TTC after miscarriage/loss

Hi Rin

I always have a tiny bit of brown spotting a day or so before AF but no more than 2 days before.

Just got back from my first acupuncture. Was nice, and the Chinese acupuncturist was also reiterating that I should put a hit water bottle on my abdomen as much as possible to help with fertility. So will try that tonight while I have my downtime when my son is in bed. I didn't 'feel' much from the acupuncture, but the nicest thing was getting a nice peaceful half hour or so to wind down and relax more than anything. He wants me to come back weekly at moment. Not sure if it's a money ploy or whether it's totally necessary. Will give it a cycle or so and see if helps get a result.

Hi there Talz, I've had regular awesome acupuncture throughout my pregnancies and miscarriages and TTC. They do like to see you weekly in the 3mth period before TTC if you are willing. I think it can make a massive difference in some areas really quickly, and other areas it needs more of a culmative effect.
My lady also likes to see me weekly for the 1st trimester too - but then I have 'issues' with keeping babies so I'm sure it has a lot to do with that.
I trust that she's not just doing it to make money out of me as she goes me discounted sessions and also orders all of my fertility naturopathic supplements wholesale for me! (She's so sweet!)
I hope you get a good result.

Did you end up booking another accupuncture session Talz? Interesting what they said re: the hot water bottle. I remember reading that somewhere else - that it's important to keep the abdomen warm in Chinese medicine.

CD1 for me today. Even though I was pretty sure we weren't gonna have any luck this cycle (given that we only BD'd twice my whole 'optimum time' this month and were just pretty half-hearted about it in general after the disaster of last month) there's still always that tiny shred of hope, and then that utter disappointment when AF shows up - stupid uninvited guest that she is.....

Sorry Rin, hang in there love. Talz, I'm interested to hear about your accupuncture, I'm sure that in addition to the actual therapy, the peaceful half hour or so to yourself does wonders too :)

So I blew up at an innocent woman on the phone yesterday, had a total meltdown. I had a referral from my GP to have a scan to check for retained product, and my GP was pretty nonchalant about it, she said of I was no longer spotting I could go for the scan or not, it wasn't crucial. So I decided to go and was told that I was outside the two week period and it wasn't covered under the "Free for maternity scans" thing. So it's going to cost me $280! I was so angry that my GP didn't tell me it had to be within 2 weeks!

I guess $280 in the scheme of things is not a huge deal but I'm so p** off that no one told me. I'm the patient, it's not my job to find out stuf like this, it's their job to tell me what I need to know, right?!

Oh that sucks Pepi-bebe, I'm sorry to hear that you've dealt with a similar situation too. I understand that as a patient you do have to be proactive about your healthcare and ask the doctors lots of questions until you fully understand what's ging on and are comfortable with the course of action, not just sit there and go "yes, fine" to everything they say.

BUT there is a limit, right? We don't know what we don't know and I DO hold them accountable for actually making sure that we have all the information we need at any given time, whether we are the joyous pregnant women they like to deal with or the emotional ones who have miscarried who they obviously don't like to deal with.

Urghh.

What's the Early Pregnancy Loss clinic? Hey I wonder if doctors are less forthcoming now that we have Google, do they assume that their patients are always up to speed?

I have a nice story to share too, I'm not all ranty today :) my BFF is getting married and I'm a bridesmaid, she's TTC too and there is a possibility that we could to be pregnant at the same time at her wedding, so we're going for a girly nails and shopping day to find pretty dresses that could accommodate a bump!

Quick update from me!

Had my specialist appointment today (rescheduled from yesterday due to emergency c-section). All tests normal including my recent ultrasound (which I didn't know yet) but the genetic testing on me and DH is still pending as it takes 6 weeks! But it's extremely unlikely to show anything given we've had normal testing on one of the babies and problems are rare in the first place.
Long and short of it - nothing can really be done but he did suggest aspirin from before pregnancy (bought it immediately and started it today given I'm in the 2WW already - but only 3DPO) until 34 weeks (Ha! boy does that feel unachievable right now) and progesterone pessaries from the time I get pregnant until 12 weeks.
He also said that if I was super keen there is also the option of adding in clexane injections daily and prednisone tablets (steroids). I decided to leave that for if I have more miscarriages (god I hope not!) and just try aspirin and progesterone at first.
He did say there is no real evidence for any of it so it's mostly based on gut and he did also say chances are next time will be fine with or without the treatment.

So that was what I had expected. Just thought other people on here might find it useful to know without having to wait/see a specialist first.

Glad my ultrasound was normal because that was just after my D&C.... and it didn't show any retained products!!! Woohoo. I assumed as much given I ov'd on Sunday!

Hey NZVeggie, I have a really good article my aunt sent me, she is an obstretrics and gynaecology nurse. Basically it summarises all the research into recurrent miscarriage and says that in otherwise healthy women there is no evidence that anything helps. Which is kind of reassuring and frustrating at the same time! I can try and find it for you if you like.

Mama that sucks you are getting the runaround. I had a scan after my miscarriage which I was free, can't remember the timeline exactly though. Where are you based? The women's clinic at wellington hospital was really great for me.

As for me, I am actually in a happy space. I hope it doesn't seem like bragging to post here but I got my first trimester screening results back and am low risk for chromosomal abnormalities. I'm fourteen weeks today and have been making some phone calls to friends and family. It's weird, this is my first time in this pregancy feeling excited! I'm sure I will have more moments of anxiety but I'm loving it right now.

Hoping for some more of you ladies to be able to join the oregnant after mc group!

Seaview that is so great to hear that you've feeling excited! Enjoy every minute of it :)

Awesome news Seaview! It's great to hear positive updates in here :-) Keep us posted when you reach those milestones. We know hard each one is to reach...

Stink about AF Rin...why must she appear when we knows how unwelcome she is!!!!

Re acupuncture, there was quite a bit of talk about it back in Sept/October in this thread. I tried it for a few weeks and got UTD that cycle but sadly lost that one too. Some people swear by it, and some IVF clinics are even doing studies to see if IVF with acupuncture is of any benefit. In the very least, the relaxation factor has to be good during this stressful time!

Hope it didn't sound like I thought you shouldn't give everything a shot NZVeggie! I think it is a great you have a proactive doctor. It seems from online reading that progesterone is more commonly used in the US than it seems to be here for people who have experienced mc, but then again maybe they are just more active online. My aunt also said that the doctors at her hospital have been quite pleased with aspirin so yes hopefully you will be the success story he tells to his next patient who needs help!

Edited by seaview - 06 August 2014 at 8:13pm