Help needed: Spotting, Hormones and Bed Rest

[Ann688]

Hi all,

I was hoping some of you might be able to help me.

To give you some quick background;
I had a miscarriage back in October at around 6 weeks pregnant. It hapenend over a 4 or 5 day period. It started out with pink and brown spotting which quickly turned in to severe cramps and a lot of red blood.

The staff at the EPU clinic advised that we should wait until I’ve had my period before starting to try again, of which we did, and I’m happy to say that I fell pregnant again straight after.

I am now 5wk+4 days pregnant but have been experiencing some spotting over the past 5 days.

It started as just light pink/watery fluids but for the past 2 days it has been a brown discharge on wiping. There was also some red blood earlier today but no pains and the red blood only happened the once. The brown discharge is slightly ‘stringy’ but there has definitely been no clots. Some very minor cramps but nothing like I experienced back in October.

We went to the doctors on day 2 of spotting (Thursday) and they phoned the EPU while we was there.

Their advice was simple but I’ll be honest I’m not entirely happy with it.

They said to simply go home and see what happens. It’s too early for a scan, and it’s also too early for them to take my blood and check my hormone levels.

However, the nurse agreed that some bed rest would be worth trying and as I’ve recently left my job, im able to do so without any issues.

The reason I’m not entirely happy with the EPUs advice is because I keep seeing posts online from women who have been told to have bed rest and to take progesterone hormones as that will potentially help save the pregnancy.

If the EPU are unwilling to prescribe/sell me progesterone, then is it available elsewhere? I.e are there private clinics that can help?

Or at least take my blood to see if I need it? Something which my doctors and the EPU don’t seem to want to do.

Sorry for my long message! But I keep finiding myself overthinking things and I can’t find the answers anywhere online.

Only two more quick things.....

If you have been in bed rest during early pregnancy, how long did you do it for? And what was your daily routine like? I’m not sure what I should or shouldn’t be doing!

My last question is about the blood.

I’ve seen that many of you have said that spotting is normal,but I can’t find anyone who mentioned how long it lasted for.

For myself, there has been brown discharge every time I have wiped for the past 2 days (hourly). Before that it was light pink each time I wiped.

Sorry again for the long post

If you can provide any advice on spotting, bed rest or progesterone that would be much much appreciated.

Also on a side note, It felt like my boobs got smaller a couple of days ago but they feel fuller again today and the tenderness has come back. I also did a ClearBlue week test today which said I was 3+ weeks pregnant but I appreciate it would say that regardless or what is happening at the moment.

However, I’m hoping that it at least means my pregnancy has been developing ok up until now. Back in October this was stuck at 2-3 weeks for around 2 weeks.

I'm sorry you're going thru this. It's unfair.
I wondered if you were reading American websites, their practices tend to be more experimental than in the UK.
I suspect a private GP (can google to find one) could prescribe progesterone for you, but NHS won't prescribe because the clinical evidence is that it doesn't work.

Thank you for the very fast reply and for the link.

I wasn’t aware that was the viewpoint in the UK. I do find it surprising considering it’s commonly prescribed in the US, France, Italy, Russia and various other countries.

That website looks very helpful so I will take a look through it

I don’t suppose anybody can help with regards to my spotting query?

For example, when you spotted during early pregnancy and went on to have your baby, how often were you spotting and for how long?

I’m currently having brown stringy discharge every time I go to the bathroom and wipe (every hour). And it’s been happening for the past 2 days. Before that it was pinky watery discharge on wiping for 3 days. It’s usually around the size of a 2p coin. Sorry if thats too much information .

I’m going out of my mind worrying.

I can see that lots of people have experienced bspotting before but I can’t see details about the amount/frequency/duration.

Any help would be amazing!

I had spotting all through first trimester (every day sometimes, or every few days). Pink or brownish when I wiped but not every time. Then had occasional throughout rest of pregnancy.
It was an extremely anxious time and up until I could feel the baby’s movements clearly.
I wasn’t ever advised bedrest- basically told nothing they could do and just see.
I did stop all exercise and really rested up (I was working full time but outside of that). It mad me feel in control of something at a scary time but I doubt it helped anything.

Thinking of you and keeping my fingers firmly crossed. Here for a hand hold if needed.

Hi Newbietwo,

Thank you for getting back to me and that is very reasssuring. I’m sitting here with my fiancé and that has put us at ease - for tonight at least!

Hi all,

I thought I would give a quick update.

The EPU told us before Christmas that if I got a positive pregnancy test on Jan 3rd then I should give them a call.

I’m happy to say that despite me having spotting every time I went to the toilet continuously from Dec 20th to Jan 2nd, that the test came back positive.

We went for a ultrasound and they saw the baby measuring 8mm and it had a heartbeat.

However.... the worrying didn’t stop there....

While at a midwifes appointment a couple of days ago, I started to bleed heavily (2 or 3 full pads) of fresh red blood. She told us to go to a&e which we did.

After a full check up it seems that my cervix was closed so they was happy with that.

Apparently I’m an ‘ectropion’. This is where the high levels of progesterone have forced some fresher/more sensitive cells to the front. These can bleed easier - hence all the blood.

I had another scan yesterday and the baby measures 16mm (8wk) and had a healthy heartbeat.

So a quick note to everyone worrying about spotting, or even heavy red bleeding, there is always hope.

We were certain we lost our baby so many times over the last few weeks but it seems to be hanging in there.

We’ve been told we can also expect lots more fresh red blood over the coming weeks/months but we shouldn’t worry too much as it’s not near the baby.

Hopefully this will put a few minds at ease who are currently going through we have over the past few weeks.

Hey, I meant to check back here earlier but all a bit busy at the moment.
What a lovely lovely update- so pleased for you. And also I would have loved to have read something like this when I was going through the same. My ectropion was only diagnosed when I was about 25 weeks pregnant so great that they could explain the bleeding earlier. And finally, I am pregnant again and nearly at the third trimester and only two incidents of spotting - it has been a totally different experience this time. Makes me realise how much anxiety I (understandably!!!) had in my last pregnancy. Would be great to hear how it’s all going and take care.

@Ann688 thank you for a great update. I know it’s 2 years down the line but was really helpful for me today x