4 MCs, clexane next time and am scared.

[aMuminwaiting]

Hi
Well I've had four miscarriages now. The first was back in 2010, after a year of trying I lost my boy at nearly 22 weeks. Then I had the three more earlier miscarriages all quite close together. After a six month break I'm ready (as ready as I can ever be) to try again. My DH has been very good and said whenever I'm ready that's fine with him. I've had all negative test results, they don't understand why this keeps happening but have told me to try clexane injections and aspirin next time because "you've got nothing to loose". Bad choice of words.
I was on progesterone for the last two pregnancies. All it did was mask what was happening with the last. I felt like it was all going well and then went for my 12 week scan only to find the baby had died a month earlier.
Because I've had bleeds with three of the pregnancies (very heavy bleeding) I'm worried that the clexane could be dangerous. I did ask the 'blood specialist' about that but she said it won't make me bleed, if I was going to bleed anyway then it won't stop it. That's not what I was asking though. I meant will it make the bleeding worse to the point of being dangerous? She only had information on what happens if I get very close to full term. Frankly that seems as likely as winning the lottery right now so I wanted to know more about the run up to that stage.
Any advice from people who've been on it or are on it would be great. I'm nervous enough going into this all again as it is without the added worry of bleeding to death.

Hi

Didn't want to read and run. I had two miscarriages before going for private investigations. Turns out I have some blood clotting issues and was put on clexane and aspirin in third pregnancy. All went well and I have a very heathy baby boy. Am now 24 weeks pregnant with my 2nd.

Had i not gone in for investigations when I had a 'feeling' something was wrong I may have very well have found myself having many more miscarriages.

It is understandabe to be worried but it sounds as though you are in good hands and many women with history of miscariage of unknown cause go onto have heathy pregnancies once on blood thinners.

I had to stop the clexane 24 hrs before I was induced and my OB said the effect wears off after 12 hrs. Some women stop it a few weeks before delivering -- it just depends on the approach.

The thinners don't stop you from clotting completely, just enough to ensure healthy placental blood flow to baby.

I wish you all the best in your next pregnancy.

I'm having, so far so good, a healthy pregnancy on clexane after 2 mcs. The dose I'm on is low, it's nothing like what they give people who have a history of DVT or something like that.
I've been told that I just have to stop it as soon as it looks like labour might be starting. You can't have an epidural within 12 hours of an injection. Other than that I've not been told of any risks or complications with it. I think if you do miscarry then obviously you would stop the injections, and I doubt it would make the bleeding dangerous.
What have you already been tested for?

Hiya,

I've had 3 mmc's and had a load of tests, am now 9 weeks 5 & have been on clexane since week 4 & asprin a week or so before conception. I am also on pregnyl ( hcg jabs) twice a week since week 4 & prednisdolone & 2 progesterone a day. I guess they're throwing the whole lot at me this time, my first scan last week showed heartbeat & correct dates so fingers crossed. The docs have just told me that my TSH reading is bad ( 4.38) ( 3 weeks after getting results?! - am well pissed off) & have started eltroxin today.

What was your TSH reading? It was only a specialist that picked up on mine as both my GP & the national maternity hospital miscarriage clinic failed to pick up on mine & unfortunately it may be the cause of my previous mmc's.

The clexane is fine, I hate needles & I've got used to doing it every day,so you'll be fine!! I've never taken much meds in my life so at 41 it's seems crazy how much is being thrown at me. Hopefully it's just what you need.
Take care

Thanks to both of you, I feel a bit more reassured.
I've had all the blood clotting screenings done three times now. i've also been karotyped with my husband. They also tested for lupus and thyroid but all normal.
I did my opk this morning and am ovulating on Valentine's day so that must be a good sign!
So mentally how have you both coped? I wish there was a button to push and just forget everything during pregnancy but I haven't found it. I'm sure the constant worry I've felt with each one hasn't helped. I might have to invest in some meditation cds!

Mentally, I have of course been worried all the way through. Still 2 months to go! The first trimester was really really hard, epecially up to the 9 week scan point. After 20 weeks it hasn't been that bad. Taking the medications at least gives you a sort of sense of empowerment, you feel like you are doing something and not just leaving it to chance. Of course, if the mc is due to chromosomes then there is nothing that can be done, but you do at least feel that your risk has been reduced somewhat. The clexane injections are not especially painful and I got used to injecting myself quite quickly.

Relaxation cds are really good, I find that sort of thing very helpful. I had a lot of sleepless nights earlier on and since I have started doing relaxation cds, the insomnia has been much better (I just get woken up by heartburn now instead!)

Wishing you all the best - hope you have a "productive" valentine's day and your next pregnancy is healthy and successful. There are loads and loads of stories on here of people who have had a proper shit time of it but they got their baby in the end.

Sorry to hear your story.
I had 5 Mc's then a pregnancy on clexane and now I have 2 year old twins running me ragged.

All the very best of luck.

Hiya,
Hope Valentines went well! ;0)
I've been coping by doing Hatha yoga, so has been keeping me grounded & all the breathwork & loosening up has really helped me relax. That said I've still had a few mad hormonal meltdowns with DH! It's so hard to try & explain the hormones without sounding like you're making excuses...
What keeps us both going after so much heartbreak & disappointment is hope & the overwhelming longing to have a child.
If the nuchal scan goes well then I'll be brave enough to buy the hypnobirthing book & cd- I hear it's amazing for helping you teach yourself to relax & you have to practice it every day- has anyone here done it before?

Thanks Prunia, Valentine's was good thanks. Fingers crossed Cupid sends us our baby!
Yes my Aunt said try yoga. It got her through cancer. I know what you mean about waiting to get things. I didn't get anything after losing my first but have all of his things boxed up under the bed waiting to be used.
Are you able to have a natural birth then? My blood specialist told me I would have to have a cesarean so they can plan exactly when I stop taking the injections. I didn't know there was a choice.
I know what you mean about the hope keeping you going. Each time I say no more but the desire to be a mum is too strong. Plus I did hold my first baby and the love was overwhelming. I would have given my life to make him breathe.
Has anyone out there on clexane still had bleeds during the pregnancy? This is what frightens me the most I think because bleeds have always meant the end for my pregnancies.

Similar story to yours. I had 4mc then tried again with aspirin and clexane. Dd is now 1 yo.

I too had all the normal tests with no conclusive answers and clexane was prescribed as last resort. I have my own theory on what caused my mc but taking the clexane certainly helped me feel like I was doing something. Rather than just waiting around for the inevitable bad news scan.

My specialist told me that the standard nhs mc blood tests were actually quite basic and don't show a lot of blood clotting issues.

Did you have a TEG test? Apparently a substantial % of women with a clear clotting test result will show problems with a TEG test.

Good luck with ttc and future pg.

mumatron thanks for sharing, I waited for 3 months for all the thrombophilia blood results which were clear. Went to a specialist for the TEG a few weeks later which overnight showed that I had sticky blood- well worth doing the test! Congrats on your baby, gives us all hope to hear good stories ;0)

No I haven't had TEG. Is that a private one only then?
It's wonderful hearing that so many of you have babies now. I thought there was no hope but mums net always has a way of brightening even the darkest days.
I was told the specialist would show me how to use the injections last month and give me some for when I get pregnant. When I got there though she said I had to wait until I get a positive test then book in at another hospital to get the injections then go back regularly for blood checks. I don't mind going back and forth (I'd do anything for a baby) but she told me that many women in my position find the clexane helps sustain a pregnancy and helps the baby implant well. If I wait for a positive test before I begin though, implantation will have already happened so I don't know why she even bothered telling me that. I've started the aspirin now just in case I'm lucky this month. I've been around the houses with hospitals for three years now so the likelihood of them "getting me in straight away" when it took five months just to get to see the last person and six months to get the karyotyping results back. They are never fast. The last thing I'll need is to panic about getting the injections.

I didn't have the TEG done. I would have had to pay for it to be done but I don't live in an area that could have done it anyway. Have you asked about a referral to St Marys in London?

Fwiw I didn't start my injections until 6+6 (after a viability scan) but did start aspirin before then. Some cons think that it can help prepare the womb lining for implantation others think it can stop it altogether

Wow aren't they helpful. I'm fed up of being told different things by different people. If I was given one person to see at least then I wouldn't be aware of how little they seem to know. The first consultant I saw thought it was something I did that caused my placental abruption, the second was great but he retired before I got pregnant again, the third told me not to smoke (I never have) and lose weight (I'm maybe three or four lbs overweight) oh and she didn't have the right file. The last one said I should think about losing weight like the other woman told me and take clexane, then ushered me out. None of them spoke to my DH, it was like it had nothing to do with him. I hate the system here. My Aunt is a midwife in Lincolnshire and tells me they are so much better at her hospital. I am a Kent girl through and through so don't want to move but it does suck here.

Hi amuminwaiting, sounds like you've had some really positive replies here and some brilliant outcomes to people taking clexane to sustain pregnancy. I'm currently 18wks and am taking 60mg a day. I'm taking it because of a family history of thrombosis. The only thing I can add is that it is an extremely expensive medicine which is why you may find some resistance to you getting it pre-pregnancy. But it works immediately and wears off quickly. So, although I'm really no expert, if you did begin to bleed, I think you could quite quickly have the clexane out of your system.

I was not told to stop using it before labour or delivery with my last baby. As a result I did have a small bleed straight after he was born. It was very easily stopped however and I don't think anyone was really panicking. After making sure it wasn't due to a tear or placenta part being left behind they put me on a drip to speed up the contracting down of my uterus.

I hope you go for it, learning to take it takes 5 minutes so if you can get it within days of your bfp that's a good start. X

am struggling with the two week wait. Seven more days to go until I can test. I've been here so many times before that I should be aware that feeling sick, have a headache and cramps at 7dpo can mean nothing at all...but I can't help but hope with everything I've got.

Anyone out there? I'm going crazy here. 9dpo and could not control myself, did test and unsurprisingly it was negative. Why do I do it? I was convinced all the stretching pains and lack of appetite over the last three days was a great sign. Now I'm convinced AF will show her ugly face soon.

Hello. very sorry for your losses. I had 4 losses; 2 before and 2 after 20 weeks. I have 5 living children from 4 normal pregnancies (twins) so there is always hope. In my last pregnancy, I took clexane injections from 7 weeks and aspirin from bfp. I have a history of massive blood loss after surgery and almost bled to death after my twins. i was so scared. I also needed an emergency stitch at 21 weeks and had bleeding all the way through and contractions. However, it all turned out well and was no probs with bleeding. Stopped aspirin at 36 weeks and clexane 3 days before section (and missed it the day before stitch). I know alot of people who have used blood thinners (through baby loss groups) and none had any complications from it. Nearly all of them, if not all, went on to have a healthy baby, even after repeated late losses. I also have immune problems and tested positive for Lupus antibodies so I was extremely high risk of early and late loss up to birth (90% without treatment). Wishing you a very healthy pregnancy asap x

Oh mum I am sorry to hear that, it might be too early?

I have also had 2 very early losses and just got a BFP today, raced to st marys to get the heparin/clexane, its not too bad, stings a bit but I can definitely manage it! My understanding is that it breaks down clots which can affect the functioning of the placenta! My NHS tests showed no issue it was just the St Mary's TEG test (which I did privately but you can be referred on MHS after 2 loses) so heparin for me. Hoping for a sticky one now!!

above should say 'and was no probs with excess bleeding.' (I did have bleeding in all my pregnancies with/without blood thinners but it wasn't enough to worry about)

10dpo today and bfn on clear blue, 2 bfn on 10mui internet cheapies and one with a faint second line. I guess I must have held it upto the light too soon or something and some dye leaked. I had a false positive with a blue dye test early last year. Last two days it's felt like I've got a water infection coming. Just a bit full and heavy and can't stop peeing. I've also still got the stretching sensation in my hips and woke up this morning with a hot feeling around the tops of my pelvis. Not over yet I know, just wanted a positive before the weekend so I could get the appointment for the clexane booked in. Whenever things happen to me it's always at the weekend and the person I need is never in at weekends. Worst was the first big bleed with my first baby and they said "you're probably miscarrying but the scanning department is closed over the weekend so come back Monday morning". Longest weekend of my life. And I've heard of women on here having to wait weeks.

Oh mum 10dpo is very early and the only tests that work for me so early are first response, can you try that?

Oh I meant first response, doh! The early red dye test. I am hoping that I just did it too early.The third cheap test came up with faint line too but it was after the ten minute time allowance. The powers that be have kindly taken my mind off obsessively testing for now. I ripped half my big toe nail off a few minutes ago when getting my dog out of the baby bath in the kitchen. I felt sick before...I feel REALLY sick now!

Hi, sorry to but in but you sound so similar to me.

For me, i drew so much comfort from the fact that i was doing every thing correctly, i was making every possible effort to ensure a positive outcome.

I took the advice, the medication the positive thoughts (whcih was so very difficult because the negative dark thoughts regulalrly ripped through my happy thoughts.) and i held my breath and waited impatiently.

Like you i had all normal test results, clotting, keriotyping, thyroid..the works..all normal.

I had asprin, FA & hormone injections and was being seen in the re occuring mc clinic.

All the very best, i hope that in the end you have your lovely longed for baby, chin up chuck x

Thank you for sharing. So can I assume that you did get your baby in the end?

I think I am pregnancy number 9 now. Also being seen at St Mary's. Before referral I managed to carry to full term, my gorgeous DD who is now 4. I took aspirin for most of that pregnancy as figured some clotting issues and it seemed to work. Did have 2 pregnancies where I was on the works (heperin, aspirin, progesterone) but for me it also just delayed a natural mc. Really hoping this one will be different. Feels right so far and taking 150mg aspirin and seeing the prof for a scan soon. Like someone else says hope keeps me going. I still believe I have one more in me! Good things are worth fighting for aren't they and I take real comfort hearing your stories. Take care everyone x