High HCG levels and worrying tests

[allthecats1982]

Hi, I am really concerned about molar pregnancy. I'm currently 10+4 with donor Ivf. At 4+3 my hcg was 2386 when the normal range for 4 weeks is 10-700. 5 weeks is 217-8245 but we did a 5day frozen transfer on the 1st April so I know the exact dates.

I've also got a tsh rate of 0.02 showing subclinical hyperthyroidism and three consecutive urine tests showing protein levels but no infection.

All this makes me super worried. Does anyone have any advice? This is our 5th Ivf and first after our miscarriage in 2020 that ended at 8weeks.

Have you had a scan yet? Could it be twins?

My HCG was just under 16000 at 5+3 (exact due to IVF) which seemed very high but all was well

No scan yet. I'm fighting for a dating scan because the midwife said Ivf means I know my dates and might not need a 12week scan.

@Dobbycraft was that a successful pregnancy? I'm concerned by my new hyperthyroidism and the urine tests showing protein.

@45mummy we transferred 3 donor embryos but I'm worried about the other tests. High hsg apparently doesn't indicate multiples.

Yes it was a successful pregnancy! Not sure about other levels though.

Donor embryos tend to have high success rates so if you transferred 3 I'd say there's definitely a good chance it could be more than 1!

@allthecats1982 hey OP I'm a midwife and all IVF ladies I've ever seen have always had a 12 weeks scan! Even just for reassurance, heck, I'd be more inclined to book as many scans as I could for an IVF lady. Keep pushing ❤️

@USaYwHatNow I begged for a dating scan and they gave me one at 14weeks but it was cancelled due to emergency's taking priority. I'm not sure how they can predict an emergency on the 19th June 🤣 but I called the maternity triage and they're getting a maternity nurse to call me in the morning.

At 5 weeks + 1 my HCG was 15000.

I think I'm worried about all three molar symptoms. The protein in urine tests two weeks in a row is concerning. 9th and 19th may were the samples. No symptoms of infection except a few very short kidney pains but that's because I don't drink my 2ltr water a day like I should. Some days it's lunch and I haven't had any!!

Thank you all for your help and support these past 24hrs. My gp called today because I went to get test results and cried. She has apologised that she had no idea all the situation and that I should have had a reassurance scan at 7weeks because of recurrent miscarriage. She also said I was on Levothyroxine and iron supplements and I said I wasn't! She also apologised for that.

Sorry I wasn't finished...

She has booked a scan for me Sunday morning at 9am so we are going to know one way or the other this time 48hrs! I'm so nervous.

@allthecats1982 I'm assuming you had your ivf abroad (as I don't think they transfer more than 2 in UK and most clinics include a scan at 7 weeks)? I know you now have a scan on Sunday, presumably at the epu, but if you feel you want more then there are medical imaging clinics where you can pay for scans. I have a history of secondary infertility and recurrent miscarriages and have ended up having lots of scans through the (private) miscarriage clinic. I really hope you now get the care and treatment you need through the nhs, but if you don't, there will be somewhere that can but it will probably be expensive. Good luck for Sunday. I think you have multiples in there personally! Can't believe the midwife didn't want you to have a dating scan!

@seven201 this was our first Ivf abroad because we were adopting the embryos and wanted anonymity. Also the embryos are from people in their early 20's unlike 40 and 43yr old myself and DH. Our previous Ivf rounds were in the uk and they didn't have reassurance scans either but to be fair only one made it passed 7 weeks anyway. They said I had to reach three miscarriages before it would be offered.

Private scans near us are expensive and BUSY! The next appointment was at the end of June or start of July so it would still be a month of worry. I'm concerned the dr had no idea I had a living child too. I'm registered as having no past pregnancy or living children and my last recorded detail was 2016! She said there must be an issue with the system 🙃

I'm so so nervous that this could all be over. It's the furthest I've got in eight years!

Hopefully your gp is getting it all sorted for you.

No idea if there's a clinic near you but this company are meant to be good. You don't want a 'window to the womb' type place. www.ultrasound-direct.com/clinics

I can't imagine doing 8 years. I'm pregnant with dc2 and it's taken 5 and a bit years (with lots of ivf, surgeries and 4 miscarriages and all the money in the land) to get this far. You are super star for surviving 8 years. Good luck for Sunday

Them not giving you a dating scan is a major major error, especially if you are wanting combined testing.

Please complain about that, it’s terrible!

Best of luck for your scan on Sunday xxx

@seven201 I'm flat broke after eight years 🤣 luckily we have most of the baby stuff saved so the first year won't cost much extra. We use reusable nappies too so that's even saved, some not even worn before.

Ivf is hard. We have spent our savings and are now in a bit of debt to cover costs. It's the medications I can't believe how expensive they are. And you have to shop around. One pharmacy was looking at £3k more than another 😳 I said to DH it would have been cheaper to have a drug addiction than an ivf addiction. It reached obsession. We are finished now though. We said if this didn't work we would give up. Eight years is hard on everyone.

@BluesandClues they did originally give me one at 14weeks because I kept asking. Then cancelled because emergencies took priority so they could no longer offer the scan. They have said all test are done at 20weeks anyway.

The standard screening tests can't be done after a certain date (I think it might be 14 weeks ish but don't quote me) and are done from a combination of blood test, your age and measurements from the dating scan. Mine came back as high risk for Down's syndrome so then I was offered the NIPT harmony (thankfully came back clear). I really would push for the screening and dating scan. I'm 40 too and that automatically puts me at higher risk for quite a few things, so I'd have thought they'd want to see you, especially with an ivf pregnancy. Keep fighting for the care you need.

@seven201 they've said my age isn't a factor or concern but they recommend we blood test the baby after birth to do a full genetic profile. I'm 40 but the mother of the babies is 21 as they're adopted embryos.

@allthecats1982 of course, I was being a complete idiot. I did read the donor egg bit. I'm still surprised they're not offering what I always thought were standard tests here. You must live in an area with a different approach, that's all.

@seven201 everything has changed so much since my son was born. I went to my first midwife appointment excited to get my file and bounty envelope... nope. Just an app now 🤣 I was looking forward to a scan... nope I know the exact date of the baby so don't need a dating scan. They're skimping on a lot but they have to catch up. They should be doing more scans due to Ivf, previous loss', and chance of multiples. Sunday will be the telling time. I'm so worried about it though.

Scan went well. Say hello to the triplets!