Recurrent Miscarriage Support - tests, treatment, trying again - thread 12

[bakingtins]

Welcome everyone! A thread for anyone who has suffered recurrent losses and is in need of support, information, moral support or tea and sympathy. Newbies very welcome.

Please can we start (as is traditional) with a recap of where we are on 'the journey'.

Tiny, good for you. Here's to the rest of a normal, boring pregnancy for you!
Lurker, good luck for next week!

14 weeks! Well done for spilling the beans tiny I couldn't be happier for you!

Thanks ladies for being so supportive and for the advice. I asked about getting the remains sent away his time as I'd rather do everything I can to find out if there is anything wrong, and I've read about them saying they'll just have to wait for another one so they can test the remains. Glad I asked as I don't think she would have given me anything otherwise, but I have a sterile pot. I think my husband was a bit grossed out by me asking.

Glad to hear some people have positive stories, it gives me some hope. Best of luck with it all, those who are in the process. I really feel for those who are in those early weeks. i found that so hard this time.

I would be interested in the Cohen book if you still have it baking? I feel like knowing more about m/c will help me to put it into perspective and process it a bit better.

March I'm so sorry for your losses. Hope you get this part over and done with and get some answers from testing.

Thanks all. In fact I have spoken to my local hospital and am going to their walk in clinic on tues. This way dh can come with me while MIL is here to look after dd and I should get an answer a couple of days before I am due back at work. Will still go to st Mary's on weds but should be able to manage that alone if I know what to expect.

Well done tiny! Hope you enjoyed telling them.

Marchgirl well done on being assertive. It is grim but worth pushing for answers wherever you can. Good luck!

send me a PM of your address march and I will post it to you.

Feel odd this morning. Wearing both my baby on board badge on the tube and the baby loss awareness pin (£2 on the miscarriage association website)

i only put the badge on the commute but shall keep the pin on all week I think...

Have a good flight lurker and hope tomorrow all will be ok

Hi lurker. That sounds like a good plan. Safe journey and good luck for Tues.

Congrats on telling everyone Tiny and on wearing the sticker - what a milestone! I get how it must feel a bit odd with both that and the badge on.

March - good on you for being assertive. I hope you get some helpful and/or reassuring answers.

Hi everyone
Sorry for the radio silence, after getting chromosome results decided to try very very hard to relax and not think about it too much. Should be at around 8dop now so mind starting to dwell on testing, esp since I'm having some nausea. Giving myself lots of stern talkings-to that I prob wouldn't feel anything at this point even if I do get UTD this month!
Lots has been going on here, time to read back. Hugs to all xx

Hello everyone - I'm new to the thread, but it looks like my 4th miscarriage is imminent, so hoped you might be a source of support/knowledge.

Is there a definitive list of tests that they do following multiple miscarriages? I've had some tests done prior to this most recent pregnancy, but just wondered if there was anything else I should push for.

My last miscarriage - and this one - has shown an empty gestational sac (known as a blighted ovum apparently). Is there any known treatment to prevent this, or just down to (bad) luck?

Thanks

Hi everyone!!! I just to say I missed you all so much. Took a brake from posting and reading until I found help for my health. I found that I was gluten intolerant!!!! I'm also prediabetic..... so this is why my TTC journey has been so crappy!

I see that Tiny and Tanny are blooming wonderfully!!! I could dance seeing such good news.

To the rest of us, keep holding hope and praying for blessing just for you!

Hello march and itscurtains (hope i haven't missed any other new people) so sorry for your losses, what very hard times you have both been having.
The usual tests involve scans of your uterus to check for any abnormalities in structure, and then lots of blood tests. Mainly to check for clotting or thyroid issues, sometimes hormonal issues if it is deemed necessary ( no one ever checked my hormones due to regular cycles apparently but I know others have that done anyway). As others have said testing of the products can bring a lot of information.
My 3rd mc was also a 'blighted ovum' but I have been told this is a somewhat old fashioned term - an 'anembryonic' pregnancy is supposedly the preferred term, as blighted ovum puts the blame on the egg a bit. (At least that's my understanding). In my case, that one was found to have trisomy 22 (generally that's due to bad luck), so it would fit that it just didn't develop as far as being an embryo. Whether there are other causes I don't know, but essentially for whatever reason, development has ceased very early on (again don't quote me - that's just my understanding)
When no reason is found, as baking says, the next step is looking into auto immune issues. I went to the implantation clinic in Coventry today to do just that - as a private patient but its part NHS funded and all the money goes back into research.
I hope you both find support here, personally I really do find its the only place I am understood.

So I went to the clinic in Coventry today and saw Prof Bosens. I liked him. He went through my history and talked a lot about the theory of their protocol. I was concentrating so hard my head hurt, and wish I had taken a tape recorder as it all started becoming very scientific. He then did the biopsy...my lining was 11mm (CD25) and 'very nice'. I have left feeling relieved I finally took the plunge and did it, as at least I am doing something pro-active, and what he said made sense.

Hi coco, nice to see you! Great that you have found out more information about your health, and hope that you are able to push things in the right direction for a more successful TTC journey.

Hi itscurtains sorry to hear you are going through it again. There is a pretty standard set of tests for recurrent miscarriage - if you were not referred to the RMC clinic last time then I'd push for that. As bootles said it's mostly blood tests (CD2 for FSH+ LH, CD21 progesterone, thryoid and autoantibodies, diabetes, full blood count, clotting/APS, Rheumatoid factor, antinuclear antibody) karyotyping for both parents + a scan and if you've never had a successful pregnancy then possibly a hysterosalpinogram. Genetic testing of 'products' is v useful so if at all possible get that done. They can normally get material from the sac so it shouldn't make a difference that there is no visible embryo. If a genetic abnormality is found that may help you understand why the loss happened, if you have lost a normal embryo at an early stage I'd push further to find out why. I'm afraid most of us have heard the 'unlucky' refrain quite a lot, and I remain convinced that in the vast majority of cases it is bollocks. The standard tests only find a reason in 50% of cases, the immune tests will account for some more, and some are at the moment unknown. I find 'unlucky' terribly dismissive of someone who is suffering and has had more than their share of shitty luck, thanks very much.

bootles glad you got on well, hope you get results soon.

Thanks so much for the info bootles. It feels better to know what I should expect. Hopefully they will come up with something from the products, which I handed in today.

I totally agree that the 'bad luck' line is rubbish. Maybe it's bad luck for a very small percentage of the small percentage this happens to, but it can't be bad luck for 50% of those with multiple losses.

I feel a bit angry that the easily treatable conditions aren't tested for as standard, or at the very least before 3 losses.
I remember asking the midwife if they were going to do any testing after the second, and she said no. And I asked "so you're saying I have to go through this again before they'll take this seriously? " she just sort of looked at me sheepishly.

This policy sucks.

Ps should have said Thanks also baking for the info

Hello there - thanks for the warm welcome and all the info.

I've had blood taken, but not at a specific miscarriage clinic, so sounds like its worth me getting a list of what I've had done and what I haven't.

Apparently I have a blood clotting disorder, but they said that they wouldn't treat me for this until a pregnancy was confirmed as viable - which is a bit frustrating...

Thanks again

I'd seriously question the wisdom of that, curtains particularly if it wasn't a specialist who told you so. The critical stuff is happening in those very early weeks. The Coventry protocol is heparin from a scan showing sac in utero (not a heartbeat) but in that instance it's being used for cytoprotective effect on the developing placenta, not for clotting. In every protocol for clotting I've heard of it's heparin from BFP, and often aspirin when TTC or from ovulation.
Ask for referral to RMC clinic and a letter detailing what's been done so far, and get a specialist opinion.

coco good to have you back and to hear you've made some progress. Diet changes afoot, then?

march its so sad handing the products in...hope you are able to take some time for you over the next few days.

curtains that is beyond frustrating. It sounds like you need to push to be under a rec mc clinic.

Am feeling that biopsy now..

Welcome to March and Curtains, so sorry you find yourselves here. I don't think I have any more to offer, advice wise, there is definitely enough there to get going on.

I have also had a long history of pregnancies not getting going before miscarrying, empty sacs etc, and am now 20 weeks pg after treatment in Coventry. I don't know quite what worked, but just being treated helped, I think, rather than fobbed off with the bad luck bollocks. To be fair, my consultant was more honest than that and says that they really don't know what causes the majority of RMC!

Bootles you have my empathy. I found it very ouchy. Pleased to hear it went well though. I also liked Prof B, he was so lovely to me in those early weeks.

Coco lovely to hear from you, and it sounds like things are moving along.

Longest you're probably in the air at the moment, but will be thinking of you tomorrow, and am really hoping its good news.

As usual, I've got the fear as I approach another antenatal appointment. I have my 20 week scan tomorrow, and will be exactly 20 weeks. At the same time as being petrified, I also can't actually believe I'm here!

Will let you know how I get on.

Thanks again - it sounds like the specialist miscarriage clinic is definitely the way to go.

Just one more question - previous miscarriages I've not had many pregnancy symptoms, but this time I have. It's a bit of a kick in the teeth to still have them now I know miscarriage is imminent. Any experience on how soon they will fade away?

Thanks for the warm welcome ladies!!!
Yes, been gluten free low GI for a month and a half! Have cheated a bit here and there but not enough to go back to that painful place I was. I had gotten to the point I could barely walk or lift my son! I thought I was dying honestly. Good news I lost over nearly 15bls and I get to eat as much as I want!!! It looks like most people are waiting 6months before trying.
So sorry not to name names wishing you all the very best tomorrow. Hugs to those that need them.