Blood testing?

annieco13

Hi all!  I will be 5 weeks on Tuesday and after my previous losses, my Obgyn said I could have blood testing to check hcg levels- and maybe administer progesterone if needed.  I am on the fence about going tomorrow and was wondering if anyone had any success/not success stories they might be willing to share? 
 
*tw* with my last loss I went to get an initial hcg because of some spotting, and ended up miscarrying that same day so it seemed like there was no real point.  Things felt very different that time around than they do presently.  Prior to that I had a MMC around week 10, discovered at our first us, so I am a ball of nerves as expected.  End *Tw*

rachelredhead

@annieco13 I’m so sorry for your losses and your current stress. HCG testing is such an emotional roller coaster. I had two prior losses so went in this time (currently 13w pregnant) to get hcg levels @ 5w in hopes that seeing appropriate rises would calm my nerves. My first two losses hcg did not rise well and was our first signal things were off. This time, my first blood draw was only 27, which was very nerve racking, but everything did increase at the proper pace. But that 48 hour wait was so hard! 

If I had it to do over again, I wouldn’t go in at 5w because the numbers can be so scary and low. I’d wait til I was closer to 6/7w for a blood draw. Based on the result, you might be far enough along to schedule an early ultrasound to confirm a uterine pregnancy. 

I don’t think there’s a right/wrong direction here. The question is really will a proper increase reassure you enough to outweigh the stress of the test, the stress of waiting the 48 hours for the repeat, etc. Best of luck to you!!

annieco13

@rachelredhead thank you so much for the response.  I’m so sorry for your losses, and wish you the best this time around!  

I did end up going in and got a very encouraging call from the dr. She mentioned it all looked spot on and that I can go in for an early us next week if I would like to, so now I’m wrestling with that decision ha. But I am feeling more at ease and overall happy I went.  Cautiously optimistic that it’s meant to be this time! 

FyreFlyeRush

@annieco13, this is a little late to the game, but I'm going to add my experiences in a TW below. For this pregnancy, I chose not to have any blood work done. As @rachelredhead mentioned, it's an emotional roller coaster. I'm currently 37w2d pregnant, and while the first 20w were excruciating, I don't regret choosing not to know my hormone levels. (I had all other blood work done) I'm so very sorry for both of your losses. It's a club membership I wish on no other woman. 

TW

I've had it go both ways. With my 2nd pregnancy, I had a GS measuring 5w3d when I should have been just under 9w along according to LMP. I have long cycles, but knew I should have been further along than 5w3d. We did my HCG and progesterone levels, and while progesterone looked fine, my HCG went from 6K to 10K in 48 hours. The OB wasn't optimistic a week later, and encouraged me to "push things along". BUT....when he did the ultrasound, there was a little bean, measuring EXACTLY 6w3d with a solid heart beat. I delivered a happy, active, and healthy baby boy. He's now a very advanced, playful and loving 7 year old who adores his older sister and is driving us bonkers asking when his new brother will get here.

With my third pregnancy, the NP suggested doing hormone levels ahead of my first appointment. My HCG came back great! The numbers were tripling. My progesterone was at 9. I was placed on progesterone supplements (another dramatic roller coaster). When I went in at 7w3d, I had a GS sac measuring 5w3d (deja vu, anyone?). Only this time, I knew the numbers were right. I had to have my blood drawn again. Then wait for several agonizing weeks as Christmas caused the office to be closed. I finally called, since they didn't call me, only to be told to come in. My levels had gone from 27.6K to 28.1K in 48 hours. I went in, supposed to be 9w6d pregnant, with a sac measuring 6w3d. There was a flicker of a heart beat, but it was so weak, the doppler couldn't pick it up. My OB was visibly upset when advised she couldn't schedule a D&C until we knew more, which I respect and understand. I naturally miscarried a few days later. I swear, she was just as heart broken as I was, although we both knew where things were headed. In hindsight, the HCG gave me false hope. I foolishly believed as long as those numbers were doing what they were supposed to, everything would be fine. And the progesterone...well, there are studies that show it can delay a miscarriage. I might have miscarried a lot earlier if my levels hadn't been artificially increased, saving my partner and I WEEKS of stress and torment. The loss is hard enough on couples without the added roller-coaster. 

annieco13

@FyreFlyeRush thank you so much for taking the time to respond.  What a rollercoaster indeed!  My first was a MMC and lasted from April- until getting the all clear in September- after so many visits to make sure everything had passed and that it hadn’t been to early etc etc.  I never even knew that it was possible to have an empty gestational sac and was honestly shocked at that first appt.  It was a terrible experience that I wouldn't wish On my worst enemy.   

How amazing that your second worked out, and you trusted your intuition. 

Ive decided I’m not going to go back for the second blood test for the reasons you stated above.  I’m trying to just put faith in what will be will be and praying that I get more symptoms daily.  A test to any going to change the outcome.  There is nothing that will put me at ease until I see/hear that little heartbeat so I’m going to chill out (or try to!) until that day which is hopefully a little over 2 weeks away. 

I hope you you have a smooth remainder of your pregnancy and delivery!