# how do i know if it's a miscarriage?



## Elphaba (Nov 19, 2001)

I am 6 weeks 2 days today, and woke up with blood covering my pajama shorts and more in the toilet when I went to pee.
I can't really say how much it is since it was spread out over my shorts, but it looks like it has in the past when I slept through the first few hours of my period.
Do I just wait and see if I pass big clots? When bleeding is this early does it always mean the baby is dead? Do I have to go see a midwife or doctor and when should I do that? I hadn't even made a prenatal appointment yet because I was waiting for the insurance to approve my midwife again.


----------



## marbles (Nov 23, 2002)

Elphaba,

Do you have any cramping? is this around when you would have mentruated? I'm not well versed in miscarriage and I hope someone who is will post soon.

I would go to the doctor or emerge this morning if I were you...I guess I would want an ultrasound for some answers.

I hope you have everything you need today to figure it all out. I'll be thinking of you.


----------



## padomi (Dec 28, 2002)

Elphaba, I'm no expert, but I will tell you that when I was 9 weeks pg, I went to pee at a restaurant and blood gushed out. I continued to bleed the rest of the day and passed a large clot. I went to the ER (of a women's hospital affiliated with an ivy league school, mind you) and was seen by two physicians and had two ultrasounds. Was told it was indeed a miscarriage. I grieved for 8 days until I went in to have a d&c scheduled b/c I was still nauseous. The doc did a quick ultrasound to see "what was left in there" and there was a heartbeat (that heartbeat is now 14 months old!!!). So you can definitely bleed early in the pg - even heavily. I don't want to give you false hope, but just wanted to say don't worry too much just yet. I would see a doctor though. I hope all is well for you. Good luck, Elphaba.


----------



## its_our_family (Sep 8, 2002)

I lost a babe between 4 and 6 weeks. At first I didn't bleed a lot...just some spotting. I started bleeding heavy but had no cramping. About 5 hours after it all started the cramps came and the clots started...I just knew it was over as soon as the spotting started....

Don't panic and don't assume. I didn't go to the dr or emergency room to confirm the m/c.

It is possible to bleed...even heavy...and still go on to have a beautiful baby!

Just rest up and wait....its not easy but the only thing you can do....


----------



## Katana (Nov 16, 2002)

Elphaba,

I've had two losses, both at six weeks.

The first time I had horrible nausea, unbelievable cramping, and I passed clots on and off for about 12 hours. The second I felt the cramps, I knew what was happening. After the first day, I bled like you would for a heavy period.

The second time, I spotted, stopped, spotted some more, then it got heavier, and I passed some clots. I had some cramping, but not as bad as the first time. This also was like a really heavy period after the clots. Even though it was different, I still knew I was losing the baby.

But, bleeding doesn't necessarily mean a loss. My cousin bled very heavily at about seven weeks with her third child. She was convinced she'd miscarried, but her midwife told her to do an ultrasound, just to make sure. She went in to the ER and had an ultra sound and there was still something there. Four weeks later she could hear a heartbeat, and her son is going to five in a couple of weeks. The doctors think she might have lost his twin when she bled.

I hope things are all right. You'll be in my thoughts.


----------



## padomi (Dec 28, 2002)

Quote:

The doctors think she might have lost his twin when she bled.
Same with me. Twins run in the family and I certainly passed some large clots.

But even so, my doctor said he's seen a lot of instances where heavy bleeding occurs early in pregnancy and everything is fine. The only thing for us to do was to wait and hope for the best.

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you Elphaba!


----------



## Elphaba (Nov 19, 2001)

i've just spent 4 hours in the ER and left knowing nothing more than i did when i went in.
i refused to let them draw blood, because i react rather violently (loss of consciousness and vomiting) EVERY time. so they got pissed at me. they said my urine sample was useless since it had blood in it. vaginal u/s was inconclusive.
good thing i don't pay anything for healthcare, huh?
so i'm supposed to return in the AM for the powerful u/s and bloodwork. don't know if i will.


----------



## padomi (Dec 28, 2002)

Elphaba, the bloodwork is the only way they will be able to know whether or not you're still pregnant, however, I think if you want to wait a few days or even a week, you could and probably should. I think the blood test is called "Beta count" and I don't know anything about it other than a higher number means you are pregnant. I had two u/s at the ER and they were inconclusive, too. I waited 8 days for bloodwork and two weeks for a final u/s to conclude that everything was okay. It can be so hard to wait - not knowing - but honestly, whether or not you have miscarried, waiting a little while will not really hurt and may possibly even help to determine exactly what's happened.

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you!


----------



## Elphaba (Nov 19, 2001)

well, the bleeding is picking up this morning, just like my periods do. the second day is always heavier. really i don't see how i could still be pregnant.
if the OB had warned me about needing blood, i might have been able to do it. but he just left the room, and then this other guy came in with a shitload of vials and i was like "WTF do you think you're doing?" and freaked out. so i think it can wait a few days.
he told me that he was not concerned with my losing the baby, but that it was an ectopic pregnancy. i guess it could have been, but it seems like he could have done the u/s first to see if anything was in utero before anything else.
and they wanted to start a flipping IV right away! they didn't offer me any water, but they were ready to IV me. sigh.
the midwives i saw for my first pg wouldn't see me for this since i hadn't been in for a prenatal yet. so i'm stuck dealing with the army docs for this.
and dh was supposed to leave today. he changed his plane ticket to monday, but still. that doesn't give me much time for a resolution.


----------



## XM (Apr 16, 2002)

What kind of pain are you having?

A tubal pregnancy (from what I know readling and talking to mamas who have had one, as I have not) would usually include sharp pain, the kind that makes you double over. Also many mamas describe intense pain in the rectal area. I know you are no wimp, but I think if you were losing a tubal pregnancy and the symptoms started yesterday, you would be in enough pain that you would know something was wrong.

I did not know that you were pregnant... I really hope you still are. Like the other ladies said, you may well be losing a twin, it's not uncommon at all. Since you are still nursing Shosh, and your cycles are affected by that, it's a possibility that you could have O'd twice and concieved twins.

Baby crying, gotta go. You will be in my thoughts. Please keep us posted.









XM


----------



## Elphaba (Nov 19, 2001)

there's really no pain. there's regular old menstrual cramps, mild yesterday, strong this morning. i took some advil, just 2, and i'm fine. there was an enormous clot this morning, big enough that i yelled for sean to come and take my panties away so i didn't have to see it, because i thought it may have been the baby. he says it was just blood.
we're going to go in tomorrow for the blood draw. i looked up what the ranges are for someone who is 6-7 weeks pregnant, so i'll be prepared.
i am pretty sure the baby is gone. i only had 2 pg symptoms -- hunger and soreness when she latches on -- and those are gone.
just not meant to be i guess.
sean is trying to switch his class dates so he doesn't have to leave on monday, and instead leave next month. that would be nice, in case things don't proceed in a healthy fashion.
thans for all the well wishes and information mamas.


----------



## padomi (Dec 28, 2002)

Elphaba, I'm so very sorry if you have indeed miscarried. I'll still keep my fingers crossed. Hang in there.


----------



## Katana (Nov 16, 2002)

I'm still hoping for some positive news for you.

I hope the blood draw isn't too bad for you, sending calm and strong vibes your way.


----------



## Faith (Nov 14, 2002)

Elphaba~























I came here looking for this very topic.
I am in the same place you are.
This is my third pregnancy. My first two had some serious bleeding (enough for my to go to the ER the first time), but I have two healthy children. They said the same thing someone else said- that it might have been twins.

Right now, I am almost twelve weeks along. I started bleeding a week ago, and the past few days there have been big clots and now the bleeding is picking up even more.







I have weird cramps, but not bad ones.

DH keeps saying "this always happens" .... But it just seems so wrong, yk? He is gone now anyway, for a week.

I have my 'official' pregnancy test Wednesday morning, so I guess I will just see what it says.

BTW- You may know this, but you can go to stores and buy a tube of progesterone creme and rub some on your arm every day to try to stop bleeding in early pregnancy. Sometimes the bleeding is caused by the mom's body lacking enough progesterone.

I will be thinking of you! I truely hope it all turns out allright.


----------



## joesmom (Nov 19, 2001)

hugs to you both, please keep us posted.


----------



## Mom2baldie (Oct 29, 2002)

Elphaba,

I just wanted to say Im so sorry you have to go through this. Not knowing whats going on is the worst!


----------



## Elphaba (Nov 19, 2001)

am i a freak for not getting the blood test ASAP? the ER doc called me last night because he was concerned about me not coming back for the blood test and u/s. so i went back to the ER this morning, and this time the triage guy didn't give a shit about me. the first guy had been very sensitive and told me he would move me up to the front of the line, this guy didn't even look at me and told me it would be a minimum of 2 hours before they could get to me, and he had no idea if and when i would get the u/s. so we left. i am just not willing to sit in a waiting room with sick and suffering people for the whole f-ing day. yes, i'm bleeding, but it doesn't hurt and it's not massive amounts. i just tried calling my regular doctor's office (they have hours on sunday for acute problems) and the nurse told me they don't do HCG tests and they would send me to the ER. so what is the f-ing point of me going anywhere? really. if it was really a problem, shouldn't i be seen right away? it's not like one blood test is going to tell us much anyway, there's going to have to be at least one more to get an idea. %^&*$. i don't even know if i'm going to bother going back. i had thought about just coming home for an hour and a half and then heading back over to the ER, but i don't think there's any point. with the way things are going, they probably called my name 10 minutes ago and now i'm back at the bottom of the list. i'm not a patient and kind person to begin with, and hospitals don't bring out my best side. right now i am just filled with hatred and bitterness. is it so much to ask that i just be allowed to KNOW what the hell is going on with my body?


----------



## MamaOui (Aug 9, 2002)

Oh Elphaba, i don't know what to say.





















I am sorry this is happening to you and I hope that Sean can stick around for a while for you.

Faith, I am sorry for your loss, as well.


----------



## Fianna (Sep 4, 2003)

Elphaba, you aren't a freak. You know a lot more than the average person about pregnancy and birth, so it makes you less patient and less naive than the average person walking into a doctor's office or ER with a problem. It also makes you an annoyance to the medical staff. As you have said before, if you have had lots of bleeding and some clots pass already, the chances of the baby being there anymore are slim and if the baby is still there, then great! You'll know that soon enough as well. There isn't much that doctors can do at this point other than say, "Yep, it looks like you are miscarrying." I completely understand you being angry and bitter. Miscarriage at any time is a very emotionally painful situation and a very lonely road for the mom, so to be treated indifferently by the very people who are supposedly trained to take good care of you can be horribly traumatic.
At this point you need to figure out what you need to do to find a peaceful place. If that means that you need to stick it out in the ER for a few hours, then do it. If you can stay at home and deal with whatever happens, then great. Figure out what *you* need right now and find a way to get it.
Good luck and please let us know what happens.


----------



## chrissy (Jun 5, 2002)

Elphaba,

I just wanted to let you know that I am thinking of you and sending peaceful healing thoughts to you.

FWIW, I had several episodes of bleeding in my pregancy and my son was born healthy and full term. I hope this turns out to be the case for you as well.


----------

