I took three doses of Misoprostol yesterday at home after being diagnosed with a missed abortion type of miscarriage. My story goes like this... I went in for my first prenatal appt 9/7 and the doctor said there was no heartbeat and the fetus was measuring 6 wks instead of 8. During the next week the doctor checked my hormone levels to ensure they were dropping (they were). On 9/14 he did more ultrasounds (two different technicians) to ensure that there was no heartbeat, then sent me home with the Misoprostol and pain medication. Yesterday morning I took the first 3 pills orally. After about an hour the menstrual-type cramps started and, I am sorry to say, diarrhea too, along with stomach cramps. I took the pain medication then and felt better in about 1/2 hour, but no blood was coming. I drank a lot of fluid and ate some soup because I was really afraid of becoming dehydrated. The stomach cramps lightened up and after about 5 hours the menstrual cramps started. Blood and clots that equalled about one pad every 45 minutes. After 8 hours, I took the second dose of cytotec, but it did not have the huge effect of the first dose (meanwhile I continued the pain meds every 4 hours). Around 11 hours after taking the first dose, the blood came faster - a pad every 20 to 30 minutes - and I started to get concerned about bleeding too much, or falling asleep and passing out. I stayed awake until around 16 hours after the first dose of cytotec (1 am) and got out of bed to take the last dose and use the restroom. Passed one big clot and went to lay down. I slept lightly until 3 am with almost no bleeding since 1 am. Slept the rest of the night with a heating pad and woke up with almost no more bleeding and only mild discomfort. Today the bleeding is very light. I have to recommend that if you take this medication, you commit yourself to staying in a reclined position ALL DAY - except for the minor trip to the kitchen or bathroom. I found that the bleeding did subside a little if I did not walk around. I am interested in hearing the experiences of others and I will post back to this page next week if anything unusual has happened after the follow up ultrasound to ensure that my uterus is empty. My doctor wanted me to use these tablets because I was under 9 weeks pregnant and the risks associated with a D&C are slightly higher for scarring, infection, and problems with general anesthesia. It was nice to be home, but I was getting scared around hour 11, but that was the "hump" and the rest has been better. ↓
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Name: Alison | Date: Sep 17th, 2005 8:24 AM
Sue I am so sorry for your loss and all you have been through. It still amazes me that so often women are given these pills and then sent home-I live in the UK and have suffered 3 miscarriages. As I always wanted to avoid surgery and was told each time it could takes weeks to happen on it's own I took the pills to make me contract. Where I stay the maternity hospital have a ward for women miscarrying or threatening to, when you take the pills they keep you in while you take them to keep an eye on you and give you pain relief. They also examine you every so often to check your cervix etc. I too found it extremely painful with the pills the worst pain ever-really strong contraction pains and lots of heavy bleeding with clots. I didn't have diarrhea but was sick. Each time I passed the baby & sac after the 2nd dose but continued to have contraction type pains for several hours after. Each time I bled for approx 1 1/2 weeks afterwards and the 1st AF came 4 weeks after the miscarriage started. Each time they also scanned me before leaving hospital to make sure everything had passed. Again I am just so sorry for your loss and all you have been through it really is awful and as glad as I was to avoid surgery I found it horrendous taking the pills. My miscarriages were 9 wks (baby died at 7 1/2wks) 8 1/2 wks (blighted ovum) & 10 wks (baby died at 7 1/2wks) I pray neither of us have to go through that again and that we will have a healthy pregnancy and baby next time. Was this your first loss? Most women go on to have a healthy baby after 1 miscarriage-I wish you every blessing. Take care xxx ↑
Name: Sue S | Date: Sep 23rd, 2005 8:46 PM
Took me a couple days since my final u/s appt (9/20) to post a follow-up, but I am happy to say that my uterus looks normal and the doctor said I could ttc again after af. All and all I guess I was fortunate that I didn't have any complications with the medication. I would have to say that it's sort of a toss-up if I would recommend it to a friend. Both D&C and cytotec have their pros and cons. Me personally, if I was ever in the same situation (please no!!!), I would take the medication instead of the surgical procedure...and I would take it very easy and stay home (which is close to the hospital). Alison, thank you for responding to me with your story. I am so sorry that you have had to go through this. This was my first miscarriage. I am 37 and I am blessed with two healthy, young children. I wish you the best, if you are still out there, let me know... I would like to ask you some other questions. ↑
Name: Diane Gregg,L.M. | Date: Sep 28th, 2005 11:33 AM
I am researching Cytotec for an article in my second book and I have a news alert about it on my website: inspiringbirthstories.com
Sue and Alison both I am so sorry for your losses. I am a midwife in private practice, mother of four and grandmother of one. I am writing books of birth stories from my practice. Many young women seem terrified of birth . The risks with Cytotec are rare but very serious including mothers dying. Please be careful.
Best wishes for a healthy pregnancy and birth. Diane ↑
Name: Alison | Date: Sep 28th, 2005 1:31 PM
Hi Sue I'm still here-been busy at work so not able to post as mcuh as I would like! How are you holding up? I'm glad there were no complications and your uterus looks ok. Scans show mine does too thankfully. I was told there were no possible side effects from the pills I took so am now wondering if they were the same thing or not? I think they must be though or at least something very similar? I am pleased to hear you have 2 lovely children! That does not make your loss and grief any less though and again, I am so sorry. I wish you every blessing. Feel free to ask me any questions. I will hopefully be back soon..take care xxx ↑
Name: C.R. | Date: Oct 1st, 2005 10:54 AM
I'm on my 5th unsuccessful pregnancy. I had a D&C 14wks, natural at around 6wks, blighted ovum w/ cytotec around 11 and cytotec at 7.5 weeks. The first time with cytotec I think the dose was too high. I was told to take them vaginally and within the hour I thought I'd die from pain. Talk about diarrhea! In July they gave me a lower dose and it was not nearly as bad b/c I didn't get the diarrhea. One thing I have learned after all these m/c is that no matter how much you want to sleep your life away, it's when I stand up and move around that I bleed and when I'm resting I don't. So, the more often I get up and when I get to a day I want to move around, the sooner the m/c completes itself and I can get on with af. ↑
Name: Illyria | Date: Dec 2nd, 2006 8:57 PM
Hi all,
Im so sorry for everyone's loss. I am a 40 year old woman, and had a natural miscarriage last month (10/2) after being 4 weeks along.. I became pregnant again right away, and went in for my first appt. and the sac seemed empty so my Dr. did an HCG level test. Sure enough they were falling. I took Cytotec that day (Thursday). 1/2 hour after my first 3 pills severe cramping set in along with chills.. I didnt get any stomach problems, but felt like I was getting the flu and was in a lot of pain. I started taking the pain meds after 3 hours when I decided that the cramps were not getting better. I started spotting right away, but it was brown, and very light. The cramping continued as I took the next set of 3 pills 6 hours later. They didnt make me feel as sick the second time. The bleeding did not intensify however, and I didnt even change one pad the first day. By the next morning, after my last dose of cytotec the bleeding started to get less and I have only gone through one pad. I am worried that I didnt have a full miscarriage because according to all sources I should have bled a lot more. Its now Saturday and I havent even changed my panty liner, but the cramps continue. I will find out on Monday if this was a successful miscarriage. Wish me luck... ↑
Name: jill-78 | Date: Dec 3rd, 2006 9:39 PM
Hello....I also had a missed miscarriage. My dr also gave me Misoprostol (Cytotec), but he inserted them vaginally. I got a fever and diarrhea. I had slight cramping 8 hrs after and then one big cramp. I went to bathroom and a small clot came out. After that I just had slight bleeding and slight cramping. I did not need to take the pain medication. I went in 3 days later and my dr did an u/s and the baby had passed. Because I didn't have much bleeding the dr gave me another dose of Misprostol vaginally. Two days after that I had another small clot come out, but other than that just slight bleeding. My dr is now having me go in weekly to get blood tests to check the hCG levels. Four weeks later they are down to 16, but must be at zero, so I go in again next week. I still have not gotten my period and am waiting since I would like to try again. Hope this helps and good luck to you, Illyria. ↑
Name: jessie101 | Date: Dec 17th, 2006 7:58 PM
I had a my first pregancy which resulted in no heartbeat 2 weeks again. I go tomorrow for a dose of cytotec. I just had cervical surgery in July (have healed perfectly) but my dr. thought it could cause more problems to operate again so soon. I hear that the med causes labor type pains, but I have never been pregnant before and don't really know what to expect. I would appreciate any insights you might have. Thanks. ↑
Name: Illyria | Date: Dec 27th, 2006 1:47 AM
Hi all,
Just checking in. I ended up going to the on call Dr. 4 days after my first doses of the abortion medicine. She did an ultrasound because I was having really bad cramping again, and there was still a part of the embryo left inside me. She gave me another dose of the meds and sent me home. This time they were vaginal... Ugh.. to have to go through it again. It made me bleed a little more, but not much.. Then 5 days after that after intercourse a very large piece of tissue came out. I think it was done. I went to the Dr. a couple of weeks ago and my HCG level was at 8. Im now experiencing cramping, similiar to period cramps... but light and persistent. Could I have ovulated as late as 3 weeks after my first round of pills even though I still had tissue left in my uterus? We used protection until Dec. 18, and my first round of pills was on Nov. 30th... Im so sorry for everyone going through this. It is the most painful experience. ↑
Name: Anna13 | Date: Sep 12th, 2007 1:17 PM
Thank you Sue for sharing your experience. I am getting ready to go through the same thing. It seems that my pregnancy never really developed. So this morning on my way to get one more ultra sound, I was spotting blood. I was probably about 8 weeks. We just never saw anything develop in the sac. This is my third miscarrage in a row and really did not want another DNC. I will take you advice and take it easy. ↑
I will be starting the same process on Friday 9/28 and I'm grateful to be able to read about your experience with the Misoprostol pills because I now have an idea of what to expect. My story is exactly the same ( # of weeks preg etc...) I'm still pretty nervous. What has happend since day 2-3? Thank you ↑
Name: sandralop | Date: Sep 28th, 2007 6:32 PM
Hi all, I should be 9 weeks pregnant but I have been diagnosed with a 5 week old blighted ovum. 3 hours ago I took the 4th dose of misoprostol medicated by my dr to m/c. (I have been taking them every 6 hours, starting yesterday). I have felt pain and cramps, but not much blood has been coming out. I really don't want a d/c.... what do you recomend?? ↑
Name: jlbko | Date: Sep 29th, 2007 4:15 PM
Our baby was diagnosed with no heartbeat at my 8.5 week appointment on September 5th. They started me on Misoprostol on the 10th - 3 pills vaginally. That afternoon I started bleeding and had cramps, but everything was really light. Two days later I inserted 3 more pills. Nothing much ever happened. I had some bleeding and then nasty brown sludge (sorry, gross) for several days but not very heavy at all and only one or two clots. 8 days after starting medication (12 days after miscarriage diagnosed), I went in for an ultrasound and nothing had really passed. I had a D&C September 19. I felt very very frustrated (who can't miscarry successfully?) and felt like I had wasted a lot of time with the medication for nothing. The D&C was fast and I was under general so I never really even knew what happened. I thought the waiting game of the drugs was MISERY and I hated having to "watch" for the baby to come out. The emotions were too much for me. I would do a D&C quickly rather than try the drugs. I just felt like I wasted two weeks and I now could be 2 weeks closer to trying again. The process felt never ending. ↑
Name: kayla f | Date: Oct 15th, 2007 2:35 PM
Hi Sue,
My baby was diagnosed with no hearbeat at 10 weeks. I was sent home with a prescription for Misoprostol and took two pills vaginally, within two hours I was having severe cramping and then about an hour after the cramping started I passed what looked like the size of an egg, which I assume was the baby in it's sac. It was a pretty emotional time and was difficult to see your baby come out that way, I had bleeding for almost 13-14 days after. I would not want to go through this ever again and if I had my time back would have chosen the D&C. ↑
Name: sadlytrue | Date: Nov 22nd, 2007 11:53 AM
I had never thought a lot about medically induced A. While on the pill, I became pregnant last year. I was not in a position at all where I could support a child, and it would not have been fair to bring him/her into the world. My doctor gave me misoprostol. I was told to go home, insert 4 vaginally, and lay on the couch with my feet elevated. I had no idea what I was in for. About 5 hours later it felt like I was going to have really bad diarreah.....so I would sit there.....and nothing would happen. Another hour passed, I started to run a 103.3 fever, I was shaking uncontrolably, was sitting with the diarreah while vomiting in a bucket. Large amounts of blood were passing, and finally a large clot. This whole process lasted if I remember correctly about 14 hours or so before I could actually lay in my bed and catch a few hours of sleep. If anyone is going to be taking misoprostol for pregnancy purposes, I would really suggest that you have someone there to care for you the whole day and night because you will not be able to do it alone. Take care to anyone reading this, and remember, don't be scared. It sounds really aweful, but you will make it through. You have to be strong. ↑
Name: beth523 | Date: Nov 30th, 2007 9:50 AM
Let me begin by letting everyone know I had a panic attack the day I found out I was going to have to do this. I was incredibly scared of not knowing what to expect. Then I read the stories of those who had done this and became 10 times more freaked. I even had to call my care provided be reassured I wouldn't die from this. I even went as far as asking her if she felt it was necessary to be admitted to the hospital. She reassured me and said it was safe so here starts my story. First, I made sure I had someone here with me so I called my mom (I'm 26). I took 800 mg of Motrin at 6:30 AM on Nov. 28th and I began my 1st dose of cytotec at 7:30 AM. I had to place 4 200 mcg tablets into my vagina. At 10:30 AM, I began to feel minor period cramping with a small amt. of brownish blood. I passed 2 dime sized clots. Then an 11:30 AM major cramping began. Out of 10, I'd say they were about a 6. I took one Lortab 5mg and 45 mins. later the cramping was relieved. I kept taking the Lortab every 3-4 hours to ensure the cramping would stay minimized. I was able to eat a 12 inch sub sandwich, a bag of chips, and drink soda during the entire process. I NEVER got diarrhea nor did I spike a temp. I did vomit once just a little but I think that was b/c of the additional Motrin I took with the Lortab doses. (The midwife told me to take Motrin 800 mg every 8 hours....I don't recommend this...I know that is why I became pukey...). I remained comfortable all day and would sometimes forget that I was inducing an abortion. I NEVER saturated a maxi pad. I changed them about every 2 hours just for cleanliness sake. If I was not concerned about being hygienic, I probably could have worn the same pad for about 6 or 8 hours. Around 7:30 PM I went to go check my bleeding and pee and I passed a lemon sized sac. It was not painful, it just felt kinda weird. I was very relieved to know that this was over and I would not need a D&C. After I passed the gestational sac, my bleeding picked up slightly. I took another Lortab around 11:30 PM and slept through the night. I woke up the next morning and I was feeling fine. No more need for any pain meds and my bleeding was minimal. It is now the 30th and I am still bleeding very slightly ( I could switch to wearing a panty liner vs. a maxi pad.). I am so incredibly thankful that my cytotec experience was not as unpleasant as I thought it was going to be. Knowing what I know now, I will not fear becoming pregnant again b/c I feel like I could take cytotec again if I had too. I would recommend getting your care provided to give u a prescription for Lortab 5mg. I would not have made it with out them. Those pills were my saving grace through this whole process. Having my mom here was also a MAJOR help. I know everyone's experiences are different, but if you are nervous please try not to be. Be strong, make sure you have someone supportive with you, and take Lortab every 3-4 hours. You will be okay and my prayers are with anyone who has to go through this. ↑
Name: Lnngirl | Date: Dec 5th, 2007 4:39 PM
Hi beth523, Can you tell me after you took the cytotec pills, how long do you bleed until you dont you any pad any more? ↑
Name: annaka | Date: Dec 10th, 2007 11:49 AM
Hi Lnngirl, I am on day 19 ... (day 1-3 was when i took the cytotec) and it seems to be less now but still going. It takes time. It had been gradually getting less and less but then last Thursday & Friday suddenly it was like the first day again (large pieces of tissue - sorry if tmi) - they say this happens because your uterus is returning to normal size and if anything is left, it will push it out. I'm curious to know how long it lasted for anyone who has finished this sadly long process, so I too can know when it might finally end : ) I was at 12 wks but baby stopped at 7. ↑
Name: Lnngirl | Date: Dec 11th, 2007 1:40 AM
hi annaka, Did you took the pill by mouth or vaginal? I took my pill vaginal, My doc subscribe me 4 pills, 2 pills then 2 hours later 2 pills. The Doc think i should take by vaginally for faster to pass clots faster. I am about 5 days and still bleeding. Also putting the pills in early in the morning around 7 am so when the night come, you could get better sleep with the calming pain. ↑
Name: annaka | Date: Dec 11th, 2007 9:29 AM
Hi Lnn, I took them vaginally, 4 pills once a day x 3 days. This was the treatment prescribed by the ER of a different hospital than my own. Yesterday I went for ultrasound and bloodwork at my regular doctor and there was still material in the uterus, the technician and radiologist were making some weird faces but basically said my doctor will evaluate along with bloodwork to see what's going on so i'm a bit nervous waiting for results. I hope everything is easier for you physically, just make sure they follow up with ultrasound some time in the next few weeks, I think I will have to get a D&C now (wish they would have done it in the first place). I;m not so sure about this cytotec stuff. ↑
Name: californiamama | Date: Jan 19th, 2008 9:59 PM
Sue, i am very sorry for your loss also. i read your post, and subsequent others, and i have to thank you all for your information...bc it led me to make a much more informed decision for my miscarriage. I was 6 weeks pregnant with a heartbeat, etc, and by 6.5 weeks there was no heartbeat anymore. this is my 3rd miscarriage in a row. my doctor said i should just do the D+C and get it over with. i was a wreck bc i had 2 previous D+Cs and they were traumatic. i say that bc i am very uncomfortable with needles and i was very upset with being injected with vallium and instantly having the room spin and i felt the cold liquid in my system and my ears rang and everyone sounded a mile away in the room. i just don't like to be out of mental control like that and i definitely didn't want to be put under general anesthesia when it wasn't necessary. So i convinced my doctor, and doula who was in the office with me, to try and miscarry as "naturally" as possible. they sent me home with 10 pills of cytotec and i started that medication immediately. that was monday. by tuesday i was cramping heavily and had slept very little. it was painful and drawn out and added to it i got diarrhea and even by thursday never any blood. i read everyone's post here and realized i could be looking at more pain plus 2 weeks of bleeding going this route. that could delay my desire to get back to health and try for a baby again as soon as possible! so i called my doctor and doula back and scheduled a D+C for friday. I explained to them how traumatic it was for me to be put under the usual sedation. in the end-i did the D+C, and i have to say, it was absolutely the most positive experience i could have possibly had despite having to cope with a miscarriage. my doctor usually gives patients btwn 35 and 50 units of vallium. for me, he started with 5! and slowly, a few minutes later, he gave me another 5 units--a total of 10. FAR below the normal amount. i felt very very little pain, the room never spun, no one felt a mile away in my ears, there was no cold rush of fluid i could feel in my veins, and it was painlessly finished within 10 minutes. i was up and walking around within 20 and healthy enough to host my cooking club dinner party with my girlfriends that night that i had the unfortunate timing on! but its been a full day later, i've had very little bleeding, no cramping or pain whatsoever, and i have the added bonus of sending the embryo off for genetic testing to help me going forward to make better fertility choices--i pray i never have to have another miscarriage again, and that no one else has to experience 3 in a row like this! but if it should happen again, i will do the D+C hands down. it was far less painful, and with almost no vallium, it was completely comfortable and bearable. My doctor was superb to listen to my fears and adjust his normal doses to give me very little vallium. it turned out to be the best decision i could have made. i hope this helps other women who have to make this decision. Good Luck to all of you faced with managing a miscarriage-and may you all move on to healthy pregnancies in the future! ↑
Name: Michelle499 | Date: Jan 22nd, 2008 7:23 PM
Hi all, my miscarriage happened a few months ago and I am pretty much healed emotionally so I can now share my personal experience with cytotec. I was given cyctotec to soften the cervix before a D&C for a missed miscarriage at 12 weeks (fetal demise was at 11.5 weeks). I was told to use it at home and then rush to the hospital for a D&C once any spotting or staining started. At 7:00 PM I inserted four 200 mg pills intervaginally. My doctor had said that cytotec is very unpredictable and that I should be prepared for anything once I inserted them. I went to lay down on my bed, and within one hour I started to feel like I was getting my period. I called my doctor and he said that I should take whatever I take for period cramps plus more and that I should RUSH to the hospital the moment I saw any blood (since the hospital is 40 minutes away) and that I shouldn't eat anything or drink anything since he was going to perform the D&C with general anesthesia the moment I got to the hospital. I kept checking for staining but there was nothing. I fell asleep at 1:00 AM. Suddenly, at 3:00 AM, I felt the biggest gush of water. My water had broken. I had previously placed two towels underneath me but it still went through all the way. The moment that happened, I called my doctor all panicked. He told me to calm down, wrap myself in a towel, and get the hell over there and that he'd be waiting for me. (P.S. I love my Dr) My husband and my father drove me and it was the most surreal car ride of my life. I felt like I was in labor, like in the movies. Except it wasn't for a live birth, it was for a dead one :(. I was in pain the whole way there. But it wasn't TOO bad, it was just regular bad. On a scale of 1-10 it kept swinging between a 6 and a 2. When we got to the emergency room at 3:45, my towel was soaked in blood. The rest of the story is all peachy pie, everyone was so nice to me, I was taken to my doctor right away, and put to sleep for the D&C. My biggest fear was that I would pass the fetus in the car and be scarred from the memory for the rest of my life. Thank god that didn't happen. Bottom line, my experience was very positive. However, if my doctor wasn't amazing or the staff at the hospital wouldn't have been so nice, I think I would be saying something different. I guess if you're scared about being in the car when it happens, you could always insert the cytotec in the hospital and just sit in the waiting room and run to the emergency room once it kicks in. Cytotec vs. the lamera sticks (is that what they're called?) is a better bet if you ask me since it's less risky long term in terms of damage to the uterus. Hope this helps someone out there! Good luck and Im sorry you had to be reading this. P.S. The reason I opted for the cytotec is because I didnt want the sticks put inside me, and the reason why I opted for the D&C is because I wanted to expel everything as fast as possible so that I could TTC again as soon as possible. Had I just used the cytotec, there would have been a chance that some tissue got left behind, and that I would still need to schedule a D&C. The chance of that happening was not something I wanted, thats why I had the cytotec + a D&C. ↑
Name: jen70 | Date: Feb 1st, 2008 9:25 PM
I read this and it really helped me prepare for my own misoprostol-induced miscarriage, so I swore that I would write up my experience as well. I discovered a blighted ovum at about 8 weeks (counting from LMP). This was Jan. 3rd. The empty sac grew to about 2.5 centimeters with no evidence of an embryo inside. My dr. told me to wait 2-4 weeks for it to naturally miscarry but I really didn't want to wait that long. Plus I read online that blighted ova are much less likely to naturally miscarry. I had no signs of miscarriage at all. No spotting or cramping at this point (though I had spotting at around 6 weeks that just stopped after a few days). So 1.5 weeks later I decided to try misoprostol (Jan. 14th). They told me to take it at night and just go to sleep but I had heard it could be quite painful so I took it (800 mg - 4 pills by vagina) in the morning, around 11 am. I wanted this to take place while my Dr. was still in the office. I felt nothing for 3.5 hours and then I felt cramping pain (no bleeding). I had been given a narcotic, vicodan, for the pain but I didn't take it right away because i wanted to be able to monitor the true pain. I took ibuprofen only. Then in a matter of minutes I felt much much worse so I took the Vicodan. But I think it took some time to kick in because I just felt worse and worse and finally I was beside myself with pain. I couldn't keep still. I would use the toilet with diarrhea and rock back and forth in pain. Then just lie down on the floor in the bathroom and rock back and forth. It was so horrible that at one point I thought I just couldn't do it. It's the worst pain I've ever felt. My boyfriend was there but i couldn't handle him touching me. He just sat there and watched me while I writhed in pain. I had a little tiny bit of spotting but that's all. Possibly because I was mostly lying there on the floor and not sitting up. After about 45 min to 1 hour the vicodan kicked in fully and i was able to move to the couch and lay there, still very much in pain but calm enough to stop rocking. I fell asleep after a few minutes and woke up with more pain about 2 hours later. I took a second Vicodan and again felt better. If I had to do this again I would take the Vicodan RIGHT AWAY at the first sign of cramping. The pain I felt was excruciating until the Vicodan kicked in and then I was able to be still and take it. I took more Vicodan 3 hours after that (the pain was really starting to come back) and then the cramping subsided. However, the odd thing was that through all this I had a bit of bleeding but not a lot and no clots had come out. Around 11 pm at night I had a couple of big slabs come out. I say slabs because they were quite firm and unlike normal period clots. 1 X 3 inches or so and about 1/2 in or so thick but quite firm. I think I also saw a small grey shriveled sack. Very easy to miss -- all shriveled up it was about 1/2 the size of a small pea. That was it. Bleeding only after that, I went to the dr. 3 days later and they said it looked like a complete miscarriage, but i still had some lining left that she thought i would shed normally. She also did a pelvic exam and found some additional odd pieces of riggly material stuck in my cervix. She pulled it out. Then she tested my hcg which was about 1800. I continued to bleed a bit (not much). 11 days later my hcg levels were 17 so the Dr. thinks this is evidence that I really had a complete miscarriage. I had really doubted it that first day (night) because I had had so little bleeding during the day and just a couple of large clots came out 12 hours after taking the medicine (which seemed late to me). I was very demoralized and then the first read of the ultrasound was that it was incomplete because of the lining still present. But the dr. thought it was not POC and just normal lining and would come out naturally. I continued bleeding/spotting for about 2 weeks total, from the day of the medication.
Anyway, I thought my experience was a bit unusual and might help people not worry if they experience something similar. Also, be sure to ask for a narcotic if they don't offer it. I don't know what I would have done without it. I would have gone to the ER for medication, but moving would have been horrible.
Good luck to everyone. This forum helped me prepare for mine. ↑
Name: alilscared | Date: Feb 2nd, 2008 1:04 AM
Hello, I was doing a search on this drug and are glad to have found this forum. Thank you all for sharing such intimate parts of your experiences and giving others the opportunity to hear what its like. Although miscarriage is so common, I never thought it would happen to me & here I am, have told the world how happy we were to find out we were pregnant, and now have found ourselves at what should be a pregnancy in its tenth week, a baby who I guess "died" at 6. Fair this is not. Anyhow, because we are to play the hand that we are dealt, please allow me to share my experience with you as I have the misopro.. Whatever.. Sitting here at my bedside. Its almost 1am and ive had the pills since yesterday. My boyfriend I it'd be better to take them tonight since I wouldn't have to work tomorrow, but after reading all of your stories, I think its best to wait until the morning so I can at least get some rest before this.... Event. Googling the drug all day has not benefitted me anywhere near as much as you all so I feel its only right to share my experience for females who go through this in the future. Although there are many mixed experiences, one things for sure- I guess I'm anticipating the pain.. U are all alive to talk about it so I guess I will be too. I will try to come back as often as possible to update, and although I'm not religious, I am spiritual, so if anyone feels me, please continue to infect all going through this with the utmost positive energy :-) thank you all for reading. "Alilscared" ↑
Name: alilscared | Date: Feb 2nd, 2008 8:37 PM
hello again, just an update... I took the 4 pills vaginally this morning around 8am. It is now 12 hours later and nothing much has happened, just a little cramping and very light bleeding. Perhaps I may have to take the next dose. Hope it works. ↑
Name: alilscared | Date: Feb 5th, 2008 4:21 PM
Hello again, I guess I had no luck with this medication. There has been only slight bleeding and mild cramps. Perhaps Im just lucky not have had the pain?! I will go to my doctor this week and find out if I need the D&C or if things are moving along as they should, maybe just at a slower pace? ↑
Name: alilscared | Date: Feb 22nd, 2008 8:52 AM
Hello again, I know it has been a while but I have not forgotten to come back. The medication did work/is working.. just slowly. a week after taking it, my blood test showed preg level at 15,000, a week later 5,000. I will go back again next week and hopefully it will be at 0. All Ive had is some extremely light bleeding and no other cramping past the initial two days. Maybe Im lucky, who knows. Thank you all for reading and good luck to anyone having to go through this. It may not be as bad as you think. "ALS" ↑
Name: saddenedexpectantgrandma | Date: Feb 22nd, 2008 11:09 PM
Hello Sue. I'm so very sorry to read about your loss :( I agree with Alison about the doctor sending you home with pills to take and NOT admitting you into a hospital. UNREAL!!! Everything now-a-days is so rushed! Even when a woman has a c-section they give 2 days, maybe 3 for major surgery. When it's vaginal it's the next day depending on the time. But when there's a m/c and there's meds involved and bleeding like you experienced...well I was horrified to read your being home during all of this. SHAME ON THE DOCTORS! Thankfully you're OK!!!! ↑
Name: sammyky | Date: Feb 24th, 2008 3:08 PM
Hi, ladies. Sorry for all of your losses. Just wanted to share my experience with cytotec as it was positive and I would repeat it if I had to. My husband played a huge role in the decision; if I hadn't had his support, there is no way I would do it again. We'd been ttc for over a year. We found out at 13 weeks that the baby had not grown since 7.5 and there had never been a heartbeat. I still felt incredibly pregnant and when I was offered a D&C, I wouldn't even consider it! I was afraid that I would always wonder if the US was wrong, if maybe the baby just needed a few more days, etc (not rational, but definitely pregnant thinking!). My husband supported the decision. 2 days later, cramping started and 4 days later, light bleeding (1 pantyliner/day). This continued for 2 weeks and was very uncomforable; I went back to the MD with full understanding that this pregnancy was not viable; I'd had 2 weeks to pray about it and deal with it on my own time. But waiting longer could have posed a threat of infection and the cramping would probably have gotten to the point where I wouldn't be able to work through it (we own a private practice PT clinic). I asked for Cytotec and he was surprised; he never perscribes it for home use but did it for me, telling me what to watch for, etc. Friday night, I inserted 4 pills vaginally at 11pm. At 2 pm, I woke up with a burning, twisting feeling right above my pubic bone and strong low back cramps. I took 2 of the pain pills he'd perscribed (hydrocodone/APAP) and walked VERY slowly on the treadmill for 20 minutes until they kicked in. Curling up or lying still seemed to make it worse. I was able to then go back to sleep for a full hour. The next morning, I got up to pee and some large clots came out and period-like bleeding started. I didn't see anything that looked like an embryo, so I repeated the dose the next evening and we curled up under the elecric blanket and watched a movie. When the cramps got bad, he held my hand tighter and got my pain medicine in between. It's like labor contractions, I imagine, the way they come & go. Then, I soaked thru the pad and had to get up and change. He got up to help me. When I wiped, the embryo was on the tissue. I cleaned up and went back to bed. Now I'm just bleeding lightly. No way would I have let someone else do that to me, no way would I have wanted to endure hospital waiting rooms, unfriendly strangers, and trying to hide tears from a waiting room full of people while waiting for a D&C. No way would I have wanted to have anyone "take" my baby from me, although I can understand how some women need to have it done as quickly as possible. I wanted it to happen with just my husband and I, just like I'd want a healthy birth to occur. No hospital lights, no strangers, no waiting rooms. We both agreed we'd do the same if we had it to do over again. Hope this helps for those not convinced they want a D&C. Prayers to all of those TTC! ↑
Name: AbbieH. | Date: Feb 25th, 2008 6:21 PM
I experienced a 9wk miscarriage/delivery of products of conception over the weekend and found much comfort from stories cited here. Many thanks to those willing to share.
My experience with Cytotec wasn't horrible, and I hope to offer some depth of reassurance for others following. Wednesday, I took 2 doses orally first, 6 hrs apart; after 24 hrs & no results besides menstrual cramping & intermittent nausea, I called my md. He advised taking one last dose intravaginally on Friday. I administered them at 9:30 am, rested all day, had intermittent spotting, & by 7pm severe low back pain and abdominal cramping started. I went to the toilet and the first thing that fell was the embryo & tiny placenta. Intense cramping & bleeding continued all night, so much I couldn't sleep. I soaked my sheets in blood the couple of times I dozed off. While I'm still bleeding, I must admit it's tapered off immensely. I never had vomiting or diarrhea.
Again, my experience wasn't as bad as I'd prepared myself. Certainly no one wants to deal with losing a baby & the death of dreams for a sweet unknown. I can't seem to stop crying for very long; I agonize not knowing who my baby would have been. But if I had to deal with this circumstance again, I most likely would choose Cytotec.
My suggestion is thorough consultation/communication with your provider. I have ultimate faith in my fantastic md; hopefully anyone reading this will as well. Much good will and many blessings to anyone experiencing loss of a baby, regardless of gestational age. ↑
