Friday, October 21, 2011

The Miscarriage: Finally Getting Some Answers...

Finally.  We are beginning to get some answers.

I went to the NFP OB today.  She's really busy, and I had heard hard to get into, so I was thrilled when she called and said she could get me in this week.  I finished my antibiotics three days ago, and two days ago started feeling exhausted again... but for the most part things have begun to get back to normal, and I was wondering if the miscarriage really was over.

I hadn't had an "incident" (my code word for the periodic hemorrhaging incidents that have occurred throughout the last two weeks) since Saturday, although the estrogen hadn't completely done the job it was supposed to be doing and as of now, two months and a week after the miscarriage, I am still spotting.  I'd even taken another pregnancy test earlier this week and gotten a very faint positive.

As I left I was relieved to know I would finally be getting some answers.

Paul had class, so the girls got to tag along during the appointment.  With a bag full of books, toys and snacks I hoped we could stave off disaster.  I was a bit nervous about how they would handle being in a doctor's office though, since neither one particularly likes going to the doctor.  Disaster averted.  They sat and ate their snacks.

I told the doctor I would feel better hearing her answer, whatever it was, because I knew that she wouldn't be the type to prescribe me estrogen for every single imaginable ailment ("You have allergies?  A toothache? Here have some birth control pills!").

It took the doctor all of thirty seconds doing an ultrasound to announce that the bleeding wouldn't have stopped with the estrogen.  Because my uterus is still full of remains from the miscarriage (Yuck.  Nine weeks later.  How unhealthy is that.).  She showed me the picture on the ultrasound and then continued to look around.

So....  I wasn't crazy.  It wasn't just "psychological" pain as Dr. H suggested.  The doctor continued and explained that the dose of estrogen I'd been given wouldn't have stopped the bleeding anyway, because it was such a low dose.  She was very surprised he'd prescribed it.  I am somewhat less surprised.  I think the "good doctor" had decided the problem was all in my head and he gave me the birth control pills that he knew I didn't want as a placebo, thinking that would end the whole thing.  Instead, it slowed the bleeding, and didn't address the actual problem at all.

The new doctor explained "the plan" to me.  I'm to take misoprostol, which is a drug traditionally used for ulcers, but that's also used to cause contractions after a miscarriage (it's also unfortunately used in abortions), for five days to see if that can take care of the problem.  I go back in on Tuesday for another ultrasound and if that doesn't work, we're going to go ahead with a D&C.

I have to say, I am wondering what the next few days will be like... it can't be worse than what has already happened (I found this site, in which one mom describes her experience with the drug)... and at least it will be over.

I'm still kind of relieved at the moment, to have some answers that didn't send the message: you just must be crazy!

Now I just need to get through the next few days...

17 comments:

  1. Glad that you have some answers finally. Will be praying for you over the next several days.

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  2. I'm so glad you are getting good treatment at last!!

    I'll be sure to add that doctor to my prayers tonight and ask God to bless her for being a caring doctor who listens!

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  3. Glad to hear your going to be okay Cam!

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  4. Relieved for you! This reminds me of the time with my third child I bled, heavily, for more than 3 months. I started passing what looked like flesh (NOT clots!). My sister was afraid it was sheered off placenta, as was her private OB. Our clinic OB dismissed me; she said my milk wouldn't have come in were there any problems! What is with these guys?!?!?!

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  5. So great that someone finally did an ultrasound to see what was really going on. I'm so glad that you finally found a truly competent doctor. I hope that the next few days aren't too hard on all of you. Is Paul perhaps more available on the weekend at least?

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  6. Thank goodness that someone listened. Like I said NFP only Doctors in my experience tend to be better at really listening to what your saying. Keep me posted. I've been praying for you to get the answers that you needed.

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  7. God bless good doctors! So glad you finally were treated with some dignity and compassion!!! And I'm so glad she is taking you seriously and taking good care of you. Hang in there. Praying for you.

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  8. What a relief to finally know what is going on. I'll be praying for you in this difficult time that everything goes well. Again, I am so sorry for your loss. I was really looking forward to seeing your little one. I guess we'll both have to wait until heaven :).

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  9. So glad you got in to see the NFP doc (love them!) and have answers. I am so sorry that you have had to go through this and have to take the misoprostol. I will keep you in my prayers.

    There is no way I could resist writing the doctor who suggested it was all "psychological" and telling him what really was going on. I frankly think his actions were very close to malpractice; thank God that you haven't had even worse complications than you have.

    God bless!

    Marie

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  10. Wait. I'm confused. No one has done an ultrasound since you miscarried? Seriously?

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  11. They did at the ER two weeks ago but they said that it didn't show anything. When I asked if that meant there was nothing there the doctor paused and said "we don't see anything." The new doctor today did the type of ultrasound they usually do early in pregnancy, and saw it instantly.

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  12. It's good that you finally have some sane answers and suggestions.

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  13. Good luck and I hope it all goes okay. My miscarriages had to have a D&C to get everything out - which was as emotionally bad as it can get. But I hope it all goes well.

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  14. I'm so glad to hear you're finally getting some actual care in all this! Sometimes the way the medical profession treats women's issues is truly abominable.

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  15. I'm so glad you got some reasonable answers. Don't worry too much about the misoprostol. I was given it to induce labor because it's nicer than pitocin as in it's not as painful or aggressive.

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  16. I'm so sorry you've had to go through this, but I'm glad you are finally getting answers. I am still shocked that they didn't do an D&C right after you miscarried. I had a miscarriage, went to my doctor who confirmed the miscarriage, sent me home to see if the bleeding would end on it's own. I was back the next day for a follow-up, found it hadn't stopped enough and was in the hospital 2 hours later for a D&C. I think the way you've been treated is shameful and it gives the medical community as a whole a bad name! I'm glad you have finally found a doctor who treats you with respect and dignity and will help you so you that you can move forward and heal!

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  17. I miscarried at 17 weeks, and they were very hesitant to do a D&C because although the miscarriage was incomplete, the baby was larger than many babies that are miscarried. Cytotec was the choice made, and I didn't regret it. Going through labor was hard, but I appreciated the closure. Also, make sure to go back to the doctor if you start bleeding too much or if you are in too much pain... I didn't, and that was scary for everyone involved. I'll be praying for you!

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