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Miscarriage/pregnancy loss

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Original poster

Retained products following D&C

16 replies

1234Rawa1234 · 15/02/2021 08:46

Hi everyone, I had a D&C just over 5 weeks ago after a scan in December showed there was a pregnancy sac but no baby developing. I initially had misoprostol a week before but this was a disaster hence the D&C. A scan two weeks ago showed I had 2cm of retained products but no one seems to commit as to what will actually happen - the EPU just says that everyone is different. I appreciate that but I feel like I'm going mad with the uncertainty and the length of time it's going on for. I'm older and I we're desperate to try again. I and was wondering if anyone else had some experience of this. My hcg levels are still at 157 so quite high, not sure if that's relevant x

OP posts:
CP26 · 15/02/2021 11:36

Have the EPU given a date for when to have a follow up scan and reassess things? I had retained products before (about 4cm I think) and they re-did the surgery as it was unlikely to come out on it’s own given the amount of time that had passed. Have they suggested going through surgery again?

Original poster
1234Rawa1234 · 15/02/2021 13:00

Hi @CP26, thanks for your reply. They've not mentioned another scan or reassessment so I feel a bit lost. I've got to go back on Sunday just for a blood test to check my levels (this will be my 5th one) but I don't get the chance to speak to anyone - it's not a nurse who takes the blood.
When you phone they kind of make you feel like you're bothering them - the reason I ended up with the emergency D&C was because they didn't listen when I was telling them over two days that there was something really wrong after taking the misoprostol.
How long after your first procedure did you have your second and why was it they thought it was unlikely to come out on it's own? x

OP posts:
CP26 · 15/02/2021 14:09

There were three weeks between my first and second surgeries. I think they suggested surgery again as it was a big piece and I’d stopped bleeding at that point so my body wasn’t showing signs it would pass it.

I think some hospitals won’t operate again if the retained pieces are under a certain size so maybe that’s what’s happening in your case? Are the blood tests showing if your hcg is coming down?

Original poster
1234Rawa1234 · 15/02/2021 14:31

Thank you for your reply - I really appreciate you taking the time.
Yes, they're coming down slowly. If they carry on the way they have been doing then I think they'll be around 21 by Sunday which would be 6 weeks post surgery. I'm wondering if when they go low enough for me to have a period, the tissue will come out then. Just conscious that could potentially be another 4 weeks away and 10/11 weeks seems a long time for it to stay there!
Did you have another scan after the second surgery to make sure it had worked?

OP posts:
CP26 · 15/02/2021 14:49

I did have a scan after the second surgery but only because I still had a positive pregnancy test three weeks later. I didn’t have retained products that time but it was still taking ages for the hcg to leave my system. I think I eventually got a negative test and my period 6 weeks after the second surgery.

It’s a good sign that your hcg is coming down. I’d still try and badger them a bit more for a plan as there is a risk of infection the longer it stays.

dippyegg32 · 16/02/2021 19:34

I had a 1.6cm piece of retained tissue after surgery and so had medical management 6 weeks post surgery which worked (with minimal bleeding I must add).

dippyegg32 · 19/02/2021 16:44

Scrap my last post. I'm now 10.5 weeks post surgery and 6 weeks post misoprostol and HCG was 7.3 yesterday. I'm bleeding now so praying anything remaining comes out and HCG gets

Cailin1808 · 11/03/2021 21:06

[quote dippyegg32]Scrap my last post. I'm now 10.5 weeks post surgery and 6 weeks post misoprostol and HCG was 7.3 yesterday. I'm bleeding now so praying anything remaining comes out and HCG gets

dippyegg32 · 12/03/2021 05:29

Hi @Cailin1808 yes so the day after my blood hcg of 7.3 my period came and it was my usual four days but very heavy. I then had another test on cd4 which was 3.8 and so did not require further surgery.

lusciousmix · 20/05/2021 17:58

@dippyegg32 I just found this thread and what you describe is exactly what's happening to me.

How are you doing now?

BaaBaaEmily · 20/05/2021 22:53

Hi @lusciousmix I'm going through this at the moment too. I had a scan earlier this week which showed I've retained some tissue after my erpc, I'm not sure what to do so I've opted to wait until next week for another scan to see if there's any change, otherwise it'll be try medical management or have another erpc.
Do you know what your doing? It's just heartbreaking that this process can become so dragged out, hope your ok.

lusciousmix · 21/05/2021 20:21

@BaaBaaEmily I’ve been told to wait 2 weeks as I don’t have any pain or symptoms of infection, the possible retained products are tiny (less than 7mm) and I only got a negative pregnancy test about 10 days ago so my doctor thinks maybe now my HCG is low enough I will pass it naturally. For some reason she’s never ordered blood tests (reading lots of stories from the US i feel like that’s really common there) but I did actually do a blood test by post last week and I did another one today so I can see for myself whether my HCG is still over 5 (it was 20 last week even though I was getting negative urine tests).

Sorry you’re going through this too, I’m driving myself crazy wondering if I’m never going to get my cycle back :(

BaaBaaEmily · 21/05/2021 21:06

@lusciousmix that's good you haven't got any pain or signs of infection. I'm still getting positive tests and the retained material measured 3cm so they said it probably won't come out itself.
I had a blood test to check for infection/anaemia, they didn't mention checking HCG so no idea what it it. I do wish they monitored you better after a miscarriage, it seems you just get left to it, would be so much more reassuring to have a blood test or scan to check all is gone, although I do understand there's limited resources.
It is so rubbish though, I just want to be able to start TTC again as I feel this is the only thing that will help me to heal emotionally. Fingers crossed it all passes 'naturally' for us.

lusciousmix · 21/05/2021 21:39

@BaaBaaEmily sorry to hear you’re still getting positive pregnancy tests. I found it so triggering testing again and again until it turned negative (about 5.5w post D&C)

It’s so frustrating how so much of this has been waiting (all in all it’s now been 10 weeks since I found out about my MMC and 7 weeks since D&C) and there just seems to be no urgency from anyone other than me to get this sorted. I appreciate that it’s maybe not medically urgent, and maybe testing HCG doesn’t make a difference to the treatment options... but emotionally I feel like I have so little control and it’s devastating every time this drags on longer and longer.

I want to TTC again and I don’t think I’ll be able to recovered emotionally until I know I can get pregnant again and can stop worrying that this is it for me...

wishing you lots of luck - update me on how it goes!

Bezzie1234 · 23/03/2026 20:42

Hi all, I am currently going through the same thing. I had a d&c 4 weeks ago. I have retained tissue measuring 1.6cm, I have been told to wait 2 week to see if my period comes and to ring them

Bezzie1234 · 23/03/2026 20:43

anyway in 2 weeks. Does anyone know what could be next for me 😞

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