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Miscarriage/pregnancy loss

Find support and share your experiences on our Miscarriage forum. See also legal rights and support after baby loss.

Original poster

Recurrent Miscarriage Support - tests, treatment, trying again - thread 11

990 replies

bakingtins · 02/08/2014 10:39

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?

OP posts:
EffinIneffable · 19/08/2014 13:15

Hi all,
I've been lurking for a while but would like to join you all if that's OK?

I've just had a 2nd mc, following my 1st in January. This one passed naturally (if damn painfully!) at about 11 weeks, but I had known from 7+5 there was no embryo. 1st mc was suspected ectopic and had a lap that found nothing and then passed naturally at 6 weeks. So I'm not 'officially' having recurrent mc's according to NHS 3-in-a-row criteria, and actually on the whole I'm hopeful that it's a case of bad luck and next time will be our time. But you ladies have so much knowledge here and I've found it really useful to read your stories and experiences. And my friends - even those who've had mc's - just don't seem to get what it does to you to have 2 in a row. One friend who had a mc at 37 and now has a ds said 'oh, we'll probably have a 2nd' and I just couldn't believe how casual and sure she was about it, when I'm thinking I don't know if I'll ever even get one. Now the physical side of things of over, I'm finding it quite difficult to come back to thinking about ttc and wondering if it will ever happen for us. We're planning on taking at least one cycle before we properly try again though.

We'd been ttc since Feb 2013 and I'd had the basic round of fertility tests at the GP, which were all 'normal' - although actually the thyroid function was 2.4 which is a bit high for fertility the doctors didn't look at that as it was on a different screen Hmm. I put myself forward for the TABLET trial and it came back as 1.6, and other TABLET tests were normal too. Seems odd to drop so quickly. Longest did they find antibodies in your blood then?

I also have a heart-shaped uterus - the u/s operator said it was more arcuate than fully bicornuate and probably wasn't relevant, but there was a bit of a fluid in the other half to the sac.

longestlurkerever · 19/08/2014 13:26

Hello Effin and welcome. Sorry to hear your story but glad to see you sound positive. Thanks to you and triple for the info. The sonographer said "slightly arcuate and doesn't seem to be impacting on the cavity" so I assume this is on the very slight end of the scale, but is nice to have investigations anyway.

Sorry, by "participate" I meant have the blood tests to see if I'm a candidate. My thyroid function came back as 2.28 which they said was slightly above the ideal limit of 2 but nothing to worry about. Which is a weird way of putting things really - it's either fine or not fine presumably. Should I be demanding more tests?

charlieis30 · 19/08/2014 13:41

just/lurker i had the bloods but wasn't a candidate either. I don't think I got my number, but maybe I just saw "not a candidate" and didn't read any more, I might try to find the letter.

Hi effin, I think you were in my March '15 birth group? I dropped out of the group a while ago to join these ladies, who are lovely :) so knowledgeable & supportive. I'm another 2-in-a-rower attempting to become a first time mum. I had my ERPC when I should have been around 10 weeks about a week ago, recovering (physically) but have a tendency to write long "look on the bright side" posts on here, mostly to try to convince myself!

EffinIneffable · 19/08/2014 13:42

Hi longest I worried myself and did a bit of research about thyroid. The normal range for general population seems to be about 0.7-4.5 (it varies between labs) but in general for fertility it's better to be below 2 - though 2.28 is unlikely to be causing mc's. The TFH only measures how much hormone the pituitary gland is sending to tell your thyroid to produce thyroid hormone - so if that's high, it can mean your thyroid is needing a bit of a kick up the a* by the pituitary. But you need to know your free T4 hormone, which is how much thryoid hormone is actually in your blood, and whether you have anti-thyroid antibodies, which is when your immune system attacks your thyroid. Both of these will be done as part of the TABLET tests to see if you can participate, and you can ask the research nurse to give you the actual results.

TinyTear · 19/08/2014 13:46

For reference when I went to the GP saying I was enhausted and they sent me for thyroid tests my TSH was 74

Seventy Four!!!!

they called me the moment they received the tests to bung me on thyroxine even before my appointment...

Justonemoretime · 19/08/2014 13:48

Tiny, wowzers! Glad you got it under control!

TinyTear · 19/08/2014 14:12

yep, a high daily dose of thyroxine, but it made such a difference!

Catlover2014 · 19/08/2014 18:36

Welcome effin sorry to read about your second mc, it is so hard and people don't understand the effect it has when it's more than one. You're in the right place here and the ladies have lots of knowledge to share. Stay positive, you'll get your baby soon!!

Charlie tears (even at grand designs) aren't a bad thing. You need to get it all out of your system.

Struggling to follow on my phone again but do send hugs and hellos to all!

X

Triplespin · 20/08/2014 09:02

Welcome effin! You will have excellent support from the ladies on this forum.

All the best tiny - hope you have a successful scan today!

longestlurkerever · 20/08/2014 09:08

Good luck today Tiny. Gosh, glad you got your thyroid under control. Could that be an explanation for your mcs?

Bah, have found my first grey hairs since this latest mc and have quite a few now. Suspect this is an indication the stress is not doing me any good at all. Operation calm the fuck down starts today. Have a nice day planned with dd. Going to story time at the William Morris gallery which I have never been to and to a new park.

TinyTear · 20/08/2014 09:22

Not sure, as I had 2 after being on the thyroid meds...

I went to the William Morris gallery about 2 years ago when it had just opened to meet a friend. quite easy to get to from the overground...

Justonemoretime · 20/08/2014 09:48

Good luck today, Tiny. We'll be thinking of you.

TinyTear · 20/08/2014 09:58

Thanks. Just arrived and I think I passed the doctor who delivered my DD.
Hope it's a good omen

Only 5+6 so not expecting to see much.
Just want my clexane prescription

Triplespin · 20/08/2014 10:06

Good lucky tiny - 5+6 is borderline - but hope you get lucky and see a hb too!!

TinyTear · 20/08/2014 11:14

All in the right place and some googling of the measurements puts me in the correct dates...

Waiting to see a doctor to be prescribed the heparin, otherwise have to go to my GP

Will probably get another scan next week too...

Triplespin · 20/08/2014 12:12

Yay tiny (waves Pom poms)!!

Catlover2014 · 20/08/2014 12:17

Whoop tiny that's great!!! Let us know how you get on with getting the prescription xxx

TinyTear · 20/08/2014 12:43

4 boxes of cyclogest and 4 weeks' worth of Clexane
Just gave myself the first injection (ouch)

Next scan 3rd September in 2 weeks...

cloudjumper · 20/08/2014 13:38

Great news, tiny! May it all continue like this from now on. You will get used to the injections, I promise. Just prepare yourself for some spectacular bruises, they cannot be avoided.

longest How about treating yourself to some nice highlights, as part of the calming-down strategy?I find going to the hairdresser very relaxing Smile

Where is the William Morris Gallery?! I am a devoted fan, sounds as if I should go there!

charli I agree with cat - let the tears come, they are part of the grieving and healing. Don't hold it all in.

Welcome effin Sorry that you find yourself here, may your stay be short and sweet... In the meantime, you will find lots of support and help here.

I still haven't had a good chat with DH, as suggested by my counsellor... I'm scaredCan't seem to find the right time... Sigh.

TinyTear · 20/08/2014 14:12

it's in Walthamstow

www.wmgallery.org.uk/

TinyTear · 20/08/2014 14:16

And in another story...
I had a few tears coming home today.

while in the waiting room, a woman comes in very rushed, with a daughter of about 3 or 4 years old... she gives something to the nurse and says it had to go in the lab ASAP and poor woman seemed quite on edge...

we all here know what she was doing...

then on the way home, I pass them again, and the little girl was singing "Let it go" and the woman was filming on her phone but I could see the sadness behind her eyes and I just felt like crying... because I identified with her as we (the fortunate ones who have one child) need to keep strong and make the best of having one child, not letting this desire for a second consume us too much...

but i just walked past... we can't really go and say "i know what you are feeling... i have been there"

Daisybell1 · 20/08/2014 14:17

I'm sorry for diving back in with another me me me post - can I ask how long have you had off work? I've been off for 3 weeks and am due back after the bank holiday. I'm already starting to panic about going back and feel the anxiety rising.

I'm think of asking the Dr for the rest of the week after the BH, but asking if I can work from home to ease myself back in.

Does this sound unreasonably long? It's my 4th mc in a row and the grief isn't raw, it feels too depressingly normal for that, but I still feel physically and emotionally shattered.

I'm struggling to find any relevant counselling as well and was hoping to have made progress with that before starting back.

TinyTear · 20/08/2014 14:23

i had 2 days after MC1/2 (erpc), none after MC3 (was on holiday)
2.5 weeks after MC4 and 2 days after MC5...

it all depends... for me MC4 hit me harder and that is why i had longer...

if you are based in London daisy this place: www.citypregnancy.org.uk/ offer specialised counselling for pregnancy and miscarriage issues...

Daisybell1 · 20/08/2014 14:33

Wow, Tiny, great respect. There is no way I could have worked after 2 days.

Thank you for the link!

TinyTear · 20/08/2014 14:43

It was one of my issues - acting strong...

I had the ERPC on wednesday, had thursday off sick, worked at home friday and was back in the office on monday... crying in the toilers of course, but working...

That place is where I started my counselling. I have had 2 sessions so far and seems good... shall see how it goes...