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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Upsetting question - how long does a miscarriage take to 'start'

17 replies

Andbabymadefour · 01/08/2010 09:35

I am, or maybe was, 8 weeks with DC2. For the last 48 hours I have been having light bleeding (TMI - like the very last day of a period, but with some patches of brighter red blood) and cramping.

I never had any bleeding in my first pregnancy and I felt fairly pessimistic that I was losing this baby (especially because of the cramping), but it doesn't seem to be getting any worse. Can these things take a long time to 'get going'?

After the weekend, I will go to the doctors. I presume I need to go to the GP, who could refer me to the local EPU for a scan to find out what's happening. Is that how this works?

I feel so alone that this is happening over a weekend. Plus my local maternity services seem to make this face at you whenever you do something, and invariably get the process 'wrong'.

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belgo · 01/08/2010 09:40

I'm so sorry this is happening, how worrying.

Some women do have bleeding during pregnancy and go on to have a normal healthy pregnancy, but as you know, it can also be a sign of miscarriage.

It's my opinion that anyone suffering bleeding in pregnancy should get it checked out immediately. I think you should phone the doctor on call, or the local women's hospital. You should be given a scan to rule out an ectopic pregnancy and to find out exactly what is happening.

And in answer to your original question, I miscarried within two days of starting to bleed.

Original poster

Andbabymadefour · 01/08/2010 09:48

There is no local women's hospital (am in London) and I know that none of the local EPUs are open at the weekend (apparantly people have problems Monday to Friday between 9am and 1pm ). I can't really see that phoning the local on call doctor will help much, as I suspect he will just tell me to wait and get scanned on Monday.

I don't think I'm in enough pain for it to be ectopic (cramping rather than actual pain), so I'll wait and see how I go.

Helpful to know that these things can take a couple of days though. In my mind, it started like a period, you know, a little bit of build up but generally quite quick.

Sorry for your experience too.

OP posts:

Magic8ballhastheanswers · 01/08/2010 10:00

I am sorry you are experiencing this, I have been there twice and I know how distressing it is. Call and go to your out of hours GP surgery (usually linked to your local hospital) or A & E. Don't wait.

Muser · 01/08/2010 10:13

If you're in London the emergency gynae unit at St Thomas's, which is also an EPU, opens at the weekend. 9.30am - 3.15pm. I don't think they'd be able to scan you on a weekend, but you could call them for advice. You might be able to get referred for a scan faster than going through your GP. The number is 020 7188 0864.

I hope it turns out to be ok.

Magic8ballhastheanswers · 01/08/2010 10:15

I think St Georges - Tooting may be open too but I am not sure - EPU - 020 8725 0093 (8.30-11am)

mslucy · 01/08/2010 10:57

Go to A&E immediately. I did yesterday. Went to Whittington and they were brilliant. Had scan and saw heartbeat but still bleeding. Very scared but going to hospital was very reassuring. Go NOW

LetsHaveAnotherOne · 01/08/2010 11:26

I had lots of bleeding in my 2nd and 4th pregnancies. Much more than spotting. Dd is now 8 and Ds 2. Sometimes the pregnancy is fine and they never find the cause.
I've also miscarried a few times. It varies in how it goes. 1 was very light painless bleeding for 2 weeks (that was brownish). Another was very heavy red and lasted 2 weeks. Another was only a few days of moderate bleeding. Not always painful either.
I would try to stay calm and get scanned asap. I understand how worrying this is. Hugs.

vmcd28 · 01/08/2010 21:55

OK, I hope everything is going OK.

I have a 5yo, and that pg was fine, with not one drop of blood.

I had a miscarriage last year, which was ONLY brown spotting (ended up having a D&C), AND I have had a miscarriage which started with bleeding like a period, then became heavy like a period.

BUT, in this pg I spotted at 8 weeks, then again at 11.5, then red blood at 12.5w. Touch wood, I have had NOTHING since then. I am 23 weeks. SO, the point I'm trying to make is that it is impossible to know whats going on without a scan - blood isnt always bad.

Going to the hosp will hopefully give you some reassurance. It is important to note, though, that if it IS a MC, there's nothing that can be done to stop it, therefore there's no "urgency" to get to the hospital EXCEPT for your peace of mind.

cintia · 01/08/2010 22:15

Hi girls,

This is my first post here. I am 7 weeks pregnant.

I would like to say that I have experienced some light brownish bleeding Saturday night (day ago).

Did go to the hospital and because it wasnt an emergency, they told me to wait for a scan the next day (tomorrow).

I am a pessimist at heart and I am already thinking I have lost my babe... but fingers crossed it isnt as serious.

This isnt a situation none of us should be in and I do hope you have a happy ending.

xxxx

vmcd28 · 01/08/2010 22:50

cintia, you are right. But you are in the right place for support. Many of us have been through it, and know how upsetting/devastating it all is. The light at the end of the tunnel , however, is that many/most of us have gone on to have a healthy pg afterwards. x

Tanktop · 01/08/2010 23:33

I also experienced bleeding at around 6/7 weeks pregnant. I was living in Italy at the time and thankfully was given a scan straight away. All was ok and DD2 is now 18 months. The bleeding lasted a few days and I had stomach cramps similar to period pains. It doesnt always mean the worst.

angels1 · 02/08/2010 09:12

I know that bleeding can be completely normal in pregnancy, so stay positive, but wanted to give you my experience of a mc.

I mc'ed at about 7 weeks. Before I began bleeding I had a day or 2 where my symptoms (eg nausea/crying all the time) began improving. I then had 3 - 4 days of small amounts of blood, but little cramping. My GP referred me for an 'emergency scan' which I had to wait a whole week . The next day (about 4 days after first bleed) the bleeding got a bit heavier (more like start of a period) and I was told I had to go to a and e. They did blood test, pregnancy test and scan and discovered I was mcing.

I had to go back to a and e a few days later to have my blood taken again to check it wasn't an ectopic. I continued bleeding for maybe 9 - 12 days, but it was just a heavy period type of bleed. There was one night where I was in quite alot of pain with periody cramps (but nothing nurofen didn't help) and the next day I passed alot of clots that must have been the baby and accounted for the pain.

I don't want to scare you with my experience, I just thought it might help to see the process from someone who has experienced it. And remember, there's still hope - it could all be fine. I think I had a feeling deep down that I knew something was wrong though.

How are things now?

Secondtimelucky · 02/08/2010 14:51

I'm the OP. As you can see from the new name, things didn't work out.

I didn't go to hospital yesterday. I couldn't bear the thought of them finding a heartbeat and then going on to miscarry. It comforts me to think that there probably never was a heartbeat there, as for me, that's when I really feel it is alive. I'm not sure if that makes sense.

Going to EPU this morning was hideous. So totally lacking in compassion, bedside skill or respect for your time and emotions. The worst moment was when they finally scanned me, after 2.5 hours of waiting. They then said that I would need to wait for the nurse to give me the report, but the sonographer left up on the screen the big, blank scan, so I saw it as I got up and had to wait another 10 minutes to actually be told. Oh, and when they told me, they said that "they could find no evidence of a pregnancy" and queried whether I had taken a recent pregnancy test. Worse experience that the miscarriage itself.

I knew though. Last night I was passing large clots of blood and I knew that that couldn't be good. I knew last night it was over.

Still, I have a gorgeous daughter and, as the name says, second time lucky...

auburnlizzy78 · 02/08/2010 15:35

You poor thing, I'm so sorry.

Be kind to yourself over the coming days and weeks.

Secondtimelucky · 02/08/2010 15:45

Thanks Lizzy. I will try.

Stupid thing is, I couldn't wait to get out of there. Practically ran out the door, but now I have a million questions I didn't ask...

KnitterNotTwitter · 02/08/2010 16:07

i'm so sorry to hear your news. I MC'd two weeks ago and it's horrible. I was lucky the person who scanned me was really lovely and gave me one of the nicest hugs I've ever had - certainly the nicest ever from a stranger. Sorry you didn't have a nicer experience - it must make a bad situation worse...

(waves at angels1)

Secondtimelucky · 02/08/2010 21:33

Thanks. I had a bad experience at this hospital when I had my daughter too, so this evening I have actually put in a formal complaint to the Trust.

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