Empty sac but promising levels? - UPDATED!

snpomranin · October 2013

I went for my first ultrasound on Monday morning and the doc thought my uterus 'felt' about 6-8 weeks and I thought I was at 8 weeks based on my lmp. We went to the abdominal ultrasound and there was a sack, but no baby visible. He said I either had an early miscarriage or that I was just earlier than expected and thus we can't see the baby yet. Hcg levels on Monday were 48,000 and 68,000 today. My progesterone was 27 on Monday and they didn't retest it. Has anyone had something similar happen? Everything still feels normal, no bleeding or strong cramps, just the period-like ones that seem normal. I'm going back in next Thursday for a vaginal ultrasound. Limbo sucks!

ns1 · October 2013

I went on Tuesday and they only saw an empty sac. I think I was only 5 weeks and 3 days based on a + OPK. So I get to go back next week too. This limbo does suck. I agree. I've read that if you're too early though it's not uncommon. Best wishes to you.

lauralou3x3 · October 2013

When I was 5w2d I had one and couldn't see anything in the sac besides the yolk sac. Had one at 6w1d and could see the baby. A few days makes a big difference!

pistolpackinmomma · October 2013

Either you are earlier than you thought or you may have a blighted ovum. I had a BO my first pregnancy and it's a real mindfuck because you're pregnant but there isn't a baby. I had to have a D&C because my body thought there was a baby in there. I hope your just earlier than you thought!

busterbeagle · October 2013

Could you ask for another beta draw between now and Thursday? Your progesterone is really good and I know betas slow down at some point, but I'm not sure when. I did a lot of googling on it because mine were barely rising last week, but got mixed information. I hope you see a heartbeat with the transvaginal u/s next week. I've had m/c scares go both ways. This time, baby was perfect even though my betas were concerning to my OB. The first time, I had an empty sac even though my uterus felt about 10 weeks, and my betas were dropping rapidly, resulting in a m/c.

snpomranin · October 2013

It is very strange to have all the symptoms without knowing if there's actually something in there. Ugh!

mrsbtobe20122 · October 2013

mattsgirl2004 said:

Only seeing a sac could have something to do with the fact that an abdominal u/s was used instead of a vaginal one. Abdominal u/s's aren't nearly as sensitive at this point in pregnancy, especially if you're not quite as far along as you thought. Hopefully the vaginal u/s will show a beautiful baby with a strong h/b! Good luck!

This is exactly what I was thinking.

shortnstumpy · October 2013

mattsgirl2004 said:
Only seeing a sac could have something to do with the fact that an abdominal u/s was used instead of a vaginal one. Abdominal u/s's aren't nearly as sensitive at this point in pregnancy, especially if you're not quite as far along as you thought. Hopefully the vaginal u/s will show a beautiful baby with a strong h/b! Good luck!

This exactly. When I went at 6 weeks 5 days all they could see was an empty sac. They did an internal and BAM there was baby with heartbeat. Same this happened today at my 8 week scan. I was told I have a retroverted flexed uterus so it's difficult to see abdominally and all scans until 12 weeks would need to be internal.

artichoken · October 2013

why didn't he do an internal right then? strange

ecinereb · October 2013

Good luck. I hope you are just earlier than you think and you see the baby next week.

pistolpackinmomma · October 2013

Ok I missed it was an abdominal ultrasound. That seems strange. I've never had an abdominal one until 12+ weeks other than when I was sent to a MFM at 10 weeks with my son but they tend to have the best of the best.

snpomranin · October 2013

So we moved the appointment for the vaginal US up to today because the wait was killing me. I was convinced going in that there was nothing inside the Ges. Sac after reading too many similar posts and losing hope. I went to a perinatal center that has much better equipment since my Dr. doesn't have a vag. US and they sat me down immediately to do another abdominal one... THERE WAS A BABY (well, more like a grain of rice)!! The heart beat was ~130. They said that I am only 6-7 weeks pregnant, which is why the doc would have had a hard time finding it last Monday. I'm relieved and super surprised since i had convinced myself that the worst would happen. Now I want to tell EVERYONE, but I know I should still wait. I also feel like this has been enough to go through and I shouldn't have anymore issues now Right?

KateBee · October 2013

Great news - congrats!

MrsOfficer2u · October 2013

Congrats! Great news!

lildarling76 · October 2013

Congrats!

Ziegeficker · October 2013

snpomranin said:

So we moved the appointment for the vaginal US up to today because the wait was killing me. I was convinced going in that there was nothing inside the Ges. Sac after reading too many similar posts and losing hope. I went to a perinatal center that has much better equipment since my Dr. doesn't have a vag. US and they sat me down immediately to do another abdominal one... THERE WAS A BABY (well, more like a grain of rice)!! The heart beat was ~130. They said that I am only 6-7 weeks pregnant, which is why the doc would have had a hard time finding it last Monday. I'm relieved and super surprised since i had convinced myself that the worst would happen. Now I want to tell EVERYONE, but I know I should still wait. I also feel like this has been enough to go through and I shouldn't have anymore issues now Right?

Great news!!! At my first ultrasound, I was measuring two weeks behind, too, so I'm hoping that my story is a lot like yours. They were able to find a baby (barely) and a heartbeat (yea!!!), but the 2 week discrepancy scared me. I'm glad it's working out for you, this gives me hope for my situation :-)

ajsweeton · October 2013

Wonderful news!! Congratulations!

QOTR · October 2013

great news!

snpomranin · October 2013

I'm not really sure what's going on with the 2 week discrepancy, but I don't care! I chalk it up to my unusual cycle. As long as there's a baby in there with a healthy heartbeat, I'm happy