[luvmykids623]

As you know, a week ago I found out baby didn't have a h/b anymore. My doctor was willing to give me some time to m/c on my own, but wanted to see me on 9/20 regardless. Well, here I sit one week later with no signs of this happening naturally as of yet. My feeling is that since I'm so far along this time (10w1d today) that my body just isn't going to get it, and I'll be scheduling a d&c on Monday. The problem with that is, I'm scared to death of having a d&c. I've always m/c on my own, but I've never made it this far before with a non-viable pregnancy. A major part of my fear is human error. I am scared to death that someone is going to make a mistake that will cause me not to be able to have anymore children, or to make it very difficult for us to conceive again. I have a friend whose RE blames her endometriosis on the person who did her d&c scraping too hard. When I think about having this done all I feel is pure fear. Many of my friends keep telling me that it's a routine procedure that's done thousands of times a year. I don't have great luck with routine stuff. For example, when I had my c-section with DD, which is a routine kind of thing that's done thousands of times a year, I wound up with a raging staph infection that almost went undiscovered. It doesn't help with my fear. Could you please tell me about your experience and what I should expect if I go down this road? I honestly have no clue what all goes into it, but I know I'm scared, and I don't want to consult Dr. Google, because nothing good can come from that.

[.:Shortcake:.]

I have had 2 D&C's... with my first all I remember was the nurse giving me meds in the IV and then waking up and DH was taking me home... I didn't have alot of pain or bleeding with it. My last D&C was just a little over a week ago and it was about the same... nothing really after except a little bit of bleeding and some cramping. Hugs hun! I am so sorry your having to go through this.

[ashj_1218]

I had almost the exact same situation in July (hi, i'm Ashlee...I haunt this board sometimes). We lost the baby around 9 weeks, found out shortly after, and I waited three weeks before finally having the D & C. I knew within a week or so of finding there was no h/b that I was not going to let it go on my own. But I kept thinking that since I had a normal miscarriage years ago, that I might just be taking longer. But, no. Nothing was happening and my doc actually scheduled a D & E. Dilation and evacuation (suction, versus scrapping). The surgery was a breeze. Everyone was so nice, I didn't have to deal emotionally with putting my feet in stirrups even (just went to sleep and they did the rest). I was terrified as well. I was crying when they put me under. And woke up crying as well.

But the actual procedure was fine. I had a rough recovery, but that was my body, not the procedure. I do think it was necessary, since I probably would have gotten an infection otherwise. I think that you will be scared, no matter what. But it is not nearly as difficult or terrifying as thinking about how difficult and terrifying it would be. Hang in there. I hope you get some closure soon.

[JessP]

I have had three. Two were for my m/c since I was so far along with both and the third was for a polyp in between my two m/c. I have had no problems from mine. I highly recommend getting the forget me not meds before going in. Just tell them you don't want to remember seeing the operating room. I was crying all three times. The second time was more the reminder of the first time with our first loss. I prefer to have a D&C to just help me get past it. Plus I didn't want to m/c at home and scare my kids or risk hemorrhaging and having to have a D&C anyway. The sleepy meds are the hard part for me. They knock me out for at least 24 hours and make me sick . You have to do what is best for you. I was really scared the first time but more about dieing than not being able to try again. I am a freak like that. I hope you don't have to have one if you don't want one.

[MeganMomof5]

I've had 3 D&C's this year, once was for retained placenta (I was awake for it too), the 2nd a missed miscarriage at 15 weeks, and then for hemorrhaging after...The good thing about D&C's is that you don't remember anything...I remember going into the OR and it was really hard, and last thing I remember is crying, then waking up in the recovery room, crying yet again...The actual pain after isn't bad...I think I just had a few cramps, and not even right after...I did have complications from my D&C...The artery in my uterus was damaged, BUT I wouldn't worry about that since from what I read, it's soooooooooo rare...Not even my doctor or other doctors she talked with, or the radiologist knew much about it...After going through my natural miscarriage at 9 weeks, I think I would of rather had a D&C, it was so less tramatic than having to remember everything IMO...Good luck, and i hope that things go well for you.

[missy123]

I have had 6 over my lifetime and have no scaring at all and never had an infection or any major complications. Even when my RE went and did the testing inside my uterus and tubes he said that unless I would have told him, he would never have known I had the surgeries.

For 4 of the 6 I was put to sleep. I stayed awake with very little pain medicine for 2 of them. For your sanity sake (just because it is so emotional to lose a child) I suggest highly being put to sleep.

It has been almost a week since the last one for me and I am just spotting now and light cramping.

Please don't let your fears get the best of you, your body will only fight you then. Giving you big hugs, I know how hard it is.

[zkat]

First, I am so sorry for your loss.

I had a d&c with my miscarriage last Sept. I was around 9 weeks along when diagnosed.

I was asleep for the actual procedure and it went well. I did have a minor complication after the d&c in that I had a single adhesion form over my cervix. It was obvious by November, as I was charting, new I ovulated and still did not get AF. The pressure, pain in Dec. was fairly intense and I went back to see my OB. She scheduled a hystorscopy for Jan. and found the adhesion and removed it. I started AF that day and the next two came with no issues at all. I got pregnant the third cycle and have had no issues with the pregnancy.

I am a very rare, weird case. My Dr. has even joked that if it will defy the medical textbooks, it will happen to me. I think you need to weigh the risks of infection etc. vs scar tissue etc. Maybe discuss your concerns with your doc and see if there are any other options.

[JesSsica]

I've had two D&C's. One was for a missed miscarriage (I was 12 weeks but that baby only measured 10 weeks) and then second I m/c on my own at 11 weeks but the bleeding cramping got worse as the day went on. Come to find out there was tissue still in there and the D&C cleared me out.

I have had no issues since mine. I had no pain afterwards at all. Both times I was given a prescription for a pain med and both times I didn't need it.

My doctor told me after my last D&C that problems from D&C's come when it is a brand new loss and there has been no time for the body to do anything. When there's been time between the loss and the D&C things happen easier is how he explained it.

I'm so, so sorry you're going through this. I waited four days before having the D&C with my first one and that was a very hard time for me. I'm so sad for you because it's never easy.

I hope you find peace with your decision.

[ohnicole]

I'm so sorry that you're still having to make this decision, hon

I had a D&C with my loss. I was 12 weeks along, but baby had stopped growing at 8w5d. Since it had already been over 3 weeks, my doctor recommended the D&C and since I was starting to show and didn't want people asking me if I was pregnant, I decided to do it.

I was afraid too. On the way to the hospital I told DH that I NEVER wanted them to do a hysterectomy unless I was 100% going to die without it. I was terrified that I would have damage and lose my chance to have kids. Those are horrible fears to have

BUT, the D&C went fine. I was asleep. I remember getting wheeled into the OR, and waking up in recovery. I had very little pain, only used the pain meds the night of the D&C, and only had spotting for a couple weeks. I have no regrets about choosing the D&C.

I think you just have to do what feels right to you.

[GoldenTickets]

I had a missed miscarriage in August, and a D&C the day after the diagnosis.

I agree with most of the other ladies, that I experienced few issues with my D&C. My procedure was scheduled for about 10:30, and I think I had to be there around 8:30. Like any other outpatient surgery, I guess, you wait around a lot! I got there, and waited. They took some blood, I waited. They took me to the pre-op room, and I got changed/prepped, and I waited. (By prepped, I mean they took my vitals, and inserted the IV. They didn't give me any meds in the IV yet though, only some liquid/saline/something that was supposed to keep me hydrated). DH was allowed back, we waited. Different doctors and nurses talked to me, and I waited! (The doctors/nurses had to ask me about my health history, any complications with anesthesia, etc... I asked for some extra anti-nausea meds because I had some nausea with anesthesia in the past) I had to wait longer than normal, though, because my ob/gyn had an emergency on the ob floor of the hospital, so she actually didn't get to me until almost 11:30.

Then I was wheeled back to the operating room. I had to transfer from the bed to the actual operating table. Then a few people starting moving around me at once... One person was placing my arms where they were supposed to go and started attaching more IVs. Someone was at my head attaching monitors to my chest, and someone else put a mask on my face and was giving me some sort of gas. Then they said they were going to give me the anesthsia and I would be falling asleep soon. All this activity only took a minute or two and the next thing I remember, I was awake in the recovery room. DH was able to come back to me again after I was fully awake.

This was my 3rd outpatient surgery in 11 months. (I had two foot surgeries last year... those are my first surgeries that I can remember). The biggest thing that freaked me out after my first surgery last year was knowing that, stark naked under my hospital gown, they had moved me from the operating table back to the hospital bed. Two surgeries later, I've gotten over that I guess. (I still don't enjoy that thought though!)

The people at my hospital were very nice. They knew I was there for a D&C, and why, so they were very gentle with me. By the surgery I was spotting a little bit, and I told the nurse this when she told me to undress and put on the hospital gown. She said that they had already placed a pad on the bed for me and not to worry about it. The nurse also explained that my feet would be placed up in stirrups, and that my legs might hurt after the procedure. She also gave me grief information.

I really had little pain after the procedure, and little complication. I felt a little crampy for a couple days, but that's it. I actually got VERY constipated for about 4 days, and I think the pain from that overshadowed and cramps I might've been experiencing.

I think I've just typed a novel, and I apologize! I think we're all worried for the worst with anything, but complications are the rare cases from what I've learned. If your body is not doing it naturally, talk to your doctor some more about the plusses and minuses of the D&C... For me, I think it would be even harder waiting for it to happen...

[ldovey83]

Lori I have never experienced a D&C but wanted you to know I am thinking about you and praying for you.. Hang in there hun.

[luvmykids623]

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences with me! I wish none of us had to experience these losses. I've resigned myself to the fact that this is probably not going to happen on it's own. So today I called the dr's office and asked them how to go about scheduling the appt for a d&c. They moved my appt with the dr from Monday to tonight so that I could talk to the dr and she could check on progress. As I thought there is no sign of this starting naturally. She offered me two more weeks to wait and try things naturally, but I just couldn't take it. My "friend" that's due 2 days before I was is really starting to show, because she didn't lose her baby weight from having her son in November. It is extremely hard to watch her belly grow, and know that I have a dead baby in mine. (Sorry for putting it that way, but it's been on my mind a lot). I really think I will go crazy if I wait 2 more weeks and still wind up needing the d&c anyway. By the end of the two weeks she'd be in her second trimester, and I can't handle that. I need closure so I can start grieving, because now all I really feel is numb. I go in for the d&c Tuesday, unless by some miracle things get going on their own.

[missy123]

I wish I could hug you and take your pain away. I am so sorry....

[luvmykids623]

Thank you Missy! I wish I could do the same for you!

[.:Shortcake:.]

Hugs! I'm praying it starts naturally and you don't need the D&C. I'm so sorry your going through this.

[TTCin2010]

So sorry...HUGS

[Servilia]

I'm very sorry hon. I hope things happen naturally for you and that it's "easy" (physically)... I'm in a similar situation, hoping things start naturally also... Thinking of you

[Micksbabe]

I am so sorry for you ladies. I had a natural miscarriage so I can't share any experiences, but I just want to say that I wish you didn't have to go through this