Blighted ovum, almost 12 wks testing 3 wks+

[lifeparadox333]

I'm 12 wks pregnant on tue next wk, I had a private scan at 8 wks pregnant and told it was an empty sac a blighted ovum, sent to hospital 3 days later who scanned and said the same and offered abortion pills, d&c or wait it out! I didn't want to continue any longer with it if that was the case as lost a pregnancy only a month and half before so took the pills as the wait for surgery was hrs, they only vaguely seemed to have worked, they kicked in about 7 hrs later and I just had some mild backache, went for a wee and there was some blood but nothing significant and that was it no more bleeding since, this was 3 wks ago, I've continued to grow in size and feel very much pregnant still in every aspect! Tests coming up instantly positive and done one this morning showing 3+ wks pregnant, rang EPU they said they can't see me until Monday morning.

I just feel so confused! I've also read so many stories online of women scanned that early which is technically only 6.5 wks when you take off the first 12 or so days up to conception, but reading stories where they waited it out and went for another scan wks later to have found out they were pregnant and it just wasn't either noticed, too small at the time or a tilted uterus! Even found one woman who'd took the pills like me to end up with it not appearing to work like in my case and then found out on a third scan she was pregnant and they found the heartbeat!!!

Do I try and pay for a private scan to be seen sooner and has this ever happened to anyone you know?? And do you think just 2 days after an 8 wk scan is too soon for the hospital to be advising on taking more drastic measures?! I just wish I'd not rushed in and taken those pills because what if I am and what effect could they have had!

Hi there,
Really sorry this is happening to you. I don't have any medical training so I can't really answer your questions properly, but I don't want to read and run so I'll relate my own experience since I also had a blighted ovum detected at 8 weeks. I started to miscarry naturally during week 9, very heavy bleeding for around 2 weeks. If it hadn't occurred naturally, I would have been offered a repeat scan each week for two weeks in order to be absolutely sure before starting medical intervention (not in the UK).
So I would say a) unfortunately 8 weeks since your last period should be advanced enough that a blighted ovum is clear, although I suppose it's not impossible that you ovulated significantly later than you thought and are measuring behind, and
b) you should certainly be offered a second scan to confirm (but again, I'm not in the UK so I'm not sure what NHS practice is), because either there has been mistake in dates or you do need some medical intervention like a d and c. If it were me I probably would pay to go private for my own peace of mind because 4 days seems like an eternity with these things, but it's good you're being seen on Monday otherwise. Wishing you all the best, and so sorry you're going through this, take care xxx

Thank you got the reply, I'm sorry you went through that it's so hard and the waiting makes it worse, I've found a couple of private clinics so I'm going to try and book in with them if I can today. I'm sure they've both been correct but it's just so strange that my body's gone on this long even after the tablets too it's all just dragging on and on! 😣 xxx

Good luck, my feeling is the sooner you know one way or the other the better. Even if it's not what you hoped for, you'll be able to start processing sooner and get medical help so your body can recover and you can try again, once you're ready. Hope you can find an appointment nice and quickly xxx

I've managed to get a 2.15pm appt so I should know today, i just want to know now for sure, im sure there isnt anything there but because its gone on so long and after those tablets too its all just so unbelievable xx

That's good, wishing you all the best for it I know how stressful and scary these appointments can be xxx

Thank you for this and your reply! I know I just didn't expect to have to be going through more of this but such is life sometimes xx

Hi @lifeparadox333 so sorry to hear about this, I have been through this too. For me the tablets just didn't work, and I had tissue left inside. With a blighted ovum, there is no foetus but there is the start of a placenta which is what is producing the hormones and making you feel pregnant. I had to have the surgery to remove all the tissue left behind after the tablets failed. Hopefully you get some answers today, it's best to ensure all is removed to reduce risk of infection.

I was still testing 3+ after the tablets and had terrible nausea, just like my first (healthy) pregnancy. It's horrible to be thrown into this situation and learn about how this can happen. But once you know for sure and can make a plan and get the right treatment. Sending lots of hugs xxx

I think you're doing the right thing going for a scan. I'm not medical but did have a blighted ovum in 2020 found at 12wk scan and had a d&c a week later and there still was no sign of MC.
It is still shocking to me that my body didn't give me any signs there was any problem. No bleeding or indication I wasn't pregnant with a baby. I'm sorry this happened to you too
So I think given that experience, the only way I could trust the pregnancy had ended would be a d&c or scan like you're doing. I think if I took the pills and only had a little bleeding and still positive tests my mind would instantly go to 'it hasn't worked'

I'm so sorry for your losses. Wishing you all the best xxx

I only found this out at a 12 week scan which wasn't a nice experience and I never miscarried- had to have a d&c under anaesthetic - I tested positive all the way through and even had morning sickness

@Caneloalvarez I can totally relate too all you've said, it's horrible the body just doesn't undertand and that the tablets haven't worked when they're meant to be so effective too! At least after this scan I'll know doubly for sure and I just know for the rest of the wknd so I'm not worrying about it all wknd, I'm away from next Thursday and I can't wait except I won't be able to go in the pool as worried about infection unless they say it's ok, I'm going to look pretty mean leaving my poor hubby with our daughter all wk to sort pool stuff out but it's shallow one so I can least paddle in there with her and join in a bit with them both xxx

@twoandcooplease awww that's so hard too! It's just horrible isn't it and how you just don't feel any different it's unfair esp when it's so clever at making a human that it doesn't realise it's not when it's not 😰 but yes I will def take the d&c this time and then I know for sure it's all done and I can finally move on with it all, it's been 3 mths now it's so long. Thank you for replying xxx

@Crikeyalmighty it's just horrible isn't it! I will def have the d&c though then I know it's all done, just worried about that being knocked out as scares the crap out of me! I better wake up, but I'm glad also I won't be awake as just do not want to remember any of it xxx

What a horrible experience for you I hope you can get an answer today.
I had a blighted ovum - went for a private scan at 6 weeks (IVF) and sac was empty they were pretty sure nothing would develop because we were obviously certain on dates. Waited a horrible week and was scanned again to find the sac had grown but still empty. At 9 weeks my body miscarried naturally but I actually had symptoms and tested positive until 2 weeks after I stopped bleeding, it sometimes takes a while for the HCG hormone to leave your system and because the sac is still growing your body still thinks you are pregnant. Which I guess is how people get to 12 weeks without knowing they have had a MMC.
I'm 31 weeks now with a healthy pregnancy and incidentally had zero symptoms with this one!

@lifeparadox333 it's all so frustrating! I actually had a LOT of bleeding with the tablets and therefore didn't do a pregnancy test for 2 weeks afterwards, thinking oh it must have worked, even though I still felt sick and crappy.. the test after two weeks was a very dark positive and it turned out I was anaemic from losing too much blood, even though there was still tissue in there! I don't rate the tablets at all, but some people have no problems.

Hope you get some answers and they can sort you out so that you can at least enjoy a little paddle on your holiday. It's all such a stress but I found once I knew I was physically sorted, it started to feel easier mentally too xxx

How did your scan go lovely? @lifeparadox333 xx

How did the scan go, OP?

I had a blighted ovum at 14 weeks and had surgical management. I think the tablets very often don't work, and they just drag things out.

Well I had the scan and it's been confirmed it's definitely an empty sac 😔 so that's the end of that I guess, I'm glad I at least know before Monday so I just know, just feel really down about it, just feels like we've had an awful start to the new year as this is the second in a row for us since January after conceiving just before Xmas. I will try and get the surgical option on Monday, really not looking forward to that at all, I'll just be glad to get it all over with now as it's been a long 4 months since new year for us. Thank you all for your replies and for asking how I've got on this afternoon too! It's so thoughtful of you to ask. I'm definitely in need of a drink now, both of us are xxx

Oh lovely I'm so sorry to hear this, it's so hard to hear and see these things from the doctors even when we sort of know :( Lots of hugs. Today you're a step closer to your body recovering and you being able to move on to the next step, even though I know it doesn't feel like it. Sounds like you've had a rough year with some really bad luck. I'll be keeping fingers crossed for you to get a positive outcome before too long. Go easy on yourself and rest up as much as you can xxx

@lifeparadox333 I'm so sorry- yep it is horrible, in my case I was lying their all excited for my 12,week scan and instead had to phone my H to go and bring me some stuff in as I was booked for theatre- I remember those feelings 27 years on - but if it's any consolation it's my sons 26th birthday today- I got pregnant 3 months later and all was well.

@Crikeyalmighty to have gone that far to have no idea is just so hard! The thing is you just feel totally pregnant! Had I not had an early scan I'd have not know any other way at all. I'm so glad to hear you went on to have a healthy pregnancy but that must've been so hard to have to go to theatre the same day too 😓 it's a lot of time to go that far and then have to start again it's an emotional rollercoaster for sure but I'm glad I can finally get moving on this coming wk and get bk to feeling normal again soon xxx

@Greenflamingos we've had such bad luck this yr, it's so strange as I spoke to psychic who said this wasn't to be out yr but she was hopeful things will pick up next yr for us. I just feel like I've ran out of time tho I've had a lot of time off work which I never wanted to have to take but having not been through this I didn't know what to expect and just couldn't face being at work feeling how I have esp when we have a member of our team whose having a successful pregnancy as it just felt unfair it's not her fault but it is hard esp when they know what's happening and sat nezt to you talking about everything baby which I felt was a bit insensitive I was glad to get out of there this wk but it's felt isolating too as it's been a break also from being at home dwelling on this whjch I don't want to. But yes I'm getting closer finally to the end of this now and just need to really think about where I go from here with it all now. I have a daughter but that wasn't all plain sailing with a difficult birth, poor sleeper and me catching so many viruses the last few yrs and no support, in some ways I just think maybe it's just not meant to be our path, I'm grateful for the one I have it's just a lot to accept when you wanted more than 1 esp when you don't have a big family and worry so much for her not having a sibling but so many also fight and don't get along so it's no guarantee it'd work out xxx

How are you doing? It's such a lot for our bodies and brains to go through. I identify a lot with what you and PP have said, about freaking out that I felt so pregnant and so unaware that anything was wrong. It haunted me for a long time. From what I've read about blighted ovums (ova?) up to half of miscarriages are from this, and it is not a marker of any problem, just statistics. If you've already had a successful pregnancy it does sound like you're having a run of terrible luck, I really hope your luck will change soon. I had my DD after my blighted ovum but it did take a little while, I think because my body was so tired and I was so drained from having been convinced I was pregnant and suddenly everything was pulled out from under me. It's a shame your colleague is being insensitive, people can be so unaware of the pain others go through xxx

@Greenflamingos Morning Flamingos, I didn't realise it was so common, that makes me feel less like it's an issue perhaps with one of us if it is so common in miscarriages, I could have a read up about it.. I feel ok albeit strangely a bit drained all day yesterday, I have a feeling my body's realising something is amiss finally, had a terrible migraine all day yesterday and woke up with a racing pulse feel very drained this morning, feels hormonal, jjst be so glad to get to the hospital tomorow morning & hopeudlly get the surgery so it's over with now asap I don't want to feel like this any longer, it's the hunger mostly too it's been abs non stop!

Just need to get bk to normal asap and finally move on with it all for sure xxx

How are you now @lifeparadox333?

@TheShellBeach Sorry for the late reply, it's been a very long drawn out nightmare tbh, because we bkd to go abroad mths ago and didn't want to lose the money I therefore am due to have surgery this Wednesday which is nearly the 14-15th wk! I have another scan on tue morning but I'll be so glad to get this sorted now as i just want to move on from
This all, I can't believe how long it's dragged on due to the failure of the medication then being made to wait a further 3 wks before they'd do anything but landing so badly with our holiday, I couldn't swim either and had to wear a liner everyday in case anything started, which it never did! It's just felt never ending plus I'm struggling with anemia and oral thrush which I've had ongoing for the last 2 yrs but it's really become an issue whilst away, I think this may be the reason I e had 2 losses I just don't feel well at all and I'm scared tbh, I'm only 39 and I have an almost 5 yr old that needs us both so much, I jjst want to feel well and better so I can do the best I can to be here to support her as she needs us so much x