# Slow falling HCG...help, will this ever be over?



## Ttc1at34

Hi ladies,

I was diagnosed with a blighted ovum just before New Years Eve (at my 12 week prenatal appointment). I had a d&c on Jan. 4....It has been over ten weeks now, and my hcg came back at 9 last Friday. My doctor finally scheduled me for a methotrexate injection, which I had yesterday. I know that I ovulated 12 days ago (opk and temp. shift), while hcg was around 19. I have another blood draw on Monday to see if levels have finally returned to zero. 

So here I am, over two months after the surgery, still going through my miscarriage. It has been over four months since my last AF. I am starting to lose hope that this will ever be over...I am 34 and anxious to try again before it gets even harder. 

Has anyone else waited this long? Also, do you think AF will come, since I ovulated, even if there is a little bit of hcg left in my system? Anyone been given metho for slow dropping hcg, with no ectopic? How long do you think it will take the metho to work, with such a low level of hcg left over?


I could really use some hope. Anyone have a story to share with a long wait like mine? Thanks in advance for your encouragement 

Hoping for :witch:


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## lilblossom

My blighted ovum was diagnosed on new years day and i am finally on my first full real cycle since. So yes it did take a very long time to get back down. First af for me was on Feb 22 and not gonna lie to you, it was horrible. But there is an end to your ordeal very soon.


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## Lottelotte

My hcg is currently 31 and its been over six months for me. It has truly been a nightmare. They wouln't give me the methotrexate because my hcg has been going down. It have had a couple of periods and think i am ovulating, so at least my body is trying


:hugs:


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## Ttc1at34

Lilblossom, thanks so much for your encouragement...it really seems its different for everyone, and I guess maybe its a good sign for future pregnancy that my body doesn't want to let go very easily. Thanks for the tip on AF, I will be sure to brace myself ;). 

Lottelotte, how far along were you when you miscarried? Have you had any kind of scan to look for retained tissue? If you're in a position to find a different doctor, I would! I think after about eight weeks of waiting, it's a good sign that there's something still in there. 

Interesting that you say you've had AF....my doc says its impossible until hcg reaches zero. But, she also didn't believe me when I said I ovulated, and I am certain it happened (temps still elevated). That gives me hope that maybe mine will come soon too?

Hugs to you, waiting is the worst, especially when for most it's only a few weeks :nope: So much uncertainty, on top of the pain of loss, and also waiting months just to try again. 

How is DH handling things? Mine is getting worries about me, tired of this dragging on. Must be hard for them too...

Hang in there, and find a different doctor if you can!

:hugs:


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## Lottelotte

So, i have seen quite a few doctors! I had multiple ultrasounds which showed nothing there as well as an mri and had 2 d and c's. 

I was referred to a hospital in london which deals with gestational trophoblastic disease. They did an mri which showed back in october i had some placenta in my myometrium, the more internal layer of the womb next to the endometrium. This has basically gone now, although there is still a tiny tiny amount left (barely visible). Since my hcg is still falling they say they will not treat me with methotrxate. Also since you have to wait after having it to ttc. Also since i am now having regular periods and appear to be ovulating, its best just to leave it with continuing blood tests to ensure it continues to fall. My consultant at charing cross says many women get there period back with an hcg of around 60, although some lower and some higher.

I have kind of just continued as normal, but it has definately tested my patience. I am a different person to who i was back in august, and that is no bad thing. I have cried so many tears over this. We are kinda trying again although not seriously. We will do that in june. 

My dh has been a tower of strength and now we have an answer, life just goes on. I have realised i can't spend to long thinking about it. Its happened, and there is nothing i can do. 

I hope your hcg is now negative. Hugs to you. 

Lotte xx


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## Ttc1at34

Lotte, wow, I didn't realize there was so much more to your story....sounds like you have been through so much! Your strength is a great encouragement to me. I hope I can follow your example.

So strange that there's no consensus out there on things like hcg preventing AF, and the metho shot too- I read also that women are told to wait for TTC, but my doc says that's only for women being treated for ectopic. She insists (I asked three times before getting the shot) that there's no medical reason I should wait once my hcg hits zero. Every source on the net seems to say something different, but it doesn't seem that common for women to need metho due to slow falling hcg/retained tissue.

I was reading about GTD last night....seems like maybe this could explain my situation? Quiescent GTD could mean sustained low levels of HCG after a miscarriage. Too early to rush to that conclusion though.

June is not far away- happy spring to you, your next BFP will come before you know it!

xx


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## Lottelotte

Thank yo ttc1at34.
Its funny that you admire my strength, because I feel the complete opposite!

With regards to methotrexate, it is quite a powerful drug and depletes the folates in your body. Effectively it kills off the cells. I believe this is generally why you are advised to wait 3 months after having it. I did quite a lot of reserach into this, because at one point I was very keen to have it, and the absolute minimum wait is one ovulation cycle (so there is no risk to the egg that you may have released while having metho in your system).

With regards to GTD it is fairly rare. If you had a d and c then the tissue that was removed would have likely to be tested - so they may have found it. Mine was tested and came back negative but then because hcg still fell so so slowly they did loads more tests and they finally found this placenta stuff in myometrium. This was a big relief because at least there was a reason for it.

The consultant at CX says if no GTD was found from the histology from your d and c then 'sticky placenta' is the most common cause. not much of a consolation!!

Good luck for your ttc plans and I hope we all get our bfp's soon! 

xx


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## Ttc1at34

:witch::witch::witch::hug:Good news! AF is here, and it's here with a vengeance....never thought I'd be so happy to be on complete physical agony :) also had a temp dip just before AF, and back to baseline now, so it's definitely not from the metho. AND exactly 14 days after O.

Lotte, you're right, retained tissue makes so much more sense and I should stop worrying myself with Internet horror stories. 

About the metho, I think I'm going to try next cycle. I read one recent study that stated a case of deformity when conception occurred after metho has actually never been reported...also, a lot of the earlier studies done are based on people taking higher doses, on a regular basis, and still no correlation has been shown. I will, however, ask my doctor about following up with prescription folic acid, just to be safe. 

Hope you have a wonderful weekend, daylight savings about to happen here, and I am so excited to finally have daylight when I get home from work!

:witch::witch::witch::hug:


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## Lottelotte

My af arrived today too! Its my third since my m/c. Good luck for this cycle, baby dust to us both!

Have a nice weekend too! Our daylight savings are in 2 weeks, so a little bit more wait for me, but enjoy the lighter evenings!

Xx


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