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Original poster

Bleeding, Empty Uterus but Positive pregnancy test

55 replies

Roca · 07/01/2008 17:43

Please help - I know I have lost the pregnancy but not sure what is now going on.....

At 6 wks pg I started bleeding on Xmas day. I have two young chidlren and just knew that something was wrong as bleeding really red and small stringy bits. Anyway I got my head around the fact I had miscarried and after about 5 days bleeding stopped but then started again couple of days later and 2 weeks later is just a red as day 1. I have had cramps throughout.

So.....today I went for a scan to check everything has come away which it had - at least they said nothing is showing in my uterus but I had a +ve pregnancy test and my cervix (after an internal) was not open at all which it should be if normal miscarriage. I don't feel it's Ectopic and have to wait for a second blood test on Weds to check hormone levels but is hard to wait until then - I just want closure so I can move on. Could is just be one of those things? Someone else at the hspital said they only bled heavily for 2 days with a miscarriage and then had a negative result.

Any ideas if you can have ectopic without one sided pain (I have had heavy cramps and a lot of bowel movements) or what else this is?

Dr said most +ve results are due to tissues being left behind but I don't have any according to scan - ahhhh!
x

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Original poster
Roca · 08/01/2008 19:50

Thank you for all the messages and your experiences.

I have actually felt much more positive today although still a bit in fuzzy land - night time definitely makes things feel worse and right now with the pains I keep having I keep thinking 'ooh is that just on one side etc' then tell my self to stop being so silly. Just like with pregnancy it's sometimes hard to tell if it's trapped wind pains.

Blood test tomorrow so will see what they say - am really sure all is fine.

OP posts:
Nina2 · 08/01/2008 20:04

First time of posting, so hope this works...

So sorry to hear about your situation. It may be a miscarriage, but I had very similar symptoms - on/off bleeding, +ve tests, nothing showing on a scan. Only when I was still getting a +ve several weeks after first beeding was an ectopic found during a laparoscopy. I had no pain, not even cramps.

I'm not trying to add to your worry, but just to say that it's really important to keep in touch with EPAU, just in case, and I hope that the situation doesn't drag on.

On a positive note, I've now got a lovely ds and am 10 weeks preggers with second.

Original poster
Roca · 08/01/2008 20:13

oh wow - thanks for your story Nina2 - were you doing the tests yourself in the weeks afterwards then or were you being monitored? Did you have to have tube removed then? Were you having blood tests?-Sorry for all the questions!

OP posts:
Original poster
Roca · 08/01/2008 20:15

Also - to all who have m/c did you pass more than just stringy bits as such - that's all I have had so far, here and there - not sure whether to expect anything more.

OP posts:
PicknMix · 08/01/2008 21:31

Hello Roca, I'm so sorry hear what you are going through at the moment.

Last year I too miscarried at 5.5wks and, due to my hormone levels dropping too slowly I had to have blood tests every other day for nearly 12 weeks. I continued to bleed for those 12 weeks as well (never lost any 'large' clots, just small bits - I think it varies for everyone). I never got a complete answer from the EPAC unit as they said it was very rare for this to continue for so long but that everybody differs in how their body 'sorts itself out'. (but they did say that it may mean that I might suffer from pnd if I have a successful pregnancy in the future as the pregnancy hormones don't leave my system quick enough )

Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that I think what you are experiencing sounds normal and that, to echo Nina2's point, you must stay in contact with your EPAU just in case. If they are as fantastic as mine were they will (hopefully) be a source of information and help for you.

PS Hope your dc's first day at new playgroup went well.

PutThatInYourPipeandSmokeIt · 08/01/2008 22:03

You sound exactly like my friend - bleeding and cramps for 4 weeks and it turned out to be an ectopic. She got to hospital almost too late because she didn't realise she was pregnant and the scan 2 weeks earlier had shown nothing and no reason for the bleeding. Her only new symptoms were severe vomiting and blacking out that started suddenly one morning. She was in theatre that afternoon and almost didn't make it.
Please go back for another scan in a week if you are still bleeding and every week after that!! Her embryo was 6 weeks when it showed up....

HarrietTheSpy · 08/01/2008 23:33

Roca,
I'm seconding Put That in Your Pipe. I can't see why they can't see your tubes well if they do a transvaginal scan. One just on your tummy may well turn up nothing in the womb and I agree they won't be able to see the tubes well. Did they see anything when they did the scan? With my ectopic, the pain and the bleeding came and went over a two week period and my hormones were also doubling normally too and they actually told me the pregnancy was proceeding normally. i thought I was having a miscarriage too when i was bleeding. They discovered it on the transvaginal scan.

This is not to scare you, I just really really want you safe, having been there. XXXX

I also found some doctors outrageously poorly informed about ectopics (including a Harley Street BIG NAME who gets lots of great press on MN). So, beware of this.

It might be worth popping over to www.ectopic.org.uk. The medical staff advisers are really great there and will answer queries.

take care

x

PutThatInYourPipeandSmokeIt · 09/01/2008 08:57

oh and my friend's PG test was negative when she first went to the GP about the bleeding etc. She has since gone back to him and told him what happened and he was mortified that he hadn't thought of ectopic. He has said that in the future, she must always be scanned transvaginally at 5 weeks and every week after that until they're happy they can locate the pregnancy.

belgo · 09/01/2008 10:10

how are you Roca - have you had any blood results back?

Original poster
Roca · 09/01/2008 14:06

No results yet - DR from hospital rang this morning to say they needed another blood test - which I told them I knew and was having today as the previous doctor had booked me in! Anyway - have had blood test now and hoping to hear by 5 this avo. I do feel like it will be ok though.

Strangely had the heaviest bleed today though and leaked on sheets which I haven't done at all before now. Was hoping it would be a lot lighter by now.

Oh well that's the way it goes I guess. Will update later - and thanks again for all keeping me going over the last 2 days..........

OP posts:
Original poster
Roca · 09/01/2008 16:21

come on doctors, ring me!

OP posts:
OracleInaCoracle · 09/01/2008 17:12

any news?

Original poster
Roca · 09/01/2008 18:38

grr -just phoned hospital and they said results not yet showing on their screen even though the told me they would have only taken 2 hours. Will have to wait another night.....

OP posts:
becaroo · 09/01/2008 18:57

Hi Roca.

I mc in March last year and still was still testing positive June!....I bled for 4 and half months and it was nightmarish. I was losing clots during this time too.

Begged them for a D & C but the nurse practically laughed at me "We wouldnt perform surgery for clots that small!!"

Hope the docs ring you soon x

OracleInaCoracle · 09/01/2008 19:03

thats appalling!

roca, cant believe you have to wait another day!

Nina2 · 09/01/2008 19:54

Roca, hope that you get some news soon.

In answer to your questions, I was being monitored by chance as I'd had 'twinges' in the first couple of weeks and was a panicky first timer. Luckily I had a young male GP who admitted outright that he had no idea whether or not this felt normal as he'd never been pregnant and referred me to EPAU 'just to be on the safe side'. They checked HcG levels which didn't double and I was advised that I'd probably miscarry, which was what I though had happened at first. But then I bled again and so it went on. Unfortunately, I had a tube removed but oddly it's less of a worry knowing that it's no longer posing any danger to me!

And I thank my lucky stars for my fab GP, who has since left the surgery (boo!)

Original poster
Roca · 09/01/2008 21:30

becaroo - that is just a nightmare and is just such a hard thing to bear (or is that bare?.....anyway). That is what I am dreading as so far no sign of let up with the bleeding (I know I need to get over myself as has only been 2 weeks) but is so frustrating as I just want to get on!!!!!

In that way I feel glad at least I have two children and it has made me feel really sad for those who don't have any and have to wait so long to try again.

oh well - we were going to have to have three in a room in our litle 2 bed cottage anyway so maybe by the time it does happen again we will have loads of money and and the kids can have a room each and a playroom!

Nina2 how's your pg going? Are you able to be quite chilled about it considering whta's happened before? I like the sound of your young male GP!!

BTW - I did have a transvaginal scan already but she said she couldn't tell for ectopic? I still feel is all normal.

OP posts:
mumofk · 10/01/2008 09:44

Hi, just about your last comment about ectopic and scans- scans in early pregnancy are really quite good for saying there is a pg in the right place- but not so good with everything else, i.e. can't always pick up ectopics. An ectopic is a pg anywhere but the right place- not necc in your tube but anywhere.
Sometimes you can see an ectopic, or signs of an ectopic, on a scan but the pg has to have grown enough to be able to be seen- just like in the uterus so needs to be at least 5-6 weeks size (though symptoms can start before). Also, an ectopic pregnancy can stop growing after its started- just like a miscarriage in the uterus- but can make the whole clinical picture very confusing.
Sorry about what your going through, but hopefully the blood tests will help figure out what is going on.
mumofk

Original poster
Roca · 10/01/2008 13:55

ok results are in. Level was 85 on Monday and 54 yesterday so definitely a miscarrigae - which is good news as such and at least I can now move on.

Hope to be posting some good news here in the next few months.

Anyone know whether hormone level has to get to 0 before start ovulation again - from my hormone levels is there anyway to tell whether this is likely to be in one months or 3?

Thanks all.

OP posts:
NatalieJane · 10/01/2008 14:08

Sorry can't help with the numbers and stuff, but just wanted to say sorry about the MC again

Good luck in the future xx

goingfor3 · 10/01/2008 14:17

Roca I'm really sorry to hear about your mc.

I'm not sure about numbers but after my mc I bleed for over three weeks and my period started about five weeks after I had my mc, I got pregnant in the next cycle.

Good luck.

becaroo · 10/01/2008 14:31

Roca...so sorry to hear you are still bleeding...as you say its as though the rest of your life is on hold unitl it stops.

Unfortunately, I had another mc the week before xmas, but this time the I only bled for a week and my hcg levels were back to normal within 4 days.

Really hope it stops soon and you feel better x

becaroo · 10/01/2008 14:33

As far as I know you can try again no matter what your hcg levels are as long as they have confrmed via scan an empty uterus.

Good luck

franfoxy2003 · 12/01/2008 01:03

i had a m/c at 12 weeks in june and i was stil getting +ive tests after 3 weeks. i bled for 6 days.

just had another m/c at 6 weeks (4 weeks ago) and test was neg after 2 weeks. bled for 6 days with that one too...still bit iffy though cos i didnt pass anything and they didnt send me for a scan and im stil really tired thinking about retesting!

NatalieJane · 12/01/2008 12:47

How is it going Roca?

Thinking of you xx

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