Recurrent miscarriage support, tests, treatments and trying again.

[Monten]

Buckle up, the threads move like lightening! Tea, sympathy, information, support and combined wisdom to guide you through the maze of testing and treatment for recurrent miscarriage. Newbies always most welcome.

Please start with the traditional recap of your stats.

Brummie, quick follow up question on that: have you fallen pg quickly in the past? I'm a bit worried about this selective thing and not sure i class as hyper fertile. Prof Quenby said for some the prog can make you too selective so you switch to prog from positive test if not preg after 3 months. But isn't the scratch supposed to yield benefits for 3 months? So in those cases where the prog hinders fertility and is moved back after 3 months, would the scratch then have been wasted? Does that make sense?

Glad you can get back to ttc

brummie glad the call went ok and you managed to stay awake :)

me2 that's a good question. I am by no means hyper fertile - the complete opposite and prof b knows this as we were discussing ivf. I only thought about that question after my call but assuming he thinks its fine to take even if you're not one to easily get pregnant but not sure how that works!

Me2 hmmm not sure. My first time I fell pregnant 2nd cycle. After 1 mc, I fell pregnant again 2nd cycle and after 2nd mc it took until the 4th cycle

But yes in my appt with Prof B, he did say the scratch had benefit for 3 months - however I also had a scratch done yesterday in my hysteroscopy so am hoping it carries on longer.

But Prof B also said in the phone call today that the biopsy had shown there was no problem with the regeneration of the lining so not sure if the scratch helps anyway if that makes sense??

brummie glad the call went well. I had wondered why he gave me 400mg progesterone when I went back for the location scan instead of 200mg I had started with. I didn't notice until we got home. Wonder if being pregnant was why then? Figure it was probably a mistake. Letter doesn't say to increase on bfp.

Was actually going to ask if I could cut them in half to make 200mg ones because I've just run out. Anyone know any reason why I shouldn't. Seems I have no chance of my gp giving me more at the moment.

I've come home from work 3 hours early because I'm feeling so bloody anxious. Just want to lie in bed and never get up. Well... Not until this part of my life is over.

Just remembered something else Prof B told me - that my mc's could've been "bad eggs" which is why I miscarried. Guess I'm never going to know...

Oh MrsD big hugs .

Yes Prof B defo said you get 400mg when pregnant and not earlier otherwise it can make you too selective.

Can't believe your GP is being an arse about the progesterone?? WTF is wrong with people?

Is it worth contacting Prof B or Kerri to get another prescription?

It should not be this difficult to try and get the meds to stay pregnant!!!

I'm properly raging on your behalf

I've also just been woken up by MIL phoning the house "because she couldn't get hold of DP" who is at work!!!!!

So I'm so tired I can barely think straight and in a proper grump

So my head fuck for the day because I was obviously feeling too ok at the moment and in an good head space was I received a hospital letter this morning saying they hoped I am recovered well from my recent operation and they can confirm that the tissue sent from my womb had no abnormalities. I am now discharged from their care.

Nice.

So I rang the secretary of the Obstetrician named on the letter (different from the consultant I saw) and explained I was recently told the baby I lost had Downs and I was still under the care of (this other) consultant and awaiting test results. She had no idea, was very apologetic, said she thought it was better if I disregarded the letter that I was looking at and she would raise this with someone or other.

Do you think my original results, given to me in person , would have been the correct ones and somehow my NHS number just got caught up with the people receiving this standard letter?

Sebs, I'm sure you got the correct results. NHS admin is bonkers sometimes!

sebs - at nhs admin. That must have been such an upsetting letter to get. Am sure the face to face consultation will have given you the correct results, rather than some standard letter, but I would definitely ask the first consultant to confirm the result to you. x

I'm sure they gave you the correct results in person sebs. I think my sample was tested for both genetics and for pathology? (or something like that). I got the results for pathology? and they were normal, it was just the genetics testing that couldn't be done. Maybe this is the same. It would seem reasonable that there were no infectious causes for your baby so that results could be normal and just the genetics showed the downs. Hope you get to the bottom of it soon x

Hi sebs that's really bad communication. I was going to the say the same as march I got basic results saying the the tissue was normal but they didn't do any genetic testing due to some cock up so it could just be these results and they're not very well joined together.

Oh gosh maybe. I have no idea. The secretary didn't really clarify either, she seemed equally as confused. She did say she would raise it but didn't say anyone would get back to me for clarification.

I am awaiting all the blood results so I thought the letter was going to be about them so i know I'm not discharged from care. I think I will wait until the test results are due back and if I haven't heard anything email my Consultant's secretary and ask if I need to chase them up through my GP. I guess I could also ask about this letter then and see if they can confirm it was sent out in error.

me2 that's worrying me too. I've taken 18 months for catching both times we've tried. Ironically it's mcs which reduce that to three months. I'm worried if I go to Coventry this cycle (2) the prog might stop the third month working! Not that it's a guarantee it would be third month after third MC!

sebs that does not surprise me at all. I've been shocked at the crapness of aftercare I've received. Surely the face to face info is the correct thing though. Admin is shocking.

Just got a letter telling me my follow up appointment will be at the EPU. So sat waiting with pregnant women in the place my mcs have been confirmed- lovely. Thanks NHS for that thoughtfulness too!

Right , have done a bit of catching up (not enough) so...

Congratulations to the BFPs.

Sebs after my erpc they told me that some of the "products" (sorry there are no nice words for this) were sent to pathology to confirm they were products of conception (I think this means not a molar pregnancy) and the rest were sent to the external lab for the chromosome tests. So maybe the letter referred to the pathology tests. Sorry they've thrown you into a spin a bit, I'm sure the sec will clarify with your consultant.

Sasha. A three year age gap is lovely. I do feel sad sometimes that having my girls was not easy and "how it is meant to be" but honestly they are the best of friends, and it gave Dd1 a decent stint of being my only, and we are very close. Plus, she was old enough to understand what was going on when I was pregnant (she came to my Mw appointments and listened on the doppler) and was made up to get a sister. Actually, having them 3.5 years apart, while less convenient for career (am a lawyer too) and more expensive in terms of childcare costs, has been pretty great. It's just a shame that getting there involved so much angst.

Sorry about the BfN Flen

Will catch up a bit more later.

Just one q - has anyone been advised to take aspirin when ttc? I have read about this EAGER study which says that women who have had a mc in the last year have a better chance of conceiving if they take it - but that it is not the case for the wider cohort of women they studied (with more than 1 mc and /or in a longer period than a year). What I am not clear on it whether it said anything relevant to repeaters like me who have only had one recent MC...

NotSparticus, re aspirin, I took it whilst TTC #3 which was turner's syndrome. I can't prove it but I am utterly convinced that the aspirin messed with my lining and contributed to me accepting a dodgy egg.

Flen, I meant to say, hope you're OK? Sorry about the bfn.

NotSpartacus I had 2 m/c's 3 months apart last year but the 2nd possibly happened because of an implantation bleed (hospital diagnosis), I had a big clot sitting under the baby which was told would prob be ok, but it ruptured the pregnancy. Dr referred me to a gynae who said to take low dose aspirin only once I got a bfp, I'm presuming only to thin the blood a little and try to prevent another clot... Can't see how taking it whilst ttc would be advisable or necessary, but not a Dr of course...
Even though I did get a bfp (early early days) I am still slightly nervous about putting any pills in my body, I'm so flipping anxious about anything affecting this pregnancy and am a massive bundle of nerves x

Not sure who recommended theHeadspace app. Just had my first session and ended up nodding off for a few mins. Not sure that's suppose to happen but certainly cleared my mind :)

Waaaaaaah! Can't keep up, can't keep up!

brummie what a fucker that nothing's come up. Excuse my French. I truly believe all of us on here are asking questions that push the edge of current medical understanding. I just wish more research and trials were done in order for us to all get some answers.

flen so sorry it's a bfn. Are you on the progesterone? Could the progesterone possibly be doing its job this month?

minnie we need a good chat about Leeds, huh? I have my appt in a couple of weeks and am really hoping they are supportive of what I've done.

Waves to everyone else. Sorry I can't name check you all.

Ds declared in the car tonight that he wanted 'another baby' and that he 'will help next time'. Bless him. I had to explain that 'mummy's body isn't very good at making babies so we were very lucky' to have him.

But... I'm off to Coventry tomorrow. Whoop! Have a load of questions prepared, will let you all know how it goes. Wish me more luck!

X

pop are you under Dr Walker or Shillito? I think Mr Walker seems a little more open to things (from what freckle found anyway) I think you're right about us asking on the edge questions which some doctors are just not ready to answer. Good luck with Coventry tomorrow- I'm pretty much decided I'm going (though not sure I'm oving as didn't poas last month). Got to tell my boss I need another day off to go though, which I don't think will go down well!

erica those first few weeks are just the slowest ever! How far along are you now? Do you have a scan booked? Hope the next few weeks whizz by!

Good luck tomorrow Pop - have a painkiller before you go, it's a bit ouchy!!!!!!

Pop, good luck tomorrow!

Wadsy, look up H-Y Antigens and miscarriage.

Sebs, that really is crap of NHS.

Loopy, we have really similar histories - age, 2xDS, 4 x miscarriages and treatment. I can totally relate to what you say about wondering whether you're flogging a dead horse. I do think I could justify carrying on trying more easily if I hadn't got children, or only had one, but as I've got two I do sometimes wonder if it's nature's way of telling me that I should be happy with what I've got.

Flen, I'm on the BFN bus with you this month. Like to think it's because the lining is doing its job... onwards and upwards.

ExtraBlessings, I once had a book on hints and tips around finding a job and at the back it had something called the 'Wall of "No"s' or something like that. Basically a page saying "No no no no no no no no no no no yes."
The lesson was that every 'no' (getting turned down for a job) got you closer to that 'yes'. I'm hoping this is that same for miscarriage, it is pretty much what Prof B said.

Biscuits that's a great analogy. Need to keep that in mind as we are about to embark on TTC #4

Can't believe I'm saying #TTC 4 but I still have no dcs....

It's not a sentence that even in my darkest hours that I ever thought I'd say

Ah thanks Minnie tbh I shouldn't complain at all, but I'm only 4+3 and I tested 4 days early as I'm so impatient! The 2ww is tough, but hanging out til 8 wks for a scan is really hard...I lost at 9.5 wks and 12 wks I know there's so much that can go wrong, I'm nervous every time I wipe (sorry!) and I know I should be positive but this week is dragging so god knows what the next 3.5 wks will feel like! Going camping this wkd with the family so that'll be a distraction... Although I'm not sure how p*ssing rain and freezing cold weather will help with the tiredness x