Don't know where to post this....

[firestar]

I figured I might get some info here though.

The thread in the women's personal section, and one about miscarriage in marriage ministry got me thinking and worrying a bit. My question is... how do you know if you've had a miscarriage?

Two weeks ago, I got my period for the second time that month- which is not all that usual for me. It started with spotting on Tuesday night which stopped, and by Wednesday afternoon I was having intense cramping so that I could barely stand. When I got up from my desk to go to the bathroom ( I was wearing a skirt) my leg felt sticky/wet. When I got to the bathroom and pulled my skirt up I found that I had a sizeable piece of bloody tissue halfway down my leg- despite the fact that I had a pad on as a just in case. The cramping when I have my periods generally does get pretty bad, but doesn't last long. This lasted all day. But other than that, I didn't have any "weirdness" and I chalked it up to an abnormal cycle (I never really keep track of my cycle to the calendar day).

Could this have been a miscarriage? In any case is there any way for a doctor to tell?? From family history, each woman on my mom's side has miscarried at least once.

Any insight would be appreciated.

 

[jazzbird]

From, my experience, I'd say, probably not, but I'm not sure I'm understanding all the information correctly. When you were bleeding and passed some kind of tissue, was this only a couple weeks after your period? If so, it wouldn't be a miscarriage because your body wouldn't have had enough time to ovulate and start growing the baby.

You can definetely have a m/c without knowing it if it happens early enough, though. One of my miscarriages happened at 4.5 weeks, only a couple days after my period should have started. If I hadn't gotten a + test, I would have just thought my period was late. With that one, the bleeding was just a little heavier than normal and a little more crampy. No tissues were passed because it was so early. With my later ones there was definetely no mistake as to what was happening.

 

[Linnis]

When my periods were bad, I passed clots all the time. They seemed to miss the pad often enough too. I was a teen so I know it wasn't a miscarriage.

So I don't think it was a miscarriage if you are used to this as your "normal period".

Yes, miscarriages early enough do happen and unless you keep a real close eye on your periods you'll never know it. I try not to worry about that though.

I suggest you look into regulating your periods with something like Evening Primrose Oil.

 

[firestar]

From, my experience, I'd say, probably not, but I'm not sure I'm understanding all the information correctly. When you were bleeding and passed some kind of tissue, was this only a couple weeks after your period? If so, it wouldn't be a miscarriage because your body wouldn't have had enough time to ovulate and start growing the baby.

You can definetely have a m/c without knowing it if it happens early enough, though. One of my miscarriages happened at 4.5 weeks, only a couple days after my period should have started. If I hadn't gotten a + test, I would have just thought my period was late. With that one, the bleeding was just a little heavier than normal and a little more crampy. No tissues were passed because it was so early. With my later ones there was definetely no mistake as to what was happening.

Two to three weeks after the first "normal" period was the approximate time frame.

 

[firestar]

When my periods were bad, I passed clots all the time. They seemed to miss the pad often enough too. I was a teen so I know it wasn't a miscarriage.

So I don't think it was a miscarriage if you are used to this as your "normal period".

Yes, miscarriages early enough do happen and unless you keep a real close eye on your periods you'll never know it. I try not to worry about that though.

I suggest you look into regulating your periods with something like Evening Primrose Oil.

It was actually really distressing (although at the time I didn't even think of a possible miscarriage) because my clots are always tiny and this was huge in comparison and with the blood smeared all over my thighs I was like- !!!.

But I guess I'll never know for sure- if I'm understanding what you and jazzbird are saying if you don't know for a fact that you were pregnant to start with you won't know for a fact if it's a miscarriage- especially that early on. I've actually started to do the second to last part of what you're saying though- As of the last period I'm charting my cycle to get a better understanding of it.

Thanks for the responses

 

[Leanna]

It could be, if the first "period" was actually implantation bleeding and was lighter than usual. Its also possible to pass a twin, and then the second one two weeks later. Of course this is all speculation and its probably not a miscarriage, but maybe not knowing is better?

 

[firestar]

It could be, if the first "period" was actually implantation bleeding and was lighter than usual. Its also possible to pass a twin, and then the second one two weeks later. Of course this is all speculation and its probably not a miscarriage, but maybe not knowing is better?

I hope charting my cycle will start to make sense to me ... my periods are always light- actually I can't even use a tampon because there's not enough flow to absorb and they typically last three days like that.

Maybe not knowing is better... kinda tough to swallow though. To be really honest, I thought that I couldn't get pregnant (haven't been on bc for years and haven't gotten pg) so we kinda got resigned to that fact and then got used to our lifestyle. We enjoy kids, and have a great relationship with nieces nephews and such but thought it wasn't for us so built our lives accordingly with no regrets. So even though it probably wasn't- it brings up conflicting emotions. I'm scared that if I don't know for sure what it was, that it could happen again (which saddens me incredibly) and I'm equally scared that if it didn't happen it's a confirmation that I CAN'T conceive. I'm equally scared to go to a doctor for medical confirmation because it would seem so final (without knowing I can have a vague hope). I know I'm making very little sense here

Okay so what would an exam entail to determine if I'm sterile and the likelihood of conception?? I'm a huge chicken and *these* types of appointments majorly freak me out.

 

[Linnis]

It was actually really distressing (although at the time I didn't even think of a possible miscarriage) because my clots are always tiny and this was huge in comparison and with the blood smeared all over my thighs I was like- !!!.

But I guess I'll never know for sure- if I'm understanding what you and jazzbird are saying if you don't know for a fact that you were pregnant to start with you won't know for a fact if it's a miscarriage- especially that early on. I've actually started to do the second to last part of what you're saying though- As of the last period I'm charting my cycle to get a better understanding of it.

Thanks for the responses

Blood clots, I've had clots the size of glof balls when I was 15-18 and I wasn't sexually active.

I suggest you start charting your periods. On a calender, mark the days your period is also other info like how heavy, if there are cloths, severity of the cramps. The more info they have the better than can treat you. They will probably run a pap and pelvic to check for any abnormalities, take urine and do blood work.

You may have something like an over-active thyroid or something else which can be corrected with medication.

The only thing I warn against, is regulating your periods with the pill. It's a fake kind of regulation and can have some bad effects also once you go off them, you are back where you started.

It's scary *but* they may find something that can be treated which would make your periods better, that's good right?

 

[firestar]

Thanks for the input ladies, as I said I'm currently charting since that last period and if it seems really erratic or weird going forward I guess I'll have to go to the doc

 

[ChristusG]

I have heard of something referred to as a "chemical pregnancy." It is where it implants and you have the beginnings of a pregnancy, yet you miscarry right about the time of your period, so you wonder if you were pregnant or if it was just a weird period. Many women dont even realize they were pregnant for a short time.

Here's some info on it: http://www.babyhopes.com/articles/chemical-pregnancy.html

Not sure if this could be what you had or not....but I thought I would pass the information on to you.