Could the doctor be wrong?

[TiffanyMarie2009]

Okay, so this will probably be as confusing to all of you as it is to me, but hopefully someone will understand and be able to offer some advice or knowledge from a similar experience.

I am currently 10 weeks pregnant.
I had my first prenatal appointment this past Monday, March 9, 2009.
Everything went great until I did my ultrasound.
The ultrasound technician only spent a total of about 5 minutes on my ultrasound, less than one minute which was devoted to trying to find my baby's heartbeat. She spent less than a minute then quit doing the ultrasound, the heartbeat wasn't detected. Two of my friends are currently pregnant as well, one of which took 30 minutes to find her baby's heartbeat and the other just said it took them a while to find hers.

I was told that my pregnancy may not be viable.

That night, March 9, 2009, I am 99.9% positive that I felt the baby flutter. It was in my uterus on the left side. Kinda felt like a fish was going back and forth (from top to bottom) creating waves that almost felt like they had a gentle vibration to them. I felt this for 10-20 seconds, but then I moved and could not feel it any longer.

The following morning, March 10, 2009, I woke up extremely hot. I felt like it was 80 degrees when it was only 55 degrees. I could not cool down for anything. Also, I had really bad nausea, a headache that lasted two days (until March 11, 2009), was moody, and exhausted from doing nothing. That evening I cooled down, but would freeze and couldn't get warm for anything. I usually go through this when my hormones rise. One of my, also pregnant, friends goes through the same thing, except she is 5 months along.

Then on March 11, 2009, I had more blood work done. Still had all my normal symptoms.

Today, March 12, 2009, I had a recheck with the doctor and he proceeded to tell me that my hcg levels have dropped "a little bit" and that the pregnancy isn't viable. I told him about how I had felt the baby flutters and how I was certain my hormones had risen due to the symptoms. Then I requested a new ultrasound be done with someone different, for a second opinion. I go on March 17, 2009 to have the new ultrasound done.

**I still have all my symptoms, they actually progress as time goes on. I saw the baby in the ultrasound (my first one on March 9th) and everything looked normal the baby definitely was following schedule. I was 9 weeks and 4 days on march 9th. I have had NO symptoms of miscarriage. None at all!!**

So my question is:

Does anyone know what could be going on? The doctor says non-viable pregnancy, but I felt the flutters and have no symptoms of a miscarriage. Also, does it mean 100% that if your hormones drop "a little bit" (exact words of the doctor) that you will have a miscarriage? Nothing makes sense to me and Tuesday is so far away!! Please help!!

[TiffanyMarie2009]

I went to my ultrasound today. My mom and I both saw that the baby was much bigger. Also, the baby moved from the top, by the placenta, to a laying position in the bottom. The yolk sac had also moved to the top by the placenta. They did not even look for the heartbeat or measure the baby. My mom thought she even saw an arm. But regardless, the baby was much bigger and had moved. Everything looked normal on the screen. My doctor had called and said that this ultrasound was consistent with the first. I know they are lying, because:
In the first ultrasound the yolk sac was on the right in the middle and the baby was much smaller and on the left side towards the top.

Today the baby was much bigger and had moved to the bottom of the uterus in a laying position. Head on the right and feet on the left. The yolk sac had moved up by the placenta.

And I know 100% they did not look for a heartbeat. If the baby was dead it wouldn't be growing!!! No one can say different!!!

As for the flutters I said I had felt, I never implied that it was a "kick!"
I said it was in my uterus and felt like vibrating waves!!! Read closer!!!!

Also, I was told that when you get close to the second trimester your levels are supposed to decline.

I was told of a story by a woman on another forum that her mother went through the same exact thing. The doctor wanted her to take a pill to naturally miscarry, but if her mother would have given up, then that woman would not have been here today leaving me a comment.

Today I am 10 weeks and 5 days.

I have an appointment set up with a different doctor, in a different town and county. I will go there on April 2nd.

Thanks everyone for all of the opinions, including the negative ones. All were greatly appreciated.

[AliRae]

I know how you feel and that next ultrasound feels like a lifetime away. I would say not to go in with any expectations. Hope for the best, but expect the worst. I miscarried at 15 weeks, but it was actually 12 that I "lost the baby" I remember feeling the flutters too during that time but your body feels what the brain tells it to. Not to freak anyone out I will explain: I slipped on ice and fell flat on my back. I felt fine for three weeks until I began bleeding severely. Basicly I lost the baby at 12 weeks and didn't miscarry until 15 weeks. I pray that you and baby are healthy and I know the heartbeat is not always detectable at 10 weeks either. Best wishes and Tuesday will come.

[kikicoates78]

I am sorry that you are dealing with this, it is such an emotional time. ALWAYS get a second opinion. I do agree with the other girls, the "flutters" that you felt were not baby, it is so little right now that you wouldn't come close to feeling it, ecspecially if it's your first, your uterus is too strong, BUT all the other symptoms you have seem totally related to pregnancy.

The drop in numbers are never really a good sign, but there are such things as lab erorrs. My advice to you is pray for the best but brace yourself for the worst, I pray that all turns out well for you. ((HUGS))

[Jem75]

First - always get a second opinion. I have heard many stories of women who were told there was no heartbeat - but there actually was. This could be misdiagnosed for a few reasons - including a titled uterus.

But I would not go by your symptoms or the flutters. It is near impossible to feel the baby at 10 weeks b/c there are so many layers between you and baby (fat, muscle, tissue, placenta, amniotic sack, etc). S/he is jus ttoo small to break through all of those layers at this stage to feel anything. In another 6 weeks it is possible.

I miscarried at 8 weeks and continued to have strong symptoms until my D & C - which was at 9.5 weeks. Your hormones are whacked and even if you naturally are miscarrying, you can still be symptomatic.

hCG dropping is never good and typically results in miscarriage. I am not sure at what point they level off - but they do.

Good luck - be strong and keep us posted. Hoping for a happy outcome for you.

[alaysha]

I think I'm probably going to be the most negative person posting on this... at 10 weeks even at only 5 minutes they should be able to see the heartbeat. Not only that but they can check the blood flow to the baby if they don't see it to make sure that blood is still pumping through it. I had a miscarriage at 6 weeks (supposed to be 9 weeks) and they had me only in the room for a couple of minutes and they detected spot on that it was a miscarriage. Also, not seeing a heartbeat combined with the fact that your levels dropped, even if only slightly doesn't bode well for a viable pregnancy. I am sorry that you are going through all the uncertainty and I hope that you find out good information at your next ultrasound. Hopefully everything will turn out ok.

[pookie1121]

When I was 6w+3d, I went to the doctor for my first visit and found out I was pregnant with twins.  By the first one she saw the heartbeat, but by the second she couldnt find one.  She said she was 90% certain that most likely I would only have one baby, but that I should come back in 3 days and she would check again.  I went back at 6w+6d and sure enough within a minute or two of the U/S it was clear there were two little heartbeats.

I dont mean to be negative, but you asked our opinions so I will give you mine.  
I doubt what you felt that day was really flutters....it would be VERY early to feel flutters.  I do not know if you have any children, but usually you do feel flutters or kicking in a subsequent pregnancy than you would in the first. (and that was definitely the case with me.  I felt my DD first around 19th week and this pregnancy I felt in the 13th week - but not often in the beginning)

In addition, although I do think you should definitely get a 2nd opinion if you are not satisfied with your care or a diagnosis, I do think that at 10 weeks, a HB should have been fairly easy to find within 5 minutes.   The earlier you are, of course the longer it might take to find the HB, but at 10 weeks it should be pretty easy to find...so either your U/S tech sucked or unfortunately there really wasnt a HB for her to detect.  

I really hope that your doctor IS wrong and that your U/S tech just sucked!  And good for you for getting a second opinion ultrasound.  My doctor also told me when I was 13 weeks that she expected both our babies had chromosome problems.  It turned out she was wrong and after 2 wrong diagnosis', I decided to switch doctors.