My doctor explained everything yesterday, but I would just like to hear what its like from people who have been through it (if you don't mind sharing). I know the answers vary for everyone, but I just feel like if I know a little more I will feel a little better. My main question is how long did you have to wait for it to happen? What was it like when it happened? How long did you bleed? How long did it take for AF to come back?
Re: For those with an MMC who waited to miscarry naturally
I'm so very sorry for your loss. I, too, had a missed m/c, which was discovered at close to 11wks (baby measured close to 7wks). I was only just beginning to spot at that time, but my OB was certain it'd happen within the next week. He wound up being right - bleeding started a few days after we discovered the loss, and the actually m/c itself happened a couple of days later.
I don't mean to scare you, but there are a few things I wish my OB had told me (and hopefully this won't be the case for you): 1) I bled A LOT. A lot a lot a lot. Actually, a scary amount. Over the course of close to 12 hours I continually passed large clots (sorry if TMI). It got to be so bad that I was dizzy and light-headed and nearly went to the ER. DH was terrified. I later found out from my OB (who I wished would have thought of it sooner) that my previous anemia got really bad as a result of the blood loss, and that's probably why I felt so faint. So, if you already suffer from iron deficiency, bear in mind that the blood loss can make it a lot worse - your Dr. should be able to advise you on it. 2) Get some painkillers and take them before the pain really starts. 3) Get those overnight pads that could pass for diapers. They really help.
Again, I don't mean to scare you. I'm thinking that it was so bad for me because of my anemia, but I just wanted to put it out there. I think a lot of girls express frustration that their OBs said "heavy period" when, in fact, in can be a lot worse, as far as blood loss.
All of that said, I'm still glad I did it naturally, and not just because of the $ I saved in hospital bills. I felt in control of the situation. I felt like it was something my body was supposed to do. I liked that it took place in my own home. If I had it to do all over again I still would do it that way. I bled for only a day or two after the m/c occurred and AF arrived 4 weeks later, to the day.
HTHs.
:::::::hugs::::::::
Both of mine were missed followed by a natural m/c without any medicine to speed up the process. *Unsolicited advice* ask your Dr for pain killers if you can.
The 1st & 2nd one were exactly the same for me, even to the days of the week that it happened. I started spotting lightly on a Monday, light spotting with some non spotting days mixed in, Thursday brown spotting (almost like the start of an AF), and then Friday a lot of blood, some clots, Saturday contractions with a lot of clots passing along with the sac & baby, Sunday some clots passing. This 2nd time I went in for an u/s that following Monday and all that was left was some tissue that has been passing for the past two weeks.
The Dr diagnosed me with a missed m/c both times, but I think a true missed m/c is one where the process never starts naturally. The second one we had no indication, I went in for a normal appt and he told me it was going to happen. The process I described above started exactly one week after that appt. The heart had stopped beating 2 weeks prior to that. So a total of about 4 weeks from when the heart stopped beating to the actual passing.
the doc already prescribed pain killers for me