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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

If this is a miscarriage, how quickly will it happen?

26 replies

ElmMum · 28/02/2010 20:36

I'm 10 weeks pregnant and starting bleeding today. Not heavily at the moment but more than just spotting, and red blood not old brown blood.

Docs have booked me in for a scan on Wed am (the earliest slot they had).

I suppose I just feel in the dark about how a miscarriage might go.

I know it might not be a miscarriage, but if it is, could this light bleeding go on for days or should I expect to start bleeding heavily soon? It started at midday today.

DH is away (he's going to come back asap tomorrow) but I'm worried that I might miscarry overnight while he's not here.

Any info very gratefully received x

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

fudgecat · 28/02/2010 20:42

i cant offer any advice, but i didnt want your message to go unanswered.

have you got a friend close by who you could call on if you needed to?

fingers crossed for you

mnistooaddictive · 28/02/2010 20:47

Unfortunately it is one of those how long is a piece of string questions. Light bleeding could go on for weeks, could stop, start etc or could turn heavy soon.
If you don't feel happy waiting until Wednesday, go to A and E and you may get scanned quicker.
I had lots of bleeding with DD1 so don't give up all hope yet, although you need to prepare yourself for what may happen.
Good luck and I hope it works out for you. Concentrate on all the good things in your life.

EldonAve · 28/02/2010 20:47

sorry to hear this
it start could happen quickly or it could be light for a long time (if it is a miscarriage)

LadyBiscuit · 28/02/2010 20:50

It might go either way I'm afraid. I had a miscarriage at 13 weeks which started off lightly and then carried on for about 3 days where I bled really heavily and was in a fair amount of pain. I also had a heavy bleed at 15 weeks which continued for nearly 12 hours and the pregnancy continued normally thereafter.

Take nurofen and if it is a miscarriage, you will feel the clots passing and you can just sit on the loo. Is there anyone who can come and be with you until your DH comes home? Crap telly and chocolate are needed.

Fingers crossed it's all ok x

EldonAve · 28/02/2010 20:58

You shouldn't take nurofen in pg unless advised by a doc (and I wouldn't until a scan said there was no hope)

paracetamol is ok

LadyBiscuit · 28/02/2010 21:01

Sorry I forgot about that. Take paracetamol. If you're not having any pain, hopefully it's just something else ...

Original poster

ElmMum · 28/02/2010 21:02

@LadyBiscuit - thanks. I haven't been able to find anything online that actually tells you what happens when you're miscarrying. It's all about why it might happen.

If I'm honest, I suppose I want some advance warning as to whether I'm going to see anything upsetting or if it will just be like a heavy period.

OP posts:

LadyBiscuit · 28/02/2010 21:13

I could just feel when it was a big one coming and I ran to the loo. I didn't look. It did feel pretty full on and not like a heavy period I'm afraid but I was a few weeks' further on than you.

I really hope it all tails off and everything is okay. Personally I wouldn't go to A&E for a scan, particularly at the weekend. They are not massively interested in the first trimester for a start. And secondly, the guy who scanned me at my last bleed didn't have a clue what he was doing and told me that I'd miscarried and he was terribly sorry. That miscarriage is now a strapping 3YO boy ...

SiriusStar · 28/02/2010 22:32

Mine started with red blood and as soon as I did a wipe that had a large clot, I stopped looking when i wiped as I was frightened I might see something. I had red blood and clots for about 24 hours until there was a lot of pain and I passed a big one just as ladybiscuit described. I didn't look.
After this I knew that I had miscarried, so just aim for wednesday if you are just bleeding.
Thinking of you and hoping your dh gets home soon. I don't like to think of you being on your own with this.

Original poster

ElmMum · 28/02/2010 23:55

Thanks all and I'm really sorry to make you relive such sad and horrible experiences.

I'm still bleeding - bright red - but no clots yet. DH home tomorrow. Just hope things slow down and don't get any worse before then.

@SiriusStar and LadyBiscuit - thankyou for being straight about your experiences. That's exactly the kind of practical information I need right now.

OP posts:

SiriusStar · 01/03/2010 09:33

How are you doing today ElmMum?
Been thinking about you.

LadyBiscuit · 01/03/2010 11:57

Yep me too. Please let us know how you're getting on

Original poster

ElmMum · 01/03/2010 12:07

Still bleeding on wiping. Not quite so bright red but still a fair amount. Some little bits in it but no clots and still no cramping. Overnight, I didn't bleed on to pad at all but there was a fair amount of blood on wiping when I got up.

Basically staying in bed and DH is on his way home with DD.

I feel pretty hopeless about it - convinced this is the start of a miscarriage - but also know that it may not be as it hasn't escalated...yet.

Not fun though.

Thanks for the thoughts

OP posts:

thumbwitch · 01/03/2010 12:22

so for you. I MC at 8w just before Christmas, started with bright red blood but also had clots (and I don't normally have clots in periods). Wasn't a lot though but I felt initially a bit of period-type pain. Next day went to the hospital and carried on bleeding but nothing heavy, but by then they'd done the HCG test and it was lower than it should have been => threatened MC. The feelings in my abdo by then were more wave-form, a bit like light contractions. The following day at lunchtime I passed the big one in the loo - I did look to see and it just looked like a bigger clot. (but then I was only 8w)

The only thing I could keep thinking about was that if I was MC then it was for the best - not helpful to some maybe but at 42 it made sense to me. Other people on MN had said about bleeding and then going on to have successful pg, so I held on to that as well - sadly, wasn't to be for me as already mentioned.

Lots of ((hugs)) to you - it's a horrible place to be but try and stay optimistic about it until you get your scan.

shipsladyg · 01/03/2010 12:26

Sorry not to have anything better to say than yes it could go either way.

I had early spotting with both my pregnancies. First one was a missed miscarriage which took about a fortnight to reveal itself properly; the spotting in the second pregnancy was nothing and probably just an over sensitive cervix but it had me really spooked. My mum says she bled the whole way through when she carried me but not with my three siblings.

If it is the worst news, having someone about is a good idea - particularly if they know how to respond to you (I hate fussing and platitudes personally). I doubt you'd see anything definitive in what was passed at ten weeks apart from just largish clots like a ridiculously heavy period. When I knew it was happening I had mild cramps starting at lunchtime and finally miscarried at about 1700 with the discomfort (waves of quite nasty cramps - managable though) and messing (for want of a better word) lasting a couple of hours. Once I knew it was happening I took Solpadeine and nurofen (It's not wise to mix painkillers unless you've had medical advice). After that I cried my eyes out. Still do occasionally. Be kind to yourself. It happens. It's not your fault. Talking helps. What's going on in your head is more painful than the miscarriage itself.

Either way, until you know for sure, try your best to stay chilled. Feet up. Take it easy.

Original poster

ElmMum · 01/03/2010 16:59

Spoken to the doc at my GP as I'm still bleeding. On her advice my DH has gone to get some maternity pads just in case.

I just have to sit tight til Wednesday's scan and then I'll either find the baby is alive and there's a reason for the bleed, or they can't detect a reason. Or the baby isn't alive and I'll be offered different options to bring on a miscarriage.

Or I'll spontaneously miscarry before then in which case I should go to A&E. She said that if the baby is truly 10 weeks and I do miscarry then I should be prepared for a heavy and quite scary bleed (she said this nicely).

What a horrible nightmare this all is. DD is back now and I just keep looking at her and feeling sad. I know that is this pregnancy isn't viable it's for the best that I miscarry but I can't help wishing it could have happened earlier than this. 10 weeks is so close to the magical 12 week mark and the first proper scan. I thought we were out of the woods, despite not really feeling properly pregnant from the start.

OP posts:

LadyBiscuit · 01/03/2010 17:46

I'm so sorry It's utterly, utterly miserable. I didn't find out I'd miscarried until my scan at 13 weeks - I thought everything was fine until then. I didn't go to A&E - once I was bleeding I waited until it had finished (it took about 3 days of heavy bleeding) and then went to the early pregnancy unit for a scan to see if I needed a D&C.

Because I felt fine other than the emotional trauma and the waves of pain I think I would have preferred to be on the sofa than hanging around in A&E. As well as the doctor telling me I'd miscarried when I was taken there last time when I hadn't, they left me sitting on a chair in the waiting area - despite the fact that I had huge blood stains down my skirt

My mc did hurt a lot - it was a bit like contractions to be honest - I didn't know if you'd already had a baby when you first posted. It really is pretty painful so be prepared for that.

I hope this isn't making it worse but from your earlier posts, I thought you'd like to know.

Please let us know how you get on. I am truly sorry you're going through this

Restrainedrabbit · 01/03/2010 20:29

Poor you, it is miserable

I Mc'd at 9 weeks and it took a week from the start of bleeding to pass the sac (I passed mine whole with no clots followed by some tissue). Wasn't particularly painful in my case just cramping and a heavy bleed. Bled in total for about 2/3 weeks.

SiriusStar · 01/03/2010 22:19

I am so sad you are going through this and that you don't get to find out some real info sooner.
Be nice to yourself. Such a horrible limbo to be in.

thumbwitch · 01/03/2010 22:48

Elmmum, I don't think this is necessarily good news for you but I didn't feel properly pg from the start either, and any slight feelings of pg disappeared completely about a week before I MCd. Afterwards I bled for about 2 more days - in total the "normal" length for a period. In fact, if I hadn't got a positive pg test, and the hospital hadn't done the HCG levels, I could have imagined that it was just a missed period for no good reason in between.

Be nice to yourself, rest lots. Fingers crossed.

MimsyStarr · 01/03/2010 23:03

Sorry ElmMum. I hope this works out OK for you and you don't need this advice. But HTH anyway.

I had a MC a few weeks ago at 9 weeks (though I at least had advance warning as I'd had an 8 wk scan where no heartbeat was found). I had a ERPC booked but I spontaneously MC'ed instead. I started bleeding reasonably heavily on the Saturday night and didn't pass the sac until Monday afternoon (didn't feel it coming - happened whilst lifting DS ). Passed a large handful of clot straight afterwards. The cramps increased a few hours before that point, but it wasn't as painful as I had feared.
I didn't go to A&E, but had a scan at EPU on the Wednesday to ensure all had passed.

I would also suggest not going to A&E straight off (unless you are worried about excessive bleeding or not coping with the pain). If the EPU is closed and you are worried, you could try phoning the on call Gynae ward via the hospital switchboard and speaking to one of the midwives for advice. I did this and I struck a very lovely midwife who told me what to expect and that I could phone them any time.

Good luck.

QuestionsAnswered · 01/03/2010 23:58

Hi ElmMum, I am still up this evening as I can't sleep. I am also waiting for a scan on Wednesday after bleeding, though I am only 6 weeks.

I really hope everything goes ok for you, the waiting is unbearable. I also felt the same as you today when I looked at my DS.

Good luck.

LadyBiscuit · 03/03/2010 20:56

Hey ElmMum - how did you get on today? Am assuming not good news as you haven't posted but hoping to be wrong ...

bigmuther65 · 03/03/2010 21:05

Think she posted another thread yesterday was not good news

LadyBiscuit · 03/03/2010 21:16

Oh bugger and damn Was hoping - I shall look for the other thread. Hope I didn't dredge anything up by bumping this one. Crap - I should be more sensitive

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