Advice Please Spotting During Pregnancy

[debs29]

Hi there,

First of all my condolences to everyone suffering with the devastation of miscarriage - my heart goes out to you all.

I have been on and off this forum for years now trying many different treatments. I have completed my first cycle of IVF and I was lucky enough to fall pregnant. I have also suffered from severe ovarian hyperstimulation as a result of the pregnancy and have not kept well for 4 weeks now. I tried my first trip out yesterday and spent 2 hours wandering round a shop. When I returned I found I had some bleeding - sorry if TMI. I had a little bright red blood mixed with more brown blood. The bleeding has reduced and has only been brown smears since last night. I have phoned several health professionals and clinics and have been getting mixed messages. I called the out of hours GP service and they said that it sounded like normal early pregnancy bleeding and is nothing to worry about as I am not in pain and the bleeding is not heavy enough. However, when I have spoken to the fertility clinic and then the 'problem pregnancy clinic' they have both been more negative and said that this is not normal, although it can be common. As I am now pregnant my IVF clinic has said I am nothing to do with them and so they cannot offer me a scan or blood tests and the other clinic is so busy that they can not see me until Wednesday. As you can imagine this is a long wait not knowing one way or the other what is happening.

Has anyone experienced similar - did this result in miscarriage? If so how long after the spotting started? I have also not been offered any advice - should I rest? Should I continue eating low GI?

Any advice or comments would be very welcome.

Debbiex

[Amber]

Hi Debbie

Your best bet is to call your GP and get an appointment, if they think it is a concern then they can refer you to your nearest EPU. From my own experience, fertility clinics loose interest after embryo transfer as that is when they have their money. It could be nothing but then it could serious it is hard to tell. If you are less than 12 weeks though nature will have the final say. I good pregnancy is very hard to get rid of, but if something has gone genetically wrong the body will terminate.

I hope your GP is more understanding
Good luck
Amber

[debs29]

Thanks Amber. My fertility clinic did just that and the minute I had my scan on Monday and they found a heartbeat they have washed their hands. I haven't yet been processed as pregnant at my GP surgery but I was given the number for the 'problem pregnacy' ward - they just said to wait it out and they have offered me a scan on Wednesday. It will be along wait.

Thanks for getting back to me

Debbie x

[Amber]

Hi Debbie

If the bleeding does get any worse then please go to your nearest A & E as they will be able to check you out and refer you to EPU.

Good luck
Amber

[Amber]

HI Debbie

Did you get to speak to or see anyone about this?

Hope you are ok
Amber

[debs29]

Hi Amber,

We had our scan this morning and basically the baby no longer has a heartbeat and there was some abnormality of blood around the baby. I don't know the details as I just wanted out of the hospital. I am back this afternoon to start the drugs to miscarry. I don't even know how I am going to get through this. We are utterly devastated. We have had such an awful year, my Gran found dead just before Xmas last year, My fiance's mum died two months ago and other things in between. We really thought our luck had changed. Now I feel like I have no hope left and that I am never going to feel happy again. I am so worried that I will never be able to carry a baby and that is unthinkable.

Sorry for sounding so self pitying

Thanks for you all your support

Debbie

[Amber]

HI Debbie

I am so sorry that is exactly what happened to me a couple of weeks ago and yes it is devastating. Are you already bleeding by yourself? If so you may not need the drugs. Just after I had my scan I started bleeding really heavily. Also get some prescription pain killers if you haven't already as it is likely to be really painful physically.

Please remember that just because you have had a miscarriage it does not mean that you cannot have a successful pregnancy afterwards. There is also evidence that women are more fertile in the six months after a miscarriage too. Do let yourself grieve though and remember we are here for you on this board. You can also ask your GP to refer you to counselling if you feel you need it. You have had a really rough year so it may help you to get back on your feet.

I found that once the hormones had settled down and I had had a good cry I felt a lot better. Yes there are times when I am still sad and I am sure next June is going to be difficult but I have to accept that it is beyond my control.

I think the important thing to remember is that you have managed to become pregnant so you can become pregnant again.

Look after yourself
Amber

[debs29]

HI Amber,

Thank you so much for your reply - I am so sorry for your loss too. I have started bleeding after scan but only a little bit and it still brown blood. I am scheduled to go into hospital for drugs in an hour. I am also now getting cramps - I have a feeling this is not going to be pleasant. I am terrified of the pain of seeing anything coming out of everything. It is hell. I will definitely try and get some painkillers whilst I am there. How long does it all take to be over?

I have never ovulated naturally and don't get periods - could I still be fertile on my own despite this do you think? We have spent so long trying to conceive that at least we know we can get pregnant, it is one step closer. I don't know what you were like but right now I feel totally hopeless and as though it is never going to happen for us. I also feel so guilty for my partner that I can't give him the thing he wants most in the world.

I have a feeling these boards are going to be a massive support.

I will speak to you soon

Dx

[hope07]

Debbie I'm so so sorry xxx

I always felt we'd never get there after our miscarriages, but we did. Its hard but try not to loose hope x

[Amber]

Hi Debbie

That is exactly how my miscarriage started and the cramps are likely to mean that the body is going through the miscarrying process so I would speak to them about this. Pain killers are more important - I was given co-dydramol which is a mix of paracetamol and dihydrocodeine. It took 24 hours for the worst to be over though I was stil having bleeding and spotting for the next week. You are not allowed to use tampons so stock up on good towels, the hospital ones are horrible!

I don't see why you can't ovulate on your own, however you will need to address the stress issues (IVF is stressful!). Look at your diet too - do not eat a low fat diet, studies have shown that women who eat low fat dairy foods are less likely to ovulate. Eat butter, cream, free range eggs, fat on meat from animals who have been fed on grass and pastured raised. Avoid cheap vegetable oils (olive oil is okay) and food fried in these oils. Take good quality cod liver oil and if you can eat some liver once a week. These are all the things you are told not to do, however obesity rates are still climbing and more couples are suffering from infertility! Anyway you can come back to this when you have got through the next 48 hours.

Good luck
Amber

[Sazwell]

Debs I'm so sorry to hear about what you are going through and it is absolutely devestating!! As the other girls have said do what you need to do to get through this.. We are all here for you if you need to talk!! Xxx

[sicily]

Debs, I'm so sorry for your loss. It sounds very similar to my experience last September when I conceived on clomid and had a missed miscarriage. I know it feels desperate right now and all sorts of feelings are normal like the guilt for what you can't give your partner. Having now been through ivf I know what an emotional investment it is too, for it to end like this. It will get easier with time, but give yourself the time you need, physically and mentally. You might or might not want time off work. I work in a primary school and had 2 weeks off, there was just no way I could cope with the environment after my mc,but some people like the distraction. Don't be afraid to ask to be signed off by your dr and they don't need to say exactly what it is for, they can just say something vague.

I was booked in for a d&c but actually started to miscarry myself in the middle of the night and in hindsight, I think it was better that way. It is different for everyone but it will be painful, as amber said, codrydamol is what is given. I think I was pretty much in shock and very scared too, which made it worse, because I didn't know what and how it was all going to happen. I had also been told to expect not to mc naturally as the baby had died 3 weeks earlier and my body hadn't done anything except some light spotting, so I was fully expecting a d&c under general and to wake up with it all over. I actually went to a&e in the middle of the night which is where I got the painkillers, otherwise I wouldn't have had anything stronger than ibuprofen. Pretty much everything then happened in the hospital which for me, separated the experience from home. So don't be afraid to go to a&e if you feel you need stronger painkillers.

Take care xxx

[debs29]

Thanks everyone for all your replies - it is good to know that someone understands what it is like. I am terrified especially by the pain element. I had a good chat with a doctor at the ward I was in - it is basically the ward where people go with pregnancy problems and to miscarry. They were really good. I wanted the D & C as I didn't want to experience any of the miscarriage but after discussing it - the drugs are a better option, although I have a feeling I am starting but bleeding still light so a bit to go. They said that the minute it looked like I was in the worst of the miscarriage to admit myself to the ward so that pain relief is on hand (they even said morphine can be given if needed) and so that they can collect what is expelled and this can be sent for analysis. They were all really really nice.

Our IVF consultant and one of the IVF nurses even popped down. They were so lovely. They said that even though they are professional they genuinely want us to do well and they are upset too. They started speaking about next steps and said as we have blasts frozen we can start another cycle as soon as we are ready. They also said that they are going to give us metformin as there is some evidence that this can prevent miscarriage in PCOS - anyone heard of this or used this? I also want to lose more weight. The IVF made me gain heaps of weight but I have lost a lot of this during the last 5 weeks so I feel like I have a head start and less to do to get to a healthier BMI. Amber I will take advice on foods when I am at this stage - thank you. I am nowhere near in the stage to think about IVF again but whereas this morning I felt absolutely hopeless after speaking to the doctors I feel like there is a light. He said that it's like the flip of a coin - it was me this time but doesn't mean it will be next time. I really have to believe this.

Anyone who had done anything differently when they have had a successful pregnancy - advice really appreciated.

Thanks for all your kind words

Debbiex

[espoir]

So sorry to read this Debs. It is very hard to go through, esp as Sicily said, so much goes into a cycle. But, the body has a remarkable ability to heal. Once your hormones go back to normal, you will feel you've turned the page, even if you will not forget the experience. But definitely, take the time to grieve, if you can take time off work for 2 weeks as someone suggested, and expect to it to take as long as a month to start feeling normal again.

I had a natural miscarriage - MMC at 9 weeks in the summer, fetus prob stopped growing around 5 weeks. I was surprised by the pain, as it was a like labour pain, and when I realised I breathed through it, and shortly after all the tissue passed. It was over in about an hour. Obviously if you are in pain for long periods of time, look for some stronger medicine.

For your question on fertility - I ovulated naturally about 5 weeks after my MC and as you say, it's already positive that you have got pregnant - unfortunately, miscarriage is really common (saw 1:5 on the news this morning, my GP said 1:3), but it doesn't necessarily mean that you will not be able to have a baby.

Wish you all the best for the weeks and months ahead xxx

[espoir]

Oops, cross posting - glad to hear you are feeling less hopeless than this morning. I have taken Met, but it hasn't prevented a MC, but I do believe it helps me during the treatment - maybe improves my response to the treatment. If you will start, maybe you need to wait about 3 months for it to have an effect. I think my failed attempts this year were in hindsight due to my thyroid - although in the normal range, I think I needed a boost to get/stay pregnant.