Recurrent Miscarriage Support - tests, treatment, trying again - thread 9

[bakingtins]

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

Can we start the thread with a recap of where we are all up to again, please?

Thanks baking I'll have a look at that thread I look at threads and think I could answer that but I just can't bring myself to post! Glad your are keeping well my goodness 9 weeks to go that's fantastic how are you feeling?
Tanny I still can't believe ive got this far I am so grateful for every day that passes and I certainly don't feel "safe".I know exactly how you feel, I never thought I would ever feel what it was like to have a bump or feel my baby moving inside of me but just keep hanging on to that bit of hope and I pray things work out for you x

butterfly glad things are going well... you are in Viability zone now...

Newbie here,

2 MC
1 medical termination
0 dc.

First pregnancy unexpected, mced whilst visiting parents in Ireland, I think about 8 weeks. Had ERPC.
Second, got to 12 week scan, DS with every soft marker and clear swelling on the brain. Made decision to terminate. Had to cancel planned holiday with parents and nieces.
Third, earlier this year. 8 wk scan no heart beat. MCed naturally whilst my mum was across town looking after my nieces.

Have appt at repeat mc clinic this am. Not sure what to expect or what the future holds really.

Hi aoife I hope your appointment was constructive this morning and that you get some answers from it. Let us know how it went.

Appt went ok except that the clinic is in the epau, which just seems bizarre to me. An hour in that hot waiting room filled with pregnant ladies not fun.

They took an arm full of blood and I go back in six weeks for results and womb scan. My gut says they won't find anything and we will be advised to roll the dice again.

I then went into work. 2 pregnancy announcements and 2 going off on mat leave. Yeah. Came home and got pissed in the bath.

Hi everyone. Sorry for not being around for ages. Just tried to catch up on everyone's news. Hello newbies and sorry that you are in this shit situation but hope you find the support you need here. Aoife the timing of pregnancy announcements are sometimes unbelievable - I mean SERIOUSLY?! I am now quite numb to them and rationalise it in my head by thinking, it doesn't matter if you are pregnant as it's my baby I want and whatever is happening to other people is irrelevant - sometimes works, sometimes doesn't! I was in the no reason found category and I think 50% are. We are going to see Prof Quenby in Coventry for a 2nd opinion though as nk cells is one of the last things I haven't been tested for. Sending you hugs and I hope you find some answers. purple so glad you've got the final all clear and totally get the uncertainty of trying again. Baking and Butterfly wow. That is so good to hear and truly so happy for you both as remember the anxiety in your first few weeks. Hope everyone else is doing ok as can be. Not much to report from me. Still no BFP and will have the hysteroscopy with Raj Rai next month to look for scarring. Then the plan is to go to Prof Quenby. Can't believe it's almost a year since my last MC. The year before that I'd been pregnant 3 times so think my body is on strike! Off on hols next week for some sunshine and relaxation - plan to forget about it all for a month as have packed time with weekends away and seeing friends and family. Will re-start my little quest to have a baby in May with more tests!

aoife glad to hear you have the ball rolling. As not says you have a 50:50 chance of them finding something. It's mentally much easier to try again with a diagnosis and a plan, even if statistically your odds are better if no reason is found. I was in the "no reason" group after 3MC and NHS tests and tried again on the "can't hurt" treatments of baby aspirin, progesterone and high dose folic acid, only to lose another one before going to Prof Q. I wish now I'd gone as soon as tests didn't find anything but hindsight is a marvellous thing. Your history is different though as I lost all of mine prior to 10 weeks and when being scanned regularly they were going wrong at an earlier stage than that. Whatever happens you should get support and regular scans in your next pregnancy if you decide to try again, I was seen weekly in first trimester.

baking not long to go for you! How very exciting.

Can I just ask if there are any risks associated with the uterine NK biopsy done by prof quenby? Just making up my mind on it. Your success story is so amazing.

I'm not aware of any. The main issue would be not getting a good enough sample. It's only a small piece of lining, you have to be certain you are not pregnant that month. They deliberately do a 'scratch' of the lining as it's supposed to stimulate a healing response that improves implantation chances for the next few cycles - so she encourages you to TTC straight away to hopefully take advantage of that.
I guess in theory the tube used to take the biopsy could perforate the uterus? It seems very unlikely though, it's a thin flexible tube and no force required to get the samples. Small risk of introducing infection, but no more than with any other procedure - single use sterile biopsy tool.

Thanks baking seems like little risk then. Probably similar to a D&C risk but everyone gets it done nonetheless.

Would think risks are less than D+C or ERPC as only v small area affected. The tube is a few mm thick, the biopsy is a little sliver of tissue. But ask her, or email her secretary Kerri. She's very blunt straight talking, she won't mind discussing risks with you.
Funnily enough I asked pretty much nothing about the procedure but she was v good going through risks of the meds with me.

I emailed and got an information leaflet. That says minimal risk of perforation and even if it happens it would heal by itself.

I have been asked to wait for two bleeds before booking in. So need to wait quite a bit longer. Sigh!

Two? oh bollocks, i was waiting for my first post medical management and then was going to track ovulation to do the booking...

i wonder if i need to email to double check

I'm pretty sure I went after one proper period....in fact definite, because my last MC was June 13, and had been to Coventry, waited a month for results and was TTC by end of August, so must have been in mid July that I had the tests.

Ahh good to know baking
I emailed them but haven't had a reply yet

So am I am special case!! ? tiny do let me know what you hear. I emailed her secretary. The information leaflet she sent was v helpful and informative.

Can I ask if anyone has experienced extremely slow dropping hcg and what that could mean? I miscarried at 6+3 and nearly 4 weeks later I am still getting bfp. I am going for my repeat hcg on Thursday and hope it has dropped. Really want to get things going on the testing front but need to wait for AF (or two AFs) first.

Went to see Mr Rai last week. He has recommended APA and TEG test but need to wait for AF. Half hoping that they find something !! Also done some other "factor I II" tests. Can't remember exactly.

Triple same with me, it was Kerri who sent the leaflet and who I emailed back... I shall keep you posted...

I don't tend to test after mc, i just wait for AF... but this time i did medical management and went 2 weeks later for a scan and they did a test and said it was positive but very very faint... so the next AF should help sort it all out...

Triple hope your results have dropped today.

Triple just got this reply:

Dear Cxxxx,

We recommend you wait for two natural period cycles after a miscarriage.

Kind Regards,

Kerri

I lost my first baby in 2012 at 7weeks and although I felt it happen, that was the toughest time of my life but with a very supportive husband we waited until we were ready and tried again this year and I got pregnant almost straight away, I had some light spotting on Monday evening at 10 weeks pregnant and because of the previous MC I wanted to get checked out for my own piece of mind. I wasn't worried because I had no cramps or heavy bleeding and had passed no clots unlike the last time. But my blood levels showed high HGC but lower than normal progesterone levels and then I had a scan which showed everything except the baby or it's heartbeat, they think I've had a missed MC but have to go back for another scan in a week!
I'm only 25 and very healthy and now I'm worried that I would be able to carry a baby to full term. I'm am devastated!

So sorry Kirsty
Unfortunately the NHS only do investigations after 3 mcs... it's hard, it's painful and feels totally unfair...

I hope you get some answers soon

Thanks tiny. I guess they want the lining to build up properly. Maybe they revised this after baking. May have noticed they get a better swab?

Yes I hope hcg is lower. I am getting paranoid about a molar now. Eek.

Hello good news. Hcg down to 79 from 226. We are getting there. Hoping It drops to

Triple good to hear that your body is getting back to normal. The waiting around is pants though.

Welcome to newbies. This is the best peer support there is. Nothing is too silly or too daft to say here, and the wealth of knowledge and experience is needed and valued.

Sorry I've not been around on here much. A quick update, I'm due AF on Tuesday, 2nd cycle after MC 5. I had a letter from the gynae consultant about my 2nd autoimmunity blood test. He wants me to wait until the end of the month to have it taken so any antibodies from the pg have gone. Both him and my GP seem confident that this will be the answer to my RMC.

I'm due to see him on 12 May, so want to make sure he has the results by then. Does anyone know how long these take to come back?

If he has the results and there is an issue with my autoimmunity, I'm hoping we can come up with a plan for ttc again.

I've decided if there's nothing wrong with my bloods, my next port of call is Prof Q. After that I'm done.

I'm annoying myself enormously at the moment, I've ended up being off sick for fucking ages. I've always been a bit of a stress head, but it's getting ridiculous now!

Sorry about the me post.

tanny good news that the GP/consultant are being proactive and you at least have a date for your tests. Fingers crossed that is the answer. Have you had any tests done before as well?

I am also waiting for my body to clear up of all hormones and will then go for my APA and TEG test. Professor quenby then 2 months later. I wish AF would hurry up and maybe come in 2 weeks time (being optimistic).

I have also hear about clomid helping with egg maturation. So some ladies have had successful outcome on clomid after mcs. May even try that. I have heard that in the US it is routinely prescribed.

I have also ordered some zita west vitamins to help with any egg quality issues. So I am basically doing everything in project desperate plan!