Medically managed miscarriage

[FeatheredTail]

Hi all

Sad to find myself on this board, but I'd like your advice if anyone has any.

I had a scan on Thursday at 7+4 that showed an empty gestational sac. The EPU confirmed the same today at 8+1. The sac is only 7.8mm.

The worst shock was on Thursday and I'm coming to terms with it now.

I've started bleeding and having bad cramps. Consultant gave me some strong painkillers and booked me in for a final scan this Thursday to absolutely confirm miscarriage (!!) and said he'd give me some pessaries so I could speed up the miscarriage and have it over with within 24-48 hours.

I'm due to go on holiday next week hence he thought this would be the best option.

I've read some awful things about medically managed miscarriage on some of these threads. My consultant said EPRC wouldn't be right for me - no fetus, small sac...."like taking a sledgehammer to crack a nut". Appealed most to me as I'd be out of it and wake up with it over, but I suppose the risk is disproportionate to my situation.

I hope someone has had an experience that hasn't been too awful.

Hello old friend. Sorry again for your loss.

I had medical management, mine was the pessary. The physical side was tolerable for me. I'm not very good with pessaries so that was traumatising for me but that's because I have issues about my vagina. I can't use a tampon and smear tests are an ordeal for me.

I had been spotting and cramping from week 6 I think. By week 8, the MMC was confirmed. I went for the management a couple of days later. I started getting heavier cramps, which were contractions. If I'd have known that's what it was going to be like, I wouldn't have been so anxious. I bled pretty heavily into the night. If I'd have walked around, it would have all happened more quickly. They allowed me to go home - I was in hospital for only a few hours. The following morning I passed the sac when I was having a wee. I honestly did not feel that. That bit was physically more bearable than I could have hoped for, if hope is the right thing. I was very, very sad that day. Howling. It was weird deciding what to do with the sac, my little baby. I didn't look at it, DH did though.

I was also spurred on by a trip away - just a weekend in London. I'd got plans with my family and tickets for a musical that had been planned. I think that was good for me and the bleeding did not get in the way of any of that. Was a bit emotional at times.

I bled for the next week and needed big sanitary towels, I'd say I bled for 10 days, maybe 14 and towards the end was using normal towels. My period the following month I remember being more grim in terms of feeling what was coming out because of the volume of blood. I am not normally heavy but I had a clotty period I could feel blobs coming out of me.

I would say the management of my miscarriage was not too awful in terms of the bit that you are having...it's just I can't deal with having things put in me, but if you're normal, you'll fare better than me. As you know, I'm struggling a lot but that was more around how long it took to diagnose the MMC because it is a waiting game and the emotional side of things.

I hope you will cope as well as can be expected.

So sorry for your loss OP. I had a vaguely similar experience a couple of months ago, baby stopped developing at 7 weeks and sac measured 7.8mm too. It was a MMC though and I opted for medical management after being steered that way by the doctor at the hosp, even though he made a thing of giving me all options.

Anyway for me, physically, it really wasn't too bad. I had a weird shivering reaction for about half an hour a few minutes after the pessaries were inserted, and then started getting moderately strong stomach and back cramps. I went home and curled up in bed with a hot water bottle. I alternated co codimol provided by the hospital and ibuprofen. The pain was unpleasant but def not unbearable. I was v thirsty so drank loads. About 7 hours after pessaries were inserted I was on the toilet having a wee and heard a couple of plops. I saw loads of blood coming out too. I assume that was the sac being passed cos after that the cramps eased right off and then I had a further 10 days of gradually lightening period style bleeding.

I found myself extremely hungry and thirsty for several days after. Wel that's the physical side of it. Emotionally it's pretty horrible and I'm sure the sadness of it all is exacerbated by hormones crashing around.

I wish you all the best and hope its over quickly for you.

Ps weird your hosp insist on so many scans when for me they diagnosed miscarriage on the basis of the size and no heartbeat...

Sorry actually I think for me the foetus was 7.8mm, that explains it I think

Thank you Stoat and Ahhh

The physical effects of the pessaries is the part I am finding scary and worrying about. You've both reassured me. Luckily I haven't experienced what you have Stoat so I don't mind things going up my foof. Just anxious about how bad the bleeding will be and how weak I will feel. I am assuming there is no risk of haemorrhage with this option. I know there probably isn't based on the fact I have no placenta.

I have some strong painkillers and huge pads and have told work I won't be in on Thursday or Friday, so feeling as prepared as I can.

I have to have anther scan as my first was done privately - it's NHS protocol to do two of their 'own'. They were also concerned my two scans were only 4 days apart.

Bleeding has continued so I am rather hoping that the tablets will 'finish things off' from Thursday - Saturday.

Random flowers - not sure what happened there! You can have them Stoat

I'm so sirry you are going through this. It's so heartbreaking.
I had meducal managed miscarriage at 12 weeks, the fetus was measuring just under 9 weeks. Mine was pretty horrific to be honest, but partly due to the pregnancy progressing as there's a big difference in size between 6 and 9 weeks. (I had a natural miscarriage at 9 weeks - fetus only measured 6 weeks, and this was physically a lot less painful and a lot less of blood etc.
One practical thing to note us that you'll have to use sanitary towels instead of tampons, as your cervix will be open and tampons can cause infection. If you're still bleeding next week for going on holiday, remember to use pads still.

Hi Feathered, sorry you're going through this. I've been through this today, and like sizethree was 12w but measuring about 9w. Again, being a bit further along, I was surprised by the pain, so would recommend taking any painkillers they offer (I refused originally but quickly sent DH out for extra-strength solpadeine). On the plus side, it was very quick and the pain went away almost immediately - I had the pessary just before midday, came home, bled for a couple of hours, then passed the sac a couple of hours ago. I know it isn't this quick for everyone but fingers crossed it will be for you and the worst will be over before your trip away.

Main tips - take the painkillers, have a hot bath, eat what you can when you can. Good luck and look after yourself

I went in for my medical management yesterday evening and 3 rounds of drugs and 26 hrs later and not much has happened apart from a bit of bleeding and some cramping... Want it "over" but so terrified as well. DP back to work tomorrow. I work at home so will be all here alone...