Nervous about Step 2 of Medical

[icecreamandtea]

Hello, I took the first pill yesterday. And I've been fine, the odd twinge and nausea but 100% completely manageable.

I'll be inserting the 4 pills tomorrow morning, and feeling very nervous about this stage. It's the uncertainty of how much pain? How much blood? Will it work? etc.

Does anyone have "positive" stories about this stage? And any tips? I'll be 9+5 tomorrow.

Also, while I'm here I'm thinking for Step 3, I'll have to take them in the cheek as it won't be possible to insert? And I've heard taking them in them cheek means you're more likely to get side effects of nausea etc. - is it bad?

Hi @icecreamandtea i had my medical 3 weeks ago and I was 4 weeks 3 weeks along. I too was really nervous about the second stage but it was nowhere near as bad as I thought. I’ll explain what happened to me in the hope this reassures you a little :) I inserted the first set of tablets and laid down for a good hour to make sure they didn’t fall out. I had magazine handy and films on my phone to keep me distracted. Then I got up and walked about, kept waiting for something to start but nothing….. it got to the time to insert the final set and as I inserted those I noticed I had started light spotting. The bleeding then started up properly with cramps and I took the codeine, the bleeding continued for a few hours. I passed a large clot on the toilet which was the pregnancy then just had heavy bleeding. I didn’t have any nausea whatsoever so I can’t comment on that unfortunately. I was expecting a blood bath and to be changing pads every ten minutes but it just wasn’t like that, at least for me. I hope it all goes well tomorrow, you’ve got this x

Thanks so much for sharing @scaredandanxious01 sounds smooth and straightforward. Hope it's similar for me 🤞

Anyone else?

Hi, I was 9 weeks 5 days too when taking the second set.
I felt really ill with first tablet, really sick and vomited but no sickness with second set.
I was so so scared about the process but physically it was fine. Had cramps after about half hour of inserting tablets and then an hour later started to bleed. Bleeding gushed on and off over an hour so make sure youre near a toilet. Passed some clots over that hour and bleeding then slowed. I took paracetamol and ibuprofen before but didn't find it too painful and didn't need to have any more pain relief. Despite it being straightforward physically I've really struggled emotionally since and it's been nearly 4 months. I wasn't sure of my decision though and initially was continuing with pregnancy. I know everyone is different and lots of people feel nothing but relief.
I hope it all goes well for you ❤ xx

Hello, just thought I'd update in case anyone else looks this up.

Step 2 and 3 were fine (for me). Inserted the 4 pills, a bit of cramping but nothing really happened no blood etc.

Inserted the the final two pills. Started cramping a bit so took some codine, fell asleep, woke up went to the loo and passed clots and blood.

Still a bit crampy so taken more codine but confident I've passed the pregnancy.

All in all, it's just felt like a period (I have been taking codine). No where near as bad as I'd worked myself up to thinking it might be.

Just wanted to share what I think is a "positive experience".

Mentally I'm feeling a mixture of relief and occasionally my mind wandering to 'what if?' but I don't feel particularly down or anything (at the moment at least).

Thanks @Lauz37 it went ok. I'm glad it's over. Sorry the emotional side has been tough for you. I am surprisingly ok at the moment but now a bit nervous as time goes on I might not be. I have a counselling session in two weeks that bpas offer - have you used that?

@icecreamandtea I'm glad all went OK for you and wasn't as bad as you were thinking it would be.
I think it's really normal to feel a bit up and down emotionally after due to the hormone changes. Hopefully you'll continue to feel ok about it even if you do find you have a few emotional days.
I did have about 4 counselling sessions starting 2 weeks after through MSI. Problem I found was that it was a different counsellor every time so was going over everything again and again. Reasons etc etc. The first counsellor I had was good and did help me rationalise it all in my mind and make sense of my feelings. However I did decide to discontinue the counseling as after 4 sessions thought maybe I needed to jus try and move on from it as can't change what's happened.
I am starting counselling again this week as feeling like maybe I need to peservere and try to find acceptance of my decision somehow.