My sister is 11 weeks pregnant and having really heavy bleeding and severe cramping, so likely a miscarriage. She called the dr’s office and they told her to go to the ER, which sounds off to me. I would think they could see her in the office, confirm that it’s a miscarriage, and schedule a D&C.
Well heavy bleeding warrants an ER trip. However, I had this exact scenario early in a pregnancy, severe enough bleeding for a blood transfusion, and it was not a miscarriage but a serious pregnancy complication. That was obviously not good, but I made it and so did the pregnancy, so I hope the same for her.
Post by fivechickens on Apr 2, 2021 10:25:48 GMT -5
I was never told to go to the ER for my miscarriages. Maybe the severe cramping is what is causing them to say this (I didn’t have severe cramping).
She should go though, if for nothing, to make sure it is not an ectopic pregnancy.
ETA: Also, (I was high risk so may not apply to your sister) when I was pregnant I was told the ER wouldn’t touch me so I would always go up to labor & delivery. She should go to the ER but they might take her/send her to L&D.
When I went through this at 11 weeks, the miscarriage was already in progress and it was too late to schedule a D&C. The cramps were severe and coming at intervals, almost like contractions. My bleeding was super heavy. I did not go to the ER but in hindsight I was definitely meeting the filling a pad within x minutes requirement they give and probably could've gone. I'm so sorry for your sister.
Post by seeyalater52 on Apr 2, 2021 10:27:22 GMT -5
If her doctor can’t see her today she should go to the ER. It is not necessarily a miscarriage (I had plenty of these scares in first and second trimester with my successful pregnancy) so all could be fine or it could be a scary complication. Better to be seen ASAP wherever possible.
Er is the right first step. I had to have a emergency D/C due to a post partum bleed. If you are heavy bleeding like that they need to do quickly. Going to the office first could end with a bad outcome.
When I experienced bleeding in my first pregnancy during the firs trimester, they had me go to the ER so this sounds right to me. That pregnancy did end in a miscarriage.
Post by downtoearth on Apr 2, 2021 10:39:49 GMT -5
So sorry for your sister and the unknown here. Yes, usually the hospital or L&D at a hospital have the surgery rooms and tools to help if the bleeding is severe enough to need a procedure.
Post by mysteriouswife on Apr 2, 2021 10:44:51 GMT -5
That far along, yes. It could be placenta placement or fibroids. I bleed like periods my entire oh with DS. I had fibroids. He is now a wild and crazy 5 year old. I hope for good news for her.
Post by wanderingback on Apr 2, 2021 11:16:38 GMT -5
I could talk about this for days, but.... For me personally I try to bring my patients in to see me when they're experiencing this. Obviously if they sound clinically unstable then yes ER, but most of the time people aren't clinically unstable. ER doctors are great, but I've gotten some not so great reports from patients when they go to ER for things like this. Plus covid, I try not to send patients to ER if can avoid it. So anyway, yes it sounds "right" in that a lot of doctors do send people straight to the ER, but for me personally I try not to do it as I think in general they get more patient-centered care if they come to our offices.
ETA: Sorry I missed the really really heavy bleeding. So yes if clinically it sounds like they're bleeding a lot, especially if symptomatic like dizzy or lightheaded then I recommend going to the ER. If not, then I'll see them in our offices to diagnose and discuss options if it is a miscarriage (meds vs procedure vs waiting).
My doctor actually didn’t want me to go to the ER because they are very quick to diagnose it as a miscarriage when often it’s not. Both times I bled she preferred to see me in office first.
i was sent to the ER as well. They can scan her there and give her pain meds for the cramping that will continue. I am so, so sorry for your sister. And I scoffed at the pain meds (I do not like taking heavy stuff) and holy shit I wish I had taken them. The cramping was toe curling.
I've been to the ER twice for miscarriage. Once (my secon m/c) was because my doctor's office was closing and I was convinced I was hemorrhaging. The second (my third m/c) was because it was 11 PM and in so much pain that I started vomiting and was convinced I was going to pass out. My other two miscarriages were expected in advance - one I got through at home and one I just scheduled a D&C. They'll run her blood work to get her beta numbers (not that helpful considering you need something to compare them with to see if they are dropping) and then they will do both an internal and external ultrasound. That second trip they also gave me zofran and morphine. I hope everything ends up being okay.
My doctor actually didn’t want me to go to the ER because they are very quick to diagnose it as a miscarriage when often it’s not. Both times I bled she preferred to see me in office first.
Interesting. The OB on call at the hospital when I went in for my third mc said, "oh, well, we still see the sac, so it's probably ok." Um, this is not my first rodeo, honey. Spoiler: definitely not okay. One of the most painful experiences of my life, too. The rest weren't that bad.
Post by sapphireblue on Apr 2, 2021 13:36:07 GMT -5
I had one miscarriage where I knew in advance it was going to happen (based on an ultrasound) and the OB said to stay home unless the bleeding was really heavy, go to the ER if it was.
When pregnant with my son, I started bleeding and the OB told me to go to the ER because the doctor's office was about to close. Turned out in that case I had a subchorionic hematoma (SCH) so there were a lot of extra exams throughout the pregnancy but I did have my son.
When I had my miscarriage, it started out with heavy spotting during the day. When I called my OB they told me if it got heavier or if I started cramping to go to the ER, which thankfully I did.
Post by somersault72 on Apr 2, 2021 14:15:29 GMT -5
I work in an OB/Gyn office and we are not in today (we're always closed Good Friday), so that could be it, or it absolutely could be they're concerned about the amount bleeding. Our rule of thumb is pregnant or not if you're soaking through a pad (or more) an hour, you need to go to the ER.
Post by game blouses on Apr 2, 2021 15:59:00 GMT -5
I was sent to the ER for mine, and although I probably could have done it at home, the nurses were so kind and helpful that I was really glad I went. They kept reassuring me that this didn’t mean I’d never have children, which was something I really needed to hear in that moment but wouldn’t have heard without them.
Yep. My OB sent me to the ER for my miscarriage. They are better equipped to do an unscheduled ultrasound, exam, and bloodwork with quick results.
ETA: I also had an instance with my surviving pregnancy where I was sent to the hospital for an ultrasound to check for a heartbeat after bright red bleeding around 13 weeks. My doctor met me there to discuss. All other complications related to that pregnancy after about 16 weeks had be sent up to maternity for monitoring.
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I just wanted to say I'm sorry your sister is going through this and I'm thinking positive thoughts for her! I don't have any advice as I didn't have this kind of situation with either of my miscarriages.
Sounds right. That being said they sent me to triage/ labor and delivery at the women’s hospital rather than generic ER. If that is an option because OBs are always on staff there.
I could talk about this for days, but.... For me personally I try to bring my patients in to see me when they're experiencing this. Obviously if they sound clinically unstable then yes ER, but most of the time people aren't clinically unstable. ER doctors are great, but I've gotten some not so great reports from patients when they go to ER for things like this. Plus covid, I try not to send patients to ER if can avoid it. So anyway, yes it sounds "right" in that a lot of doctors do send people straight to the ER, but for me personally I try not to do it as I think in general they get more patient-centered care if they come to our offices.
This is a good point. I once went to the A&E (ER) at my hospital in London because I was bleeding and had a history of ectopic. It was Sunday so the early pregnancy assessment unit, where I normally would have gone as a walk on, wasn't open. It was a pretty early pregnancy and at first they tried to just make me pee on a stick with late afternoon pee and told me it wasn't showing positive. When I had them run betas, they randomly decided to run some other tests too (not sure what) then came back and told me either their test was wrong or I had some sort of level indicating my organs were failing. I'm sure I'm telling this wrong but it was late and I was pretty tired. An hour after redrawing my blood they took us into a little room in the back and made us wait for news, at which point I started freaking out thinking I'd come in for a miscarriage and was about to find out some really terrible diagnosis. I wish I had waited a day and gone to the EPAU where they knew what the fuck they were doing.