no heartbeat... advice??

[huntclan]

I realized I should start my own thread on this - sorry for the double post...
Hi...
I just found this forum today... wonder if I could get some insight.
I found out on June 20th by home test that I was pregnant with #4. Let me back up a bit though...
My periods have been about 29 days apart - but since we weren't planning on more children, I haven't paid attention. Since my period returned afyer my 3rd baby was born, the have lasted a good 10 days every month!
Anyhow - I don't know when my last period was... I was guessing the 11th of May - but, that seems early to me because when I started spotting on the 9th, I thought is seemed early for my period to be coming.
Anyhow... the last week of June, I went in because I was spotting to get confirmation of the pregnancy. They did blood work to check my hormone levels - it was Wed. then again on Fri to see if they increrased. My levels were high enough on Friday, June 27th that they did an ultrasound to see where the pregnancy had implanted. Everything looked good and they figured I was about 5 weeks - although no fetal pole was detected - just the sac, etc.
My next appointment was last Thur - the 11th. The u/s machine monitor wasn't working right so I only got to see on a super small screen... but the doctor said he saw a flicker (heartbeat) and measured me to be 6 weeks 4 days.
The spotting has continued since June 9th still...
Two days ago the brown spotting seemed to increase some and was turning a bit pink. Still not like a period - but definitely more than before. So I called me OB and went in for a scan today. She only saw my heart beat (pulse) not the baby's and measured me at 6 weeks even. She says I'm going to miscarry. But - to be sure, I have another u/s scheduled for tomorrow w/ a better machine. But she says the dates don't match up.
I'm trying to figure this all out...
If I had a home test on June  20th that came back positive - she assumes that I would hace to have been at least 2 weeks along then. That would put me at 5 1/2 weeks now. Is it possible that the u/s last week was off and really only showing MY pulse (like today)... and that it is just too early? I mean the measurements would be a week and a half off from last weeks u/s - plus, don't know if there would be a fetal pole that early either (which he did measure). Anyhow - any advice would be greatly appreciated!!! thx!

[Jenny100]

There can be so many variables in the early weeks of pregnancy that you should never give up and accept bad news until about 8 weeks along. I have been on this forum for almost two years and there have been stories of many women who were told there was no baby...and there WAS. And I am one of them.
When I was 5 weeks 6 days, I was told there was no baby, just an empty sac. My uterus lining only measured for 4 weeks! But I KNEW when I conceived. So I was told I would probably miscarry.But we didn't give up hope, and at 8 weeks, there WAS a baby and everything measured right on for 8 weeks. He is now 10 months old!
And I also had bleeding, which turned out to be a subchorionic bleed--where the placenta detaches a little from the uterine wall which causes some blood--but in almost every case it grows back firmly and no harm done to baby. So your story is VERY similar to mine.

I just really have seen how much things can vary from woman to woman. Early ultrasounds are a curse in my opinion and make us worry when we don't even need to.Especially where you are not even certain when you conceived---you have no way of knowing how far along you are.SO do not make any decisions for anything until you are CERTAIN. Good luck with everything! I know it is so hard.

[huntclan]

Thank you so much...
Yes - the more I read - the more encouraged I am... but the continuous spotting had me most concerned. I had never heard of a subchorionic bleed - does that usually last for weeks?
I have the ultrasound this morning - and regardless of the results, I think I'm going to ask for blood work to see what my hcg levels are... then wait it out.
Thanks again!

[Jenny100]

Yes, the subchorionic bleed takes weeks to finish bleeding before it heals. Mine started at 5 weeks, and I had spotting until 10 weeks.At 12 weeks, it was completely healed and my doc said there was no sign of it.

You are right to rely on blood work only--not just ultrasound. If your numbers keep going up then the pregnancy is probably just fine. I will keep my fingers crossed for you!

[huntclan]

Well - I went to the doctor this morning and had the u/s first.
He found a heartbeat (rate of 94) and measured the baby to make me 6 weeks today. He said everything looks great for me to be 6 weeks.
Then I saw the doctor who was still very concerned and cautioned me to get my hopes up. She said that the concern is that last week I measured 6 weeks 4 days - and the dates don't add up if I had a positive pregnancy test on June 20th (which she assumes I would have been 4 weeks at that time - but, since I don't know the date of my lmp this is what she is going by). So - the date thing... I can get over and understand that it could be totally wrong. The concern I guess is that combined with the fact that I'm spotting (and have been since before finding out I was pregnant)... but, it has increased this last week and is turning darker pink. I can't get around wearing a liner - and even went to a pad today just in case. I go in next week for another u/s... and we will see if there is any growth. As long as I am continuing to see a heartbeat - I'm okay as far as I'm concerned. But, I am worried a bit about miscarrying and going through that... especially since next weekend we are suppose to go camping with our church and I certainly don't want to be camping and going through a miscarriage at the same time! ugh... this back and forth stuff is horrible, isn't it?!? I'm very thankful I found this forum and am AMAZED at how many women have gone through this... Keep sharing those stories ladies!!!

[Jenny100]

Darker blood is older blood still making its way out. So if your bleeding is getting darker, that is GOOD! BRIGHT blood is what you don't want to see.
So keep your hopes up!

[huntclan]

yeah - the concern, I think, is that it was never pink until a few days ago... only brown (both light and dark) - the pink has gotten darker... but certainly no bright red. The quantity has increased quite a bit -- gosh, I feel like a ticking time bomb! But, even though my doc wasn't encouraged by the u/s results, I'm encouraged. The technician said that he has seen women bleed through their entire pregnancy (which, imo, isn't fair since no period is a perk of pregnancy!)... but, he said there are just so many things going on with your body it's hard to say what is causing the bleeding...
Has anyone else bled (even spotting) for 5 weeks straight??

Thanks again for the encouragement - I REALLY appreciate it - and hope to return the favor to others on this forum soon ;-)

Jenni

[huntclan]

oops - I just saw your post about the subchorionic bleed taking so long to heal... don't know how I missed that before.
The u/s tech said that he didn't see any subchorionic bleed with me... wonder if he could have missed it?? Or, if it is just something else?? who knows...

[huntclan]

ugh...
bleeding has increased today... no brown - just darker red... still not bright - but much more than yesterday... I can't help but worry.
The doc said it wouldn't matter if I rested... but I'm takinf the kids to my moms and hanging out there today so I can just do nothing!
Jenni

[Jenny100]

I am so sorry! I feel terrible for you and how stressful this is. Keep us posted. I'm still going to hold out hope that you are going to be fine.Maybe you do have a subchorionic bleed. Mine wasn't diagnosed until I was 8 weeks.(even though I had been spotting from 5 weeks)

[danim1984]

i am about 5-6 weeks and we seen a heartbeat on our scan it wasnt regular just flutters.