How long can you stay stalled?

GhanimaAtreides

This is my 3rd loss, 2nd consecutive. Last Thursday at 5w5d I had started cramping and bleeding. Doc confirmed the urine HCG was back to negative already. Blood HCG is pending. Had "medium"-level period bleeding Thu & Fri but more intense cramping. This weekend I barely spotted, zero cramps.

There is no freaking way "that was it". My first loss in 2002 was at 5wks with cytotec and I had extremely heavy bleeding and 3 golf-ball-sized clots throughout the night and still needed a D&C for retained products sometime later when my uterus was so full of pus and infection it was the size of someone who was 4 months along.

My more recent loss last summer was a Class III hemorrhage and instant ER situation requiring a D&C at 9w2d.

So while I'm grateful to finally have a normal at-home process, I'm not sure how it's supposed to go. I figured the bleeding would go until it was done. Is having entire days off normal this early? Is 5w5d considered chemical? I've just never bled this little and been done. It's so confusing.

BrightenMySky

Sorry for your losses.  I had a missed miscarriage, d&c, and then retained material (cytotec & passed naturally, eventually), so I cannot provide any insights from my experience.  However, I hope your doctor is not dismissive of your questions and you can get whatever answers you need from her/him.  Would getting a transvaginal ultrasound to see if there is retained material be an option, if that was something you wanted?   

Wishilivedinflorida

Ugh no @GhanimaAtreides !! I'm sorry you are back here. I agree that a transvaginal ultrasound would be helpful here, especially with your history. I would guess your symptoms may be in the realm of normal if your lining was thin and the pregnancy didn't progress much at all from implantation. It's hard to say without direct visualization.

I can't really provide insight from my experiences. I had two D&C's. The first one was preceded by a huge SCH and lots of bleeding that stopped, and the second was only ever brown spotting before the MMC was discovered.

I'm so sorry for your losses. This sucks.

amberruka

@GhanimaAtreides I'm so sorry for your loss. I hope you get some answers soon.

Glitter

Im so sorry for your loss. Ive had 3 losses also. I agree with pp who said an internal u/s. I think it could help ease your mind and confirm youve fully miscarried. My first loss at about 5 weeks was natural and I bled a lot for 3 days but continued moderate bleeds for awhile, then spotted for about a week. I could tell though exactly when i had my af.  I had a lot of clots for the first 3 days of my mc, then light clots from my af, but dr said its just my body completely clearing itself. 

I  hate how confusing this all can be. I hope you find some answers and im sorry for your losses. Hugs.. 

GhanimaAtreides

Thanks ladies. My family doc confirmed my blood HCG went from 62 at my pregnancy confirmation appointment (13dpo) to 14 at Thursday's appointment (CD1/23dpo).

My referral for miscarriage follow-up with the OBGYN finally went through insurance and the family doc had to first fax over everything from the last two appointments, and I'm waiting for the OBGYN to review and then their scheduler will call me back. Then I assume I'll get a transvaginal ultrasound and I want to request cytotec/misoprosol/whatever it is to expedite. I'm scared they won't give it to me with my history of hemorrhage though, but I don't want to risk Asherman's with a 3rd D&C either. 

Still no sign of progressing miscarriage. Maybe 5 drops of blood since Friday. Figured since I wasn't bleeding I could go back to charting my cervical position, very high/soft/closed. I figured if I noticed it opening I'd have some heads up of something starting naturally.

If they do see something retained on the ultrasound, does that mean clinical vs chemical pregnancy ending in miscarriage?

Wishilivedinflorida

I think if they see any "products of conception" on ultrasound that makes it clinical miscarriage. Chemical pregnancy by definition is detected by beta only. From the sounds of your betas, it is quite possible nothing would have been visualized even before the loss and it may be classified as chemical. Either way, it's another loss and I feel so badly for you. 

I hear you on not wanting another D&C. I have had two myself and can't help thinking that if I have another loss, I'm not sure what I'll do. I hope you don't need any further intervention.