Getting a scan at EPU due to bleeding - what’s normal?

[Cafeaulait27]

I’ve mentioned this on the May due thread as well, I’m 8 weeks and saw a tiny baby with a heartbeat at a private scan 2 weeks ago. I had a little brown discharge before that and then since the scan it’s been Light brown discharge and sort of Yellow discharge. Yesterday at about 5pm I wiped when I went to the toilet and there was bright red blood on the tissue that was mixed with clear discharge. I couldn’t stop crying with the shock and text my midwife and called triage.

Triage just said to put a pad in and monitor it. I eventually plucked up the courage to ask if I could be scanned. She gave me the number for EPU but said they won’t be open til Monday, and she didn’t say they would scan me she just said to call them for advice on Monday if I was still bleeding.

My midwife text back and said that it could just be one of those things, to monitor it and go to A&E if it gets worse. She also said if things don’t settle to call EPU on Monday.

I’m worried sick, and really want to push for a scan on Monday as I want to know what’s going on in there whether the bleeding carries on this weekend or not. I don’t even have a date for my 12 week scan yet but I don’t want to have to wait until then to find out if the baby is ok or not 🙁

I felt like the triage person had been told not to mention scans until I said it first. I was trying and kept saying ‘I really would like someone to check it’ and she just said nothing back, it wasn’t until I said ‘can I have a scan ‘ that she gave me the EPU number.

Is this because of coronavirus maybe?

I really think if I’ve been bleeding then they should do something? Surely I shouldn’t have to just be in limbo worrying and not being seen by anyone until my dating scan?

I really just want everything to be ok with the baby, but if it’s not I feel that I have to be brave and face it sooner rather than later so we can start trying again 🙁

Does anyone have any experience with this, or any advice on how to approach it with EPU on Monday?

Thank you

*crying

I should also probably mention that I am still getting pregnancy symptoms - really tired, poor balance, head rushes when I stand up, headaches and sore boobs

Bleeding as you describe can be completely normal, I had brown/reddish blood on three separate occasions about a week apart from
8 weeks. It literally was on wiping and nothing on a pad so I didn’t call anyone as I had no pain, I was nervous for my 12 week scan but everything was fine. You can call EPU and explain, if you get no more bleeding I think they probably won’t scan as I think they are only scanning to rule out ectopic and very very heavy bleeding with clots etc. You could pay for a private one next week if you can’t get a EPU scan.

@Cafeaulait27 I'm so sorry this is happening.

EPU will be interested in the quantity of blood and also rexture so keep a note. Generally, just blood is better news than blood with tissue. The problem with them scanning is that seeing a heartbeat wont necessarily mean that heartbeat wont stop in another day - this is why the NHS typically wont scan before wk12 because there is nothing they can do if its leading to a loss.

I hope I dont sound too bleak, the flipside news is that bleeding in early preg can be hormonal only so might be totally fine, esp if it tails off and never gets worse nor includes clots or tissue. Id hope the EPU would scan on Monday to give you some answers. Crossing my fingers for you and wishing you all the best.

@thetangleteaser ok thank you, that’s reassuring.

I just went to the loo now and I got watery red blood when I wiped but nothing on pad.

I am sort of wondering if it could be linked to bowel movements? Sorry for TMI but I only got the red this morning after doing a poo (but I didn’t strain or anything) and yesterday morning I had a bit of diahorea mid morning, although the blood was at about 5pm.

I don’t think I’m having pain, but I’m so aware of it now that I think every little pain is something.

That sounds like the type of bleeding that started when I had my missed miscarriage around 8 weeks but the difference was you have seen a heartbeat and mine never had one (we went for a private scan over the weekend as I was in a similar situation to you and started bleeding late on Friday) and there was actually no sign of a heartbeat or even a baby in the sac (it just hadn’t developed) so our situations are so different and your bleeding could be normal and nothing to worry about. If you are really concerned I’d pay for another private scan this weekend and let them check for a heartbeat as in my experience with EPU they’re not always willing to give the scan and have a wait and see approach. Good luck OP and I do hope your baby is ok

@TheDaydreamBelievers ok thanks, yes there’s no clots or anything so hopefully that’s a good sign and I haven’t had any noticeable pain. I guess hopefully I will receive my date for the 12 week scan next week and can go from there if the EPU won’t see me.

Thank you

It's a very stressful time, early pregnancy, and unfortunately there's a whole world of stress and uncertainty- as well as hopefully truckloads of joy - to come when you embark on this journey. The reality is that lots and lots of women are worried in this time for all sorts of reasons, and the NHS simply cannot give them all scans. There is nothing they can do usually to alter the outcome, so (in the kindest possible way) it is a waste of NHS reaources to keep looking, when in reality quite a few early pregnancies just do end in loss and that's part of lofe. So unless they think mother 's health is in danger they will not scan routinely. However phone the EPAU and tell them how worried you are, and they will try and fit you in if they can, in my experience!

I am not trying to be mean or dismissive- I have suffered unfertility, an ectopic pregnancy and bleeding in my current pregnancy too and I totally understand the fear and stress. But unfortunately unless the NHS is much, much better funded they won't have the resources to do extra scans just to set everyone's mind at rest, especially as lots of mothers (myself included!!) then start worrying again after the scan and want another one! Good luck OP

Apologies for typos!

@WhyCouldThisBe I’m so sorry about your missed miscarriage. That must’ve been so hard.

I am considering another private scan but part of me feels that if it is bad news I’d rather find out through NHS, I just feel safer that way although I’m sure the private clinic would be lovely if it was bad news.

I’m going to try to relax this weekend and monitor it, and then call them on Monday and hope they will see me. If not I’ll hopefully get my dating scan appointment through, and can decide from there. Thank you

A tiny bit of spotting in early pregnancy can be quite normal, try not to worry too much. Based on what you’ve said it doesn’t sound like there’s a medical need for an urgent scan, which would be why they’ve offered Monday. Hope all goes well for you, OP.

The advice from triage is correct EPU don't open on weekends and they don't have the equipment in a&e to scan you (I know this as previously had bleeding at 12 weeks and did go on to have a miscarriage) and a&e are useless. Even when I nearly died from a ruptured ectopic and was brought in by ambulance a&e had to get people down from EPU with the machines to scan me

Unless you are bleeding so heavily that you fill a pad quicker than in 15 minutes I wouldn't bother with a&e - it's the last place you want to be when you are bleeding and all they will do is take your blood pressure and some observations and send you home

I know it's sounds like the worst advice but this really is a wait and see game as there is nothing anyone can do at this point - id call the EPU on Monday if there is no change and hopefully they'll fit you in on the same day x

Thank you guys, these are all sensible responses and what I needed to hear. It’s so hard waiting when you just want to know everything is ok!

The midwife also said to me if I’m worried I could do another pregnancy test - but I’m really worried this won’t be reliable?

Surely it might either give me false hope or false bad news? I have heard that pregnancy tests can still be positive even after miscarriage, and that also they can get lighter / appear negative as you approach 12 weeks.

I’m really tempted to do a test just to try and gain some insight /Control but I worry that it won’t give me either of those things...

You need to push for a scan at the EPU. In my experience they have been very helpful and did scans for me as early as 6 weeks. The doctors have never been dismissive. Good luck!

I wouldn't personally do another pregnancy test, for the reasons you have listed - but I am not medically trained so that's just my opinion! If you can afford it a private scan seems a good option. Just prepare yourself for the fact that you will probably worry again soon after, even if all is well at the scan.

In my experience there is very little joy in early pregnancy, it's a stressful and worrying time. Once you can feel baby kicking it gets a bit easier to believe all is well!

Hi.

In this pregnancy, at around 6 weeks I wiped and had pinkish tinge twice and was devastated as in the past I had a miscarriage and it was the worst thing Iv ever experienced.

I'm not sure what area your from but I'm in Birmingham and I could not fault them!

Because I'm still waiting to have some sort of contact with a midwife it's hard to know where to turn for reassurance and advice.

I rang 111 who advised walk in centre who u managed to see the following day who referred me straight to the EPU at the hospital.
This was Friday and they booked me in for a scan the Monday morning.

To my absolute relief they saw a teeny baby with a heartbeat at what they said was 6 weeks and 2 days which I know was inaccurate as they say it can be 5 days out.

Anyway they said there was a bleed but not near the baby and this could have been the spotting . I had this with my last pregnancy too and my daughter is now 7!

So many women don't get scanned until 12 weeks so these bleeds or irritations due to all the extra blood and vessels etc could be present in everyone but none would know because the little "bleed" internally actually cleared up both times on its own.
I had a private scan last Wednesday and was dated at 8 weeks and 3 days, the baby was growing perfectly with a really good heartbeat and it eased my anxiety ridiculously!!

I think we can be our own worst enemy with being so anxious! ( I'm naturally terribly anxious!)

I also noticed that before the pink on the toilet paper the night before we had DTD and have made the active decision for the time being not to do it so not to irritate anything down below and so far no more bleeding and the bleed inside had also gone.

9 weeks tomorrow and still constantly praying everyday that the little baby stays safe in there!!

Really hoping all is okay for you!! ❤️

I had light bleeding around the time my period was due for the first 2 months, enough that I didn't realise I was pregnant! With Dd2 I had pain and bleeding at 8 weeks, I found out later I had a 2 vessel cord so that bleeding was likely me loosing a twin.

There isn't anything they can actually do so you need to wait it out unfortunately .

I went to the EPU on Wednesday as my private scan on Sunday indicated my pregnancy may not be viable.

But while I was in there I heard the receptionist speak to people on the phone and as long as they weren't in pain and it was only bleeding they were told to wait it out and got to A&E if it got really heavy. Probably as bleeding can be quite common.

Definitely ring them and see what they say though. Fingers crossed everything is fine x

Thank you everyone. I just went to the toilet again and got a little clot - about the size of a grain of rice? A little alarming... but kinda looks like it might just be mixed with discharge which made it blobby? Or I’m clutching at straws... I don’t know. I feel a bit funny down there like I did when I first found out, but I think that’s because I’m very aware of what’s happening and I’m tensing my abdomen muscles. If I concentrate and relax them the feeling goes away. I don’t know if that makes sense? Still nothing on the pad.

I’m really reassured by everything you’ve said about EPU, it makes sense to not scan everyone for every little thing. I certainly don’t want to waste nhs time, but at the same time I would really like to know what’s going on and can’t really afford another private scan although we might think about that again next week.

I was getting so excited, we told my parents after finding that there was a heartbeat at the private scan because they were coming to visit and I wouldn’t be drinking.

I just hope it all works out... it’s going to be a very anxious weekend! I dread going to the toilet ☹️

Hey @rumples how was it when you were scanned again? Was all ok with the baby? Xx

What’s also weird about this bleeding is that it’s fallen at the exact same time as my period would be due. Surely that must have nothing to do with it though?

Before I found out I was pregnant, I had brown spotting and one red clot which I thought was my period but it never progressed to proper bleeding, which is why I ended up doing a test and discovered I was pregnant.

@NavyBerry thank you, I will try. Monday can’t come soon enough! What were the circumstances around them seeing you if you don’t mind me asking?

I wouldn't do another test - if you saw a baby and heartbeat 2 weeks ago your hcg would have been over 10,000 so you'd just see another BFP today if you tested which wouldn't tell you much

@Cafeaulait27

What’s also weird about this bleeding is that it’s fallen at the exact same time as my period would be due. Surely that must have nothing to do with it though?

Before I found out I was pregnant, I had brown spotting and one red clot which I thought was my period but it never progressed to proper bleeding, which is why I ended up doing a test and discovered I was pregnant.

Pure anecdotal but I had a friend who had light periods althrough her pregnancy. All bang on time as well. Because of them she didn't actually find out she was pregnant till 3 months gone when she went to the doctors complaining about tiredness and nausea .

I hope it will all turn out to be ok. It's such a worrying time. Days take so long too when you're waiting. Try to distract yourself in any way possible. Good luck.

In my first healthy pregnancy I had no spotting at all but in my current pregnancy I had slight spotting the day I would have expected my period. I was having a scan at 6 weeks anyway because of my previous ectopic. They couldn't see anything and prepared me for the worst but then a repeat scan 2.5 weeks later showed a healthy pregnancy. My friend who works in obs and gynae said implantation bleeding would occur when period due.