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Pregnancy choices

This topic is for sharing experiences of pregnancy choices; to debate the ethics of termination, visit our Politics or Chat forums.

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Original poster

Medical vs surgical abortion opinions please

74 replies

Yorkshir27 · 20/08/2022 11:06

Hi guys, I’m scheduled for my consultation on Thursday and I’ve been reading so many threads on here to help ease my mind.

i am an extremely anxious person and I can’t explain how much stress I’ve been feeling this week and probably will be up until next Thursday. I’m very very scared about the pain I might experience in both methods of abortion but I am leaning slightly towards surgical - I’m only around 6/7 weeks but the idea of waiting so long for the pregnancy to pass and especially at home gives me so much anxiety.

i am thinking of asking for the surgical option because it puts the control into the hands of the doctors and the procedure is a lot quicker and I just want this over and done with.

please if you’ve experienced either recently and have a positive experience could you share? I’m so worried, and scared of potential serious side effects 😔 just really want this over. Thank you ❤️

OP posts:

AmbushedByCake1 · 20/08/2022 12:50

Hey op. Sounds like the surgical under general anaesthetic would be the best option. You shouldn't feel any pain with this. You will feel a bit crampy after. Sorry that you are going through this.

OwlNoisesInHerFace · 20/08/2022 13:22

I had surgical treatment for a miscarriage a few years ago and it was definitely the better choice for me. Like you, I just wanted it over and done with. I didn't want to have to go through the uncertainty of waiting for it to happen with the medical route.

My experience was pre-covid but I went in to hospital around 7am and was home early afternoon. Felt a bit groggy for 24 hours (had never had a general anaesthetic before) but the recovery was fine. I think I had it done on a Thursday, I took Friday off and was back at work on the Monday.

for you, take care of yourself.

Original poster

Yorkshir27 · 20/08/2022 13:47

@AmbushedByCake1 thank you for your response, this is what I’ve been thinking x

@OwlNoisesInHerFace thank you for sharing your experience. I was thinking I would be doing the medical option for such a long time, but my anxiety can cause lightheadedness and sickness in extreme situations and I think with the situation already being stressful on my body, my best option will be to just not be aware of it.

can’t wait for it to be over xx

OP posts:

OwlNoisesInHerFace · 20/08/2022 13:57

Just to add, I already had one child who was 2 when I had the miscarriage. I have since gone on to have another successful pregnancy so it had no effect on my ability to conceive again, if that's what you want to do at a time when it's more suitable (for want of a better word!)

Original poster

Yorkshir27 · 20/08/2022 14:27

@OwlNoisesInHerFace thank you, that’s lovely to hear and I’m glad it hasn’t affected your ability to get/be pregnant

it’s comforting for the future, sadly this was unplanned and me and my partner do want kids one day, but it’s just not the right time now, neither one of us is prepared mentally or financially. Xx

OP posts:

Ehc1989 · 21/08/2022 18:42

Hey - just to give my story. I had a medical abortion 8 weeks ago. The actual process itself wasn’t as bad as I had worked myself up to. But I bled continually for the 3 weeks, with a positive pregnancy test after the 3 weeks, ended up with an infection, retained products, had to have 3 more internal scans and antibiotics. It took nearly 7 weeks to get a negative.
(hoping I never have to go through it again) but if I did I would go for the surgical. The recovery for me was so long and stressful x

Original poster

Yorkshir27 · 21/08/2022 20:48

@Ehc1989 i am so sorry to hear that you went through that 😳 that sounds awful. One of my biggest fears is not passing everything out with a medical abortion. The surgical just gets it all out of the way.

i hope you are feeling a lot better now? X

OP posts:

Ehc1989 · 21/08/2022 20:58

To be honest it didn’t even cross my mind that I wouldn’t of passed it all as everything I expected to happen did when I took the tablets. 10 days after I had cramping and passed some more tissue etc so thought that was the last of it.
If the antibiotics didn’t work I would’ve had to of had a surgical treatment but thankfully they helped.
i had my first period 10 days ago and was a tad heavier than normal, passed a few little clots but fine. I am all good now thank you!
I don’t want to scare you by my story, just more I feel the surgical is the less complicated of the two x

Happyhappyday · 22/08/2022 04:36

I had a surgical abortion a few weeks ago under sedation (not GA but I was not awake). It was fine. No cramping, very faint (VERY) spotting when I went to the loo for maybe 2 weeks after. The cold I had the day after was the main reason I was in bed. I’m still working through my feelings with a therapist but I’m completely fine physically. I was very afraid of being home with pain/bleeding without access to medical professionals and pain relief.

Original poster

Yorkshir27 · 22/08/2022 09:56

@Happyhappyday hey thank you for your response. I’m thinking of having conscious sedation also. Did it take affect immediately? I’ve heard a lot of similar positive experiences like yours which is what I am hoping for.

good luck with your therapy, it’s such a brave thing you did x

OP posts:

Happyhappyday · 22/08/2022 15:43

It does, within a couple seconds of the IV going in. I think I had propanol (spelling?) and I don’t remember anything, I think occasionally people remember conversation, but I was totally out until I came round in recovery. Then just a bit sleepy for a while.

Original poster

Yorkshir27 · 22/08/2022 18:33

Thank you for the info… x I’m worried about side effects to the drug but will hopefully be put at ease by the nurses and doctor

OP posts:

Original poster

Yorkshir27 · 23/08/2022 16:59

@Happyhappyday hey just one more question, please can I ask how far along your pregnancy was at the time of termination?

thank you so much xx

OP posts:

Happyhappyday · 23/08/2022 17:21

I had no side effects at all, I think you are under for such a short time. Anesthesia is really really safe too, there is a perception it’s not but it’s actually one of the most tightly regulated specialities.

I was about 8w.

Original poster

Yorkshir27 · 23/08/2022 17:45

Thanks so much for that. I’m about 6 weeks now so I’m thinking I could be around that far depending how long I’ll have to wait. I have a feeling the clinics are super busy at the moment if the phone waiting times are anything to go by.

I find it really reassuring to hear what you said about the anaesthetic. The more people tell me everything will be fine the more I believe it. Xx

OP posts:

BonesOfWhatYouBelieve · 23/08/2022 19:19

I had a surgical abortion at about 6 weeks - it was about as early as they were willing to do a surgical one.
I didn't have any sedation, and only had local anaesthetic as an injection into my cervix. I was absolutely terrified beforehand but it was fine.

I was in the actual room for only about 5-10 mins. They did a scan (with the screen turned away) to confirm gestation/location etc. Then they put in a speculum which was the same as when they do it for a smear test. Then they told me they'd done the local anaesthetic injections, which I honestly did not feel at all. They then did the actual procedure which took hardly any time. There was some strong cramping just at the end. Then I was done- they sent me back to a recovery room where I was given some antibiotics to take then, and some to take home. I felt a bit shaky but that may have been because I'd been so so scared beforehand, or may have been because of the procedure itself I'm not sure. Then I went home. I had some mild bleeding for a couple of days, the cramping only lasted for about half an hour.

Physically it was no problem at all. And for me personally, having the surgical option was better mentally as I just wanted it done.

Original poster

Yorkshir27 · 23/08/2022 19:48

I’m so pleased you had such an easy time with it! And without sedation, that’s so brave. From what I’ve read the pain is very manageable but I think my brain would get in the way and I’d be unable to relax and stay still which is why I think I’ll need the light sedative. How long did you have to stay in the recovery room for?

Thank you for your story, it helps me so much while I’m coming to terms with what is yet to come.

I just had my consultation on the phone and tbh found it underwhelming and a bit pointless because I thought I’d be able to ask a bunch of questions but the lady on the phone just told me to ask the clinic when I go for my scan. It’s fine but it wasn’t what I expected and wrote down loads of questions.

Feeling more at ease the further I get towards the procedure. This just makes me confident that I am making the right decision for myself, can’t wait to be home afterwards feeling relieved and moving past this.

OP posts:

BonesOfWhatYouBelieve · 23/08/2022 20:02

Only about 10/15 mins in the recovery room I think.

To be honest, I don't actually remember being offered sedation. Maybe because I was so early, I'm not sure.

Original poster

Yorkshir27 · 23/08/2022 20:29

Yeah the sedation is something that I’ve researched and asked about directly.

how have you been since the procedure?

OP posts:

BonesOfWhatYouBelieve · 23/08/2022 20:41

Absolutely fine. It was during the first lockdown and I had pretty bad PND, which was the main reason for the abortion (as well as having a young baby). Since then I've had DD2 with no issues conceiving or in the pregnancy.

Original poster

Yorkshir27 · 23/08/2022 21:33

@BonesOfWhatYouBelieve I’m glad to hear you had no issues, hopefully I’ll be exactly the same

Congratulations on your new baby 🥰

OP posts:

confusedlots · 23/08/2022 21:36

I had 2 failed medical abortions and then had to have a surgical. I know my case isn't usual but the process was so long and drawn out for me that in hindsight I should just have gone for the surgical option at the start and got it over and done with.

Jsh125 · 26/08/2022 16:54

Hey @Yorkshir27 how did your consultation go? Did they agree to surgical rather than medical? I'm in the same situation & can't bear the thought of waiting it out at home not knowing what's happening / if it's passed.
My consultation is on Wednesday & the BPAS website sounds like medical is the option for less than 10 weeks unless you have a good reason, I'm worried that just feeling anxious won't be seen as a good enough reason.
Hope you're doing ok. X

Original poster

Yorkshir27 · 26/08/2022 17:39

Hello @Jsh125 . I had my booking consultation with MSI today and they were great. They booked me in for surgical in 2 weeks. I obviously don’t feel too great about waiting so long but it was the soonest they could do and I think it’s the right choice for me. They also calmed some of my fears about the procedure (at least somewhat) and agreed with my mental state it’s probably the best option.

you should get a choice and if you want surgical you should be able to have it. The only thing is when I spoke to bpas they said I’d have to travel to another city over an hour away to receive treatment which I didn’t feel comfortable with.

OP posts:

Happyhappyday · 26/08/2022 18:02

I am not in the UK so had a bit of a different experience but my regular OB/GYN would normally not do the procedure under sedation and had to do some scrambling to line things up for it to be in theatre under sedation and also under a shorter time frame - I feel like what facilitated this happening was my concern over trauma because of what happened during delivery for my DC.

If you have any specific past experiences, it might help to site these - not that you need to have trauma to justify it, but it might help make the case.

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