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Original poster

Please help: Need to hear your experiences of taking RU486 (abortion pill)

76 replies

SladeyMadonna · 01/05/2008 16:41

I don't want to hear reasons why i shouldn't be having an abortion. I have to -and don't want to discuss the reasons here.

I am thinking of taking the RU486 and I know that it will induce something similar to a miscarriage. Has anyone taken it before? How bad was the cramping/bleeding it caused? (I will be taking it at 5/6 weeks if that makes a difference).

And do you think I will be fine to go on holiday 10 days after taking it?

OP posts:
Tortington · 01/05/2008 16:44

i don't know but think you should discuss with a nurse or doctor if you are concerned

ru486namechanger · 01/05/2008 16:50

.

ru486namechanger · 01/05/2008 16:57

I had this in 2003 and it was so painful I prayed for death

Apparently it affects everyone differently but there were three other women having it at the same time who were all screaming.

I lost control of my bowels and didn't stop screaming for an hour and a half. My expartner was terrified and mortified.

The private clinic I was in would offer no pain relief so it didn't interfere with the abortion.

Once the contractions had stopped I was completely painfree like it had never happened so you would be able to go on holiday easily ten days later.

I have had two very horrible miscarriages since then and neither have come close to the agony I was in.

I would strongly urge a surgical abortion

NomDePlume · 01/05/2008 16:58

I took an 'abortion pill' 10 years ago to terminate an unwanted pregnancy. I have no idea whether it was the one you are talking about. You had to take one pill and then come back into hospital a couple of days latr to take the second one which induced miscarriage (had to stay in hospital as a daycase). I was 6 weeks pg.

The pain was bad, I would liken it to actual labour. The cramping was strong and painful. I was offered strong pain meds (oral meds - HUGE pills !) but I didn't want to take them. I thought it was all part of the process, hoped the pain would punish the guilt out of me. Sad and stupid, I know.

The bleeding was messy. I had to stay in the hospital until I passed the 'products of conception'. he bleeding thereafter was like a very heavy, achy period. I bled for about 2 weeks.

Personally, I don't think I would have been able to go on holiday 10 days later. Physically or emotionally.

Original poster
SladeyMadonna · 01/05/2008 18:24

Oh God, it sounds awful! I was told that I can't get a surgical abortion until after 8 weeks, so unless I want to undergo that when on holiday in the Far East (cos i am on holiday for 2 months backpacking), then the pill is the only real option.

How long did the contractions last for RU486namechanger? Days? Hours?

Am also quite concerned, as I will have no-one with me for the procedure.

OP posts:
notjustmom · 01/05/2008 18:27

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

NurkMagiggy · 01/05/2008 18:30

God you poor thing, I am shocked reading these posts as I was offered this about 18 months ago and told, Oh yes it will be fine, most people have a few cramps

I didn't have the abortion at all, I had a funny feeling it would be worse than they said and anyway couldn't do it for personal reasons...won't go into it as you've decided.

I do think it's a mistake to ask this kind of question here if you ahve not asked a professional as well - I just mean from a safety point of view, it might be contra indicated to travel etc so soon after and though our experiences are valuable, you need the bottom line on that stuff from whoever prescribes you the medication iyswim - I expect you realise that.

It's correct they don't do the surgical option till 8 or 9 weeks as it is not considered a good idea when the embryo might still be too small easily to locate by scan - that way they can't tell if they have removed it completely

Sorry, I hate to think about it, will go away now...hope you'll be Ok whatever you decide to do x

lackaDAISYcal · 01/05/2008 18:33

I went through this process 14 years ago, and my experience was pretty simialr to NdeP. I was about 8 weeks at the time, and it hurt lots, the bleeding was very messy and I passed huge clots for more than a week afterwards. I'm not sure about the holiday, depends where you are going, but I started my finals a week afterwards and looking back, don't know how i got through it. If I had to do it again, I would take a surgical procedure over the pill without a moments hesitation. I've had two M/C since then, one at 11 weeks, and the pill experience was physically worse than the m/c.

sorry you are going through this

TheDevilWearsPrimark · 01/05/2008 18:33

My friend recently had this and it was nothing like the experiences posted here.
I think they have been developed very well more recently, and you can ask for strong pain killers, perhaps even mild sedatives.

She took them at the hospital and went home, just had to have a quick scan a week later.

Original poster
SladeyMadonna · 01/05/2008 19:31

Oh thankyou DWP. At last a semi-positive story.

NM - I have had medical advice. And I am OK to travel after it. I just need to let my travel insurance company know.

Any other stories from anyone? PLEASE

OP posts:
lackaDAISYcal · 01/05/2008 20:34

bumping for you

saintnik · 01/05/2008 20:40

I took this in the early 1990s. I was 21 and about 6 weeks pregnant.

I had pains that were worse than period pains but nothing as bad as labour. I was given some painkillers which worked well but did throw up. The pain was only bad for an hour or so and settled a lot after I aborted.

Physically I would have had no problem going on holiday 10 days later.

I hope that is some help to you.

StripeyKnickersSpottySocks · 01/05/2008 20:41

I had a week's palcement on a Gynae ward a couple of years ago. One afetrnoon I was tere it was the afetrnoon when the women were coming in for this proceedure.

I didn't have a lot to do with them to be honest but answered buzzers a couple of times. There were 3 of them and I certainly didn't hear any screaming or see anyone who looked like they were in agaony. Don't now what pain relief they had and don't know about the travelling either. I think if you ring the hospital and ask to speak to a nurse on Gynae ward then they should be helpful.

StripeyKnickersSpottySocks · 01/05/2008 20:42

Meant to say - good luck with it all.

fizzledizzle · 01/05/2008 20:45

i had this (for medical reasons) and it was uncomfortable but managable . it was a bit like bad period pain but the pain didnt last very long and i was still able to walk about

Original poster
SladeyMadonna · 01/05/2008 20:57

Thanks for these additional stories. I think I will go ahead with it. Though the hospital only let you stay for 20 mins after taking the pill. Hopefully I won't start bleeding or being sick on the way home.

OP posts:
ru486namechanger · 01/05/2008 23:27

They only let you leave hospital after the first pill, you must be there after the second as far as I know so that the contents of the womb can be examined when they are expelled.

ru486namechanger · 01/05/2008 23:34

The contractions lasted for an hour and a half. I am totally shocked at the differing experiences becuase there were people screaming so loud the anti-abortion protesters outside were cheering.

This was at the Marie Stopes clinic in Enfield. I would actually call them if I were you and ask to speak to someone who actually attends to people going through it because the lovely nurse that was there said it was total agony for most of the women.

I was really hoping that it wasn't as painful as birth.

As I said I've subsequently had miscarriages but we're trying for a baby now.

Also like you I had to have the pill as I was only six weeks pregnant (expartner didn't want children and threatened to leave me - he left anyway obviously)

I honestly don't know what it would be like for you but I was really traumatised by the pain (and I've broken a leg and an arm on the ski slope and had to crawl off the slope) and had a few nightmares afterwards.

ange8 · 02/05/2008 00:19

I had this two years ago at a Marie Stopes clinic, at about 8 weeks pregnant. After the second tablet, I was driven home by my partner so the whole thing happened at home. Cramps started about 30 mins after taking the tablet.Strong contractions started after about an hour, and lasted a couple of hours - passed 'products of conception' quite early. Plenty of bleeding afterwards (like after childbirth - need lots of those thick maternity pads) and lasted for about two weeks (IIRC). I felt OK - the cramping pains were dulled slightly by paracetomol. But felt weak for days afterwards - went back to work after 4 days and everyone said I looked like death.

I think 10 days after you are likely to be feeling OK, but probably still bleeding.

My concern would be risk of infection - I was advised that while bleeding was still going on, there was risk of infection and I monitored my temperature to look out for early signs (no problem as it turned out). So, maybe swimming in the sea/pools is out? I would check at the clinic.

madamez · 02/05/2008 00:28

Have no personal experience of this but would advise you to consult two or three medical professionals and to bear in mind that people's experiences can vary depending on age, body type, medical history etc. But it is supposed to be a non-invasive, minimal-discomfort sort of procedure so you should be OK.

havenonameforthisthread · 02/05/2008 01:12

.

havenonameforthisthread · 02/05/2008 01:24

I had an abortion this way 9 years ago. Not sure if it was RU486 or something similar.

I had to take a pill, then come back a couple of days later as a day patient(NHS) to have the second pill.

It really hurt a lot, but I told the nurses and I was given injections, which stopped the pain. There was a ward full of women having the procedure, and I didn't hear any screaming. The women in the bed next to mine chatted away to her partner for a lot of the time.

The thing that stuck with me was having to leave the 'products of conception' in a paper bowl in the toilet, so the nurses could check that it had passed. I wasn't prepared for it, even though it just looked like heavy period clots.

I think if you're comfortable with your decision and you make it clear if/when you need pain relief you will be fine.

NurkMagiggy · 02/05/2008 07:51

Yes it is still possible 10 days later to start an infection, I believe, so be cautious. When you have a baby you can get an infection weeks afterwards and I've known a few people who had terminations and the bleeding didn't stop so they had to go back to the clinic for a D&C (not everything was removed the first time)
It always surprises me how much has accumulated only 6 weeks in - you'd think it was a very late period but no, when you are pregnant your body is on the case very quickly, it isn't programmed to stop being pregnant, this is one reason I didn't want to abort because I hate going against my own body. It made me cry to think how it was trying so hard to protect the baby, and I couldn't go against that
But saying that I did make the appointment about 4 times, and cancelled each one...it is always an awful choice to have to make, nobody would want to do it if they could avoid it, so I am sorry you are in this position x

Original poster
SladeyMadonna · 03/05/2008 17:56

Thanks for sharing your stories. I am so, so scared.

OP posts:
oxocube · 03/05/2008 18:02

I had a surgical abortion about 11 years ago when I was only about 6 weeks pregnant. Are you sure they will not consider terminating your pregnancy earlier, esp if you explain the circumstances? Have no experience of the abortion pill but do want to wish you luck and hope everything works out for you.