What to expect....D&C?

unctoothlady · 06-14-2008, 08:54 AM

My baby died at 6 weeks. I am technically 10 weeks pregnant. I am going to have a d&c. What should I expect afterwards?

I will be consciously sedated (like I was when I had my wisdom teeth out).

SheriKCMO · 06-14-2008, 09:13 AM

I'm very sorry about your loss!

Good luck with the procedure, it has usually gone okay for the cysters here. A few days of light to medium bleeding usually follow, and not much discomfort. I haven't heard of anyone using the conscious sedation, so please update about that if you can. I'm glad I haven't needed a d&c myself, but there are lots of stories in this forum if you search.

(((Hugs)))

FlowerChica · 06-14-2008, 12:07 PM

I'm sorry to hear about your loss. I too have never heard of anyone being consciously sedated for a D&C. To be honest - I'm not sure it's something you should even want to be awake for.

When I had mine ( after miscarrying at 5.5 months ), I was fully sedated and I went under so fast that I didn't even finish a sentence I was trying to tell my anesthesiologist. When I finished the sentence, I was waking up in recovery. It didn't hurt afterwards, but since they will catheterize you, make sure you can urinate before you leave the hospital.

I found the recovery very easy . Well, let me say this .. I was given percocets after the surgery. That put me in a no-pain very high spirits mood for several days. After a few days I started to feel the pains from the anesthesia ( I have joint aches after I go under ). Beyond that by day 4 I was ok. So all in all it wasn't too traumatizing a process. I don't know if that helps

SandV · 06-14-2008, 12:15 PM

I am sorry to hear about your loss. I have known a few woman in which the doctor's have performed a D&C with the patient under what I would term a local. They were conscious for the procedure. They did have about 10 days out of work, but are all okay now.
Good luck.

unctoothlady · 06-14-2008, 12:19 PM

The conscious sedation is actually IV sedation. So I would be out of it, just not intubated or put totally under. I will not know what is even going on. I am going to have it done but the OR is full for today so it will be either tomorrow or monday depending on when my doctor can get a slot in the hospital. Most likely, Monday.

wpttrmom · 06-15-2008, 01:23 PM

I'm sorry about your loss. I just had a D&C last Monday at 10 weeks. I was sedated then given general anasthesia for the procedure. My last miscarriage I allowed to occur 'naturally' at 12+ weeks and I can honestly say I would rather have the D&C as oppose to the 'natural'. I was in and out of the OR in 30 minutes with no complications. I didn't have much bleeding the first 2 days post-op but the last couple of days I've had some bleeding. I have a follow up in a week. I had minimal pain after the D&C, but was sent home with pain medication if needed.

I'm sorry you have to go through this.. many hugs coming your way.

unctoothlady · 06-15-2008, 02:00 PM

Okay Ladies...Here is an update:

I didn't go through with it. WHY? The incompetence of the doctor/hospital. We got there this morning at 4:45 already a nervous wreck. No one comes to admitting until almost 5:30. Then the lady that's there insists on taking me to the Birth Center, and I was like no that's not where we are to go. So we get there only to find that we are not supposed to be there. So finally I get where I am supposed to be and I meet my RN--the nicest most competent of them all. She talks me through all of the forms. I get to the consent form and she starts reading it. Well I was like, "when is the doc going to come in so that I can ask him questions...All I know is what I have read on the internet and what friends (you guys) have told me. " She was shocked. She then asked if my doctor was a high risk doctor and I proceeded to say..."that's what they say on their website, but..." and I went on to explain how this is my 3rd pregnancy 3rd loss and that my bloodwork was taken ONE TIME--at the beginning. She was like, "you need to find a new doctor".

So then the anesthesiologist comes in and talks to me about the procedure. I was told, by the doctor performing that I would be under conscious sedation---like with my wisdom teeth. Well the anesthesiologist says, "No, you will be put all the way under" and explained that I may stop breathing and I may not wake up. Okay, I know this but DH and I was not aware that we were going to go through "general" today. So when he left DH and I just bawled.

It would have been different had we been informed. So they got the doc on the phone and he was like, "I thought you were ready" and I was like "I was but I was under the impression you were going to go through the consent and risks and stuff BEFORE I went "under".

I also asked him about testing the tissue and he said that "in the 16 years that he has been doing this, the tissue has never come back conclusive of anything and that is extremely expensive." It is ALWAYS a turn off for me when a professional throws in how much experience they have and it also turned me off because its like he doesn't think we should pay for the procedure to be done. I WANNA KNOW WHY I KEEP MISCARRYING.

So the nurse continued to talk to DH and I and she told me that I need to be in an office where they would treat me as high risk, checking betas/bloodwork EVERY week. And I didn't need to be with an RE at this point (I told her that I knew that...its not like I can't get pregnant--its maintaining).

So either I will let this thing happen naturally or I will have it done with a different office. We are going to try to find someone tomorrow that can see us tomorrow for another opinion.

This is so emotionally frustrating. Sorry so long...

enits · 06-15-2008, 04:06 PM

I'm so sorry for your loss and for the awful experience with your doctor/hospital. I agree with the nurse...time for a new doctor. You probably need to find someone who knows about recurrent pregnancy loss so you can be tested.

Keep us updated. (((((hugs))))

unctoothlady · 06-15-2008, 04:08 PM

Yeah, I am hoping to get in with someone new tomorrow for another ultrasound to confirm things and then to get scheduled for the surgery.

SheriKCMO · 06-15-2008, 05:07 PM

Oh, Honey, I am so sorry. Thank goodness that nurse had a head on her shoulders! If you'd gotten a pushy one who just wanted to get you through there fast, it would have been even worse. I completely agree that you deserve better care. Telling you how expensive the testing is.... totally unprofessional!! Ask him how many babies he's lost.

Talk about the value of healthy emotions. (((Hugs)))

kate1977 · 06-15-2008, 05:20 PM

*hugs* i know what it is like to be seen my an incompetent doctor that wont listen. My thoughts are with you and your Dh at this time !

SandV · 06-16-2008, 02:13 PM

I am sorry to hear you had to go through all of that. I empathize with your situation on a dr who doesnt want to answer to your needs. Hope all goes with the new dr.

Miracle07 · 06-16-2008, 02:28 PM

(((HUGS))) I am so sorry for your loss. I also have had 3 m/c's and I had the chromosome test, blood disorder test and my thyroid checked. Everything came back normal which was a releif but also hard because there was nothing chromosomally wrong with the baby but there could have been something else wrong that they don't test for. I think that is what that doc meant by inconclusive results. I was also told that once you have 3 m/c's that insurance will pay for all the testing most of the time. HTH!

nae · 06-16-2008, 03:42 PM

It's tough enough to deal with the situation at hand...but to have so many issues and questions with your doctors is unreal...I truly hope this leads you to a better experience and I pray that all ends well...keep us posted.