Headaches and aching after miscarriage

[Mummypig23]

Looking for some advice on what might make me feel a bit more normal again after miscarriage. Appreciate it’s still early days but I feel like death.

I had spotting in the pregnancy from about 5 weeks. Told it was implantation bleeding but it continued. Had a scan between 7 and 8 weeks which showed a heartbeat and measuring just about right. Also showed a bleed which is where they thought the spotting was coming from. The spotting continued over the next couple of weeks and then just before 10 weeks I had a miscarriage with a massive bleed. I was bleeding so much I ended up in A&E and was then admitted to the hospital for a night so they could monitor blood loss as they did an internal examination and could see I was actively miscarrying and they were worried about me having another massive bleed at home. I think I had already passed most of the pregnancy by then. This was about a week ago and the bleeding has now pretty much stopped. I passed a clot last night and that seems to have stopped the bleeding.

This is my second miscarriage, albeit that the other was earlier at around 6 weeks. I don’t remember feeling so horrendous afterwards the first time. I don’t have cramping but I have a throbbing headache which I just can’t get rid of, a sore throat and I ache all over. I feel exhausted even doing the smallest things and feel completely wiped out. They did full bloods at the hospital and my iron levels were good.

I have a nearly three year old at home (born after my first miscarriage) and so I’m not totally surprised I feel knackered but any advice to shift the headaches?

Are your iron levels actually "good", or are they just above the transfusion threshold? Because "good" in medical language is a wiiiide spectrum, and you may well still have lost enough blood for your body to notice it.

I only ask because this was exactly how I felt after my 10 week MC, and this was the reason.

Not only this, but miscarriage is a hugely physical process anyway. There is a big difference in a 10 week and 6 week miscarriage too. And then you don't always eat or sleep as you normally would. The physical exhaustion as well as the emotional exhaustion is real.

How are you otherwise? Any fevers or reasons to think there could be an infection... Bleeding or foul discharge? Flu like symptoms such as you are having right now are a legitimate reason to go in. I would give your EPU a ring to see if they'd check you over.

My consultant told me it would be about 3 weeks, and to stay off work and just build up activity every day. She was right. This was 3 months ago and I'm back to normal now except for retained products.

I'm so sorry you are going through this experience, and so so sorry for your loss. There are no words for MC, except that it's shit take a good amount of time to take care of yourself physically and mentally, stay hydrated and recuperate.

They said the iron levels were 130 but not sure what that means. They seemed to be surprised at how good they were.

No fever or discharge, just spotting which has been going on since the bleeding slowed.

Thanks for your kind words. It truly is shit!

I had bad hormonal headaches for about three weeks post miscarriage. It’s to do with the sudden drop in hormones. It felt like a proper migraine.