UPDATE--miscarriage in progress--what to expect?

[KKmama]

Update--see last post

******
I seem to be having a miscarriage. The sticky thread with others' experiences was *soooo* amazingly helpful... I feel so thankful that someone here had the insight to create something like that. The information there alone is better than I've seen anywhere, and even though it's an awful thing to experience, reading it made me feel less isolated. I'm so, so sorry for the reason everyone else is here, but it's nice not to be alone.

Anyway, even after reading that, I'm still a little confused about what's going on. Yesterday, I had major, major cramps all day long. In the morning, I had bright red blood, and over the course of a couple of hours, I saturated a pad. But the bleeding stopped. And today, the cramping is gone, too. From what I read about others' experiences, it sounds like all I can really do at this point is wait. Most likely, "more stuff" will happen, but maybe it won't. Do you think that's right? All I can do is wait, right? I feel so mixed up... we were just getting used to the idea of this pregnancy, then it seems like we're losing it, and now this morning, I'm not entirely sure...

The dr. called last night. I was going to have a dating u/s Monday morning (this is an oops pregnancy, and I never had my 1st pp AF, so we were going to try to pinpoint an EDD). The nurse that I spoke with earlier in the day cancelled *that* u/s and set another one up about 10 days from now. The dr. was very kind and helpful. I didn't even suggest last night that I'm not totally sure that I'm really having a miscarriage (the doubt started this morning), but she said that she wished they hadn't cancelled that u/s, and that if I still want to have it, the time is probably open, and that if it isn't and a want an u/s before 10 days from now, I should definitely come in and have one. I think I'll see how I'm doing by tomorrow night/Monday morning, but my inclination is to go in and have the u/s on Monday.

The last week or so, I've had the sense that something isn't quite right with this pregnancy. I had really major morning sickness with both of my boys. The most nausea I've had this time was actually a few weeks ago, and it had mostly dissapeared, which kind of concerned me. And then earlier this week, I thought I was feeling some BH contrax, which again, concerned me (the best guess we have is that I'm ~7 wks along, and 7 wks seems way too early for BH).

Anyway, any insights or suggestions are welcome. This is pretty unfamiliar territory for me. Thank you.

[coleslaw]

Get the u/s if at all possible. It won't change anything, but it will at least most likely give you an answer on what is going on. If you can't get the u/s app't, I would get a blood test. From there, you may be clearer on what to expect in the next few days and weeks. Make sure, in the meantime, that you drink plenty of liquids, eat well and rest as often as possible. When you feel up to it, give us an update on how you are doing. My best to you.

[librarydragon]

I agree with pp about getting the u/s. That and some bloodwork should be able to tell you what is going on.

When I had my miscarriage, the bleeding lasted for a few days and was quite heavy on one of those days. I was about 7-8 weeks along. It seems kind of strange that your bleeding and cramping would stop after such a short time so you definitely should find out what's going on from your dr.

Big hug :Hug and take care.

[KKmama]

I really, really appreciate your replies. I didn't realize that I could/should get blood tests, too ( :duh seems kind of obvious now). I've had some cramping this afternoon, but not as bad as yesterday, and no bleeding at all. I don't really have any hope for my pregnancy, but I definitely want to know what's going on. I'm going to check in with the dr. at some point today or tomorrow, because I'm confused. I think the lab is open all weekend and that I could have a blood draw any old time. I wish I knew better what was going on, and that if I'm losing the pregnancy it would just hurry up (sounds terrible, but a protracted m/c doesn't sound like fun).

[Jacque Savageau]

KKmama :hug I'm sorry your going through this. It dosn't sound terrible at all that you want this to be over. Your body is going through a lot right now and you have the right to feel however you need to.

I wish there were some way to tell you exactly what to expect. Miscarriage is a birth and each one is unique, so unfortunately, there is no way to tell you exactly how it will play out.

All I can suggest is that you take the time you need to move through it, get plenty of rest, eat small healthy meals thorught the day and keep hydrated. Keep in touch with your body. Most woman can move through a miscarriage naturally without medical intervention, but do look for signs of infection, such as high fever, flu like symptoms, heavy bleading (that requires more than a pad an hour for 3+ hours) and sever abdominal pain (pain you can't breath through).

I wish you gentleness as you move through this.

[CarrieMF]

Both of my miscarriages were fast. My first was the worst, I was 9.5weeks and it was basically labour. The bleeding had started at 7pm, I was sitting at the couch and it felt like AF came, when I went to the bathroom there was alot of blood so we went to ER. I was bleeding heavily and the dr at the hospital practically lifted me and carried me to the exam room when he realized I was there(the nurses hadn't told him and I'd been in ER for 45minutes). He didn't even leave the room for me to take my pants off and he was shocked at the amount of blood, I had oversoaked a pad in around 40minutes. I had contractions every 10-15minutes that I had to breathe through, oddly no pain drugs were ever offered. Every time the contractions came I'd go to the bathroom and pass 1/2 fist sized clots, usually 2-3-4 each time I went in there. At 1am(6hours after it started) I had the contractions and when I was done in the bathroom I went to stand and it felt like there was something there so I sat and pushed the baby out into the catch basin in the toilet. What I saw is not something I'd wish on anyone so I will not go into that. I called the nurse in and she went to examine it(I had to call her anytime I passed anything). She had a different nurse come in and confirm that it was the baby. I was no longer in any pain but now they pushed pain meds on me that I had to keep refusing. They wanted me knocked out so they wouldn't have to deal with me, they phoned the Dr who had been on call in ER at 1am to get an okay for narcotics after I told them I was not in pain and did not want/need anything.

With my 2nd(7.5weeks) things felt different and I had this gut feeling so I kept going to the bathroom to check. I'd had a backacke but didn't think that was anything other than sitting at the computer for too long. After a few hours of this gut feeling there was finally some spotting on the tp. 10minutes later it was heavier so I decided to go to ER since I did not want to get when the pain got bad again. The ER was dead so they took me right in and checked. The dr confirmed that I had a threatened miscarriage but to go home and if nothing happened by the start of the week to see my regular dr, if the bleeding got worse or I was in pain to come back. I knew better and was going to tell him to just admit me but there's no way he would have. 6 hours later I convinced myself the bleeding was heavier(it wasn't) so I drove myself to ER. A different dr was on call and when she checked she pulled out what I thought looked like a small clot but she said it was the placenta. She admitted me because they weren't sure if I had retained anything, my backpain that I thought was nothing disappeared after she took the placenta out. By the time I got upstairs the bleeding was less than a period and it was gone in a few days. They did an US and there was nothing left.

The 2nd miscarriage was probably a blighted ovum which is the most common form of miscarriage.

Emotionally the first mc threw me in a tailspin, the 2nd(which was 4months after the first) affected me but not like the first one. It was more of a okay, I've btdt lets get this over with now.

[Tummy]

Greetings,
Being as though my little one just left me on Tuesday the 23rd, I feel I can share a bit here.

Our pregnancy too was very unexpected, unwanted. After learing our news we came to the conclusion that a 6th child was some greater plan than ours. I had it in my head even though I was due the 4th of March that I would birth this baby on the 23rd of Feb.

I had not seen a OB or MW as of 8 weeks into my preg. Due to the fact of me refusing to preconsent to a sched C/S(previous 10 yrs ago, 4 VBACs).

Well at 8.4 weeks I was at work, felt a little squishy, went to the restroom and found myself bleeding. I immediately left work went to the ER. I had an u/s and blood work. My HCG was at 70,000, and the baby was a 8 week fetus. I was put on bedrest.

Throughout the next week I stayed in bed as much as possible. I had not stoped bleeding, stoped cramping, but it was much better then before.

I continued my search for a sOB/MW.

At approximately 10 weeks I told my DH and a few close friends that for some reason the thought of a Missed M/C was in my head. I did not know why, but I kept thinking of this happening to me. I even told my DH I had a feeling of getting an u/s and finding the baby died at 8 weeks.
I was still cramping slightly, nothing bad that I had not experienced with any other pregnancy, I did continue to spot here and there.

I called my family MD and made an appt to see her. I told her how I had been feeling for the past week and asked for an RX to have my HCG levels tested again, also for a u/s. She agreed. She asked if I would like to have an exam and I declined, told her that I had a good feeling that the baby was not thriving, she asked why, and I told her that my uterus had not been growing at all, and I just did not feel like this baby was okay. She actually asked me if I would be 'relieved' if I had a m/c. I told her I did not know that I would be 'relieved' but I was actually expecting it due to my feelings.

So, next day I had an u/s, I told the tech that I wanted to see the screen and that I was expecting to NOT see a heartbeat. I looked at my DH and said, "Do you remember when I said about having an u/s and finding a 8 week fetus with no hb?" He said yes, and I told him to remember that. The tech was looking at me all kinds of funny!

Well 10 minutes later, after breaking my neck to see the screen I knew! The tech moved the screen to show me, there I seen on the screen my 8 week fetus with NO hb.

I went home and waited for my baby to pass!

On Tuesday the 23rd, at 12.2 weeks, I was making dinner, I had this horrible pressure that made me rest. I sat on the chair and felt a huge gush of blood. Ran to the bathroom and sure enough, I was bleeding heavily. I began to have contractions. I started timing them, every 3 min, every 2 min. I went outside to use DH laptop to write EVERYTHING that was happening to me. I wanted to remember it all!
While out there I felt a "pop" inside my uterus... went to the bathroom and my baby began to pass. I caught his head in some tissue. That is all of him that I seen. There was nothing else :( .
That was the most important thing for me to see though, as morbid as it may sound, I wanted to see that he was leaving me. It was really really hard. So much harder then I had prepared myself for. I thought I was ready for what had happpened... I SO WAS NOT PREPARED.

We made an alter for the baby. That made a HUGE difference for us, well for me it did. I do not know exactly how to put up a picture of it, but I will try.

OK, now that I have babbled half the thread page away, I hope something in my words has helped you, or any other mother who may read this in the future.
Thank you for letting me share :love

[Tummy]

:o

[JennInSeattle]

Well I'm in the process of m/c right now and began m/c'ing at 7 weeks 1 day so that's pretty close to where you are in gestation. This isn't my first time either so I do have a little insight in that way as well.

This has been my physically easiest m/c because it's the least time in terms of gestation, the previous two were at 9 weeks and 10 weeks.

This time I knew something was up at least a week ago - I actually mentioned to myself that this was the first pregnancy I'd had that I didn't feel pregnant. My bbs didn't hurt when Nathan would latch on for the most part and I didn't have m/s. I started spotting on Monday but I absolutely knew something was wrong the previous Saturday - it was just an all over feeling that I knew was right on inspite of my efforts to try to comfort myself.

I had an ultrasound on Monday (it had been scheduled for Wednesday just to date) and it showed next to nothing. The tech said she found nothing and I made her search all over in case of an eptopic pregnancy but there wasn't one. My doctor called me and said he did see the pregnancy on the pictures he was sent and wanted to make sure I was definite about my dates but I was. Apparently the baby had died 1-2 weeks ago and my body had reabsorbed most of it.

So now to the physical part (for you). I had some sharp twinges the weekend before I started spotting that I recognized from previous m/c's - not painful but uncomfortable and they'd go away usually if I'd put my feet up. I started spotting Monday morning and it was very light and brownish red (like a brown form of brick red). It was only there when I wiped with no clots and not every time I wiped. It was gone most of Tuesday but because I'd had the u/s I knew that meant absolutely nothing! On Wednesday the spotting picked up again and started to change to pink and sometimes red but still light and no clots. On Thursday I began to bleed pretty heavily (like a heavy period) with light cramping and a good amount of clots but all small clots. Then Friday night I had heavy cramping that was painful but not debilitating for about 6 hours and many clots. This weekend I had light cramping that went away with Ibuprofin and passed a few clots a day none bigger than an inch by an inch. Currently I'm still bleeding but it lightens by the day - it's red and has a lot of clear mucus mixed in and doesn't smell particularly nice if I'm too close to that area.

So hopefully that recounting will give you some idea of what might happen with a m/c at 7 weeks 1 day. I would love if the u/s shows everything is fine - that's my ultimate hope for you but if not I will pray that you'll feel some peace in knowing what might happen and you'll be able to prepare your mind to some degree.

And in case you're wondering - the m/c at 9 weeks had a clot the size of a tennis ball come out (I'd just seen the baby with a h/b two days before so that was a very different m/c) and I know if I'd opened it up I would have found a baby much like the above posters (but I just couldn't do it) - it was incredibly painful after I'd passed that. And the m/c at 10 weeks was so physically painful that I was in tears in bed for hours - it was comparable to labor and each was preceeded by 8-10 days of spotting unlike this m/c which only had 3 days of spotting before the m/c began and far less pain.

I really hope your experience (if you have to go through this) is much more like this one has been for me, shorter and less painful. :hug I'll be praying for you.

[KKmama]

I had an ultrasound this morning, and there was definitely an intact embryo with a heart beat in there. My OB said the whole situation is kind of confusing... I definitely had way more blood than just "spotting", and the cramping was not a good sign. She said normally in a situation like this, they see evidence of subchorionic bleeding (where the placenta is attaching to the uterus, I guess), but that looks fine, my uterus looks fine, and my cervix looks fine. The embryo is measuring smaller than I think it should, though... they pegged it as 6 wks 1 day, and from when I thought I felt ovulation, I should be 7 wks 2 days. So the situation looks very good, but of course they want to check everything out again in 2 more weeks, make sure everything's still fine, that the embryo is growing, etc. The dr. is not sure at all what happened--based on what I described, she assumed miscarriage in progress, just as I did.

My morning sickness is pretty strong this morning... had a few dry heaves. My dr. thinks that's a good sign, too. (It had all but disappeared as of last week)

Anyway... It's a relief. I'll be a little nervous till we see things again, but the news we got this morning was as good as I could have hoped.

Thank you all for your support and information.

[JBaxter]

I am SO happy for you! Congrats on the pregnancy!!!! :dust

[Jacque Savageau]

:hug I'm so glad to hear that! I too thought I was having a miscarriage and a few weeks later I felt like crap. Thought I had the flu, It was my daughter. I do wish you the best in the comming months for a healthy pregnancy.

[Tummy]

I am so so happy for you.. congrats !!! :thumb

[librarydragon]

Wonderful news! Hope everything goes well for you!