ERPC or medical management - choices!

[Anny27]

Hi ladies,

I found out this week that our baby stopped growing around 6-7 weeks (i am now over 10 weeks)

I have an appointment at the EPU this week to discuss options if miscarriage doesnt happen naturally and wondered if any ladies who have been through the same could shed light on which management option they chose - erpc or medical management?

I have no idea what i will choose atm :S

Hi @Anny27 so sorry for your loss.

I was in exactly the same place last week. 10 weeks by my dates but babies (twins) were about 7weeks and no heartbeats.

I had started bleeding already and was given the choice of all of the different options by the EPU. I chose to have surgery the next day as I didn’t think I could deal with the waiting for it to happen and just needed to know that they had def gone. Just under a week since the operation and whilst I’m still bleeding I don’t have the fear each time I go to the toilet that I could pass them.

I hope all goes as well as these things can which ever option you go with. Take care x

Thanks for your reply @ELM7 and sorry for the loss of your two babies :(

Yeah its difficult to make the choice isnt it!

Is the bleeding afterwards quite light? And did the doctors suggest you wait for your next period to ttc again?

The bleeding was light for the first 3 days and whilst yesterday morning I thought I’d basically stopped bleeding I started again and heavier than it had been last night. Has been less again today so not sure what that was about.

The hospital didn’t say anything about timescales on TTC again but my GP suggested waiting 3mths. I’m def going to wait until after my next period but will see how long that takes to come as to wether I wait 3mths before trying again. It’s just feels like such a long time to wait. x

Sorry to hear what you are going through.
I had 3 miscarriages before I had my baby. I didn't start bleeding naturally on any of them and chose erpc each time. Although I was terrified of surgery I was more scared of actually going through it medically - not knowing how long it would take, when it would start, and what I would see.
The surgery really wasn't as bad as I thought and I'm happy I chose that route. Happy to answer any questions you have on it x

Thanks @ELM7 and @plixy

Yes i am also terrified of the surgery but think like you say, will be over quicker!

Sorry that you had to go through this 3 times @plixy but happy to here you now have your baby :D

Very sorry for your loss

I have had two ERPCs and although I didn't choose the medical management option I am glad I chose ERPC, if that makes sense

Reasons why I chose to have this we're due to the fact that I would know when it was going to happen and I wouldn't feel as much pain or trauma. It still is traumatic but for me it was more reassuring knowing that I was more in control and not at home in pain. I also didn't want to see anything.

Plus they do try to examine the pregnancy tissue to see if they can find out anything which would be very difficult otherwise.

Sorry if this sounds disjointed I find it difficult to write articulately about it.

Sorry meant to add, in terms of physical recovery I felt OK the day after the surgery. Some light bleeding but not too much pain and of course the surgery itself you're under anaesthetic. I am sorry for your loss.

I’ve had 2 surgical and 1 medical. They were all very different.

First surgical - 9 weeks, procedure was fine, terrible nursing afterwards to the point that I refused to ever set foot in that hospital again. But medically, I was fine. Basically, had a long and heavy period afterwards.

Second surgical - 13 weeks, went private because of previous experience. Wonderful doctors and after care. Very light bleeding for 2 days and then nothing. Dreadful nurse beforehand who withheld pain relief. Didn’t want to do that again so....

Medical management - 9 weeks, baby stopped growing at 6 weeks, in order to avoid the awful hospital, my doctor recommended that I go to Marie Stopes. Yes, I went to an abortion clinic for help with the miscarriage of a very much wanted pregnancy. They were wonderful and very compassionate. I took the first pills there and the second at home the next day. I took the painkillers as they prescribed and only experienced about 10 minutes of bad cramping (very uncomfortable, couldn’t sit, kept walking around, went to the bathroom, lost a lot of blood and then a very mild cramps for a few hours). 1 or 2 days of blood loss and then light spotting for a couple of weeks.

Quickest recovery was probably second surgical but I was an emotional wreck. I was much more in control for the medical management and whilst the spotting went on for much longer, I otherwise made a much better recovery emotionally and physically.

I first chose surgery because I thought I could get it over and done with more quickly. But of all the experiences, medical management was better for that.

Hope all goes well for you no matter what you choose.

Thanks ladies so much for your replies! After careful consideration i"ve decided i will be more comfortable with the medical management and will have next week.

I'll write a follow up comment when its all over just incase any other women find this thread when they are looking at their options :)

Sorry for your loss @Anny27 I had an erpc and that was the right decision for me. I was more terrified of the medical management, not knowing what to expect.

I have just had medical management for a missed miscarriage at 13 weeks. I had to stay in hospital for the miscarriage as they needed to monitor blood loss. I think there are pros and cons to all options but I would have been very anxious at the thought of having an operation so medical management was definitely right for me.

I wanted to update for anyone who reads the thread in the future.

I have the medical management but ended up losing too much blood and had to be admitted and have emergency erpc anyway!

Ofcourse that might not happen to everyone but wanted to give my experience:)

Just wanted to say sorry for your loss Anny, and sorry that the medical management didn’t go to plan

Thank you @PatchworkElmer

Anny, I’m so sorry this has happened to you. It is a horrible thing to have to go through.