What to expect during D&C and general anaesthetic

[Flowersonthetv]

Any words of wisdom, things to expect or tips to the horrible situation better?

I'm sorry you find yourself here.

The procedure itself is really not bad. It is such a quick process that I felt like I blinked and then woke up in recovery. I wasn't in much pain but they gave me some morphine just in case. Rest up afterwards if you can, to help with healing. I was back at the office a couple of days later, but definitely overdid it and ended up taking a day off a week or so later as I was cramping and bleeding quite heavily.

I hope it goes smoothly for you. If you have any questions, please ask.

I’m booked in for Monday, do you think I will feel awful on Wednesday (Christmas day) then we planned to visit family Christmas till new year….they don’t know. Do you think I will be able to keep it quiet or will it be obvious?

I’m worried it’s going to ruin our holiday plans and I don’t want this to be my main memory. I have a DC and I want to make sure Christmas is special for them! 😭

I think I probably would have been ok for visiting people two days later, at least physically, especially if your christmas isn't going to involve lots of running around for you. It wouldn't have been obvious that something was wrong in my case and my older DC won't have had any idea that I didn't feel fine.

I know I felt a bit sad and teary at times, as when your hormone levels drop it can be a bit of a bump. But the teariness wasn't out of control IYSWIM so i was able to work and carry on like normal. Will you be able to take a break from people or have a little rest if you need to?
Anaesthetics do make some people feel a bit wonky or tired for a few days, but you could probably just say you are getting over a cold or something and a bit tired if you need an excuse to take a break.

I think the emotional part is harder than the procedure itself. The D&C and anaesthetic are okay and I found everyone very caring and calming … but you might have some cramping and be tearful afterwards.

Take care lovely xx

You go to sleep, wake up, and go home. You will have light bleeding for a few days, more on exertion.

Emotionally is a completely different story.

Ok I won’t panic that we need to change any plans yet, I will probably take a towel to sleep on so I’m less worried about leaks on someone else bed.

Defo will be able to take breaks and pop up the bedroom we will staying at, I don’t think having a nap would be completely out of the blue. Luckily my DC has a runny nose right now so that could help with a cold cover story.

I had a tfmr d&e on Thursday under GA. I was so worried, but honestly felt fine afterwards. I walked around and did some xmas shopping/ went to a cafe after as for some unknown reason, he got the train to pick me up rather than driving!
We then came on holiday (in the UK) yesterday and I have been doing all the things I usually would. I was expecting to feel very tired (midwives said I would be tired for a week).

Good luck on Monday. Happy to answer any specific questions. BTW I was very emotional about having to do the procedure and all of the midwives, surgeon, anaesthetist were all very compassionate.

Oh and in terms of bleeding, everyone is different. 48 hours later and my bleeding today has been very light. I slept on a towel the first night just in case.

I had a D+C following a miscarriage. In and out in a day, no pain, no significant bleeding - more like a light period.

On the bleeding, mine was pretty light until some days later when it went a bit nuts but as I say I had been overdoing it. I've had more than 1 D&C and I don't recall it being an issue the other times, so hopefully yours won't be a problem either.

Oh I do have a specific question, do they make you eat anything before you leave? Just because I have allergies so will pack some food as hospitals aren’t great (or it’s been my experience in the past)

Good news on the bleeding front, this is my main worry being in someone else’s house.

They made me eat a little packet of biscuits, happily no hospital catering required!

I’m hoping the bleeding won’t be awful as I am meant to be 12 weeks but baby was measuring 7 weeks with no heart beat so hopefully that will work in my favour too.

Emotionally I’ve been ok today I’m hoping being around family and friends means I can bury my head in the sand a bit (I will make time to grieve I just don’t want my main memory of this Christmas to be this)

I'm so sorry to read this.

My bleeding was ok, very light, I felt ok afterwards too. The thing I regret was not grieving properly, the grief came years later through counselling for something else.

Please do take some time to process it. I had the same, 14 weeks but baby measured 8 weeks and no heartbeat. A really shocking moment in the scanning room that I'll never forget, I do feel I've processed it now though.

I hope it goes ok for you and that you have a good Christmas with your little one.

Sorry to hear you're going through this.
I note sleeping on a towel but incontinence pants would be a good idea if you're concerned about leaking.

Hi, sorry that you're in the situation. I had a D&C for a MMC a few years ago. The build up and the nerves were horrible, but I had absolutely no pain and just very light bleeding afterwards. It was emotionally draining, so I'd recommend making sure you've got a plan for somewhere you can escape to for a ten minute bit of quiet by yourself. But the physical side was honestly no problem, and I usually have cramps for days after a smear!

So sorry you’re going through this. I’ve been through it twice and both times absolutely fine. The lead up is the worst, mind going into overdrive but They take such good care of you, I’m a wimp with needles but I let them know so they chatted away to me to help calm my nerves. I woke up a tad groggy initially, but I had no pain. They wanted me to have a wee, a drink and bite to eat before I left. Bleeding first day which tapered off over next few days but nothing sanitary towels couldn’t deal with. I felt physically fine the next day so think you’ll be ok with your Christmas plans. Just take it easy and be kind to yourself, the mental side of it all can be incredibly tough xx

Hello OP, so sorry for what has happened to you 🙏🏻
I had a D&C last Wednesday - very straightforward in my case. In hospital at 7.30am and out at 12.30am after observation. Bleeding was heavy on the day only and tapered way off to almost nothing within a few days. I tend to have a bit of a dodgy tummy (cramps) after GA so that was my main feeling but two days later I felt a good bit better.
As others have said, emotionally was a different story but I felt keeping occupied helped (work for me) I was given tea and toast in hospital. Good luck ❤️

I’m out, got home around 4pm. They gave me medicine to make my uterus contract so had some similar after birth pains with my DC. Once the codeine had kicked in absolutely fine and they sent me home with some too for 7 days. Hardly any bleeding and none since I came home. I do have some delightful lighting into my
bum at times which has caught me off guard.

Nurses we’re all lovely when I cried multiple times over the last few days they really are a different breed.

I think I’m going to bury my head in the sand, get through Christmas and the holidays and start to grieve in the new year.

Thank you all for the information and support, 100% made me feel less alone with people who understand what I’m going through! Wishing you all a merry Christmas and new year xx

I'm glad you are home OP and that it all went smoothly. Hopefully the christmas busyness will be a good distraction for the next few days.