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"Just Barely" Pregnant PS''ers

Thanks ice, lili, cara, dc, laila, and lanie.
Lanie, thanks for the shout out, since everything is so positive and exciting over there right now, I didn''t really want to scare anyone or share my issues there. Basically last week when I had the minor spotting, they had me come in early for a us. Normally, I''m not quite sure when it would have been done in my practice. since I measured behind last us, they scheduled another to do during my "first ob" appt...which was what they call your first appt.at 6 weeks.
There isn''t a whole lot of info out there except of boards, about what having no yolk sac means. By my LMP I''m 6w4d. By the us I''m 5w4d. No biggie, I could have ovulated later. The part that has me worried is the absence of the yolk sac. I''ve found a few studies online that suggest a yolk sac anywhere between the >8mm to >11mm mark with no yolk sac probably means it is anembryonic, and the embryo never grew inside the sac.
The doctor and NP said that my dates could be off, blah blah, but how does that explain the fact that there is a growing GS with no YS!?

To top it all off, the doc who did the ultrasound said, "do you still want your ob appt or just the bloodwork?" She didn''t explain to me that this might not be viable, so I''m just kinda angry now. And the NP didn''t give me a prescription for prenatals, even tho they asked me where my pharmacy was...I mean, was she flustered by the results? If its not viable, ok, fine. Let me know. Don''t tiptoe around it. I mean, it won''t just be fine, but ill be able to start greiving or moving forward.
I did realize no matter what I''m not sticking with this practice for my ob appt no matter the outcome. They have a rotation of 6 CMW who can deliver you, and no docs do delivery unless necessary. Id like to find a smaller practice. If possible, oh you know, meet the person instead of a different person seeing me each time asking the same questions. Grrrrrr.
 

Charbie, I''m sorry you feel like your docs aren''t being straight-forward with you. I''m like you and appreciate the "tell it like it is" attitude as well. I think docs have yet to adjust to how savvy their patients have become so they don''t want to tell you anything until they''re sure what''s going on. Here''s to hoping your cycle timing wasn''t what you thought and you have a healthy bean growing in there!


Lean on those fur babies and your DH during this wait. I hope everything turns out okay.

 
Date: 4/15/2010 8:36:23 AM
Author: puppmom

Charbie, I''m sorry you feel like your docs aren''t being straight-forward with you. I''m like you and appreciate the ''tell it like it is'' attitude as well. I think docs have yet to adjust to how savvy their patients have become so they don''t want to tell you anything until they''re sure what''s going on. Here''s to hoping your cycle timing wasn''t what you thought and you have a healthy bean growing in there!



Lean on those fur babies and your DH during this wait. I hope everything turns out okay.


Ditto.

Also, a lot of OBs don''t write scripts for prenatals anymore. The OTC ones are just as good as the Rx and about the same price as your average generic co-payment. I''ve been taking the generic One-A-Day prenatals from CVS and I like them a lot. They''ve got the vitamin and a separate DHA pill, 30 of each for about $16.00. Oh, and the DHA is vegetable derived so they don''t give you fishy burps, which I''ve heard can play a factor in triggering m/s in some women.
 
Pupp: I just don''t like them making me feel stupid. I mean, honestly, when you tell a patient things aren''t where you would like to see them, following it up with a "but that doesn''t mean anything" is the wrong thing to say. And then don''t tell me that my GS is large enough that I should have a YS, bc no matter what you say, I''m going to google it. I don''t care, we''ve all done it. So give me the facts or ill go to the internet and find out, and do know that I grew up with the internet, and know the difference between the information a mommyblog tells me and what a scientific journal tells me. If a journal tells me that a sac is considered anembryonic after >10 mm, that''s a pretty decent source, and I''m going to want some answers.
The GS was at 6.7 mm last week with no YS...why wouldn''t they have drawn blood then to compare this week??

I''m taking a mental health day from work. I called my boss this morning and told her I would come iin and talk to her later. Well, later came and I still felt like bawling, plus I am so easy to read that I''m sure everyone would know somethings up, so I called her back and told her everything. Poor blindsided boss. She was so understanding, said to just take the day for myself bc I''ve worked insane hours over the past week, and not to worry about a thing. She was like, "I''m so sorry I don''t know whether to congratulate you or offer my condolences, or what I can do for you! It will all be fine, no matter what."
Whew.
 
Charbie, I agree...they''re approach makes no sense and it''s unfortunate. I''ve definitely become an alarmist because I feel like doctors so often say things mean nothing when in fact, they do. This IS science after all. Everything means something.

Good idea to take the day off. I would have done the same...sometimes you just need a break from the insanity.
 
Charbie,

I am really sorry for what you are going through right now. The uncertainty, the not-knowing, is devastating in and of itself. Time will tell. I know there is no solace in that. I am so glad that you were able to take the day off today. It is sometimes hard to keep it together at work, so I'm sure you felt some relief in telling your boss, and I'm glad she is so understanding.

It is too bad that the dr's office did not do blood work last week, but perhaps they did not suspect anything might be wrong at that point? The results of your blood work will tell you whether your beta levels are doubling appropriately, which will tell you if things are going well. I hope they explained this to you. I'm sorry that you are having a hard time dealing with your doctor's office. I switched ob/gyn's because I was not happy with some of the comments that my doctor made and overall did not feel comfortable with her office. I am very glad that I did. This doctor came highly recommended to me, but everyone has different expectations and needs. It is important to find someone that you feel is answering your questions and addressing your care.

Take it easy today, Charbie. I will be thinking of you. Sending you lots of dust and hoping everything turns out ok and all of this worry is for nothing.
 
Oh man charbie...that sucks. I don''t know what to say. You never know...you could have your dates off, but like you said, why isn''t the yolk sac growing. I''ll be thinking of you tomorrow for the blood draw. Will you get results tomorrow as well or will they have to wait til Monday?
 
Charbie, just dropping in to send big hugs your way. I know what it is to feel uncertain about if things are good or bad...the 2 weeks during which I didn''t know if my little bean would make it or not were sooo hard. Unfortunately for me, things DID turn out bad, but I am sending all the healthy sticky baby vibes I''ve got to you!!! Remember, ultrasound measurements are not an exact science...it''s really hard to pinpoint the difference between a couple millimeters...really, it''s ultrasound-operator dependent. Maybe they measured your GS at 11mm when in actuality, it''s less than 10. Just try to hang in there...I know it''s hard. *HUGS*
 
Oh charbie I'm so sorry its so frustrating. I got super-annoyed at the midwife after my miscarriage. Seems like a lot of the stuff she was telling me was not science-based, and I am a science-based kinda person! I think the medical people have a hard time conveying bad news, especially if it is not definitive, so sometimes they just don't which sucks. At my first miscarriage appt, the doc and midwife were pretty good, as they did convey that the news was mostly bad with just a smidgen of chance that the dates were all off and things would be fine in a couple of weeks. They also didn't mess around with prenatal prescriptions or anything, even told me to take ibuprofin (which in my going-well pregnancy they say is a no-no) probably because the odds were so poor on the first one.

Anyway, bad medical care provider issues aside, there is little to do but check your blood levels and ultrasound again in a few days. And mentally prepare. If it ends up being a no-go pregnancy just know you are in the company of many many women before you, the vast majority of whom go on to have healthy and normal pregnancies subsequency. It is sadly common, and just a risk of the procreation process. Hang in there! Its really out of your hands, for better or worse.

Oh, extra stuff. Just take the OTC prenatals if you aren't on any now rather than waiting for your doctor. Most important is the folic acid pre-conception and extremely early on, so waiting for your first appt with a doc is too late. Oh, and I do take the plant-based DHA and do sometimes get fishy-burps. Its the DHA itself, not the source, that gives the fishiness. I skip it if I'm feeling supernauseous as it is a trigger. But taking it just *before* a meal works better than after a meal or empty stomach. Ugh... fish-burps. Gag me just thinking about them!
 
Yeah, I work in the medical field, actually in a nursing home, so dealing with loss is a very regular occurance for me. Meaning, I have to report daily if anyone in my nursing home looks to be in critical condition so we know a bed will be empty. Cold, harsh, sure. But its part of my job.
My pregnancy symptoms that I even had are pretty much gone. Can''t really say I''m nauseaed, my boobs aren''t sore, no bloat anymore, and I don''t feel thirsty like I did before. Right now I think I''m preparing myself for the worst, but hoping for the best. It may all be in vain.
I''ve been taking otc prenatals. it isn''t really the fact that she didn''t prescribe the prenatals that upsets me. Its the fact that it was an expectation, they tell you that is part of the first ob appt, and then don''t broach the subject. She didn''t offer samples, when the nurse told me she takes the samples they are given from reps bc it makes her hair and nails healthier. She never even asked which ones I''m taking. She had to call me back an hour after I got home to ask me questions about my husband and my family history of birth defects, bc she forgot to do so while we were there! And mind you, this is a very large, highly recommended practice.
There will be a silver lining. I know there will be. I just want to make it through the next few days, bc they clearly play a big role the the rest of my life.
 
Oh, Charbie, I understand your frustrations. I hope you get the answers you are looking for and hope there is good news coming to you soon~
 
Oh Charbie, big big hugs. I''m sorry about the way your appointment went....I agree that I would have been hurt at their lack of offer to give you some sample prenatals...like they just assume that you won''t need them. That adds insult to injury, and I''m sorry. Just try to stay positive....I too obsessed about whether or not I was having symptoms anymore....just remember that not all women have many symptoms at all this early. Things could still be OK. If they''re not, it is indeed out of your control, like Cara said. Just take care of yourself and remember that you didn''t do anything wrong....early MC''s are sooooooo common. I know it doesn''t make it any easier to know that they''re common, but just know that there''s a whole group of us here who have been there and who will be here for you if things don''t go so well. AND we''ll be here to celebrate with you if you get good news!!

Do something nice for yourself tonight...get in bed with a good book and some hot tea (or whatever feels good to you).
 
charbie- So sorry there are no definitive answers yet. I can certainly understand why you would be so upset and frustrated with your office. My guess is that they just really don''t know still what the outcome will be and they sort of hedge until things seem more clear. Still hoping for a sticky bean for you!
 
Charbie
How are you? As many have chimed in, you are in the presence of many women who have been where you are. I too know what its like to feel lost with emotions not really having an idea whether you are coming or going. I’ll be thinking of you, your husband, and the little bean.
 
Date: 4/15/2010 10:05:13 PM
Author: luvinlife
Charbie
How are you? As many have chimed in, you are in the presence of many women who have been where you are. I too know what its like to feel lost with emotions not really having an idea whether you are coming or going. I’ll be thinking of you, your husband, and the little bean.
thank you. i sincerely appreciate all of the support that has been offered here...its helped me so much.

so this morning, i woke up and had to get some blood drawn. for a fleeting moment before i left the house, i was about to toss my cookies- something i haven''t experienced so far...so that was a bit of a glimmer of hope, actually! i ate a granola bar and some water and felt better...part of me wonders if it was just nerves tho.
i had the blood draw, and they didn''t have the results still from wednesday. they said they will have them today, but that they won''t have my results from todays draw to compare until monday, so no word on what it means. either way- i know there is a possibility of miscarriage without your numbers dropping. i asked for the exact measurements of my US on Weds- the GS was 11mm x 6.7mm. so now i guess i have to wait until monday- and at that point find out when they want to do a repeat US.

i''m back at work, EXTREMELY busy, so hopefully will be able to keep my mind off of things and concentrating on work.
 
Charbie,

That possible M/S sounds like a really good sign. I hope that it means that you are still okay. Btw, did you ever imagine you would be thrilled at the thought of tossing your cookies, lol
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As for the annoying doc''s office, I hope that they will get your some good results today and Monday. I will continue to keep you, DH, and the little bean in my thoughts and prayers.

Big (((HUG)))
 
Charbie--
The m/s sounds promising.
Fingers crossed that you get good news Monday.
 
I don''t comment on this thread normally, but I wish you luck Charbie - this is such a stressful situation for you to be in
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Charbie, let us know an update. I hope everything is ok. How far along are you?

For those who can remember, did you feel mild cramps/pains/stretches a lot during the early part of your pregnancy? I feel queasy and I know that''s normal, but I just have some weird activity going on down there. It''s never painful but just weird. For example, the part of your thigh it meets your pelvis, that has some stinging. Like the tendon area there. And I don''t know...just weird twinges all the time that come and go. Is this normal? I keep googling ectopic thinking I might be missing something there but I have no bleeding and I''m not doubled over in pain. I hope someone chimes in and knows what I''m talking about and can tell me to callllm down!
 
Oh the odd pains of the first, second and third trimesters!!

yes, I had pretty regular mild cramping up until about 6-8 weeks. I noticed a definitely correlation between the cramping and needing to go to the bathroom or pass gass.

The tendon thing I also have too. I get it more when I''m sitting at my desk chair. Our office massage therapist gave me a great stretch for it, which involves lying on the floor on your back, with a pillow under your shoulders for support if you need it or are further than 16-18 weeks. Then put your feet up on a couch or something so your knees are bent at a 45 degree angle. Then take one leg and with it bent, relax it and drop it to the ground. This will really stretch out the ligaments in your groin, hip and inner thigh. Be careful not to overstretch because our ligaments are looser right now than usual and it''s easy to hyper-extend.

The ectopic pain you''re having I also have. It sometimes feels like Bunkalina is sitting right on my left ovary. This pain has been around since the beginning and my luteal cyst was on that side (we all have one in the ovary that released the egg. It''s not really a cyst in a bad sense, it feeds the embryo until the placenta develops). Anyway, This pain is a little sharper than the cramping feeling and it comes and goes. For a solid month it would KILL every time I went to the bathroom. However, I think what it was is the uterus adjusting its position after your bladder or colon has been emptied. It was quite painful at times, enough to make me wonder if there was something else going on, but from what I can tell from reading, it''s pretty common and nothing to worry about.

Just the standard PSA about pain. My doc has told me that there are two really good ways to judge pain and when to call. Assess it on a scale of 1-10. 10 being the worst. Call immediately if the pain is an 8 or higher and call immediately if there''s pain between 5 and 10 if it''s accompanied by fever, body aches, or bleeding or unusually large amounts of clear fluid coming from the vagina. Obviously, call immediately if there''s any blood at all!

The other method is a little more subjective and works on the cramps, etc. If you experience just plain mild to moderate cramping, manage it as best as you can. If it''s painful enough or around long enough for you to have the urge to actually take something like IBU then call. Basically, if they''re as painful and consistent as standard menstrual periods, call. Normal cramps should be manageable and intermittent.
 
Charbie-hugs honey! I hope you''re feeling a little better. Re: the heartbeat etc. It''s really early still. Just give it time. Symptoms come and go all the time. I never got m/s at all and I''ve heard that m/s is a good sign of your betas rising, which means VIABLE! Stress is the worst thing for you right now so find something to keep your mind off it and try and put your trust in your doctors for the time being. If you still feel "off" about the practice after this, find someone else who suits you better and be sure to mention your concerns when you meet with them. I think sometimes docs aren''t sure how hands on to be with patients who are already sensitive and overloaded with information. however, if you feel you''re receiving substandard care then you should seek a new practice sooner rather than later.
 
Lanie, I had cramps around week 5 that were worse than my menstrual cramps, worse than when I miscarried, way bad. It was like a charlie horse of the ute. It was super-tender, I didn't want to button my pants or anything. No bleeding, doc said totally fine, just lots of changes going on down there. It did help get me an early ultrasound
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Thanks HH and Cara! It''s not bad just weird...it kept me up last night. I''m not sleeping well. But I will stop worrying! I just haven''t read anything positive about cramps/twinges, so both of y''alls posts were reassuring. I will try those stretches Hudson!
 
Lanie- I''ve had on and off cramps/pain (never severe and always went away) since my BPF and the babe looks great so far! It''s definitely normal. Your uterus is getting ready for the long haul
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Lanie, I too have some cramping on and off. Plus kind of a sore feeling in my abdomen area, like I did 100 sit-ups or something.
 
Date: 4/17/2010 12:11:40 AM
Author: Lanie
Charbie, let us know an update. I hope everything is ok. How far along are you?

For those who can remember, did you feel mild cramps/pains/stretches a lot during the early part of your pregnancy? I feel queasy and I know that''s normal, but I just have some weird activity going on down there. It''s never painful but just weird. For example, the part of your thigh it meets your pelvis, that has some stinging. Like the tendon area there. And I don''t know...just weird twinges all the time that come and go. Is this normal? I keep googling ectopic thinking I might be missing something there but I have no bleeding and I''m not doubled over in pain. I hope someone chimes in and knows what I''m talking about and can tell me to callllm down!
This sounds completely normal. I had this with my LO and it completely freaked me out b/c I had just had 2 m/c and the cramping and tenderness and sharp twinges started almost immediately after my +HPT.

This pregnancy there is nothing. Not a cramp, twinge, m/s or even tender boobs. I joke that if I dont start showing soon I could end up on that show "I didn''t even know I was pregnant".
 
Laila--you hit the nail on the head with the sore situp feeling! Hahaha. I have new heartburn feelings now. I described it to my hubs bc I''ve never had it before.
 
Lanie, have you Googled ''round ligament'' pains? That is what it sounds like. I had them from week 5 until almost week 20 on and off. It''s supposed to be your tendons/ligaments stretching as your uterus prepares itself and grows. It wasn''t necessarily painful but it was uncomfortable and some days/nights it was definitely hard to just ignore, and I would get them on one side then the other a few days later, the pain would last a few days then move then stop for a while.

Since it was my first pregnancy and you have no idea how things should feel, I pretty much attributed anything ''weird'' feeling to the changes your body is going through, but it is hard to not worry.

Charbie, I hope your results come back with positive news, hang in there.
 
So DH and I saw the heartbeat this morning at our first ultrasound!!! I am 6 weeks 1 day today, and we're having a singleton. It was SO amazing seeing that little flicker pumping away that I cried.
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We got to take home pictures too!
 
Laila, great news! Isn''t it weird that your entire bean looks like a blinking heart? A few weeks from now he/she will look like a gummi bear! DH decided our gummi bear was a girl but at 20 weeks we found out "she" is a boy!

Charbie, I''ll be thinking of you today. I hope you get some definitive news today and it''s of the good sort!
 
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