to TTCing is try to relax as much as you can. I think the more you take temperatures and pee on sticks, the less likely it is to happen. I have also heard that a natural remedy called she oak can help. Its a bit like rescue remedy. I take it sometimes. Have you considered acupuncture or reflexology? It might help you to relax your body and mind, which can't hurt. I expect it will happen as soon as you stop 'trying'! Good luck! :)

Sorry Not . I flipped the thread and couldn't see your name when I was typing.

Not welcome, hope you find it all supportive.

I was told just what Baking said re the 2 week wait. 100s of women who have happy accidents smoke, drink and eat rare steak until the AF is well and truly late! My gynie said one of the main reasons to be generally healthy when ttc is good health is just good for fertility and post-mc sanity (to reduce worry and self blame if AF arrives or it's a chemical pg). So really, a couple of glasses is ok!

My AF is just tailing off so I had a very jolly night last night. Ooh me head. Well, if all goes to plan soon i'll be on the wagon 100%! :)

I think never giving up and not giving up are equally valid! Welcome not anyway. I don't know if it's something you'd consider but if you are losing chromosonally normal embryos and nothing on standard tests it's worth looking into immune issues. I went to Prof Quenby in Coventry as mentioned by lancashire on the previous page and diagnosed with high NK cells. Now 15 weeks pregnant after 4MC once appropriately treated....

not I joined this thread specifically because the contradiction of wanting to be pregnant and yet being terrified of being pregnant was making me a little bonkers.

I'm currently 6+1 and beginning to feel a little better which in the past has been my first concrete sign that a mc has occurred so I'm not feeling very happy at all. I know these things aren't an exact science but... I threw up yesterday and in two of the mc (7.5wks and mmc measuring 7wks) I threw up then almost immediately lost the pregnancy. Without having any knowledge of what NK cells would actually do to a pregnancy, I'm wondering if somehow my body is overreacting to the pg and then turning on it? Sounds bollocks now but...

I have an EPAU appointment Tuesday afternoon so at least I'll know before Christmas. The mmc was discovered on the Thursday before Christmas last year so this is all horribly familiar. It's just a thought that I might ask for an ERPC if at all possible this time as waiting to mc over Christmas again is likely to destroy me.

Bloody bloody everything. Even if I haven't mc (and there is always a chance) then I'm obviously driving myself insane inside my tiny head. I might be at the limit of my ttc actually. I have no idea how I have turned into this person who I barely recognise. I think of myself as someone who is quite contained, emotionally continent. I have no idea how I have come this close to being destroyed by all of this.

Sorry. I know this is all a bit full on right for this thread - I just wanted to tell someone who might understand. Now there's Jedward on tv. Excellent.

(((worry))) it's hard not to be driven bonkers. Can I point out that vomiting is also a pretty normal sign of a healthy pregnancy? I know nothing short of a 24/7 real time ultrasound scan ( wouldn't that be awesome ) is going to reassure you so just keeping everything crossed that you get good news on Tuesday.

baking thank you. Bit of a wobble there wasn't it? Ahem. I'm quite embarrassed, sorry. It's just so exhausting thinking all the time. My nn is true and that can't be a good thing

Welcome Not, we're all in a similar boat here!

Worry big squeeze... I totally get how you're feeling. When did this take over my dreams???

I have started ovulating again this weekend, a week and a half after starting to mc. I might not have actually oved yet, but it still seems a bit early.

Am being good this month and giving my body and dh a break from all this.

Check up and scan on Thursday to see how things are going, and it's our family Christmas today, so loads of lovely distractions

Worry, hugs. Hope you're feeling better this morning? Hang in there. Good luck for your scan on Tuesday. My heart goes out to you.

Tanny, did you manage to get any testing underway?

I'm 7 DPO (not that I'm counting). Looking for distractions.... Knowing that that the anxiety of the 2WW only the beginning is scary.

Thanks everyone. worry I think we all understand how you feel so don't beat yourself up about it. I've thought the same - I am usually such a level headed person. Like the others have said, try not too think too much until Tuesday and look after yourself.
just I know you are right - stress is not going to help! I've started acupuncture which really helps with relaxing. Fingers x for you! Baking thanks for the tip on Prof Quenby. And congratulations! I've thought of going to see her and she's definitely the next step if this doesn't work. The last baby had Turners which does explain that loss and apparently is random. But Raj Rai at St Mary's was quite clear that they couldn't explain why I had lost the middle one which was normal. Difficult to know how many tests to go through but it all seems quite straightforward with Prof Quenby's clinic and not hugely expensive?

Hey Just, I've got envelopes for some blood tests, if that makes sense. I have to wait for day 1 of my next cycle for one and 6 weeks post mc for the other. I'm a bit concerned that I haven't got an appt letter through for my rmc referral yet, but I'll check the progress of that on Thursday. If all this is taking too long I may be contacting St Marys or asking for a referral.

I don't know if all the supplements are helping but I'm feeling better, and considering some acupuncture to boost things along.

Well on my way to being the Ultimate Answer* only nerds like me will laugh, so time feels short...

*42

Tanny haha, maybe you have to take 42 supplements? Sounds like it's all going along fine. The timings for St Mary's seem OK. Yash, the clinic coordinator is really helpful.

Not (hugs), my third had Turner syndrome, too. It was good to know (something, for once). I will never know what happened to the first two (hb seen on scan for both so probably not a hormonal issue). Can I ask, how did you get genetics done on the second? I tried really hard to get them to do it (picture hysterical woman in surgical gown shouting at nurse) but I was told that they didn't have the right container (!!!!) and it wasn't routine. At that time we suspected a translocation due to a distant family member's issues, so I felt I had grounds. DH and I both had karyotypes done since and we were both fine, but at the time I thought it was a genuine issue worth investigating. Nothing to be done about it now, obviously, but if there's a magic word you can use to get it done, it would be interesting to know. As it is, I'm considered random so ttcing again. One more TEG test at 6-7 weeks (if/when) and then possibly aspirin, otherwise TLC.

Waves to everyone else. xx

Hello... I didn't sleep well and feel a bit wrung out really.

Thank you tanny Not and Just for being nice. I'm just trying to get through the next couple of days without being sick or feeling too unsick if that makes any sense? For example with the mmc, I was throwing up at 11 weeks (in the street ) although the sac measured 7ish weeks when scanned. Leaving aside the mc, I just don't do pregnancy well!

not that was our reason for choosing to see Prof Q. Before that we went round and round whether we should just give up, having had the standard tests being normal, told to TTC again and losing a 4th baby, which proved to be chromosomally normal. We looked into the whole immune issues thing and concluded that going to the London specialists was £££ and time commitment we just weren't up for, whereas Prof Q was not too expensive (£350) and not so open ended - one visit, one flat fee, and if she couldn't help us we'd give up.
There is a thread on the conception board called "TTC/pregnant on pred" if you want to ask more about immune issues.

Hello all!

Who was it that was my "ovulation partner?" I just started testing last night and had a VERY strong positive ovulation test last night my cycle has been about 39 days since erpc but this would make it bang on 28 days. Have i finally settled down?! No wonder i've wanted to murder DP the last few days...

Btw i was due to ovulate on christmas day for whoever said they would be bding with me on xmas day!

Am I the only one not doing ov tests?
I don't think I would want the added stress... I will just go with the flow... and hope the larger thyroxine dose will help...