OP here, just checking in. I decided to go the pharmaceutical route, and it was honestly easier than I thought. Very little pain, though I bled for several weeks. I saw my doctor last week, who confirmed everything has passed, and I'm anxious to try again. I haven't yet had a period, and my doctor told me to wait 3 cycles! He admitted that he was being conservative, but it does seem like a long time to wait. Anyone else go through this? How long before your period returned, and when you got pregnant?

So sad for your loss OP. I was so dumb and heart broken that I asked the doctor if the heart could start beating again? Just so very sad at the time, I couldn't think straight. later, I did have a healthy pregnancy and birth. {{{hugs}}}

I thought you had to take the meds route by 9 weeks because it's not as effective after that. Double check with your doc whether you have enough time to still wait it out. I'm the PP with 2 D&Cs. One of them was necessary after a failed try with the drugs close to 9 weeks.

I did the drug method and it was fine. I had to take two doses (sometimes one works just fine). After the first dose, I had about an hour or so of discomfort, sort of like really bad cramps. After the second dose (a day or two later), I had zero discomfort. The bleeding came on as expected from the second dose, and it was "done." I didn't want to wait it out to happen naturally or have a D&C if I could help it. And I just wanted to get on with trying again. It worked. I was successfully pregnant about 3 months after my miscarriage. I'm so sorry you have to go through this.

We lost the heartbeat between 7w and 8w. I waited to miscarry naturally and was miserable - continuing to feel nauseous and tired, and now depressed on top of it, and worried about what the miscarriage would be like. Miserable. After almost three weeks of waiting and no sign that my body was going to do anything about it, I called and told my OB I wanted a D&C. It was amazing how much better I felt within hours of the procedure, and the next day I was completely recovered (at least physically).
On the other hand, I had crazy short cycles for two months afterward, then five months of TTC with no success, so I will admit I worried whether something had gone wrong. I conceived on month 6 of trying, but lost that one to a blighted ovum - that miscarriage did happen spontaneously, at 6w, and my period went back to normal much faster. I never had particularly painful cramping, even when I was passing clots. Could be because the m/c was so early.
So on the whole I would say I'd prefer a "natural" miscarriage, but once you know the fetus is dead/never actually happened, the waiting is miserable. I wish I'd had the D&C sooner with the first miscarriage.
You have all my sympathy and I hope whatever path you pick treats you gently.

So sorry. I had two miscarriages and have done it both ways, both of which were okay. With the first I had a D&C at Sibley (we were scheduled to go away out of town in a few days and my OB did not want me to go if I had not passed the "products of conception"/POC before that point if I just waited) - quick, unproblematic, all fine; had to have a friend accompany me for coming home bc of the medication, but that was all right (I just hung out & read for much of the afternoon after). With the second I waited and let things occur naturally. It was, frankly, messier than I anticipated, but also less painful than it could have been (I did take OTC pain meds but I understand that in other cases it can be more intense). It was just AWKWARD bc it was Inauguration Day weekend and my inlaws were visiting. But, again, it all worked out.

OP here. Thanks so much for everyone's responses. My doctor has recommended that I wait for things to happen naturally, and if they don't, that we can speed things along with a prescription that induces the miscarriage. Worst case, we do a D&C. Honestly, I just want it over and done with. Waiting to miscarry is pretty terrible. I may call him and request the drugs. Has anyone gone that route? What was the process and timing? There is some appeal to making this happen on a weekend if possible.

So sorry OP! Happened to me as well, I completely emphasize with you. Nature was not taking it's course and I had a D&C at 10 weeks. With a D&C they can do testing on the "remains of conception" (although mine didn't show anything, but I did learn the sex). My period returned 5 weeks after the D&C and the doctor gave permission to try again on my second cycle - which took and now I'm 5 weeks (hopefully this one takes!).

Anonymous wrote:Sorry OP for your loss. This happened to me twice. I just let nature take it's course and did not go in for a d&c.

+1. I'm so sorry OP. It is heartbreaking.

Yes this happened to me twice. I had a D&C both times at 10 and 11 weeks because my body wasn't recognizing that there were no embryos. The sacs kept growing and my hog kept increasing as it would with a viable pregnancy. I'm sorry.

I am so sorry OP. I've been there, you aren't alone.

So sorry to hear this OP. I went through this at 11 weeks and it is heartbreaking. I also did not go in for a D&C, but for me it was extremely uncomfortable (as in I was crying at one point) - based on my discussion with my Dr I think that was unusual though. However, I also recovered much more quickly than my SIL who went through the same thing and had a D&C earlier in the year. It took her longer for her period to return. I got pregnant about 4 months later and now have an 11 month old. Good luck. Let yourself be sad and take care of yourself for a while.

Sorry OP for your loss. This happened to me twice. I just let nature take it's course and did not go in for a d&c.

I'm so sorry.

So I just had my 8 week ultrasound, and there was no embryo. The gestational sacs were present, but apparently the pregnancy wasn't viable. I am beyond heartbroken, especially after the months and months of trying. I'll see my doctor in a few hours, I guess to confirm the diagnosis and to schedule the procedure to remove the sacs. Has this happened to anyone? On one hand, I'm telling myself that it's best that this happened so early rather than weeks down the road, but I'm so sad.