Do you trust Confirm HPT's? Long story, need advice :(

Ok, I'll start from the beginning, please bear with me, this will be long - but I need some help and the doctors aren't going to help me.

I had my daughter, baby number 3, via c-section on May 22 in the Royal Brisbane Hospital. I had to go to Brisbane, instead of having her in my home town because of a high BMI *blush*

Ok so things started wrong from there - they took 4.5 hours, and 8 attempts at getting en epidural in me - after 3 hours I screamed for a break, I just couldn't take it any more. Then once I was having the operation, I could feel part of the operation, like some of the epidural had worn off, and they gave me morphine (yuck!) From there, all was fine, medically.

That night, Isobella was mucousy so they took her to the nursery for the night so I could get some rest and so they could help her with the mucous. At around 3am, they bought Isobella in saying they were shutting the nursery down for the rest of the night - no worries, about half an hour later, she was crying so they got me to breast feed her. We tried getting her to latch for about 30 minutes before we finally gave up and then I realized she wasn't wearing the outfit that I had sent her to the nursery in - she was wearing the smock type thingie they put on them when they're first born. I mentioned it to the nurse, who said she'd find out what happened to her outfit and will be back shortly. I promptly fell asleep. At 5am, I had a doctor, the nurse that bought me Isobella at 3am, and the nurse that helped me to feed her at 5am come into my room to tell me there was a problem. They'd not followed protocol and had given me the wrong baby to feed. I was trying to breast feed someone elses baby - I was mortified that this could happen in this day and age. Long story short, we got our baby back and we're still unsure where she was for the entire time I had the other newborn.

So skip a few weeks, 9 weeks PP I was still bleeding and hadn't had PPAF, and was getting worried so I went to my doctor. I had a blood test which was normal, I had an u/s that showed possible signs of retained products of conception (RPOC) the doctor sent me away with a referral to the gyno's at the local hospital.

I can't remember exact details, but from then on, I've had about 20 positive pregnancy tests, with blood tests that are saying NEGATIVE! All these tests were confirm, or the crystal clear?! (I think) Every test I've done has always showed the same result, no matter how faint. So I trip back to the doctor, after getting AF after the first lot of + hpt's and was told miscarriage - sent for an u/s, showed signs of RPOC again - so then Friday night two weeks ago (I told you this was long didn't I?!) I had the most incredible pain in my life, in my uterus, followed by two pops inside me, and more awful pain. I went to the A&E where they felt my stomach (and I almost went through the roof just by him palpatating my stomach) and sent me on my way with a referral for another u/s. That u/s revealed more RPOC, no infection in the tubes (which he thought I had) and fluid in the Douglas pouch?! - Oh, and my uterus lining was 16mm.

So I took another hpt on Sunday night - Freaking positive AGAIN!!! I freak out thinking I'm pregnant again, and start planning for the future with two babies under 1! I went to my GP again yesterday, same thing, blood test was negative, even when the hpt I showed her was CLEARLY positive. I went back in today and she rang the Gyno's at the hospital to get their advice.

Basically, they said that there was no need for a D&C, nor another u/s or follow up blood work, referral or anything - basically stating that if I had RPOC this far after Isobella was born, that I'd be basically dead by now with infection. I'm totally lost, confused and I need to know what's going on :'(

I'm trying to find a private gyno that can fit me in asap, so I can get a second opinion because the hospital system sucks here and nothing's being done. I'm 4 days late for my period with nothing in sight, I have a few signs of pregnancy, but of course I know that that's neither here nor there - they could be anything but I'm basically screaming for some help here. What the hell is wrong with me? Has anyone experienced this before and what was the outcome? :'( Pleasee help me.

Hi

I would be seeing someon else immediately for a second opinion,.i have no idea about those tests and how good they are, but it sound syou have done enough to know that there is HCG being detcted somehow. I would be going somewhere to be sure its nothing left over from previous birth as that will can cause blood poisoning, i would definitley seek alternate medical advice

sorry if im not much help

Thanks for reading through my novel :) and thanks for the advice, I'm def. gonna chase it up - It's starting to really worry me.

yeh i would be worrying my pant off let me know how you go, it will be interesting to see what happens thanx and best of luck with finding answers

hi jessykasmum, i don't really know how to help you at all, i'm just hoping that alan or kelly or someone can point you in the right direction. it sounds like you've been through so much!! it breaks my heart (and freaks me out) that they gave you the wrong baby. that's just awful and like you, i really didn't think that kind of thing still happened these days. it sounds like you really do need a second opinion on everything that's happening to your body. isn't there some place else you could go to get some help?

Thanks girls - Gracie, I don't know of anywhere else to go. The gyno in Bundaberg is booked for 6-8 weeks and I think I need to be seen very soon.

Anyone have any suggestions on where I could go? I'm in Maryborough, I can travel to Bundy, Hervey Bay, Gympie, and anywhere to Brisbane and in between

I think you should call the gyno in Bundaberg and see if they can fit you in as an emergency and make sure they understand how worried and concerned you are and if they still cant fit you in ask them what the hell you are meant to do...... I think you need to be really assertive and pushy if you have to be, my mum is like that and she gets her way all the time....

I so feel for you, you must be worried sick. Let us know how you go.

Hi
wow! what a journey! I am from bundy and my sister worked for the best gyno there and I now live in brisbane and he is highly known here also. His name is Dr Trevor Davis I think his address is Bourbong street you also need to get your dr to call instead of you as they tend to fit people in sooner. If you cant see him then I recommend coming to Brisbane and see Dr Douglas Keeping on Wickem trc. I had problems after my miscarriage and he was with me all the way dong what ever I needed until my body got back to normal, and he was also my ob for my first son.
I also think you should try using a different hpt like lullaby conceptions which are off the internet and are highly recommended by most girls on this site as they dont get evap lines.
Goodluck and keep us up to date with how things are going

I am so sorry to read this.
You definitely could still have RPOC, and uterine infections can last for a LONG time and be very painful without actually killing you :) The long period of time you spent bleeding is typical of RPOC. The lochia should be all over by 6 weeks, so when you were still bleeding at 9 weeks that should have sent sirens off in the hospital.
The blood test that your GP did should be trustworthy, much more than an HPT, so according to that you are not pregnant. I think you can trust that.
It is well documented that not every patient shows all the same symptoms with infections. In particular if (like me!) you don't have a fever, doctors are inclined to dismiss it.
You need to see a good gyno who will listen to you, asap! Even if you have to pay out of pocket for it. Something is not right. My guess is that they will want to do another blood test to make sure you are not pg, then probably a hysteroscopy (look inside your uterus with a camera)--this can be done in office or in theatre. In your case the gyno will probably want to do it in theatre.
HUGS. I will be checking on your posts to see what happens. You can PM me at any time.

Well I got AF today (well minor spotting - hopefully it'll turn into AF) - yay! Never thought I'd be so excited to see that LOL

I was too busy today to call the gyno's, two sick kiddies. I'll definately be calling tomorrow - I can get a referral no worries, and don't have a problem paying out of pocket, most will be refunded by Medicare anyways.

Thanks for the advice ladies, I'll keep you updated

Just wanted to share my story about retained placenta. Mine wasn't discovered until 4 months after the birth and no I didn't die with the infection! They didn't know what it was at the time, other than that my ovaries looked enlarged on the U/S and that I either had dermoid cysts or cancer (!) as my white blood cell count was raised. Surgery showed a massive infection due to retained placenta. The only reason I went to the Dr was that I had some niggly aches that were annoying at night. No fever, not dying from the infection, no bleeding, no other sign that something was wrong. I guess it's possible that the retained placenta is showing up as +HPT. Either way, I'd be demanding further tests, including more bloodwork and another U/S. Don't take no for an answer!! My fertility has been affected from the infection and I was just lucky that I had a thorough Dr that sent me for a scan as I'd gone in to see her saying that I thought I had irritable bowel!!
Sorry you are having to go thru all this,


ETA - I can vouch for Doug Keeping too, he was my Ob too and is now my FS. I went to Gordon Kilvert, the gyno who works with Doug (when I had my problems after the birth), who I didn't find as good (he sent me to an oncologist/gyno to do the surgery without fully explaining to me that they thought I might have cancer, said it was his neighbour and that he'd be the best person to do the surgery. Imagine my shock when I got to my appointment to discuss the surgery and the Oncologist turns to me and says "we think you have cancer!!!!".Not happy Jan!!