First period after termination - is this normal? Fucking ouch :(

[LazyMareofEastown]

Had a medical tx in mid-January at 7 weeks. Have been bleeding on and off since. A week of patchy, very dark brown/old (not pleasant smelling) bleeding has now turned into a super heavy and super painful period. My entire abdomen from under my ribs to my bits is incredibly swollen, tender and painful. I can't stand up straight due to the pain. Am taking codeine leftover from the termination (don't usually take anything stronger than ibuprofen) and it's helping but am still really struggling.

Have requested a callback from Bpas when they open later but just wanted to ask for a bit of a handhold and hopefully some reassurance as I lay here on the sofa with my hot water bottle and ddog.

Infection? I’d call 111 to get advice

I had similar after a medically-managed miscarriage. It was some years ago now but the pain was awful: as bad if not worse than the actual event. Stabbing pains up my arse was the main issue in my case, a hot bath helped. It only happened that one horrendous night where I was beside myself with what to do and whether I should go back into hospital.

Much much sympathy and I hope the meds and heat are still helping

It did occur to me Pepper but my temp is normal and I feel sick or shivery/shaky at all. No symptoms other than the pain, bloating and bleeding.

Also, is infection a possibility a month after the procedure?

Thanks for replying 💐

Thanks Debbie and so sorry you went through that 💐

I have the dreaded javelin arse too 😭.

Tmi but couldn't even go the loo properly earlier because anything even resembling straining was making me almost blackout with pain 😳🥺.

I’d be worried about some kind of infection too, personally my first period after was no worse than normal

Have spoken to Bpas just now. Nurse thinks it could be a period although it's on the early side given the date of my termination. She's concerned it might be retained products so she's booked me in for the next available scan with them which is on Thursday.

Obviously I'm going to ring 111 if things get any worse in interim.

Sounds wise @LazyMareofEastown. Not really what you need though, to feel like this isn't over

Exactly Debbie. I have just been starting to feel ok (have come off sertraline over the last month as well). Had a minor wobble the other night watching the first episode of This Will Hurt a Bit - I just started bawling at seeing a 24 week preemie baby being born.

Now this 😞.

Am going to try and get some sleep now. x

I'm so sorry you're going through this OP, it's heartbreaking
I went through a second trimester termination 2 years ago and was told that the bleeding would stop after 4 weeks and if it continued it was likely to be retained placenta. I bled heavily for a week and then passed 2 pieces of placenta, after which the bleeding reduced very quickly and stopped completely after another week. My first period arrived 5 weeks after the termination and was completely normal.
It's good that you've got an appointment for an ultrasound straight away! I hope you start feeling better soon, concluding the physical aspect of the termination is the first step to healing mentally in my experience.

Thank you for your thoughtful and kind message Historic 💜

Have been much the same all day. Managed to sleep for a few hours this afternoon but otherwise just taking painkillers and refilling my hot water bottle.

Thursday seems a long way off although I appreciate it really isn't.

Am worrying about work as am so busy - feeling like I should go in tomorrow as I don't want to let colleague and clients down but DP says I'm being ridiculous.

I had a medical termination at 7/8 weeks and it was initially horrific, flu like symptoms to add to the horrible cramping and bleeding. After 4 days I was back to normal, period after was normal. As others have said it sounds like you have retained some material and might need a D&C

Good luck for today @LazyMareofEastown. I hope that they can see if there's anything worrying going on. Has the pain improved?

Thank you Debbie 💜

The pain is not as bad as it was but is still very much there along with the swelling/tenderness. The bleeding has slowed right down.

Am going into work today (the anxiety was making everything worse) armed with pain relief and my hot water bottle and will go to scan from there.

I don't think it can be retained products as I imagine I would still be bleeding and wouldn't be able to function as I am if it were? But also I have no experience of this at all so don't have a clue what's happening. Something's not right.

Bpas have been fab all the way through my experience with them, really thankful for them.

OK, so it sounds mad from this perspective that you're going to work. Please leave if you're even the slightest bit concerned that your physical or mental health is suffering from being there - it's really not worth it. Your body is still going through a trauma - it needs time to recover.

And mentally... I had a termination over 20 years ago now. I think it took me maybe a year not to be thinking about it every day, and that was with it being a decision I was OK with (and still am). This just is uncategorically a massively crap time in your life, it was always going to be, but things will get better. Hopefully the bleeding isn't more than just your body struggling with what's happening this cycle after the op.

Glad to hear Bpas are being responsive.

And you need to look after yourself too x

Just got home.

Vaginal scan confirmed retained products. They couldn't offer me a D+C until mid March (😟 ) so instead have sent me home with more misoprostol to do the second stage of the tx again. Had to push for more codeine.

Am so utterly down in the dumps and still have loads of pain and swelling.

Don't know what to do about work. My mum is pushing me to get signed off for a week. DP is cross with me for not prioritising my health. I know that my anxiety would go through the roof if I took time off and I've got to balance that against any benefit being off might give me.

Euuuurgh 😣

That sounds super Euuuuurgh @LazyMareofEastown :-((((((

Grim times ahead but I really really really think you need to take the time off work. Especially if you are taking medication like that. Is there anything you can do/watch at home that will make you feel better? I'm groping in the dark here because I don't know where your anxiety is coming from.

Got into work and exploded into tears on my boss. She was so lovely and has had a very stern word with me about prioritising my health over patients and has sent me home.

Am home now and am inserting the tablets shortly. Wish me luck x

Hope the pills work, you definitely need time off work to get this sorted out and rest. Try and put something easy and relaxing to watch on tv or comedy definitely nothing heavy. All the best

'Glad' to hear you are at home. Good luck, recommend something like Downton Abbey, or a long documentary that will be absorbing enough but you don't care that much about! Keep taking the drugs x

Am binge watching Inventing Anna - perfect easy watch.

Had a good chat to my mum as well which has helped.

Thanks for your support folks, it's appreciated ☕🍩.

I hope the tablets work OP. I was prescribed extra misoprostol as well and it did a great job.

I'm glad your boss sent you home, you really need time to recover physically as well as mentally! It's good you have someone to talk to, opening up about my termination was extremely painful but talking to my best friend about it was immensely helpful. Talking about it, and time - those were the two things that helped me deal with the grief. All the best OP

Have been cramping all day but no bleeding as yet, just a small amount of old brown blood on wiping but nothing at all on the pad.
🥺

How are you doing today OP?