Finally Talked to the Doctor!

junie22 · #1 October 7th, 2011, 06:06 PM

I apologize in advance for the long message. Seriously, only read if you're interested.

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The third time was the charm in calling my doctor today. I told the receptionist that I had a miscarriage on Tuesday, and I really didn�t want to have to wait all weekend for some answers. And I asked if I could just schedule an appointment for next week because it seemed like that was the only way I was going to get to speak to my doctor. She was really apologetic and put me on hold until the doctor picked up.

Bad sign = my doctor mistook me for another patient who didn�t have the money to pay for labs. I just about screamed at her (and I am a VERY calm person). She then realized her mistake and apologized profusely. She pulled up my blood results and said that my hCG level was only 8! So I had clearly started miscarrying before I actually started bleeding. Looking back, I had spotted off and on from 12 DPO. That could have been the beginning. And the lines on my HPTs were not progressing very much from day to day. I think the pregnancy wasn�t right from the day of conception.

So I asked my doctor how my progesterone levels were, and she said that she hadn�t ordered those labs. She did a whole pregnancy panel, but she didn�t order progesterone levels! ***? So now I get to go a whole other cycle not knowing if I have a progesterone problem. On the bright side, though, the rest of my blood results were great. And I also had a physical in May, prior to TTC, that ruled out any thyroid or other issues that could lead to difficulties with conceiving or miscarriage.

The doctor also pulled up my ultrasound results, and the good news there is that everything has passed. I�m not spotting anymore either, so I�m relieved that I had a natural miscarriage. (I have to see the silver lining on every cloud.)

I go back in for another beta draw on Tuesday. As low as my hCG was this past Tuesday, though, I�m sure it will be down to 0 by then. So I might be in the clear to start TTC again this cycle! I have to admit, though, that I�m definitely nervous about conception because I don�t know if it was my short LP leading to the miscarriage or just a chromosomal abnormality. I asked my doctor about it, and she seemed to think the latter. I�m printing my charts, though, and I�m insisting that she look at them with me.

I feel so much better now, as annoyed as I am with my doctor. Knowing that my hCG was never right from the beginning brings me a strange level of comfort. There�s nothing I did wrong� it just wasn�t right from the very beginning. And the other good thing is that I now have my doctor�s attention. Still, I�m glad I�ll be switching insurance in January.

Servilia · #2 October 7th, 2011, 10:14 PM

I'm glad you got some answers. So sorry for your loss. If it makes you feel any better (not that it could), but just so you know, if you had already started bleeding then your progesterone wouldn't have been at a good level anyways so getting that bloodwork wouldn't tell you much after the fact.

junie22 · #3 October 7th, 2011, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Servilia

I'm glad you got some answers. So sorry for your loss. If it makes you feel any better (not that it could), but just so you know, if you had already started bleeding then your progesterone wouldn't have been at a good level anyways so getting that bloodwork wouldn't tell you much after the fact.

Thanks for the insight into progesterone. I just wish I could know for sure what led to the miscarriage because I would just hate to have the same thing happen again the next time around. I'm still so new to TTC (this is just our 4th cycle). I know my LP is very short, but every time I've mentioned it to my doctor, she just kind of glosses over it. I'm hoping that if I have my charts printed out and can show her in person, that then she will take me a little more seriously. If I do conceive again in a cycle or two, I will definitely be asking for a blood draw immediately, instead of having to wait a week.

Thanks so much for reading this and responding. It's comforting to know that others have gone through the same thing (and worse... I am so grateful that I was only 4 weeks and 4 days along). It's the unknown that makes it so difficult.

.:Shortcake:. · #4 October 10th, 2011, 05:30 AM

I'm glad you got to talk to your doctor. Your right the unknown makes it so much more difficult. We are here for you every step of the way. ((HUGS))

acchickpea · #5 October 11th, 2011, 08:42 AM

8 is not bad.. You're getting there... It's a good thing that your US was good as well.... I like your thinking on things.. Hope that this cycle is for you and you figure out if it was the progesterone...