How to save tissue? Anyone done this? Please help! (m/c mentioned)

Servilia · #1 July 14th, 2011, 12:12 PM

Hi girls. I hate posting morbid posts like this and it might not be the best place - I already posted on Pregnancy Loss too but it doesn't get much traffic and I need help urgently. I called Dr's office but haven't got a call back from the nurses so I was hoping someone can help me.

I have a blighted ovum. Just this morning I was down at the hospital and scheduled a D&C for next Wednesday. I had had NO bleeding or anything up until now.
Got home, sat down, went to washroom and noticed bleeding.
My RE wants the tissue tested so they were going to save it after the D&C.
BUT it looks like it might be happening on its own and I didn't get instructions on how to save tissue because we didn't anticipate this happening.
I also have progesterone suppositories but don't know if I should double up on dose or something to stop the bleeding?

So does anyone know
- how to save the tissue ie what kind of container, any tips, etc. I know I have to put it in the fridge but other than that I don't know anything
- whether I should try to use my progesterone to stop this from happening? I don't know if I should be sticking stuff up there considering I'm bleeding and might have an open cervix. I don't know if it will help stop this from happening until the D&C?

Thanks.

Kary♥RN · #2 July 14th, 2011, 12:50 PM

I am so sorry you are going through this... HUGS.. This is what I would do.....

If I was you, I wouldn't put it in the fridge.. IF you pass the tissue when the Drs office is closed take it with you to the ER in just a container. When I worked in the ER we had women bring in thier specimans in just what ever container they had. So this way it could be tested. I wouldn't double up on the suppositories. Your body is trying to do what it needs to do.

If you pass everything, you wont need the D/C... But they will still be able to do the testing.

luvmykids623 · #3 July 14th, 2011, 01:15 PM

I've never had to do that before so I'm not 100% sure what kind of container to use. I've read that you could use a clean plastic (tupperware type) container. I hope Melissa (TnPhotoMama81) sees this. I know on your other post she mentioned putting a container that you use to collect urine in the toilet and that it worked well for her. I'm not sure where she got it or how it all works though. I wouldn't use the progesterone since your cervix is probably open. I'm sorry you have to go through this again!

3Sapphires · #4 July 14th, 2011, 01:27 PM

I am sure you can get one of those urine collection containers at an independent pharmacy or medical supply pharmacy. they look like a little hat that sits in the toilet.

make sure you save the product of the miscarriage and not just the clots.

*hugs* I am sorry you are going through this

terajet · #5 July 14th, 2011, 01:41 PM

So sorry you are going through this. I just went through this last night. The doc gave me Cytocec to induce my miscarriage also due to a blighted ovum. He basically told me to collect the "tissue" I could and put it in a disposable container (he suggested a yogurt or margarine container) and store it in the fridge until the next day. TMI Warning: I passed most of it in the toilet and DH helped me scoop it out and put it into a container. I brought it in to the emergency today and they sent it off to the lab and performed an u/s to make sure I had passed everything.

I will keep you in my prayers. This will not be easy to do, I hope you have someone around for support.

momof6lopez · #6 July 14th, 2011, 01:50 PM

Sorry you are faced with doing this at home possibly, but I would contact your dr. and see what they suggest. They may want to bump up your d&c or have you go to the er for an emergency d&c. Just because your spotting/bleeding right now, does not mean the sac is detaching. I had spotting with my b/o off and on for weeks and the sac just ripped but never came out. I had to have an emergency d&c due to the fact that the sac was measuring at 14wks gestation.

If the dr. really wants to test this, I would not risk going through this at home, but would rather go to the er and get a d&c done there or at least monitor the condition of the sac and see if its starting to collapse on its own or deteriate in any way......this will be a good signal as to whether or not you will make it till your scheduled d&c.

MeganMomof5 · #7 July 14th, 2011, 02:13 PM

I went through this last summer...Try not to pass it in the toilet, or have something under you to catch it...I heard that once it was in the toilet they can't test anything (I didn't know that at the time)...I just used a tupperwear container and put it in the fridge...I'm sorry

lindsey2000k · #8 July 14th, 2011, 02:28 PM

Sorry you are having to deal with this.
I would defenatly stop the progestrone its not going to stop it from happeing and can cause more problems with your cervix trying to dilate.
I never had to collect any samples so I am no help there. I just wanted to give you a big cyber hug.
If you just started spotting it still might be days or a week before you even pass anything... or it could happen today. But with all my natural miscarriages I spotted and it got heavier each day until I passed everything and that lasted about a week each time.

Servilia · #9 July 14th, 2011, 08:27 PM

Thanks so much girls you're so great

I was able to get through to the nurses at the RE's office AND at the clinic down at the hospital. The RE nurse told me the best thing to use if I can get them are those sterile containers they use at labs, like those cups they use to collect urine for testing. I called my doctor friend who is also a neighbour and she was just leaving her clinic and able to bring me some. So I've got that covered. The hospital nurse told me I can bring the sample right to their hospital if it happens during the week. The RE nurse told me I can take it to them and they can send it to the hospital also.

I know some of you suggested otherwise but on the advice of the nurse at the hospital I went ahead and used my progesterone suppository. Even before I used it the bleeding was slowing down to spotting and now it's completely gone. So maybe I can keep it at bay until the D&C.
I had some weird minor pain earlier - like a stinging in my cervix, and light light cramps but that's all gone now and I actually took a 5 hour nap (eeeek).
I'll try to get one of those collection things for the toilet tomorrow in case it starts happening again.

Thanks for all your kind thoughts and sympathies and ideas.

.:Shortcake:. · #10 July 15th, 2011, 04:44 AM

((HUGS)) I am so sorry for what your going through

StaceygirlPa · #11 July 15th, 2011, 05:38 AM

Thinking of you. I am sorry you are going through this. Lots of hugs.

*SamF* · #12 July 15th, 2011, 06:02 AM

{hugs} I hate that you are going through this!

terajet · #13 July 15th, 2011, 07:10 AM

It really sucks that you are going through this. After my m/c I told DH that we should have gone to the pharmacy to get one of those things to put in the toilet. It would have made the whole process much easier.

Keep us updated.

melissalaw · #14 July 15th, 2011, 07:36 AM

Just want you to know that I'm thinking of you!!

Servilia · #15 July 15th, 2011, 08:09 AM

Thanks girls.
Well I have no sign of bleeding anymore, not even spotting. I had some weird pains last night as I was going to bed but I couldn't tell whether they were uterine cramps or just from eating a bad combo of foods before bed. I stayed home from work just in case. If it happens naturally I expect a LOT of blood. I'm at almost 9 weeks AND I was on progesterone suppositories the whole time so I expect to have a thick lining and I would not want this to happen at work.

TnPhotoMama81 · #16 July 15th, 2011, 12:29 PM

I am so sorry you have to go through this...sorry I am so late to posting on this.

I did use one of those things you put on the toilet to collect urine in. I had taken the cytotec though....everything came out in one big gush for me so I had it pretty easy considering the circumstances. We put the baby in a very small tupperware container. Of course it was on a Friday night so the doctors office was closed over the weekend. Since i had a followup appt on Monday, they told me if I passed it over the weekend just to put it in a tupperware and put it in the fridge over the weekend.

I was 7.5 weeks and was on progesterone too...I didn't bleed that much. The baby started miscarrying the same day it passed away...that might be why I dont know. With my first m/c we didnt find out till a week later the baby had no hb...I bled and clotted a lot more that time.