Brown spotting after D&C, how long for?

[KnitKitty]

I had a D&C for MMC last week on Tuesday. Bled for 3 or 4 days and then have had brown spotting since then.

Every time I think it's stopping, it starts again. I didn't have any on Sunday (or hardly any), didn't put a pad in the next day and then made a mess of my underwear. I'll go for almost a whole day with nothing and then a bit more will appear.

How long did yours last for?

I was told not to have sex until bleeding has stopped as there is a risk of infection - I'm assuming that includes this brown spotting, even though it's intermittent?

I found out I was pregnant on February 18th, and was roughly 4-5 weeks along. Started bleeding on and off a few days later, but that stopped after about 2 weeks and then I found out about the MMC on the 7th March and it's been a long, drawn out journey which I am just sick to the back teeth of now. I want my body and life back to normal.

Think you can see it even easier with this filter...

Fingers crossed for you @Cobaltrose!
My recovery has been pretty uneventful thankfully. I think i ovulated early late last week/ early this week, 2 1/2-3 weeks post op,Tested 3 weeks post op as well as told by hospital and was a negative. So hoping things get back to normal now and period next weekend...or not! Havent been careful at all! Not getting my hopes up as it took a while to conceive last time, and i have also enjoyed being back to normal me xx good luck ladies xx

Hmm, took this this morning. Not sure if it's line eyes or I can actually see something...

@CobaltRose I still think I can see a faint line but you're supposed to be stepping away from those tests 😉

I'm having an off day today. Want to just hide in bed but it's go to get too hot for that! Just want a baby and wish I didn't have to keep waiting for the unknown 😤

@Jessabean We are off to Toronto for a week - we haven't been there before so should be good! My husband is terrified of flying but he's doing it for me, so we can have a nice break. Have a feeling I'll be ovulating around then or right at the end of it so will be checking like mad the whole time we are there no doubt!!

Haha @RedRobin7 slaps wrist. I don't have any left anyway so I'll be good

Hello,

I hope you don't mind me joining your thread. I'm feeling rather alone with it all and it's brought me some comfort to read these forums. I'm really sorry to hear of your losses, so many sad stories, but also a lot of hope and strength.

I had a miscarriage over 3 weeks ago now (first pregnancy after ttc for 3 years, we were amazed to conceive naturally). I started spotting at 9wk4days, went to a&e (I was out of the area so it was a new hospital) and they booked me in for a scan the next day. By the time I got to the hospital the bleeding was red and I knew that was it. I had a scan with a very stoney faced sonographer who wasn't gentle, and she confirmed an empty gestational sac measuring 5-6 weeks. The bleeding got heavier on the table (sorry, tmi) and my husband and I found it very traumatic. I had a follow up scan at my local hospital and had a small amount of retained tissue, so I opted for an ERPC under GA. The hospital were so caring and I have a great network of friends and family, but I don't know anyone who has been through this. I had no idea I could feel so pregnant but baby had died so long ago. It's all been a huge shock. My employer was very sympathetic but after a week they continued like nothing had happened- very difficult for me as I work from home, so it does feel very lonely at times.

I'm also a bit concerned that I am getting the groggy hormonal "waves" I experienced in early pregnancy and weird leg cramps (even though bleeding stopped 5 days ago and my pregnancy symptoms stopped when I started miscarrying). Hoping by Friday that I will get a negative test and we can start again.

Hi @Mistymeow

Of course welcome too our little group though I'm very sorry for you that you find yourself here.

Your not alone in your experience - there are so many who have never heard of a missed miscarriage before as there are so many who don't understand how common & yet how devastating miscarriage is physically & emotionally. I really do feel our experiences of these events could be made a lot easier if miscarriage was actually part of formal education in schools.
I think the whole people thinking or making you feel like you should move on is one of the hardest things I've found with the grieving process. It's like grief doesn't have a scheduled timeframe and this is not just something you can just simply move on from. Even when I've been feeling stronger emotionally part of me doesn't want to be getting over it still as that would mean it's all officially over- as if they never existed and none of this happened.
This miscarriage business is a complete mind fuck really...

@RedRobin7 Toronto sounds lovely 😊. Sorry you had a rubbish day yesterday. How are you doing today? I met up with my friend who's been going through it all yesterday. Was good to have a good chat about things so feeling not so bad today.

@Ithinkthatsenough glad to here things are moving along for you. Fingers crossed for you your period does or does not turn up for you soon!

Thanks @jessabean I absolutely agree with you about educating people about miscarriage in schools. I had even read up about miscarriage before I had mine and yet still nothing could have prepared me for the experience. I think I'm doing ok overall- I've met up with a few friends who have children/who are pregnant and it hasn't been too upsetting. It's hard watching my husband with a baby, he was so happy that I was pregnant.

Hi Mistymeow, sorry you find yourself in this situation too. You are certainly not alone, but it can be a very lonely experience. It must be hard working from home. My work don't mention is and seem to be getting on as normal too, but if I'm having a bad day I just make sure to say to someone "I'm struggling a bit today." It's a lot harder when you're working by yourself.

RedRobin I'm glad you and your husband had a heart-to-heart. Good luck with TTC again next month!

Jessabean have you decided what to do with the ashes yet?

Colbalt I can definitely see lines on a couple of those tests, but I don't know if it could still be your last pregnancy? I hope it's a new one. How long is is now since MC? I'd wait a good week and then test again. I know the waiting is hard, but at least it should confirm it either way.

AF hasn't been too bad, which is a relief but it's been a bit difficult mentally. Luckily I had the distraction of a friend coming to visit for a couple of days and we made the most of the good weather and got out and about so that made things easier. I think AF should start to ease off now.
Looking forward to and dreading TTC in equal measures I think. I don't really expect it to happen this month, but I don't want to believe it in to not happening, if you know what I mean.
I bought some rose quartz yesterday as it's said to be a crystal that helps with fertility... No idea if it really helps; but desperate times...

Hi @mistymeow i replied on your other thread about symptoms post op xx
Sorry for your loss, it’s just shit isnt it and so common. I’ve been talking to friends about it and the ones who havent experienced mc’s are in the minority, some have had multiple mc’s and then gone on to have children.
Im struggling a little with the timing of my mc... your always told the risk is high in the first 12 weeks, but i got past that and had a positive ( albeit private scan) shortly before the baby died. I also had the harmony test for chomosal abnormalities before i found out and my risk was low. The results came through the day after my sugical management. I keep reading stuff online to look for reasons, just want to know what was wrong and why it happened... i suppose so i can try and stop it happening again..but i know i probably wont ever find out why it happened. I think i should receive some histology results but not sure. Has anyone else had these results after surgery?
Hope everythig goes well for you all from now on x

Thank you @Ithinkthatsenough I also replied to your message on the other thread.

I actually didn't think to ask for my histology results, there was only a tiny bit of retained tissue left and I assumed the tests were to ensure the cells were normal. It was all a bit of a blur really.

It's very difficult to accept when the doctor says "it's just one of those things", "we don't know why this happens" etc. It's human nature to try to correct something and protect yourself from suffering the same fate in future. I try to be matter-of-fact with myself, it was a bad mix of chromosomes, and it was completely out of my power to do anything about it. Until they know more about miscarriage, I have to accept that I will never know what happened to the little one.

Hi @Mistymeow, I'm so sorry for your loss and that you find yourself joining us here. Although everyone has a difference experience, we all understand what you're going through and hope to provide some comfort. I hope you get that negative test tomorrow.

@Jessabean I've been up and down the last couple of days. Been having trouble tracking my ovulation. I've had the pains but nothing picked up on the tests. Maybe it's just not happened yet but it's making me panic about not ovulating when we are ready to try next month. I got so stressed out I ended up in bed with a migraine last night. How are you doing?

@Ithinkthatsenough I was told I would only hear results if they found something. When I went to my doctors recently for something else I asked her to check if she'd heard anything but she just said it all came back clear. So I guess she did get a report but it's not obvious if she was just guessing that no news means clear.

Thank you for being so supportive.

I couldn't wait until tomorrow to take the test, it was making me anxious (scared of having to go back to EPU). I took the test and it looked like it was going to be positive- a faint line appeared but then disappeared quickly. It then settled on a very definite negative. I'm taking that to be a full negative. I hope I'm right in that assumption, but there is no whiff of a faint second line.

I'm also waiting for ovulation to happen so we can try again. I am temping but it all looks pretty steady so far, and no sign of EWCM. We are going to try every other day as I feel ready, but no clue where I am in my cycle now. It's been 2 weeks since the ERPC so I'm guessing it could be any day from now.

Hi everyone

@Ithinkthatsenough it sure if it will be the same at your hospital but policy up here was that they test all the pregnancies from ERPC to make sure there is no evidence of molar pregnancy & if you don't hear anything (I never did) then take that as good news. They won't test the genetics of the pregnancy though unless you've been referred for recurrent miscarriage investigations (after 3 miscarriages in a row). I asked as I was fairly certain from how my scans went/looked that my last miscarriage probably had a chromosomal abnormality- had a thickened Nuchal translucency on the last scan and showed slow growth for gestational age on an early scan. But they said no 🙁

@KnitKitty we haven't completely decided but we've both agreed scattering the ashes somewhere nice would be the best option. Probably our over the sea on a nice coastal walk we both like- that way I don't feel like I'm abandoning them as we're not planning on living up here long term. Think it's the best option though part of me wants to keep them close by - though it sounds weird to say.
I know what you mean about TTC again. I have mixed feelings. Some of me just wants to try again so that I can get closer to things hopefully eventually happening for us & so I can feel like we're moving forward. Another part of me is petrified of going through it all again & worries that I'm not physically at my peak to try and optimize my chances in terms of exercise, healthy eating etc... as been so busy at work. We have started physically trying again now though & I think ovulation will be about this time next week so will just try & go with the flow & see what happens. Have fully accepted this whole journey is just out of my control really!

@RedRobin7 sorry to hear you are having down days too at the moment but I think it is still quite normal- I'm definitely still having moments/days where it hits me.
I noticed yesterday that I've started to say if we have children rather than when recently when talking about the future which I think says a lot about where my heads an anxieties are at with this whole business!

@Mistymeow I'm glad your test is negative- I had one like that which I ended up taking as negative in the end and had my period a week later so am sure things will be moving along for you soon too!

@Ithinkthatsenough sorry I just realised you said you had a later miscarriage beyond 12 weeks. It may be different for you in terms of them testing the pregnancy - I know in later miscarriages some centres will do further testing. It may be worth calling your EPU to find out- they should be able to tell you. Xx

Thanks ladies, i might give EPU a ring to check.
AF arrived today 4 weeks to the day when i found out about the baby ( op next day). At least everything seems to be getting back to normal. May TTC again in June, have a bit of time off, physically and mentally this month to enjoy life a bit more xx

I just got home from a work event... as soon as I walked in the door I was greeted by a pregnant woman. Then I kept seeing her around and it actually felt like my heart had been stabbed every single time. It got me thinking how this week we would have had our 20 week scan 😢

Then a colleague pointed out another pregnant woman to me, one carrying twins, and I felt so frustrated that she (who has also had a miscarriage before) didn't think before telling me to look at the size of her 😔

To top all that, the guy I was sat next to at dinner quite clearly didn't hear the office talk about me as he came out with.."oh, you've been married two years? Don't you want to swap work life for family life yet?"... I went silent and didn't know how to react and then he said, "oh, no comment?"... so I thought sod it, and told him "well actually I've recently had a miscarriage". He soon found a reason to leave the table!

Quite an upsetting day today and I feel like people probably think I should be over it by now. I do pretty well at work usually but today wasn't good. Sorry just wanted to have a rant and my husband doesn't want to listen!

Hi everyone!

AF arrived yesterday so definitely am not pregnant

My periods are normally moderately heavy but this is another level! I wore TWO maxi pads to bed last night and soaked through both of them. Pads, underwear, PJs, bedding... all soaked. I had to stock up on maximum absorbency pads today as my regular ones get filled within 45 minutes! I'm also passing lots of little clots.

This sucks

So sorry you've had such a shit day RedRobin. Hugs xxx

And sorry your period arrived CobaltRose. It's possible you've still had stuff to clear out from the MC and that's why it's so horrendously heavy and clotty. Just see it as getting ready to make a comfy home for the next one. xxx

Ithinkthatsenough glad for you that your period has arrived so you can start looking to the future. Good luck with TTC.

Mistymeow Good luck with TTC for you as well. That does sound like it was a negative test.

jessabean I understand why you'd feel maybe like keeping them close by, but like you said, you're not abandoning them but scattering them somewhere lovely that you can think about and maybe visit. They will always be with you in your heart anyway. xxx

I'm now on day 8 of my period. I think it's just about wound down to a finish, but it's taking its sweet time about it.

Hi,
I've just read this thread and you all seem so lovely and genuine. Ive read such awful stories about Mumsnet yet people seem nice.
Sadly I had an early scan on Sun no HB off to my local EPAU on Mon. I know nothing has changed and I've pretty made up my mind what I want.
I am also 29, 30 in Sept. Seems so odd. Also from Derbyshire like someone else.x

So sorry you're going through this.

The ladies on here are lovely and it's been really helpful for me to share experiences with people going through the same thing. Welcome to the group.

I'm the one from Derbyshire. (Also 30!) I was treated in Derby Royal. My experience of the staff at hospital has been very good. They were all lovely and helpful during a very difficult time. I hope you've had nice professionals too. Xx

Thank you.

I'm at Chesterfield, I've never had good experiences there but I'm still hopeful. Roll on Monday, I know it sounds awful but I just want it over with now. x

@RedRobin7 sorry to hear of your work event. My work are so awkward about the whole thing that they basically didn't acknowledge anything had happened once I came back from my sick leave. Although I do work from home, I expected at least a follow up email to check that I'm ok. They didn't even know I had an operation. There is so much taboo around miscarriage that women feel so completely isolated and alone in their grief. I wish there was more public awareness and support for women.

@Michelle0507 I'm really sorry to hear your news. I was in your place a few weeks ago. I live in Surrey but I was in Chesterfield when I started spoting, so I had my scan at Chesterfield too. Although I found the scan very distressing I had the most lovely midwife who was so kind to me. It really makes a difference when you are looked after by someone who cares. I'll be thinking of you x

@mistymeow that's good to hear. Fingers crossed it'll be the same.x

I was under gynae in Chesterfield years ago and I had lovely doctors and nurses. Their A&E department have been lovely too, if a little slow.