TW - Miscarriage at 7 weeks

[Bb542]

Hi everyone,

So I'm currently going through a miscarriage. Had a scan on Monday which showed pregnancy had stopped progressing. Sac was there but empty. I was referred to EPU a few days later. The sac is still there but they want to see me again in a week to see if it has passed naturally. They said if it's still there next week, I might need medication.

Has anyone ever had to take medication or have a d&c for a miscarriage at 7 weeks? Really hoping it doesn't come to this.

Thank you ☺️

Hi Bb542,

So sorry this has happened to you.
I am going through the same thing currently...just waiting to see what happens until 4th March but I am bleeding a little everyday. Was 7 weeks but scan showed 5 and I was experiencing terrible pain.

There is still time for things to happen naturally.

My sister had a pregnancy that didn't progress at 12 weeks.... she had both tablets and pessary's that didn't work and then had a D&C a few years ago. She said she wishes she'd gone straight for the D&C as felt much better afterwards. I think I'm going to choose that too if I can.

There's lots of information on here to help. Please look after yourself. I'm sure you feel really anxious but sending you lots of love x

@Bb542 so sorry to hear you are going through this. I’ve been through the same. I did try the tablets the first time but they didn’t fully work and I still had to have the d&c afterwards. In my experience i’d recommend the d&c as you can just go to sleep (anaesthetic) and then wake up and it’s all dealt with.

I think some people are fine with the tablets but I found it quite frightening to be at home with the bleeding and then when it turned out it didn’t fully work, I was pretty pissed off!! With the tablets I did ask for a strong painkiller pessary that went in the back passage so I didn’t have much in the way of cramps/pain. And they also give co-codamol too. They think mine was a bit complicated as I have a c-section scar so when I took the tablets, some tissues may have got stuck to the scar and therefore it didn’t all clear properly. It’s a very personal decision and there’s no certain way to know which method is best for you. But for me I was just mentally and physically exhausted from the whole thing so it was “nicer” to go into surgery and be taken care of by the nurses and to just go to sleep for a bit!

Hope you are ok, here if you have any more questions xxx

Thank you both so much for your answers and I'm so so sorry you've both gone through loss ❤️ I never expected to feel so sad but it's honestly awful.

My midwife said she expects it to pass naturally but I haven't noticed anything and I've been bleeding for over a week now 💔 would rather not have tablets or d&c. I always thought at 7 weeks I wouldn't need either, but maybe I will.

I'm also so worried this will happen again or there's something wrong with me. I think I'm just a big hormonal ball of emotions right now 🤣

My d&c was done for a 7 week pregnancy.. I think they did say I could choose to wait for it to happen naturally but I had dreadful nausea (despite the pregnancy not being viable) so just wanted to have it sorted!

it’s really devastating and confusing, especially the first time where you’re learning all this medical detail you don’t want to know about. I’ve been through it twice sadly and although I had times where I thought “I can’t do this again” you will be surprised at your strength once you are a bit more physically and mentally recovered. Xxx

Hi @Bb542
I’m so sorry 😞

With mine, my scan at 8 weeks showed pregnancy stopped at 6 weeks
I didn’t want to wait to see when I would miscarry, so I took the tablets.
I thought it worked, it was an awful experience, 2 weeks later I ended up having retained products, tried the medication twice again and they didn’t even do anything that time, so I had surgery.
I wish I’d gone for the surgery straight away ☹️ they put you to sleep, and you wake up and it’s over, minimal bleeding afterwards.

I didn’t have any bleeding at all before or after my scan though, so maybe it’ll happen naturally for you soon? ☹️

I’m so sorry you’re going through this 💔

Hi guys, I've just had a scan at 8+5 but unfortunately no hb detected and stopped growing at 5.2mm :( it was a private scan and so I guess they will tell EPU who will call me on Monday.
How has everyone manage "the next bit"... I'm thinking surgical evacuation will be the best option?

Hi @californiacooper . I think I recognise you from the October WhatsApp group. I am so, so sorry about the news you got today. I've just been through the same thing and it's awful.

Had you had any symptoms? I also had a private scan and it was discovered that the pregnancy had stopped progressing. They referred me to hospital who confirmed it. The sac is still there so they are giving me another week to see if it passes naturally. If not I think they want me to try the tablets. To be honest, if given the option, I would just go for the surgery. I just want this ordeal to be over and over a week later I'm still bleeding 😅. I've my appointment next Thursday to see if the sac has passed so I'm hoping it has so I can move on.

Make sure you take some time off work. You're going to need it. Aside from the emotional rollercoaster I've been on the last week, I've been so unbelievably tired.

Thinking of you ❤️

That sounds so tough @Holl89 . I'm so sorry you've gone through this. How are you feeling now?

I had been spotting so I think that's why they're hoping I'm going to go naturally. Did you take any time off work?

@Bb542 It happened in October.. I had 6 weeks off work. I was an absolute mess 🥺.
After the surgery, physically I was fine after 2 days. I just found the whole thing so traumatic and upsetting, and I wish I’d had the surgery straight away.

I’m hoping it happens for you naturally soon 😔 because you are spotting. Has it got any heavier or is it the same? How are you doing mentally? It must be so hard being in complete limbo, I remember just thinking I want it all over with so my body can get back to normal and I can start to try to move on from it ☹️.

It’s something you’ll never forget, but it does get easier with time 😔 x

@californiacooper I’m so sorry you’re going through this as well 💔

Oh girl you poor thing. It sounds like you've really had it rough. Although it's nice to talk to people who've gone through similar experiences. Sometimes I feel so lonely because not many people know what has happened to me 😔

I'm still bleeding. It doesn't seem to be getting any heavier which is making me think nothing is happening 😬

Have you tried again since? ❤️

@Bb542 hi, yes that's me. What is your name? There's so many in that group it's been hard to keep track as I could only check in the evenings. I'm so sorry you're going through this too. I haven't had any symptoms, my poor body still thinks I'm pregnant so is keeping me hungry and bloated and tired :(
Have they not offered you surgical management?
I can't take any time off work unfortunately, I'm the boss... and a dentist so I kind of have to be there to see my patients ... it'll be okay I'm sure I'll be better if I'm busy, but surgical would be better for me I think.

My heart is going out to all of you at the moment.

I went through a similar experience three times. The first one was about 6weeks & my body dealt with it naturally. The subsequent two were at 8 & 10 weeks & I opted for surgical intervention for both of those. I was in a lot of pain with a lot of bleeding beforehand, tbh there was still some bleeding post-op. The hardest part is the grief, please do allow yourselves time to grieve & do whatever you need at this time. Be selfish. But do set a limit as hard as it will feel now your life must go on.

I went on to have genetic testing due to the number of miscarriages & they did find a genetic mutation which meant I needed to take certain medications & supplements. I do now have a beautiful DD. I send you all hugs & hope

@FletchingStraight thank you for your message. I feel slightly selfish to be feeling grief when it seems that pretty much every woman has been through what I'm going through now. Literally every one of my friends I've told since the scan this afternoon has had a story of a similar (or much worse) miscarriage. My sensible, educated, medical minded brain tells me this is normal, common, expected almost. But the wave of "oh but why, oh but it isn't fair" comes occasionally and I suppose that is expected, and must also be accepted too.
I'm sorry for your losses and am so pleased you now have your beautiful DD x

@californiacooper please do not feel selfish. This is a very very sad thing to go through, regardless of who may have gone through this before, it's happening to YOU now.

Unfortunately, it is not an uncommon thing to experience now, but it is a shame your friends hadn't shared their stories at the time they went through the same thing. It does still feel very personal & private which I think is why many of us don't but I think it's great you were able to share. As with all things painful we can learn to move on but that doesn't mean we shouldn't acknowledge it beyond that. X

@FletchingStraight I'm coming to having children a little older, so most of my friends have children already. Eg my oldest friend just told me about a loss she had at 16 weeks before she had her DD who I've known since she was 12, and is now 22, so I do not blame anyone for not giving me these insights until now, a lot of our friendship has been work or interest related (which hasn't until my infertility journey been particularly heavy on the baby-chat), but it is nice to know that those close to me and also a lot of you on Mumsnet are or have been in similar situations, as I feel a lot less alone, or damaged, or broken, or maybe unable to do this. X

*she's not on MN but I mean my longest standing not my oldest friend ... she would hate me for the terminology 🤣

@californiacooper I came to it late too. It's just one of those things that we largely still keep to ourselves ismt it until we have something to share. Take care & look after yourself

@Bb542 @Caneloalvarez @FletchingStraight @californiacooper I'm so sorry you ladies have had losses too. It really is shitty. I have had 3 MCs in the past year and let all 3 happen naturally at home. I wouldn't say the pain is unbearable but it's not the nicest thing in the world. The heaviest bleeding and cramping for me has only lasted between 5-10 hours. I buy maternity pads (ironic) and just keep one in once spotting starts to not get caught off guard as I was stupendously caught off guard the first time and cleaning that up whilst going through MC just really shat on me. Once the really bad bleeding is over I bled for various amounts of time ranging from 5 days to 3 weeks. A BFN will confirm the end of a MC. If you are still testing positive about 2 weeks after then there is a chance you may have retained products which may or may not need further attention. They can pass naturally but can also need assistance so always go to EPU if you're still getting positive test results.
The emotional battering I have endured the past year has probably been the worst thing. That and knowing I'll never fully enjoy a pregnancy again.

All I can say ladies is it's ok to cry. Its ok to be happy sometimes. It's ok to break down, shut down, scream and shout. there's no timeframe on when you should be 'better' or 'over it'. Take as much time as you need, be kind to yourself and please try and find something every day to make you smile 💐💐💐

@Bb542 sorry you’re going through this.

just wanted to share my experiences with medical management as this worked for me. Like you i had a private scan, this showed no heartbeat. I should have been 8.5 weeks but was measuring 6. Had another couple of scans on the NHS and opted for the tablets, I should have been around 10 weeks when I took them, the sac was continuing to grow despite the embryo no longer developing.

It was painful but then I wasn’t as religious with the ibuprofen and paracetamol as I should have been. I was also given dihydrocodeine which helped massively when the cramps kicked in. The bleeding wasn’t bad and I passed the worst of it around 9pm, after taking the tablets around 8.30am.

I was very apprehensive beforehand but it was ok, it was horrible but manageable. I react really badly to anaesthetic so feel I made the best choice for me. I didn’t actually have much bleeding, I thought it would be much worse.

Best of luck with whatever you decide.

I’m so sorry you’re going through this, please take time to look after yourself in any way you need ❤️
Today I’m two weeks on from the scan that confirmed no growth at 7.5 weeks. I decided to take the tablets a few days later because I’d been spotting for weeks and didn’t want to wait for the actual miscarriage. I was worried about it happening when I was with my toddler and that it might be scary or tricky to manage with him. I found that it wasn’t too painful and I could manage it with a hot water bottle and painkillers. Most of the bleeding and clots passed in a relatively short window and I felt like myself (physically anyway) about 12 hrs later. What I hadn’t prepared for was two further days of identical heavy bleeding and clots that randomly happened about 7 and 10 days later. I’m glad it’s passed but I was caught out by some very heavy bleeds despite wearing ‘ultra’ pads! In hindsight, surgical management definitely seems like the most straightforward and more controlled option, but my hospital didn’t have appointments for over two weeks and I didn’t want to wait.
I took a week off work which was essential for me physically and emotionally but honestly am a bit nervous about going back in today.

@cheeseycrumpets @Firstbaby2024 thank you for your comments and I am so sorry you have been going through the same thing.
I spent pretty much the whole day in bed/on sofa yesterday after finding out at 8+3 scan baby only 6 weeks.
I told myself I had that one day and then I had to get on with things. Just on my way to work now and I just feel so sad and alone. I have no symptoms yet. (To be honest with myself my pregnancy symptoms are definitely less now so I know there is no doubt about the diagnosis).
You are all so tough going through medical management on your own. It sounds like the most horrible and harrowing day, I don't think that I am that strong.
I know it's unlikely to happen just yet but I'm a bit scared it's all going to start moving on while I'm at work. Or I just randomly feel sad and cry in front of people which I really want to avoid.
EPU is about 45 mins from work and I can't leave work easily but I'm expecting a call from them this morning. I want ERCP as soon as possible .
Thoughts with all of you today x

Thank you all so much for getting back to me 🥰 I'm still bleeding and haven't noticed any major clots passing, so I'm not sure if the miscarriage is complete yet. I've another scan on Thursday to see so hopefully it will have passed by then. If not, I'll be asking for medical management. I'm so unbelievably tired. I wonder am I low in iron because of the amount of blood I'm losing?

@californiacooper could you take some time off work? I have been off for a week now and have really needed it. The pain has been bad and emotionally I've been all over the place.

@californiacooper no, unfortunately I can't take any time off. I'm not working weds afternoon so have managed to book my EPU appointment for then. I'll obviously have to take the day off for the surgery so I don't want to take anything off until then. All I'd do would be sit at home and cry anyway.

It might be worth taking an iron supplement? Or or having a nice steak... I'm going to have a medium rare steak a large glass of wine and an entire wheel of Brie. And I'm going to book my hair in and have Botox. At some point, doesn't seem like things that really make up for the loss though.
I hope that you get some answers on Thursday. There's a thread from a while ago on here with things people wish they knew before they went through it, I've found it terribly sad to read but also helpful.

@Bb542 there shows my state of mind, I've just managed to reply to myself 🤣