Has anyone had retained products that doctors have left in after discovery?

[dressingonaweekend]

I had a c section almost 7 weeks ago.
4 weeks after c section I had a massive bleed and needed to go to hospital. They didn't check me properly and sent me home.

That week I had pains in my abdomen, so a few days later I called the maternity triage of a different hospital. They asked me to go in.
They did a scan and found I had retained products, likely to be the placenta.
They kept me in for a few days on antibiotics.

They said they would send me for the surgical procedure to remove it the following morning after admission but then changed their minds on the morning saying it was too risky.

They then gave me tablets to bring on a bleed to see if that would pass it but the tablets didn't take effect.

They then discharged me and I'm going back for a scan in a few days to see if it's still there.

Has anyone had this before where it's just been left in?
They said my body might absorb it.
But until then, my uterus is still high and isn't in my pelvis. They said it's 3 inches higher than it should be.

I'm still experiencing pains, sometimes it's difficult to walk because of the pain.
And I'm still bleeding every day.
Is this normal after a section?
I'm not sure if this is normal or if it is because of the retained products?

Thank you in advance

It is normal to bleed after a section, just like you would with a vaginal birth. I bled for a few weeks on and off, sometimes passing clots, then it turned to a kind of yellow/pink fluid, I can't remember what they call it but it is normal too. By 7 weeks I would say it had subsided so if you're still passing bright blood/clots I would say that's probably because of the retained product.

In your case I wouldn't be comfortable knowing I had retained product and would press the issue, could you phone triage again and say you are still getting pains and are worried, could a doctor or midwife either assess you or phone you back.

They left mine in and I did keep bleeding, they said it was my body's way of trying to expel it. I did pass it by myself at about 7 weeks post birth and stopped bleeding very shortly after.

@MaryBerrysBuns
It is still bright red and is daily which I've told them. I have a scan soon and will speak with them then. It doesn't seem to have passed so far. I haven't had clots in the last 2 weeks.

@blindmansbluff
Yes they said that to me as I'm bleeding every day. Did you have abdominal pains too? I have sharp pains.

Yes abdominal pains which could be sharp, it's the uterus contracting to try and squeeze the retained product out. Hope you get some answers soon

@blindmansbluff
Thank you. Yes I thought that. I'm not sure if they're going to do something after this next scan or if they'll just advise to wait for it to pass itself. I'll know by next week!

I had a massive haemorrhage 5 weeks after giving birth - they said it was retained product but too little to justify operating. Also gave me antibiotics and sent me home.

Ultimately they did do an ERPC (to remove the retained product) but they perforated my uterus during the procedure - made a 2cm hole which then needed further surgery - it's the main risk and why they don't perform them unless absolutely necessary. So if your body can pass it itself, then great. But please keep asking questions and challenging them.

@SunshineAndFizz
Oh my god that is horrendous. I'm so sorry that happened.
I am terrified of something like that happening. Have you recovered ok now?
Do you mind me asking - do you know what size your retained placenta was? They've said mine is 2cm by 2cm.

Thank you - all good now thanks and 38 weeks pregnant with my second :)

Mine was I think 20cm x 10cm on their initial scan - but after another scan was actually 40cm (very unusual after a c-section).

The uterus is very soft so soon after giving birth (having stretched with the size of the baby) so even with the most care it can be easy to perforate.

Wishing you the best of luck - it's a stressful thing to go through especially with a baby just a few weeks old x x

*2cm x 1cm which turned out to be 4cm

Yes I did. I knew it had happened but no one believed me so I pushed for a scan and a 4cm piece was still in after 3 months. I had a spinal and had it surgically removed when my DS was about 3.5 months old.

@SunshineAndFizz
Oh congratulations! That's really good to hear. I'm glad it worked out in the end. Sounds like it was really awful at the time.

@steelseries
God how awful. Did it all go ok when you had the surgical procedure?

I had a secondary post partum haemorrhage at 3 weeks post section, it was then found I had retained products. They did 2 weekly scans util it had dissolved enough to no longer cause an issue. I think I was discharged about 15 weeks pp in the end

@tigerbread20
I'm wondering if they're going to do this with me.
I am having another scan to see if it's still there. I'm still bleeding every day. They asked me if it's just spotting every now and then but I told them it's like having my period every day as there is fresh red blood every time I go to the toilet. So they said they'd do another scan. Not sure if they're going to look at options to remove it, or if they'll just see if my body expels it etc.

Further to my previous post - I've had a scan and the placental tissue is still there.

They've given the option of having a second medical management to see if I pass the placental tissue. Or having a D&C surgical procedure or a hysteroscopy.
I have had a medical management procedure last week with half of the dose (this time I would have the full dose of 4 tablets).

Has anyone had a hysteroscopy for retained products? I have had one before for polyps.

Yes it was all ok in the end, I had the retained placenta surgically removed under a spinal, which was fine - it was the only option by then as it had calcified so wouldn't come out on it's own. DS was my last child so thankfully I didn't have to consider whether it would affect fertility etc.

@steelseries
Yes they've said mine has probably calcified now as it's been 7 weeks. So it's a hysteroscopy I will be having. They've said it's the safest option. I hated having that the last time. They don't really give proper pain relief either. Just paracetamol. Last time I had gas and air too but it still really hurt.

They tried to get me to have it done like that too, OP. But I was fed up of being prodded and poked and in pain by that point so pushed for the spinal (they would have done it under GA but I was breastfeeding and worried about leaving my son for too long). You're having a calcified piece of tissue removed from your womb! Don't put up with the "oh you can just come to the hysteroscopy clinic" just because it's cheaper for them than prepping you in surgery.

Yes I wondered this - if it's a money issue.
The fact they booked it in for me the day after I was admitted and told me I was 'high priority' etc then they cancelled it last minute. Then did the same thing again a week later. It's been almost 8 weeks now. I feel like I've been fobbed off. I phoned them the other day to say the bleeding is worse and so is the pain. They said they'd speak to the doctor who saw me last week and call me back but they never did.
I'm going to call them again tomorrow. It seems negligent that they've just left it there. And I still haven't received an appointment letter for the hysteroscopy.