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Re: bewildered about my OB's diagnosis
From: Elizabeth (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Fri, 29 Jan 1999 09:44:45 -0600 (CST)
Hi Melissa, I am not a physician - I am a childbireth educator and have
suffered the loss of miscarriage. Unfortunately, it is not always black
& white & a diagnosis is not always so simple. From what I understand
from your post, if your hcg is doubling, my guess is that you are still
very much pregnant. The 2nd ultasound would be to double check things.
The 2nd blood test (quantatative hcg) is to make sure if you were
miscarrying, that your body is expelling all of the uterine contents -
if not, a d&c may be required because of risk for infection and other
gruesome stuff. This is a careful approach to your situation & not
uncommon. Sounds like your doctor knows what they are doing - so I hope
you feel you can trust them - if not, Id suggest you get a 2nd opinion -
you have to trust your doctor.
Im sorry you have to go through this - it is very confusing & Im sure
you have a mixed bag of emotions. There are a few reasons your doctor
is taking this approach & many more reasons why you would have bleeding
& the symptoms you have had. I would suggest callling the office to
speak with your either your doctor directly or the nurse - or make an
appointment if you are more comfortable face to face. You have
legitimate questions & concerns.
At Thu, 28 Jan 1999, Melissa wrote:
>
>I have a very regular menstrual cycle. And each cycle I flow heavily.
>My last menstrual period was on the week of December 11, 1998. I am now
>approx. 17 days late. However, last week, Jan. 18, I bled a little,
>then just droplets of brownish blood on the pad or nothing at all for
>the whole week. I suspected that I am pregnant, so I tested. It was
>positive. Then the following Monday, I noticed that the pad was soaked
>with a mixture of brownish and red blood. So, I decided to see my
>obstetrician. Giving her all the signs and symptoms that I experienced
>for the past week and the bleeding, Monday, she performed an abdominal
>and vaginal ultrasound in her office. At the same time, she estimated
>that I was 6 weeks pregnant. From the ultrasound, she said she could
>not find anything. She sent me for blood tests and another ultrasound
>in the hospital,STAT, which I did. The reading was identical to what
>she had earlier in the clinic. She said you had a blighted ovum and you
>had miscarriage. She seemed very definite about her diagnosis. But
>then, she scheduled for another ultrasound the following week, i.e.,
>Feb.3. I asked her why is there a need for another ultrasound when you
>were so definite that I miscarried. She said, we're doing a
>"conservative treatment." Yesterday, the doctor's office called me
>stating that I need another blood test for beta HCG. Then I asked the
>doctor again, what for, I thought you said I miscarried. But anyway, I
>took the blood test, and the number of Beta-HCG was doubled. Last
>Monday's result was 13,000 and yesterday was 26,000. I'm bewildered
>because at this day in age, I thought it is not very difficult to
>determine whether one is pregnant or not, or has miscarried or not. It's
>grueling to wait for next Wednesday to find out what the Ultrasound
>readings will be.
>
>Is it possible that I had miscarried and yet the HCG values keeps
>increasing? As far as I know, at 6th-7th week of gestation, a
>gestational sac is visible. But according to my doctor it was an empty
>sac.
>
>I guess I'm just anxious because this is my first pregnancy and I am 38
>years old.
--
Elizabeth Mazelis,CCE
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