Misoprostol not working MMC

[Eirlys75]

I had misoprostol on Wednesday. It was a MMC at 8 weeks.

I had horrible pain for a few hours, diarrhoea and nausea. The bleeding started, but no clots passed and I didn't really fill a pad. I called back Thursday and they prescribed me with some more. Again, I had the pain, but even less blood. Today (Friday) there's no blood on my pad, only when I wipe. I called EPU, who instructed me to wait over the weekend and call back on Monday. I took the misoprostol orally twice, as that's how they instructed me to do so.

Does anyone have any advice, or has had a similar experience? I'm scared to have surgery, as I've read that it can damage your cervix and uterus. But I don't know what's next?

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

I’ve had misoprostol fail with two of my mmcs. Ended up with surgical removal. So in my others I just opted straight away for surgery rather than medical management. My feeling is with a mmc - your body isn‘t giving up the pregnancy easily or naturally, and that it takes more to manage it than pills or suppositories. I am sorry you are going through this.

Thank you for replying @MaggieBsBoat . I'm sorry to hear about your MMC. Yes, I totally feel that my body isn't giving it up. The biggest clot I've had was half the size of my pinky nail, so it's just not happening. Do you mind if I ask how the surgery was? And how long did you bleed after? X

Hi @Eirlys75 , the surgery was absolutely fine all the times I’ve had it. Each time, they’ve done a very thorough job and I bled only a little bit for a couple of days after - like a small period. I also had very little pain. Please do ask, for your reassurance before you go in, how often they’ve done the procedure. You need them to be gentle with you and not too extreme with the thoroughness- if that makes sense. One mmc I actually ovulated two weeks later so my surgery was just like my period in a weird way. I wish you all the best. I do know how hard it is and surgery for me felt like the quickest way to get back to some kind of normal. 💐

I'm due to take my first tablet Monday after a long morning at the EPU today confirming our twin MMC. I'd actually asked for the surgery as I've heard lots of good things but apparently they have no beds for the foreseeable! Hope you get sorted 💛

So sorry you’re dealing with this, I can sympathise as I’ve had medical management twice and it failed both times. I can’t begin to explain how terrified I was of surgery and got myself into such a state about it, but it was honestly fine, they took such good care of me and to be honest it helped me move on as it closed the chapter on sorting the physical side of the miscarriage. I’m here if you have any questions 💕

@MaggieBsBoat thanks for sharing your experience. Great advice with asking familiarity with the procedure, I'll make sure to do that if surgery happens. Its also so great to hear that you ovulated so quickly after! I'm hoping for the same ❤️.

@Tiredtoddlerma I'm so sorry to hear this 😞. It's such a big trauma to experience, isn't it! Good luck for Monday, and if you want someone to chat though stuff, I'm here 😊.

@OneDayHope thank you for your advice. That's so good to know! I'm just terrified that it's going to impact fertility. We've been trying for some time, and are on the waiting list for IVF. So the pregnancy was such a lovely surprise for us! But because we have subfertility I don't want to cause any further damage!

Im so sorry you are having to deal with this, but i do want to say im really shocked they told you to take them orally.
Ive been told that you can take them orally but they have less chance of working and is better to have an antibiotic, a cervix opening tablet and then putting the i believe its 6 tablets inside your vagina. 4 to start with and 2 of the tablets 3 hours later again vaginally.
Ive had 3 miscarriages and this is how ive always taken them and theyve worked first time!! See if you can have another lot to take vaginally and see if this happens from there☺️

@LER2023 thanks so much for your response, sorry to hear youve had to go through this twice...I just can't imagine how tortuous that was. Thanks so much for sharing, I called my cousin who is a midwife and she said the same!

I think I'm having to go back on Monday where they'll discuss pessaries. I just don't know why they've made me go through this twice, knowing that it's not as effective. I really wish that I had asked this on mumsnet before taking my second dose. Hopefully, a pessary tomorrow will help with it all.

Thanks again ♥️

I just wanted to provide an update for anyone going through the same and reading this thread! I had misoprostol one day, where I had very small clots and a fair amount of bleeding (no different than a period). I called EPU up and explained the situation, they said that I hadn't bled enough and gave me the same dose. I bled even less. I had a fair amount of small clots, again no different to a period really, and the only noticeable tissue was one the size of my pinky nail, the other half the size of my pinky.

I left it over the weekend, where the bleeding reduced and by Tuesday, had completely stopped.

I called EPU on the Monday morning where they wanted me to go into hospital to have medical management. I was waiting all week for a bed available, they called me Thursday to confirm that a bed was available. I asked more about the medical management and opted for surgery, as it hasnt worked twice, why would it work the third time? It was only then that they said 'come in Friday for a scan, before you go into surgery and we'll see if the consultant is happy to continue'. I went in Friday not knowing whether I'll be in for surgery, having to cancel work all week and wait for a bed. It was only when they scanned me that they realised everything had passed, and there was no need for surgery.

I, and the EPU were pretty adamant that I hadn't passed enough blood/tissue, but I absolutely had! So, if anyone is worried that misoprostol hasn't worked enough for them, please please please ask for a rescan before doing anything else. It was a bloody traumatic week waiting with the unknown, and there was no need for it, it could've been totally avoided! Xx