D&C - Are You Scared?

[calvinzoey]

I just wanted to tell my D&C story from this morning in case anyone is nervous about it.

A couple days I started spotting and got an ultrasound. They diagnosed me with a blighted ovum at 11 1/2 weeks. It was really sad and scary. In fact, I'm still mourning the loss of my child, but it's only been a few days.

The doctor scheduled me for a D&C for this morning 8/15/13. Last night my body decided it wanted to miscarriage the baby finally. I bleed a LOT and had tons of huge clots. It was very scary. I only slept 1 1/2 hours last night due to severe pain and nerves. They pain was actually so bad, I couldn't wait to get the D&C Done. I was suppose to be at this hospital at 7 AM, but arrived at 6:15. I started crying in my room, I was so scared.

This hospital staff was all incredibly nice and helpful. We even had heated night gowns! It didn't help me from feeling nervous, but I just breathed slowly and tried not to think about it.

I talked to all the doctors, nurses and the anesthesiologist. We decided on giving me a lot of anti-nausea medication and a sedative in the room before going down to the OR.

When they came in with drugs, I went in full blown panic. The OR nurse was in there trying to calm be down, and she did an excellent job at it. I kept saying, "I'm so scared!", but after awhile those were just words, no meaning, as I really wasn't that scared. I just felt like I should be.

I don't remember much after they rolled me out of the room. I remember going into this strange looking hallway, but I'm sure the drugs made it look crazy.

Once in the OR, I have a faint memory of them having me transfer over to the OR bed and then I got my arms strapped down, but I didn't care about it. It was like a dream. They put an oxygen mask on my face and the anesthesiologist said, "This is just oxygen, I'll be giving you the other medication for sleep in a second". And then I was out.

I have a faint memory, and I think I was in recovery when this happened, but I think I asked someone when they are getting started. They said it was all done with, but I didn't believe them!!!

Then I remember being back in the prep room and I had to pee like crazy. They didn't trust me standing on my own then, and I have to admit, I probably would be able to. So they went out to get my husband. Once they brought him in, I started fighting to go pee. But it didn't take much convincing. My husband and the nurse helped me walk to the bathroom (which was a difficult task).

So far I've had minimal bleeding, like a light period. I feel little to no pain, and I don't even need pain medication. In fact, he didn't even prescribe it for me.

I'm now at home! And eating and drinking like I have been starving for weeks.

It was actually a very easy, comfortable procedure. If this happens again to me, I'll be jumping for the D&C as soon as possible to avoid the pain and misery of naturally miscarrying.

Do this procedure! Not scary!!!

 

[Nina83]

Oh Sweetie, this is such a crappy subject and you managed to get me teary and grinning at the same time!
I had both a D&C and natural, and as much as I thought I preferred natural, everything just lasted too long. I'm not going to say I'd choose a D&C next time (hopefully there will never be a next time for either of us, and anyone else reading this!) but it was so much faster and less, both physically and mentally painful.
I'm glad you're feeling better

 

[brandidee]

Thank you for sharing this! I am having a D&C on Tuesday with a myomectomy and have been nervous about it. Why did they decide on a lot of anti-nausea medicine? That is my concern. I don't want the anesthesia to make me sick after, especially since I will have some incisions from the myomectomy. I tried to complete the miscarriage chemically and it wore me out and left me week for days, so I am hoping the D&C is better.

 

[calvinzoey]

Thank you for sharing this! I am having a D&C on Tuesday with a myomectomy and have been nervous about it. Why did they decide on a lot of anti-nausea medicine? That is my concern. I don't want the anesthesia to make me sick after, especially since I will have some incisions from the myomectomy. I tried to complete the miscarriage chemically and it wore me out and left me week for days, so I am hoping the D&C is better.

I told the anesthesiologist that my mother got very sick from general anethesia. I felt fine after, no nausea. I don't even remember them giving me the anti-nausea drugs, but they brought them in the room. I got a sedative before hand that worked fast.

 

[Starry Night]

Thanks for sharing your experience. I had a d&c with my latest loss and, like you, it was a good experience (considering the circumstances). I had been really, REALLY scared and had nightmares the day before. I let the nurse know about my fears and they did what they could to assure me. I recovered really well with minimal bleeding. They didn't give me GA but the drug they used essentially did the same thing. I was out like a light.

I found the d&c a whole lot easier to deal with than my previous natural losses. But it has been my experience that doctors don't want to give them unless they really have to. I bled ALOT with my other losses but they always just sent me home as my vitals and hemoglobin levels were fine. I was actually bleeding less with my latest loss but my vitals and hemoglobin levels were plummeting and after 24 hours I was still passing massive clots (I had the clots but basically no flow) so that's why they finally gave me one.

 

[MissyMoo88]

I found out I'd lost my baby 5 weeks ago tomorrow and reading your thread really tugged at my heart I still find it pretty difficult. For me having the D&C made it a whole lot worse, I was so scared. And afterwards I ended up with a virus and suspected infection and was admitted to hospital a few hours after getting back home. I guess my post is a bit negative
Big hugs to you all xxx

 

[Nina83]

Thanks for sharing your experience. I had a d&c with my latest loss and, like you, it was a good experience (considering the circumstances). I had been really, REALLY scared and had nightmares the day before. I let the nurse know about my fears and they did what they could to assure me. I recovered really well with minimal bleeding. They didn't give me GA but the drug they used essentially did the same thing. I was out like a light.

I found the d&c a whole lot easier to deal with than my previous natural losses. But it has been my experience that doctors don't want to give them unless they really have to. I bled ALOT with my other losses but they always just sent me home as my vitals and hemoglobin levels were fine. I was actually bleeding less with my latest loss but my vitals and hemoglobin levels were plummeting and after 24 hours I was still passing massive clots (I had the clots but basically no flow) so that's why they finally gave me one.

Both doctors I saw encouraged me to have a D&C, of course they told me they'd prefer it happen naturally, but if it didn't- D&C would be they way to go- not Misoprostol, or anything like that. Both said that there is more of a chance not everything will come out and I'd eventually have to have one anyways.

 

[calvinzoey]

Thanks for sharing your experience. I had a d&c with my latest loss and, like you, it was a good experience (considering the circumstances). I had been really, REALLY scared and had nightmares the day before. I let the nurse know about my fears and they did what they could to assure me. I recovered really well with minimal bleeding. They didn't give me GA but the drug they used essentially did the same thing. I was out like a light.

I found the d&c a whole lot easier to deal with than my previous natural losses. But it has been my experience that doctors don't want to give them unless they really have to. I bled ALOT with my other losses but they always just sent me home as my vitals and hemoglobin levels were fine. I was actually bleeding less with my latest loss but my vitals and hemoglobin levels were plummeting and after 24 hours I was still passing massive clots (I had the clots but basically no flow) so that's why they finally gave me one.

Both doctors I saw encouraged me to have a D&C, of course they told me they'd prefer it happen naturally, but if it didn't- D&C would be they way to go- not Misoprostol, or anything like that. Both said that there is more of a chance not everything will come out and I'd eventually have to have one anyways.

I think my doctor likes doing D&C's.. Without even offering other options he just said, "I'm thinking we should do the D&C. Lets get you scheduled for tomorrow or the next day".

But it turned out well for me.

 

[Starry Night]

From what I've read here it does seem common to get d&C's or even feel like they're the only option. But every doctor I've come across always told me they would rather not do one. With my first loss the first ER doctor on call said they only do them 20% of the time now due to increased risks of future infertility. Yet, most girls I know who have miscarried have gotten d&c's. Even when I moved to another province the doctors would just send me home. With my last loss that needed a d&c I was forced to wait 2 days to "make sure" the bleeding wouldn't end on its own and that was with dropping vitals.

I guess I'm "lucky" that way. This last time I was pretty much begging for a d&c because I was carrying my dead baby for 3 weeks and I was starting to feel really sick.

 

[Nina83]

From what I've read here it does seem common to get d&C's or even feel like they're the only option. But every doctor I've come across always told me they would rather not do one. With my first loss the first ER doctor on call said they only do them 20% of the time now due to increased risks of future infertility. Yet, most girls I know who have miscarried have gotten d&c's. Even when I moved to another province the doctors would just send me home. With my last loss that needed a d&c I was forced to wait 2 days to "make sure" the bleeding wouldn't end on its own and that was with dropping vitals.

I guess I'm "lucky" that way. This last time I was pretty much begging for a d&c because I was carrying my dead baby for 3 weeks and I was starting to feel really sick.

Oh Starry, I'm so sorry
When I was at the clinic waiting for the D&C there was a religious family. I'm not sure what happened to her, but the doctor urged her to go through with a D&C, but their rabbi told them to wait, not even to take the mistropol or cyctoc. I guess he thought maybe it would be somehow killing the baby, even though the doctor made it clear there was no chance. They went home in the end, but the doctor told her she could come back anytime and he'd make time for her.
I know that's a totally different situation than anyones here, just wanted to share.

 

[calvinzoey]

From what I've read here it does seem common to get d&C's or even feel like they're the only option. But every doctor I've come across always told me they would rather not do one. With my first loss the first ER doctor on call said they only do them 20% of the time now due to increased risks of future infertility. Yet, most girls I know who have miscarried have gotten d&c's. Even when I moved to another province the doctors would just send me home. With my last loss that needed a d&c I was forced to wait 2 days to "make sure" the bleeding wouldn't end on its own and that was with dropping vitals.

I guess I'm "lucky" that way. This last time I was pretty much begging for a d&c because I was carrying my dead baby for 3 weeks and I was starting to feel really sick.

I'm hearing both ways, that their common and than they are not done often anymore. Maybe it depends on the country. Where do you live? I think it's more common in the US than other countries.

Most people I know down here had one done before. I know that if you are having a mc in early pregnancy, less than 9-10 weeks, most doctors think you can mc completely naturally. After that, from what I have heard, the chances of retained products and infection increases. Plus it's visually disturbing to pass such large clots. Oh... and painful.

Also, the risks of becoming infertile is incredibly low. There are risks with doing it naturally and with medication too - infection is more common with both of those.

It's really just a person choice than everyone has to make.

And sorry about your loss.

 

[Starry Night]

I'm in Canada. Most people I know who have miscarried have had d&c's and they were all offended on my behalf that I wasn't given d&c's the moment I found out my babies had died. Yet the doctors kept telling me differently. I don't get it, to be honest.

My first loss was over so quick and even though I was 12 weeks already everything came out on its own. The worst of it was over within 2 hours. The doctor was pleasantly surprised I ended up not needing any sort of intervention. That was the most painful of my losses. It hurt about as much as full-term labour and my waters broke and everything. It was scary in the moment. But it was over quick and I felt pretty good within a day or two.

My other losses didn't hurt but the second one I bled A LOT. I probably should have gone in for that one but the ER doctors had told me to only come in if it was "really bad"...whatever that meant. I probably should have gone in but I didn't. It all resolved on it's own about 2 days later (I had on and off again gushes...the 1st was 2 hours and the 2nd was 6 hours) so it was just as well. A few weeks later I got a huge gush and I had a steady flow of blood for about 10 minutes straight so we called 911 but of course it stopped by the time I got to the hospital (it was 30 minutes by ambulance) so they just sent me home.

It was the least traumatizing loss that ended up with a d&c. It turned out that I was bleeding internally and I only found that out because while I was in recovery I overheard the OR nurses talking about the insane amount of internal bleeding I had had. Scary. I only went in in the first place because my GP had told me to go in no matter what and even then I waited until it had been 8 hours with no signs of it stopping. And yeah...even with dropping vitals they made me wait 2 days for me to pass everything on my own.

Not sure why my experience was so different from everyone else. The doctors didn't even want to give me the pill to get things started.

 

[calvinzoey]

I'm in Canada. Most people I know who have miscarried have had d&c's and they were all offended on my behalf that I wasn't given d&c's the moment I found out my babies had died. Yet the doctors kept telling me differently. I don't get it, to be honest.

My first loss was over so quick and even though I was 12 weeks already everything came out on its own. The worst of it was over within 2 hours. The doctor was pleasantly surprised I ended up not needing any sort of intervention. That was the most painful of my losses. It hurt about as much as full-term labour and my waters broke and everything. It was scary in the moment. But it was over quick and I felt pretty good within a day or two.

My other losses didn't hurt but the second one I bled A LOT. I probably should have gone in for that one but the ER doctors had told me to only come in if it was "really bad"...whatever that meant. I probably should have gone in but I didn't. It all resolved on it's own about 2 days later (I had on and off again gushes...the 1st was 2 hours and the 2nd was 6 hours) so it was just as well. A few weeks later I got a huge gush and I had a steady flow of blood for about 10 minutes straight so we called 911 but of course it stopped by the time I got to the hospital (it was 30 minutes by ambulance) so they just sent me home.

It was the least traumatizing loss that ended up with a d&c. It turned out that I was bleeding internally and I only found that out because while I was in recovery I overheard the OR nurses talking about the insane amount of internal bleeding I had had. Scary. I only went in in the first place because my GP had told me to go in no matter what and even then I waited until it had been 8 hours with no signs of it stopping. And yeah...even with dropping vitals they made me wait 2 days for me to pass everything on my own.

Not sure why my experience was so different from everyone else. The doctors didn't even want to give me the pill to get things started.

Huh, that is strange. My doctor didn't offer the pill, but he jumped straight for that D&C. I started naturally mc'ing the night before my D&C. When I got to the hospital I told him, and I said "There probably isn't much left". But instead of cancelling the D&C to wait and see, he just went ahead and did it. He ended up saying there was a lot leftover inside me, and I probably would not have expelled it all.

You just seem to be unlucky when it comes to the doctors, I'm not sure. Hopefully you never have a mc again, but if you do, maybe ask the doctor why most everyone else gets offered the pill or D&C.

 

[mel28nicole]

I had a really good experience with mine. I went in at 14 weeks and was told baby stopped growing at 8. Since I already went 6 weeks without any cramping or bleeding, they were worried my body wasn't going to do it naturally for a while so they encouraged the D&C. I wasn't scared or anything because I've had two surgeries in the past, plus two dental procedures that required me being put under. I had the D&C the next morning, and I already got majority of my feelings out of the way the night before. The nurses were very sweet and were trying to talk to me about everything. I try my best to keep a smile on my face and joke about everything, so I think they enjoyed that I wasn't getting upset. After I was done, they were talking about getting lunch from Panera and I'm like half awake trying to talk to them lol.

Although I try to keep everything together, I really am an emotional wreck. I've cried every night since it happened and I feel like I'm getting depressed. I couldn't imagine having a miscarriage naturally. I just feel like it would just make everything worse. I get some pain still because I'm still recovering, and the pain reminds me of everything and it gets me upset. Just having to take the bleeding and cramping knowing it's my child coming out just boggles my mind.

Now my next step is figuring out if I want to go on birth control. I haven't been on it in 2 years after coming off the depo shot. It makes me too emotional. But I really want to wait til AT LEAST January before NTNP. Fiance doesn't want me to go on birth control, thinking it could cause me to miscarry again. He thinks the depo had something to do with this miscarriage, even though my last shot was in June of 2011

 

[Starry Night]

Are you willing to try condoms? They aren't my favourite but I have a hard time with hormonal contraception as well. I go almost bi-polar and coming off of the pill is really hard on me too. I get chest pains and really painful cycles for a few months afterwards. I actually feel that way after a miscarriage too!

There is some studies that suggest birth control *MAY* be behind some miscarriages (due to thinning the lining) and that's why some religious groups are against it but it's tough to truly prove so please, please don't blame yourself for your loss.

As for the emotional aspect, just give yourself time. I would recommend seeking help if you need it but I feel like a hypocrite saying that because I probably need help but don't go for it either. I don't want to be put onto anything because I don't trust them to be TTC-safe (I'm paranoid at this point). It's normal to get depressed. It's part of the grief process. Find someone in real life you can talk to. That helps a lot. The pain gradually lessens and comes in shorter cycles. I've been crying again lately but the down times don't last as long anymore.

With my first loss since I was a bit further along (almost 2nd tri) some of the tissues got stuck and I had to deliver it in the ER waiting room washroom. At the time I was in survival mode so I didn't think about the emotional aspect of it but later it shook me up quite a bit. That was 3 years ago and I remember every detail but I can finally look back on it a bit more calmly. My second loss was much scarier.

I definitely think that d&c's are the least traumatizing way of doing things. I get why my doctors were hesitant to do it but in my mind it's better to just get things out before there is a problem. By the time I had my d&c I was ready to stick my hand up there and pull it out myself! It was a real, physical irritation and I was quite sickly by that time.

 

[mel28nicole]

I have a weird thing with condoms. I just don't like them. I enjoy sex so much more without them. I'm willing to use them at first but I don't know how long that'll last. I think when I got off birth control in the first place, we only used them for maybe 3 months and just did pull out because we were used to not using condoms while I was on birth control. It's a hard habit to get back into

 

[calvinzoey]

I don't use condoms, I really hate them. And I don't you birth control. If I get pregnant, then I do! Because that's what I want in the end anyway.

 

[Nina83]

We hate condoms as well. We used them for about 4 months since I got off the pill and until we got married. Then we used the pull out method.
I always thought it was odd how doing that for 2.5 years and we never had an oops. Maybe I should have looked into it then.

 

[calvinzoey]

We hate condoms as well. We used them for about 4 months since I got off the pill and until we got married. Then we used the pull out method.
I always thought it was odd how doing that for 2.5 years and we never had an oops. Maybe I should have looked into it then.

I've been doing the "pull out method" for 6 years, never got pregnant. But when I actually tried to get pregnant, it took me only 2 months.

 

[Starry Night]

I hate condoms as well. We started using them after our son. Up until we started TTC for our first pregnancy (which we miscarried) I had been on the pill for about 1 year (I was a virgin until I married). But I hated the pill and coming off of it messed me up for several months so we had to do condoms as I didn't want two kids under the age of one! If only I could have forseen my issues with miscarriage. They're so uncommon and I had already had one that I was hoping I had had my turn.

When we we started TTC#2 we were actually NTNP and had no success. It was only 4 months but I was getting frustrated. The first month we actually TTC'd I got my bfp. My doctor had warned me when I was growing up that I would have a hard time getting pregnant due to my irregular cycles but it turned out that getting pregnant isn't the problem. It's staying pregnant.