Positive stories pls: Brown spotting, bloods confirm BFP - worrying and nearly 43 (in shock!)

[London1978]

Hello All

I am in shock and I need some advice or any positive stories please, as I am nearly 43 and just found out I am pregnant (@ 5 weeks).

I have tried OE IVF four times and last month I decided to throw caution to the wind and do at home insemination with a donor (April 20th) - I know this is not for everyone. I started getting brown spotting since May 3rd and still am spotting 10 days later. AF never arrived and the home tests were showing negative. I had and still have no symptoms other than not feeling hungry and being thirsty, but I thought this was due to stress. So yesterday, I decided to go for a private blood test, and this morning it came back that I was pregnant - hcg 262, which seems quite low, with the ranges they have given.

I spoke to my old fertility consultant this morning who actually asked me how I did it and she also said, the hcg numbers can be unreliable and all they tell you is that you are pregnant and that we need to see if the numbers are increasing so she is getting me to do a blood test with her tomorrow.

I also suffer from anti phosolipid syndrome so I emailed the thrombosis clinic and the professor told the nurse who called me that I was miscarrying with those numbers!

Does anyone have any positive stories please? It has taken me so long to get here I am worried about the numbers and spotting for this long.

TIA

[JA-fnuk Partner Nurse Fertility Network UK]

Hi London1978 Stay positive! As your old fertility doctor told the blood test will tell the story ie should be increasing Be kind to yourself Thinking of you Janet

[London1978 in reply to JA-fnuk]

Thank you Janet!

[Hidden]

Brown spotting is really common in early pregnancy so I certainly wouldn't think that was necessarily a sign of miscarriage..

I guess all you can do is repeat the test. As someone who has been in your position several times the wait is just maddening but it is ultimately out of your control. All you can do is try and stay calm (impossible I know) as stress isn't going to help you or the pregnancy. Well at least thats what I always told myself.

They won't give you blood thinners until the pregnancy is confirmed as in uterine and viable because if it was ectopic and you had blood thinners it could be catastrophic. Thats what a doctor told me when I asked for them at 5 weeks (I have APS too) but you could take baby aspirin?

Good luck x

[London1978 in reply to Hidden]

They have told me to start taking the fragmin from today as the blood test confirmed I was pregnant.

I am in utter shock...

Did you get brown spotting too?

[Hidden in reply to London1978]

Yes I have had brown spotting in pretty much all of my pregnancies and everyone has said its completely normal so don't panic! x

[Rebecca2384]

Please hang in there and be positive! I went through 3 rounds of IVF, the last one i bled from 10DP5DT up until (i got a positive test at day 14, all negatives before that) 10 weeks pregnant, it was a light brown blood and sometimes a bit pink. Im now currently 35 weeks with that pregnancy and baby and me are just fine. I never had the HCG blood test so i can advise with that. But sometimes the bleeding doesn't mean its bad. Good luck and my fingers are crossed for you. Im also an older mum-to-be at 37 so i can related to the age anxiety. Just try and remain calm x

[London1978 in reply to Rebecca2384]

Thank you, so much x

[Chelsea289]

Hiya so sorry your going threw this my first hcg was 44 then 279 i started staining bleeding and clots from around 5 weeks pregnant im not near 14 weeks with still staining and bleeding sometimes im told my pregnancy is uncertain what way it will go. Ive 2 clots and a puddle off blood behind my percenta but baby seems to be healthy and healthy heartbeat. But im still so scared im having panic attacks and real bad anxiety its so scary. When can u be book in for scan i booked a private scan when i was 6 weeks. My fringers are crossed for you 🤞❤️

[London1978 in reply to Chelsea289]

I am so sorry to hear this, it must feel so lonely. The positive is that you are 14 weeks and the baby is getting stronger. I have everything crossed for you!

I am going to speak to my old fertility consultant after I have had my bloods taken tomorrow, then she will advise on what I should do next. I am sure she will recommend I go for a scan.

Sending love xx

[Chelsea289 in reply to London1978]

❤️❤️

[Hidden]

Hi hun. I don't have experience with any of this but just wanted to wish you luck. How annoying that your consultant, a test and nurse seem to been giving you conflicting information. 🤞🏾

[JoyfulStar]

Hello lovely

Although I don’t personally have experience regarding any of this, I just wanted to come on here to let you know that I am thinking of you and to wish you all the best 🙏🏾

[London1978 in reply to JoyfulStar]

Thank you so much, you have been a real support behind the scenes too x

[JoyfulStar]

You are too kind ☺️ I really do hope it goes well hun ❤️

[London1978]

So, I had a blood test and my figures have doubled. My old fertility consultant has told me to use my leftover progesterone and next week to book in with the early pregnancy unit. The bleeding has tapered off but to be sure I’m going to take the progesterone, as advised.

Thanks for all your kind words and hope ladies. I’m praying for all our baby dust xx

[JoyfulStar in reply to London1978]

That is amazing news! My heartfelt congratulations! ❤️💫🌈

[London1978]

Sadly, it’s looking like a pregnancy unknown location and a possible ectopic after going to the early pregnancy unit. I’ll find out more tomorrow but I’ve got nothing else left in me at this moment 😭 x

[London1978]

Hello, just to update you all.

My bleeding turned to red blood on Sunday. I was due to go to the EPU on Monday (yesterday) for bloods, my levels were rising but not doubling, they had gone from 1082 to 2065 over the week. As the levels had risen they gave me a scan, this time they showed a sac and yolk but they could not see an embryo (they said it could still be too early). They did find an area of bleeding in the uterus and the nurse said it could be a bleed that gets reabsorbed or the start of a miscarriage. Before I left the epu I asked them for a dry pot in case the worst happened, so I could retain anything.

Trigger alert: I went home and I was still bleeding lots of red blood. I started to have dull stomach aches and then I passed a massive huge piece of tissue, which was definitely the lining with the yolk and sac. I was able to collect it and I will now bring it to the EPU for testing as this is my fourth miscarriage so I am hoping they can tell me what has happened. I am now bleeding a little on and off.

Sadly, it was not good news but I feel faintly optimistic that even at nearly 43 (this coming weekend) that I got pregnant.

Thank you for all you kind words and support xx

[Millbanks in reply to London1978]

So sorry to hear this - hope you are doing ok and I love that you are taking the positives from this. Sending lots of love xx

[Sunnydance in reply to London1978]

Sorry to hear about this and hope you are doing ok

[Running79]

😢 sad to hear this! Keep the faith