Community post

So sorry for your loss :( I miscarried in April and had a small amount of retained tissue. They could see it on an ultrasound which I had done a week after my miscarriage. Then, I had another one a couple of weeks later which fortunately showed that it had all gone. I was told that if it hadn't then I would need a D&C. I was pleased not to need one as had fully miscarried but you might need one to get rid of the last of it and get you sorted out. Hope it gets resolved soon! That must be so hard to deal with.

I didn't know that I had retained tissue until after the fact. I went for my 1st u/s at 7wks/6days on 06/28, I had an empty gestational sac (blighted ovum). Waited several weeks to do more u/s to make sure there wasn't a baby hiding. After much discussion with my OB, I took misopristol to induce mc on 07/19. I bled that day all day. Then it slowed and 4 days later I started bleeding heavily again. Talked to the OB and she said that the misopristol didn't get all of the tissue out but she thought after that it did, she even did an exam (but no u/s or blood test for hcg levels). I was waiting for quite some time for my first cycle to come, and in the 3rd week of Sept I checked my hcg levels, they were slowly dropping. I figured by Sept. 26 they were down to zero so when I was bleeding and having severe cramping (much like labor pains and less like menstrual cramps) I just figured that this is what the first cycle after mc was like. Then on Sept. 27 I passed a mass that ended up being the placenta. I had my hcg levels checked 3 days later and only then were they down to 4 (which is considered negative). It took a very long time for my body to get back in the swing of things. It's not good to have retained tissue, and if you are in doubt, you need to take your temperature often and if it is high, call your OB as that could be a sign of infection. Also, if you have any discharge or bleeding that is very foul smelling (sorry to be graphic but I wish someone had warned me about all of this), call your OB. Speak up for yourself with the medical professionals if you feel that there is something going on with you that is not being addressed. Hang in there, it really does get better. I have now finally had a first cycle following the mc and have had a positive ovulation test. I am now 4 DPO and in the two week wait.

Oh, something else no one told me, because my hormone levels were so high with the retained tissue and such, I am now experiencing cystic acne on my face (the hormones are obviously all out of whack). My point is, if you experience that, that is normal as well. And DON'T touch it if you get it and don't put anything on it except to wash it, if you want to avoid scarring.

Good luck with everything, I promise that you will get to a point where you feel like you've come out on the other side of this.

Baby dust sprinkles to you my dear!