Impending miscarriage and doctor won't help

[CLSDoc]

I am currently 4+2. My hcg started doubling every 38 hours, then 48 hours, now 54 hours. They remain quite low at 99 (4+1). My progesterone has dropped from 29.7 (nearly) to 22.6 (about 7ng). My breasts are back to normal but cervix remains high and temp is still up. I know this means miscarriage is impending, although GP is driving me insane saying my numbers are still encouraging. I asked for progesterone support but they spoke to gynae who say they never give it. This will be my third early miscarriage in 4 months, due to, I assume, low progesterone.

I feel so angry that there may be a solution here and the doctors won't help me. I'm so sad that this pregnancy won't end in a baby again. I'm so worried that if they won't support my progesterone that I'll never have a successful pregnancy.

Just wanting some support while I wait for the bleeding to start really...

@explodingkitten I hope you're right. I just won't know when my numbers are 2000 as the GP doesn't seem keen on doing any more bloods now. I will just have to keep an eye out for my clearblue digi turning 3+

As GPs we only do tests if it will change our management, yours has done more than most would. Good luck.

@skimmedmilk I get that, I'm a GP myself. The reason we were testing was to help with anxiety (if seeing numbers rising) and because before calling gynae they did not know they wouldn't give progesterone.

ah sorry, I should have clocked your username. It can be really hard to be objective as a doctor patient, but surely with your GP hat on you realise there isn't any point to ongoing tests?

Absolutely! I'm not getting any further bloods done now as they're not going to help the progesterone regardless. I think with the hcg I'd rather know if it is failing, than be surprised by bleeding. At the moment I'm cautiously hoping for the best. I used my last hpt last night and still seeing progression so I'm going to do my best to not buy any more of them. It's a long road and if this one does stick I think I'll be anxious for the next 8 months regardless!

I hope you get good news OP.

How are you doing @CLSDoc ?

@SadAct I'm doing ok. I'm still pregnant for now. I'm 5+4 now. I started spotting on Thursday and had my bloods checked then, they had increased nicely to 1228, so doubling every 39 hours. I then did my clearblue digi 2 days after and it was 3+ so clearly still doubling as that needs 2700.

I'm still spotting, so still expecting the worst unfortunately. My GP has now spoken to 2 gynae teams who have both refused to help my progesterone. My BBT has dropped over the last couple of days, so it's not looking brilliant.

I have my scan booked for next Monday at 6+4 so just hoping I get to that and see a nice little heartbeat.

It is very difficult but do try to stay as calm as possible x

I'm actually much calmer than I ever thought I would be. I'm just wondering whether to book a private scan at 6 weeks rather than wait those extra 4 days...

Fingers crossed. I've heard all sorts of horror stories about how those with bad news on private scans are treated so I'd hold off for the extra four days.

I’m sorry you’re going through the stress of this and really do hope things work out for you,
I was surprised to hear when you said you were a GP, as when I read your posts I could nt believe how many bloods you had done in primary care! I’m a GP and can’t think of a time when I’ve ever done as many tests as this in very early pregnancy, not only because the outcome isn’t going to change, but mainly because I would think this is a sure way to increase anxiety.
If we know, hard as it is, that 1 in 4 pregnancies miscarry, would it not be better to try and simply carry on letting nature take its course and distracting yourself as much as possible, rather than over medicalising things?
I’m
Not being uncaring here- I had a miscarriage following what I suspect was a chemical pregnancy at 5/6 weeks but didn’t go down the road of serial tests for the very reasons I mentioned above.
I’m glad you have an appointment soon for the recurrent miscarriage clinic. Good luck

Fingers crossed for you. I was extremely anxious in the early days and spent a load privately having my bloods tested just to see the numbers growing.

@Oldtiger. My GP continued wanting to keep checking my hcg originally, I wasn't going to stop them. They wanted to see better progression as my numbers were very low and I had been spotting. The progesterone was done a bit blindly to be honest. We were hoping that the level would rise above 30 to help with my anxiety. They didn't know that we wouldn't be able to treat it. Since we found this out, they haven't been checking progesterone because we can't do anything for it.

Then when I started spotting again last week I asked them to repeat it so that I knew whether or not I was progressing, again managing anxiety rather than managing pregnancy or miscarriage.

Also, I had a scan for bleeding at bang on six weeks and they couldn't see anything, but at my private scan for 6+5 they could see a heartbeat so I'd hold off based on personal experience.

Is there any chance your gp would write a private prescription for cyclogest?

Is there any chance your gp would write a private prescription for cyclogest?

it's not the cost @Petitprince, it's the principle that you don't write a prescription for something if there is no evidence that it helps. Progesterone is cheap, if there was any evidence that it helped to alter the course of an early miscarriage it would be widely used in the NHS>.

No, I understand that. But I had IVF and the consultant recommended it. He said the private hospital he works for also prescribe it for natural pregnancies after recurrent miscarriage. I know there is doubt as to its value in treatment but if it doesn't do harm and it might do good then some private doctors might prescribe it?

private hospitals prescribe a lot that has no evidence! we don't know that it does no harm. Arguably any vaginal pessary could increase the risk of infection in early pregnancy, especially if the cervix is slightly open.

GP won't do a private prescription, and I totally get why. It doesn't make it any less frustrating. As a patient I see it as "it can't do any harm", as a doctor I see it as "there's no evidence and my hands are tied". I could go private but I have a feeling it's too late now, but then I have been saying that for the last 3 weeks. If this one does miscarry I'll go private for the next time.

I managed to change my NHS early scan to 6+1 which is this Friday, so hoping that will relieve some anxiety, or at least give me some answers. Only 3 days to go. I just wish the spotting would stop.

@Herculesupatree I really hope mine is like yours. Did you have low progesterone?

@Herculesupatree its more a light brown discharge than spotting but yes it's still there but a lot less today. My tests are darkening and I still have my 3+ on clearblue digi. Just looking forward to some answers either way on Friday.

Thanks for all the support!!

I hope you get some good news today.

Good lick for today.
Anxiety in pregnancy is awful, take time to look after yourself, whatever that may be.