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.

Thanks for the new thread monten

Stats:
Me 32, DH 31
No DC, TTC since Dec 12.
MC 1, 8+6 Nov 13, MC2, 10+6 Mar 14, MC3 10+6 Sep 14.
All testing clear, last MC chromosomally abnormal. Currently 16+4 weeks pregnant (I actually feel like I am lying, typing that seems so unlikely), no additional treatment.

flen hugs, 2ww end stage is horrible, hope hope hope it's your month. You too jady and actually all others in 2ww, a deluge of BFPs please.
brummie hope results arrive this week.
pop sorry I didn't realist you also had an appointment today, hope it goes well.

Sasha, my local consultant suggested trying progesterone and dalteparin one more time but adding aspirin too. But I decided to go to Coventry first to rule out NK cells. Have my Coventry phone follow up tomorrow night so will see what they say.

But I am now questioning (again) whether I'm doing the right thing by TTC. Wish someone had a crystal ball. I don't usually believe in these things but had tarot cards read at a friend's hen party two years ago.

Some cards came up which are meant to mean a triumph after a long struggle. I didn't mention TTC but it was first thing I thought of. But the fact that I'm willing to start believing in something because it reinforces my hopes worries me...

I also feel a lot of guilt about using NHS resources, even guilt about being upset, because I have got two children. And this must be infinitely harder for those who don't.

Wish someone could just say "you'll have five more miscarriages before you give up", or "you'll have one more miscarriage then have a baby".

Think the Coventry results sent me ona downer, positive mental attitude will resume shortly. I hope.

Me2, I actually feel relieved to be out of 2ww, even though it was a BFN. Anxious times indeed.

Me 38, DH 42
1st MMC May 2011 - 5/6 weeks, miscarried at 9 weeks
DS May 2012 - placenta praevia but other than that, all ok
2nd MMC Feb 2014 - 5/6 weeks, miscarried at 7 weeks
3rd MMC June 2014 - 5/6 weeks, miscarried at 12 weeks
Rcm tests @ Leeds all negative, prescribed HCG from next bfp
4th MMC February 2015 - 17/18 weeks(?) no heartbeat at 20 week scan. Induced labour and gave birth to dd at 20+4. Low PAPP-A hormone found from 13 week combined blood test. Put on aspirin for suspected placenta problems (but that was clearly too late ).

Thanks for the new thread, Monten.

Sooo, just back from results at Liverpool. The adhesions/scarring are minimal so they are not going to recommend a hysteroscopy. (Will get second opinion about this at Coventry on Friday as I can't help thinking scarring can't be a good thing, surely? On the other hand, it would mean I don't need surgery...)

My hormones are 'imbalanced' - my LH is higher than my FSH but I don't have PCOS which is what this normally signifies. Don't know what the f*** that's all about, then, but the consultant did say that the HCG shots were a good thing and would have helped sustain the pregnancy. Will be prescribed this again if we decide to try again. (So will now also ask at Coventry about progesterone vs hcg and what would be best in this situation).

Also tested borderline high for lupus anticoagulant which points towards antiphospholipid syndrome. The consultant said it wasn't worth doing the second test for this at is wouldn't change the protocol of high dose folic acid, low dose aspirin and Fragmin from bfp to deal with this.

She also said that I was miscarrying for 'multiple reasons', ie hormones causing the early losses and blood clotting causing the late loss. Shitting hell (excuse my french) I now feel like my ds didn't stand a chance and wish I'd known all this last summer.

Anyway, Liverpool done, Coventry and Leeds to go.

Hugs to you all. x

Me 38, 2 X mmc and 1 complete molar pregnancy, all standard tests fine and baby boy due to be born by elcs on 12 may

Sasha, interesting that you mentioned mindfulness. I've been looking into it a local Buddhist Centre. My dad's Buddhist, I'm not religious and don't believe in God but appreciate Buddhism as a philosophy (if that's the right word).

Has anyone else done mindfulness classes? I want to be able to live in the moment rather than repeatedly analysing the past and obsessively researching what might be the future.

I did borrow a book on meditation once but I just couldn't do it. I couldn't empty my mind of the constantly intrusive and circling thoughts.

Maybe a YouTube video would be better... although I think I need to avoid the internet if possible.

Ha ha I know ifinished I feel relief when af arrives just to be out of mental roundabout. Last month I had strong nausea for 4-5 days before testing. It must have been all in the head as it was a bfn.
sasha how annoying for you

biscuits I've done a mindfulness course and use it in my counselling practice. There's a good app called "Headspace" that has a free ten-day trial. You do it every day for ten minutes.

pop it's such a lot to get your head round isn't it, you seem to come out of these appointments with more questions than you had when you started, but you don't think of them until it's too late to ask...

Minnie how was your appointment today?

My stats:
TTC #1. Came off the pill Dec 2011. No luck conceiving naturally, 'unexplained infertility'. Clomid bfp then mc summer 2013, iui bfp then mc summer 2014. Failed iui Jan 2015 and failed ivf March 2015. Have two not as good quality embryos left in the freezer. RMC diagnosed factor v Leiden thrombophilia. Going to Thornbury hospital to get the uNK cells biopsy next month before having a frozen ivf cycle later this year. Currently worrying about the 'low ovarian reserve' mentioned in the ivf follow up appointment. And hating the waiting game. And wondering whether I'll know when it's time to quit and accept I will never give birth.

I've heard the headspace app is good too.

Still no results from Coventry. Not that I am at all impatient!

Can't remember who asked about my travel. No DP can't go with me unfortunately I go to Frankfurt for a week w/c 18th May. The silver lining is that as a result I am missing preggo colleagues leaving do and last day.

For which I am so relieved.

Other travel that I am doing is Milan and Brussels in June - which if I got pregnant again would scare me. But to be fair it's only a night for each.

But I've been rejected by Clearblue for the product trial. Clearblue are currently running a trial if anyone is interested - just google Clearblue trial 2015.

But you can't do it if you are going to be out of country at all in next 2 months.

And I'm away 3 times. Basically you need to store and send urine off. Not entirely sure how Lufthansa or Eurostar would feel about me checking my wee in

Right. I was going to update you on my headache with gp about sorting heparin, but I've just realised I'm spotting. Not much. Just obvious when I wipe. Have real or imaginary cramps now as well. Still in Yorkshire ... Head home tomorrow. Anyone got a teleporter I could borrow? I haven't an experience of spotting in pregnancy that doesn't end in mc. Hearts pounding but its amazing how just typing it out to you guys helps. My epu doesn't scan unless you're over 7 weeks and have a gp referral. And I don't have a consultant yet. Oh my god. Did I do something terrible in a past life to deserve this hassle? Grrr and fists up at the universe.

Can anyone pm me prof b's email address?

Thanks for new thread.
Me 38, dh 37. No dcs.
Mmc 1 apr 14 erpc at 11 weeks fetus measured 7
Mmc 2 July 14 erpc at 8 weeks blighted ovum
Cp (no longer saying mc as getting too depressed by how many have had) oct 14
Mmc 3 jan 15 erpc at 8 weeks after hb at 7
Mc 4 apr 15 - natural at 5+3

All tests clear except high nk cells. Will be on progesteron, pred and heparin if get pg again. Now at the stage where I think I will never have a child but don't see the harm in continuing to try and just have Mcs except to my mental health which is already pretty shot by the whole experience. Currently in TWW due tomorrow and no of symptoms so assuming am out this month.

mrsd - big hugs. Really really hoping that the spotting is nothing. x

Sorry you've had spotting mrsd. Can't think of anything that's going to make you stop worrying except to say that a lot of the people on this board that are now very far along had spotting early on (I'm thinking of boozle off the top of my head, but there were loads of others too). Totally understand your worries and hope it turns out to be nothing. Sorry, don't have prof b's email yet. Hopefully someone else can send it. Hand holding x

Mrsd No point me telling you not to worry, but I am hopeful for you .

I've just pm'd you mrsd

Mrsdiddlydoo, I spotted at 3.5 and again from 6-7.3 ish with this pg (looks like I'm a natural bleeder!), so hope its not necessarily bad news for you. Hope prof B gets back to you. Fwiw, when I had early spotting he advised me to up my progesterone dose from 200 to 400 twice daily. Good luck.
Sasha, sorry the admin is causing you a nightmare, hope you get it sorted.
I am getting a glucose tolerance test in the morning (which is exciting - seriously bored in hospital...). I saw the consultant who did my hysteroscopy after my retained products after mc2 this morning and had to go though my whole history, so I think she's throwing everything at me now. Hopefully I'll be allowed home afterwards (for a massive lunch).

MrsD lots of hand holding. I remember that sick feeling when you've been to the loo and wiped.

Hopefully it's nothing and potentially you go up to 400mg twice daily

Fingers crossed

Thanks ladies. It's the bloody shock that's got me. Been taking each day at a time. Plus being away from home. Eek. Thanks flower

mrsd hugs, just so scary. More hugs.

Jyst popping on - seriously lost in work!

Mrs** i am full of hope for you, just get those chemical horemones in!!! A bit of bleading is totally natural, but i promisr you, I COMPLETLY UNDERSTAND. I associate blood with mc too and that cold/hot feeling that rushes through me from my cheeks to my fingers when i wipe and see it. I replay it over and over in my mind. The moment.

About 10 yeard ago i read The Time Travellers Wife (now a film) and the wife has rmc as the feotus time travel from her womb, and she finds them around the house as they have leapt in time to get back to her. And it didn't affect me at the time, but now i always think about it, because it is one of the few representations out there of rmc...

Big big Hugs mrsd. Do your parents know about spotting (you're staying with them aren't you?)

finished I was considering going on a mindfulness course. I've heard the headspace app is good too.