Recurrent Miscarriage Support Thread - Thread 17 - Tests, treatment and trying again

[Flower29]

Information, support, hand holding, tea, sympathy and a hell of a lot of combined knowledge - all welcome as we try to make sense of the RMC roller coaster of tests, NHS admin, heart ache and (hopefully) happy endings!
Please start with a recap of your stats

Just that is a bloody good point! Hadn't even thought of going to Coventry on my enforced wait. It's not quite 2 months yet as my cycles are shorter than 4 weeks but 2nd af is next week and by the time I ovulate it will be.

You are quite right though, I'm paying for acupuncture, will happily pay for Coventry because I'm in late 30's, have a decent job and educated enough to plough through reams of info and research but what if I wasn't???

I guess it doesn't matter to see Mr Watts and Cov together as what I want is the scratch. Will email Kerri this morning

Hand holding twilight

And what a rubbish start to the day march. Hope you have something nice planned even if that's just a duvet and a huge

Just lost my first post. Unmn hugs all round.

Right I'm off to kill my dh for sabotaging my chance of a much needed lie in. I know its a little pointless thing but I am running on minus empty and need his help

twilight thinking of you today love. I hope you're first in the queue and have a quick uncomplicated recovery from the procedure. Don't apologise for anything to is, it's good to share our experiences and I'm sure it all helps us heal a bit to be able yo do this. Lots of hugs for you. X

march thinking of you today. As you say, you couldn't write it! Such a kick in the face to have to deal with others arrivals on what should have been yours. x

just I had never looked at the nhs cost 'saving' in that way. I agree that it must cost them much more with the following mcs. Mind was natural this time but I've still had bloods done about 10 times and a scan, plus they offered a laparoscopy due to suspected ectopic (which I declined) but when I mention tests they run a mile!

Just reading about everyone's experiences brings tears to my eyes. What an amazing bunch of strong, determined, inspiring women.

I don't think my experience will be of help but here it is ...1st was MMC, had bouts of spotting which went then reappeared 3rd time and had evil bright red blood so had scan and found out baby died 8+5 (I was about 12 wks). No previous scan so don't know if normal hb etc. I think I 'knew' something wasn't right, my symptoms went (I think when baby died from working back) so I was devastated when told but not shocked. I think the blood confirmed it rather than the scan iyswim.
The 2nd I had spotting same as 1st so knew it was a bad sign. Had hcgs taken then eventually scan which showed sac 4.5wks (I was6-7), my spotting got heavier and I mc naturally 7-8wks. So quite diff to the 1st but another mmc..?

very well said Just

Well said just. Not to mention the emotional cost, all the heartache, worry, stress, feeling alone, that could be avoided if you just felt you were under someone’s care after the first.

I’m so sorry for the baby bombs march. You’re right, you couldn’t make it up. I had had my second loss just before my first EDD and just couldn’t believe the double blow of it. Look after yourself today. Can you do something totally indulgent, purely to make yourself feel better?

Hope this morning went as well as it could twilight

Yes well said just. The overall cost to the NHS is actually huge, when we are told to just go and try again, and testing doesn't begin until after 3, by which time we are all in need of multiple scans, heaps of reassurance, and desperate for anything that may help us.

just I think I forgot to say good news about the repeat 20 week scan - so glad to hear baby is doing well, did you find out the gender? Sorry that you have another thing to think about with the placenta previa, but as others have said, you will be closely monitored. Things move so quick on here I forget what I have and haven't said!

I'm still trying to find a pattern with my MC's, and not really seeing one...

Well said just. They don't think about the bigger picture of the long term costs.

Went to my gp yesterday and she was lovely. She took bloods for general tests, blood glucose, thyroid function, coeliac screen and hormones (though as I'm only 6 days post mc I don't hold out much hope for that showing anything). I asked about it being day 3 and day 21 but she said it didn't need to be,it depends what you're testing for. Not convinced. I think she was probably just appeasing me but nice of her to do them.

Dh is taking me to the cinema today and a nice lunch then I'm out to dinner tonight with mums from my dd's nursery (let's hope there aren't too many pregnant ones!), so hopefully plenty to take my mind off it. Hope it is going ok twilight and that you are seen quickly x

Soooo glad i've found you!!!
Me - 40 - just.
Dh - 49 - eek!
Ds - 19 months - no complications.
Mc 1 - june '14, 6 weeks.
Mc 2 - oct '14, 7 weeks.
Mc 3 - feb '15, 11 weeks but scan showed 7 weeks.

3 in 8 months, last one still happening. Saw heartbeat at 6 weeks but started bleeding 4 days ago. I seem to get pregnant very easily but since ds can't progress far, which seems odd. But i am doggedly determined and emotionall. robust, but am going to try to resist getting pregnant til bloodwork comes back. This time took asprin from 3 weeks and progesterone from 7 weeks (by which point it was probably too late.) There is absoloutly no doubt in my mind that i will keep trying. Getting good support from friends, though close friend asked yesterday "at what point will you stop trying and accept you just can't?" - i just wont tell her next time!!

Thinking of you today Twighlight and hugs to you march

brummie hope you can get in coventry - that would be a relief im sure.

My consultant appointment yesterday came about when the RMC nurse gave me the fragmin - she said id have to see him when i'd been on it a while. I wasnt sure if it was standard to see him during pregnancy so didnt question it. When DH and i arrived in his office he said "So, what can i do for you?" i said i wasnt sure but it was something to do with the dalteparin. He looked in my notes and realised he hadnt written for how long i should have them, so he wrote it in and then said "I was thinking what else has she been reading now?"! This is because when he said go away and try again i told him i'd read about the promise trial and again badgered him with the fragmin/coventry protocol. I felt like saying "Well its a good job i have been reading because its worked so far" The cheeky so and so. He went on to say that although all my clotting tests came back negative he is happy to go on the fact that whether its the prog or fragmin (or both) that this is working so he will put it in all my notes, i dont know if he means for future like i'd dare think that far ahead or just in general but i was happy it was acknowledged.

Freckle I could've written your post. I'm a 3 in 8 months too. Welcome and so sorry you find yourself here.

I took aspirin from 3 weeks too although didn't have progesterone. Didn't work clearly!

I've got my rmc appt with consultant on 9th March. Also just heard from Kerri at Coventry. By my reckoning I should be ready to go to Cov on 13th or 16th March

Thinking of your today twilight

March EDDs are tought, hope you will get through it OK - sounds like you have some nice things lined up, which is great.

Sorry for not namechecking more - I am still reading, but keeping a low profile at the moment, I'm so busy both at and outside work. Plus, I'm exhausted, as I'm doing SMEP again at the moment...
Will try to catch up properly soon!

Brummie, so pleased Kerri can fit you in . Progress!!
Welcome Freckles, hope you find the help and support you need.
Bootles, thanks. The thread moves to fast, doesn't it!!
Thanks all, too, for applauding my soap-box moment! Sometimes you've just got to rant!
Ourday, good for you, sounds like a result on the fragmin. Hope it does the trick!

Hello freckle sorry to hear what you are going through. I have also had three losses, 2 of which certainly stopped developing at 6-7 weeks. Just been through NHS tests, which were all normal. I'm on aspirin for next pregnancy and weekly scans. Everyone here is welcoming, wonderful and full of knowledge - it's a good place to be.

PS. cloud just finished SMEP here too! Earned a rest I think!

That's good news brummie. If you have to wait anyway then may as well get everything done before trying again to give yourself the best chance.
Welcome freckle and sorry you find yourself here. These ladies are amazing. Knowledgeable, very supportive and incredibly strong. Lots of good news stories progressing at present.
I'm another one who has no fertility issues but just can't seem to hang on to them. I'm planning to go to Coventry in april. They are researching hyperfertility (where your uterus is extremely receptive but not selective enough, allowing 'bad eggs ' to implant) as well as the effect of uterine natural killer (uNK) cells.

Brummie, glad Coventry can see you soon!

OurDay, fingers crossed the Coventry protocol will get another pompom waver soon!

I am knackered but had a good blood reading this morning so upping insulin dose seems to have helped...

hello bingo card: hypothyroid, 5 miscarriages, EMCS with DD1, Gestational Diabetes and now Insulin... (not to mention the odd succenturiate placenta this time)

Thankyou for warmth xxx I have a lot of information to devour very quickly it seems...Who is kerri - what is her significance? What is 'coventry'? (Thought that's when you give simeone the silent treatment?!) It sounds like i should know... and may need a bablefish too! Xxx

Freckle, Kerri is the Secretary at the Coventry implantation clinic. Its a self referring research clinic that quite a few of us (me included - now 22 weeks pg - waves pompoms!) have been to. It costs £360 and they do a uterine biopsy to test for normal post ov changes and nk cells. If nk cells normal you get progesterone from day 21 to bfn or beyond if bfp and heparin injections from in uterine scan (confirms not ectopic). If raised nk cells, you get steroids too. You attend the clinic once, all else is over the phone or email. You go on either a Monday or Friday 7-10 days after ov before next af starts. You need to not be pg for the biopsy. The scratch also improves lining for 3 months after the procedure. You can Google them: profs Quenby and Brosens. We love them on this board. Watch out for inter-hospital rivalry, as some other consultants are a bit dismissive of the new research because the results aren't fully published yet.

Also, brummie - i could just hug you, thankyou for you! Xxx

Coventry is where the implantation clinic run by profs quenby and brosens is. They test for the uNK cells (everyone has them, but if you have too many they think they might attack the foetus causing mc). They also have a drug protocol of progesterone from cd21 and heparin from confirmation the pregnancy is in the right place. if you have high uNK they also prescribe prednisolone (a steroid).
Kerri is the administrator for Coventry, it's her you call to book an appointment. You need to be 2 cycles post mc and it's 360 quid (not private but nhs self funded). Lots of pompom wavers on here for the Coventry clinic with pregnancies that are progressing well.

Justonemoretime - thankyou for tge orientation! I am going to start swotting up... Xxx

Cross post just!

Hi, can I join this thread, i know recurrent m/c is classed as 3 and this is my second?

is it possible to develop unk cells then? To have had a wonderfully successful natural pregnancy and still have them? Xx

maverick here we don't count like the NHS, we'd test everyone after the first one!

Welcome to the group no one wants to join...