XP from m/c board- tracking HCG?

E&Jhssweethearts

I asked my doctor about monitoring betas, he said he may check in a month or so but isn't "worried" about it. FWIW, I actually never had a beta draw with this pregnancy.

It seems like most of the ladies on the miscarriage/preg loss board are monitored down to zero, any input?

TIA!

sammer818

I was not monitored down to zero with any of my losses. My doctor did one check to make sure my levels were falling after my third loss, but after my 2 d&cs, he didn't check. You can monitor yourself with home tests if you are concerned.

psychmajormom

I have no advice NEITHER one of my docs EVER followed up on my betas.... I couldn't believe it. sorry

klbowie

My doctor has been monitoring my betas.  I have been going in once a week to get blood drawn since March 30.  Mine has been a very slow and long process.  I could not imagine doing this without them checking weekly. If they would let me I would go in daily just to know at all times what my levels are.  I started at 155,203 and as of last week I was at 741.  I just had blood drawn today and waiting to hear back. 

But like PP said, if your doctor doesn't monitor betas you can purchase HPTs and monitor them yourself.  Less then 5 will come up as negative.  GL

KDS1987

I wasn't tracked down to zero, they just did a couple to make sure it was dropping. I followed it with some HPTs myself. I would recommend doing that so if it takes a while for your betas to drop you don't think you are pregnant again if you test later. You can get them cheap at the dollar store, or through amazon. So sorry for your loss.

E&Jhssweethearts

sammer818:

I was not monitored down to zero with any of my losses. My doctor did one check to make sure my levels were falling after my third loss, but after my 2 d&cs, he didn't check. You can monitor yourself with home tests if you are concerned.

I will probably do that in a week or so. Sorry if this is a stupid question (and I'm pretty sure I already know the answer), but would it still be best to use FMU?

ufsandra85

I always have mine tracked but i go to an RE and I am on fertility treatment

katharine25

My d&c 12w loss they didn't track

My 6w natural loss they did, but only because we never saw anything on an u/s and I was terrified it was an ectopic.  They wanted to make sure they didn't go back up, and that everything was eliminated.  

StephNordenmalm

With my D&C back in January nothing was tracked. I went in for a follow up thinking he would, he just did a very quick exam and I was out.  I took a hpt a few weeks later to make sure for myself, since I was waiting for AF. 

I am currently tracking my levels after my natural loss. My doctor was surprised that they were up so high at my first draw so I have been going in every so often to make sure they continue to drop.  

  

killian09

After my natural m/c my doc wasn't going to check them down until they got concerned that it was an incomplete m/c since I had more than one episode of heavy bleeding/passing tissue a few days apart. GIven that concern, they did end up testing until they got <6.

 Of course, after my ectopic pg, HCG was followed super closely, but that's a different story. 

MeganS313

I am having my levels followed down to zero.  On tuesday they were at 98.  The plan was to re-check in a week but not have an appointment again to see the OB/GYN; she would just call me with the results.

I used cytotec to induce my miscarriage since I wasn't miscarrying on my own.  She acted like she was following them down to zero since with a chemical miscarriage you can't be 100% sure everything has passed but with a D&C she knew?!  Not sure if that is correct or not but I'm going with it. 

Your FMU is always the most concetrated so if you're concerned about your levels that would tell you the most concentrated of times what it is.  I'm not sure if it matters either way?  Sorry for your loss. 

Mrs.E.07

I'm having mine tracked down to 0 but that is because I had a strange situation, with a pregnancy in the corner of my uterus. I wasn't a candidate for a D&C or cytotec, and my HCG was rising instead of falling, so I had to get a methotrexate shot.

If you're curious anyway, you can take HPTs, like PP said. I would use FMU.

sorry you're going through this.

s.alarie

I did not have my betas checked; I had a D&C.

It seems like this is the consensus: with a D&C, they know that they got "everything" so there's no need to keep checking lab work. After a natural m/c or a cytotec-induced m/c, they need to make sure that all of the tissue has passed and your body is ready for another pregnancy.

**this is not an official medical opinion, just an observation** 

gravytrain225

s.alarie:

I did not have my betas checked; I had a D&C.

It seems like this is the consensus: with a D&C, they know that they got "everything" so there's no need to keep checking lab work. After a natural m/c or a cytotec-induced m/c, they need to make sure that all of the tissue has passed and your body is ready for another pregnancy.

**this is not an official medical opinion, just an observation** 

This was not the case for me.  The dr just assumed that everything was out, they checked in the office and ultrasound, but never actually checked.