Has Misoprostol failed for miscarriage?

[Carolinaa]

I found out at 12w scan I had a missed miscarriage - they didn’t say when the embryo stopped developing but I think pretty early. They did say I had a 25mm gestational sac and a yolk sac.

On Tuesday this week at what would have been 14weeks I took misopristone and at home at 11am on Thursday 4 tablets of misoprostol vaginally. Between around 3pm and 4pm Thursday I had cramps bad enough I took ibuprofen and had a hot water bottle. Around the same time I had bleeding heavier than my usual period with v small clots about the size of a chilli seed. I was relieved it was working.

BUT from around 5pm Thursday the cramps and bleeding stopped. I didn’t bleed or have any pain/cramps overnight.

As directed I took another 4x Misoprostol on Friday at 11am. I had mild cramps around 3pm but not much bleeding at all and after about an hour they stopped again. No more symptoms all Friday until about 11pm I passed a small clot about the size of a blueberry. Since then I have had bleeding but fairly light - lighter than my usual period.

Im worries it hasn’t worked and stressing at the thought of needing more treatment and especially more time off work. But a part of me wonders maybe it did work and that’s it? Basically I had 1 hour of fairly heavy bleeding Thursday (though nowhere near enough to soak a maxi pad), a few teeny tiny clots and one blueberry sized one, and fairly light bleeding today (Saturday) after not much at all since Thursday evening. Could that be it? I am going a bit insane knowing I have to wait til Monday to speak to the EPU. Thank you very much for reading

I don't know about the medication, but I'm currently having a 5.5week miscarriage and I've bled exceedingly heavily for 3 days now, after the initial bleeding that happened a week ago. I stopped my progesterone (ivf) which triggered this bleed but I've been really surprised by how much blood there is.

Could you speak to your health care provider and ask whether that's what they were expecting?

Thank you @MaybeBabyTwo. I know it varies a lot between people but this doesn’t seem like enough blood esp compared to your experience. I called the EPU yesterday afternoon and they said wait and see what happens over the weekend - at that point I hadn’t even had the one clot so was sure it hadn’t worked yet. So I can’t talk to them until Monday and finding it hard not knowing what’s going on…

Are you sure they aren't open over the weekend? My EPU are 24/7.

I hope for you that that's everything but my experience is that I bled when I passed the baby and then I had a few days no bleeding and then this. But I did come off my progesterone so I'm not sure if that's different.

I'm so sorry for your loss x

@MaybeBabyTwo Thank you they were quite clear yesterday to wait and ring Monday but you’re right there probably is someone there I could see what they think to try and sort my head out a bit. Thank you - appreciate you taking time to reply. Very sorry for your loss as well xx

@Carolinaa how are you doing x

@MaybeBabyTwo Thank you - after nothing at all from about 6pm yesterday until 11am today I do now have some bleeding (like maybe day 3 of my period) so feeling a bit more positive maybe it is working gradually just taking its time. Still haven’t really passed anything tho. EPU said see how it goes and they might scan again tomorrow to see how it’s looking. Just want it over and done with so we can deal with the emotional side and move on.

How about you? Sounds like quite a lot of bleeding if you had already passed the baby - sending hugs xx

I know the feeling of wanting it over and done with.

I'm a bit better as the bleeding is much lighter now, finally. Emotionally very wobbly but think it will be easier when not trying to manage the bleeding too.

I had a miscarriage at about 8 weeks and the amount of blood was terrifying. I was soaking through sanitary towels any clothes. I was passing really large clots and I would sit on the toilet and the blood would be dripping out of me. The pain was really bad too. I was like this for about 3 days and then it all started to gradually slow down. The bleeding had stopped completely after 5ish days.

My auntie had a medical termination of pregnancy but had very minimal bleeding so she was sent to the EPU to be scanned and the miscarriage hadn’t been a success. She then had to go to theatre to have a wash out of her womb.

Make sure you do seek medical advice if you continue to have concerns.

@MaybeBabyTwo Glad it’s slowing down for you - I feel the same I need the physical side done to try and sort out the emotions. I hope this week goes better for you.

@MyTruthIsOut thank you for sharing and very sorry you had to go through that. I am worried there hasn’t been enough bleeding or anything else coming out based on all the experiences I’ve read. And the fairly low amount of bleeding I was having stopped again about 5pm today. I had in mind that by the end of this weekend it would be done but now it feels like it’s going to be another week of dealing with this ☹️

Update for anyone reading in future - I had a scan today that found I had passed the sac but still had remaining pregnancy tissue. I have 2 more doses of misoprostol to take at home today and tomorrow to hopefully complete it.

I'm glad they scanned you @Carolinaa and they've given you more to deal with the rest. Will they scan you again?

Thank you @MaybeBabyTwo I was so relieved when I rang this morning and they said they’d scan me today. I think if I have more bleeding that should be it and just take a test in 3 weeks. If not she said call back in 48 hours. Not sure what happens then tbh - I don’t think there’s a lot of tissue there so the nurse wasn’t keen on the surgical option. Might have to give up and wait to see if it clears itself by the 3weeks? Not sure about that tho.

I took the tablets at 3pm and haven’t had any bleeding at all since last night so just praying something happens later today/tomorrow.

@MaybeBabyTwo How are you doing today?

@Carolinaa so sorry for your loss 💔😢medical management didn’t work for me I took 11 tablets in total and ended up having to get surgical management. I hope they start working for you sending love and hugs x

Thank you @Unicorn2023. Took 4th dose today and have had some more bleeding so really hoping this is it. I feel lucky I haven’t had the awful side effects some ladies suffer from. On the negative side it has been very drawn out and stressful worrying about whether it is working and actually getting through it. I really had no idea before this how difficult/uncertain/loooong the physical side of miscarriage was, to go with the horrible emotional side. Very sorry for your loss too, and everyone else going through this xx

@Carolinaa 🤞🏻I understand that babe I really do it is so long drawn out and you feel you just want to move on and try again well that’s how I was until it was over then it all changed and I must admit I felt more empty once it was done because that was it 😢 hormones are absolutely shit they just take over 😢take time to heal and physically and emotionally if you need more time off work take it the emotional side for me has been a struggle this time round ♥️ thank you 🤗 xx

@Unicorn2023 thank you for your lovely message. A few days on it really resonates - I am pretty hopeful the physical side is done now after some bleeding/clots this week. But feeling empty is exactly right - now nothing else to think about but the sadness. And hormones are all over the place, it’s 3 weeks now since I found out about the miscarriage but the last couple of days I’ve been so much more teary. Just got to get through this bit… Really hope you are ok and also getting through it - just need some time to pass I think…

It's such a tough experience. I had two miscarriages in succession (years ago now) and I felt, once I knew that there wasn't going to be a baby, that I wanted it all over with as quickly as possible. I had a D&C each time. Having a D&C kind of 'clears everything out', or so my obs told me, and you can be more fertile afterwards.

I conceived again the first month of trying (we left it until after my first period) and I was about to turn 40.

I hope things work out for you x

Really sorry you’re having such a hard time.

Im having similar but a few days behind you. Hadn’t seen this thread when I started a new one. I had the two doses yesterday 6 hours apart. Passed some smallish clots but pain and rest of bleeding no worse than a period. I too am so anxious about retained products or incomplete miscarriage. This is my 3rd missed miscarriage and I’ve had retained products before after an MVA and the waiting is so horrific. Your life is on hold, it’s all consuming and yet you have to act normal to most people whilst your hormones and emotions are raging. It’s exhausting. I really hope your subsequent round of treatment is successful!

Honestly I think you’re really brave. I had a similar gestational loss and absolutely pushed for erpc. It was very simple and I had barely any bleeding afterwards. I hope things settle soon for you.