what should i expect?tmi & loss mentioned

lizzy1980 · #1 December 17th, 2010, 06:29 PM

Hi ladies, I'm new to this forum but I was previously posting on the "Aug Due Date club". I'm so confused about what is going on with my body. I was hoping someone could help me better understand what to expect.
My DH and I have been trying to conceive our first child for 6 cycles. This month we got our BFP and we were ecstatic. Sadly, I miscarried last night. I was 5.3 weeks pregnant. We were devastated.
Here's what happened. I started bleeding when i went to the bathroom yesterday evening and instantly knew it was over. There was quite a bit of dark red blood. I noticed a clot and had some mild cramping. I bled a little in a pad overnight. I went to my doctor this morning and described my symptoms. She checked my cervix which was closed. She said it sounded like I probably had a m/c or had a threatened m/c and should expect to pass the sac this weekend. She also gave my a rhogam shot (A- blood type). She said i should come back in a month for my annual. She also said we could start trying again in 2 cycles.
I haven't bled today, just some light brown discharge when i wiped earlier. the discharge has since stopped also. When I can expect my period? What else should I expect?
I regret not asking my doctor more questions.
Thanks in advance!

Shadeauxe · #2 December 17th, 2010, 07:45 PM

warning

You should probably pass a lot more clots. For me, I had heavy bleeding for 2-3 hours where huge blobs came out every 20 minutes or so. I was 8-9 weeks pregnant. It's been a week and I am still having spotting. I had an ultrasound a few days ago and mostly everything was gone except I still had a thick endometrium (lining) so I have to get rid of all of that. I expect it'll be done in a week and that my period will come back a few weeks after that. I am also still having blood tests to make sure my hcg goes back down to 0.

I don't know if this helps. Sorry for your loss. I was in the July DDC.

MeganMomof5 · #3 December 17th, 2010, 08:36 PM

honestly if you didn't get an ultrasound or bloodwork, they wont know if you miscarried...You can bleed in the first trimester without miscarrying...I bled for 2 weeks heavy, while baby was still alive and growing before I eventually miscarried...Did you cramp really bad? when I was bleeding during my pregnancy I passed LOTS of clots, big ones too, but I didn't cramp...When I actually miscarried it was painful...Also, it doesn't seem like you bled very much for a miscarriage, if it's already slowed down to brown today? I would call your doctor on monday and ask them to give you some bloodwork or something...good luck!

lizzy1980 · #4 December 17th, 2010, 08:58 PM

Thanks ladies and I'm sorry for both of your losses.
I only noticed one clot about the size of a pea. I had mild cramping last night and some today. I definitely had more than spotting last night.... it actually turned the toilet water pink (sorry, tmi) but it didn't come close to filling a pad. Today i had strange light brown stringy spotting. She didn't do an ultra-sound. She did order blood work but the phlebotomist said it was just to confirm I had a negative blood type. She said that they'll do a pregnancy test in a month when I come back for my annual. Maybe i didn't bleed very much because i wasn't very far along?
I think if i don't start bleeding again by the middle of next week I'll give her a call to make sure I understood correctly.
Thanks again

Servilia · #5 December 17th, 2010, 09:40 PM

Lizzy, I'm sorry for your loss

My first miscarriage happened when I was just a little further along than you - I was 6 weeks. And honestly, other than one clot that I noticed, it was just like a regular period. I didn't even have much cramping and had bleeding for 4-5 days. So I don't necessarily agree with Shadeauxe that you should pass a lot more clots (sorry Shadeauxe). That would be more likely if you were as far along as she was - there's a bit difference between 5 and 9 weeks in terms of the amount of tissue/blood (sorry, don't know how else to put it) that needs to be passed. Of course anything is possible but I don't want you to be afraid and expecting the worst to come. With that said, I would expect more bleeding than what you described, something more like a regular flow/period, not just a night of bleeding.

I agree with Megan that unless you've had blood work or an ultrasound you can't really confirm it's a miscarriage. Lots of women bleed (and some quite heavily) and everything turns out fine. I don't want to get your hopes up too high but it is possibe you're not miscarrying. Regardless of whether you bleed more or not, I would go for serial betas at the doctor's to confirm either way..

When it comes to getting your period, it really depends.. you can expect it in 4-6 weeks probably.. I wish you the best!

*~Lulu'sMommy~* · #6 December 17th, 2010, 09:52 PM

I am just lurking, and seen your post, i was in the August DDC too. I had exactly what you described with probably less bleeding no where near a normal AF. Sorry im not much more help, but i did take a test the day after and it was negative, i had 5 positives before that...

StaceygirlPa · #7 December 18th, 2010, 05:11 AM

First let me say I am sorry for your loss. With my first lost I had to have a d&c. With this loss it is a natural m/c. I was going to be in the August DDC but never made it there. I was about 6 weeks. My hcg never did rise though. When the m/c first started I only spotted a little bit and I had the brown discharge for couple of days with the cramping. After couple of days of the brown discharge I really started to cramp and heavy flow. I only passed one small clot also. I asked my doctor about it and he said that is probably all what I will pass since I wasn't that far along and my HCG never did rise above 285.

I agree with the other ladies your doctor should do a HCG blood test to see what your levels are. My doctor is testing my levels every week until they go down to 0. After your levels go down to 0 you should get your period. My HCG is already down to 31 from 156 on Monday.

asunflower · #8 December 18th, 2010, 05:57 AM

I agree. Get your levels checked. I would think you would have more bleeding if it was a full miscarriage.

ohnicole · #9 December 18th, 2010, 06:41 AM

I'm sorry that this is happening to you

I agree with the other ladies.... it makes sense to get your HCG levels checked.

SillyKitty · #10 December 18th, 2010, 07:49 AM

I'm so sorry for your loss, Lizzy.

I was about as far along as you (5 wks 6 days) when I had my loss in October, and I was surprised that I did not bleed any more than a period. I did have more clots than usual for one day, but that was pretty much it... no sac. My OB confirmed via ultrasound a week later that my uterus was clear and at the stage of a beginning of a cycle. I confirmed the next week via hpt that I didn't have detectable hcg in my urine (he did give me the option of going for a blood test, but didn't think it was necessary if I used a hpt). We started ttc right away. I read up on it, and I couldn't find any evidence supporting waiting other than wanting to properly date conception. Since I was charting, I would have known when I conceived. I didn't ovulate until cd 24 that first cycle, and I ended up not conceiving and had my period on cd 38 after the first day of miscarriage bleeding. I ovulated at my normal time the second cycle, and I did get pregnant. Many women take several cycles again.

If you take a home hpt next week and it's still positive, or if you are still bleeding, I'd ask the OB for an ultrasound to make sure there isn't retained tissue or an ectopic. You might try hpts every few days until it goes back to negative. The ladies here are great and very supportive, but I hope you don't have to stay in TTCAL very long!

~Jess~

lindsey2000k · #11 December 18th, 2010, 09:32 AM

I am so sorry.
my experiance with my natural miscarriage (7 weeks) I had bleeding then spotted brown for about a week then I had the acual loss, then I bleed for about 5 days after that. The OB I was seeing at the time did blood draws to make sure my levels were dropping. She also told me to take a HPT in 2 weeks to make sure it was negative.

With my daughter I bleed at 5 weeks almost like you are describing. My OB ordered a Ultra sound and there was a baby and a sac and the baby measured right on.. but no hearbeat because it was to early. I was asked to come back in 2 weeks and there was a heart beat... She is now 3 years old and very healty!!!!

I would ask for blood draws or an ultra sound. Sounds to me like your DR was just kinda blowing you off.