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.

Can I also ask you. When you had the brown did you feel sore downstairs at all? Today I've felt a bit like after a smear. A little stingy. But not when I pee or anything so I don't think I've got an infection.

Hi aMuminwaiting

I don't have any advice as not been in your position but just wanted to let you know I'm thinking of you and hope all goes well :)

I take Clexane due to previous DVT but have heard lots of v positive stories of ladies like you so fingers crossed :)

Sure you've been told to inject in belly, alternative sides. Thats fine but you can actually do anywhere there's skin, so top of thighs or top of rear hips good options. Do not rub to get rid of sting - v important or you'll bruise more. If you have to just apply pressure. Some needles are sharper than others which is the reason some seem to be a tad more painful. If it's really bad, apply ice pack beforehand injecting.

Doc probably told you that in prep for birth and blood loss, us preggos develop extra clotting which can cause different probs. Clexane is totally safe for baby, does not cross placenta. It works by stopping clots forming in deep veins, not by thinning your blood like warfarin or some other anti-coagulants. Superficial scrapes and cuts no probs and will heal fine.

Try to take it easy and hope goes well over coming days/weeks :)

X

The bleeding is heavier now. One lot of red and then back to brown. Still not strong cramps like I'm miscarrying though. I think I"ll try and get the through to the EPAU and see that they say.

mum I am sorry to hear that, I had no pain with the brown at all.

I am very suprised they are not monitoring your HCG levels, trying to analyse the pregnancy tests yourself is not a reliable way of knowing what is happening with hormone levels as your wee can be different concentrtioans, and the tests can have more or less die. By your dates, how many weeks are you?

amuminwaiting, i have just seen your thread and wanted to give you a hug or at least a little squeeze. I have had 4 miscarriages also though not as late as you. i lost mine all before 12 weeks. i badgered BUPA into paying for me to see Raj Rai at St Mary's in London. He is one of Lesley Regan's research partners and the most amazing diagnostician i have ever come across. Recurrent loss testing uncovered quite a few issues for me including antiphosolipid syndrome, so i have been taking clexane (low molecular weight heparin) for the entirely of my last pregnancy and this one. so far the results have been outstanding in that i have a wonderful nearly 2 year old daughter and a new daughter arriving in about 7 weeks.

Interestingly when the NHS tested me for antiphosolipid syndrome i tested negative. It seems the actual antibodies come and go and so a negative test doesn't necessarily mean it isn't a factor. Helpful huh!

I hope the EPAU are able to offer you some hope today. At the very least they need to do a bHGC to make sure your levels are rising at an appropriate level. Don't be surprised though if they dint give you more clexane until they can actually visualize the pregnancy on a scan (usually see a heart beat so 6-8weeks). THe reason is that clexane is a blood thinner and even though the dose you are taking is negligible in terms affecting your actual ability to clot (its real value is creating a really good blood flow in the microcapiliaries of placenta and uterine lining), doctors worry about the possibility of ectopic pregnancy and so aren't really comfortable having you on it before they can be sure that you are not ectopic and are not likely to bleed out. Basically the manufacturers consider it an off license use and it creates issues for the doc if you are on it and are discovered to be ectopic.

I hope you get some good news today.

lyn I am also with Raj and similarly impressed. I believe St Mary's do the test for APS differently and use free flowing blood, no tournicay (spelling?) which is why they get a positive more often.

I started taking cleaxne from BFP but had to have a scan at 6 weeks to check it was not ectopic. Its wonderful to hear you now have a DD and another very soon. I am nearly 9 weeks and bricking it but FX for a good outcome this time.

mum thinking of you, let us know how you get on.

They won't see me at the EPAU because I'm only 4 weeks. They've told me to stay at home and see what happens. I have to do another test Monday to see if it's still positive. But the blood is heavier and darker now with small clots. I feel cramp like a period is coming so I know this pregnancy is not going to continue. I'm totally gutted because I've heard so many positive stories on here about clexane. I thought this was it. Now I've only got a belly of bruises to show for it.
I've been begging to be sent to Dr Raj. How many times am I going to have to go through this before they'll refer me? I can't afford to go private, if I could I would have done it ages ago. I've gone from almost 23 weeks down to 4weeks over the past four years. I don't know what else I can do. I can't imagine life without a baby in it.

I am so sorry amuminwaiting.

On the NHS, the st Marys recurrent miscarriage clinic will only see patient who have been referred by their hospital consultant rather than their gp. Very frustrating but as they have such a good reputation I guess it is the only way they can limit their patient workload.

If I was you I would go back to your GP and get that referral to your local trusts recurrent loss specialist if you don't already have it. When you see them demand the onward referral to st Marys.

You will get your take home baby. ((unmumsnetty hugs))

I have a consultant but she won't refer me. She thinks that her team are all I need. If I needed added stress and never being able to get hold of anyone then yes her team has all I need. I'm going to try my GP again and see if she can twist the consultants arm but I usually have to wait two weeks just to see her.
I'm hoping the worst is over now. I bled a lot yesterday and passed medium sized clots. I actually pass much larger ones in my regular periods. I had a terrible headache all night. I didn't take the clexane this morning because there honestly seems no point at this stage. I was supped to get a call back from my consultant about that yesterday but unsurprisingly did not.
I spend a lot of time going through my pregnancies. I bled in every one except the mmmc when I was on progesterone. My first I had a light bleed when my period was due and it being my first time I thought my period was about to start so didn't test until I was 5weeks. I then had a big bleed at 12wks, 17wks and then the final one which led to pre term labour was 22wks. It's like my body doesn't understand that when I'm pregnant it needs to stop my periods. Have any of you had any hormone testing done? I'm wondering if this could be of some use to me.

So sorry to hear about your loss :( I just wanted to say your consultant does not have to refer you to st Mary's - you can self refer too.

I was seen by Mr Shehata too ( privately) however he does also see ladies on the NHS. When you are strong enough, go back to your consultant and demand that she does refer you, if not call st Mary's yourself and see what they say. I had 3mmc and am now 20 weeks pg, but I have to take clexane, double aspirin (after having a positive TEG) I also took steroids up to 12 weeks. Good luck in your future xx

I thought a miscarriage this early would be like a period as I was under a week late but I've had terrible back pain, my uterus has been contracting and this morning I passed a very big clot. Instantly the bleeding eased and I thought, great that's the worst over. But no I was sitting doing some work and felt a sharp pain then a small gush. Another very big fibrous clot. I've seen far more of my insides than I ever wanted to but I have noticed that over the past two periods and this miscarriage that the tissue coming out is dry and grey looking. It just doesn't look right. My desire for a baby is still so strong but I am completely fed up of feeling so terrible all the time. I need a few months of feeling healthy...ish.