Misoprostol - has it worked?

[Hopehunter]

I discovered last Friday that I had retained pregnancy tissue 5 weeks after a miscarriage in August. I had been bleeding on and off for the month, and over the weekend I passed some clots, I really felt like I must had passed the retained products, as I hadn't experienced any clots since the first few days of miscarrying.

A scan on Wednesday showed the products were still there; the same amount - 2x1.5cm. I was given medication to expel the tissue, started bleeding fairly heavily about 5 hours after, passed some small clots and then the following day a much larger clot but when I inspected it, it didn't seem like tissue. It was smooth and dark red (sorry tmi).

I've stopped bleeding now. Seeing as I haven't seen any grey or white or ragged tissue, does this mean the medication has failed? No idea what I should be looking for. I imagined a peanut sized lump of tissue.

Hoping someone answers this for you. I have also just had the red smooth types. Nothing white/grey, out of the ordinary etc the fetus was about 6 weeks. I don’t know if not seeing something whiteish is always a sign it’s not all gone. Were you still bleeding before your scan?

How many weeks were you?

I had a miscarriage at 9 weeks which I had to take misopristol for - had been spotting since about 7 weeks so I reckon the pregnancy had stopped progressing around then.

I only had large clots and bleeding, nothing that looked white/grey

I would get this checked. I’ve had 3 miscarriages managed medically. The second one failed initially and I needed to repeat it. I had some bleeding but not what I was expecting in terms of tissue from experience.

Thanks everyone for your replies and sorry to hear you have all been in this place, its not only dealing with the loss but the worry too which makes it quite consuming. Today I ended up passing another large clot and when I looked closely I could see some tissue. Really hoping that was it. It was 3 days after taking the medication so to anyone searching for answers it seems it can happen much later, and that it can be disguised in blood clots too, in case that's helpful to anyone!

Mine 9 week miscarriage was lots of palm sized clots, but my follow up scan 5 weeks later showed retained tissue. I can't remember how much. The following night after misoprostol I passed something that around an inch long but solid. The only way I can describe it was like a joint of raw meat with fat marbled through it and what looked like one arm bud. The following night I passed a second bigger sized one. Again completely solid and flesh toned pretty much all over apart from in the middle

We’re you still bleeding when you had the follow up scan?

Not sure if it helps, but I did have bleeding all the way up to my follow up scan 5 weeks later

Thanks, was just trying to work out what continually bleeding indicates. Just a week to wait now.

@SophieRules yes. It wasn't the gushing out soaking through 2 pads at a time when I first started fully bleeding. It was more like a more heavy than usual period. My first post miscarriage test was pretty prominent still but the one a couple of weeks later was a lot fainter so I was surprised the scan showed the remaining tissue still inside me.

Ah yes I see. I think bleeding can take a while to settle, and it seems quite easy to miss pregnancy tissue in blood clots, especially if earlier gestation. Also, I think if there's only a very tiny amount of retained product left at a further scan they don't seem to worry as much. Good luck, hope it goes as planned for both of us.

Just updating this thread to say that I have had a negative pregnancy test after taking Misoprostol, I have been bleeding daily since the beginning of August and am continuing to bleed but I don't need to be scanned because of the test. What a relief! Goes to show, if you don't notice anything obvious, and if you don't pass clots within the first few days, it doesn't necessarily mean it's a bad sign.

That’s good news, so it was nearly 7 weeks for you for a negative test? My tests are still VERY positive. How long did it take for a negative test with others? I was feeling optimistic as the bleeding seems to have stopped almost entirely but pregnancy test not getting fainter.

It was from August 7th today - so yes about that. Weirdly, my test was very very positive a few days ago, still very visible in the last two days and today suddenly the line had vanished. There wasn't a gradual fading out for me. The hormones can take a while to settle after pregnancy is passed right? It's a good sign your bleeding has stopped! Hoping for the best.