Recurrent Miscarriage Dilemma!

[mrsdex]

Hi Everyone,

I am writing in the hope that someone... anyone can throw an extra idea or 10 my way.
I am currently loosing my 4th pregnancy since June this year.
I have a 12yr old son from a previous relationship, a trouble free pregnancy & birth.
Getting any "REAL" help from a doctor / specialist is proving to be a huge drama.

I demanded a referal to the Royal Womens from a local GP after my 3rd loss - Granted I was given it. The Royal Womens booked me into the Reproductive Services clinic, not the recurrent miscarriage clinic (perinatal) as requested. Never the les we attended our apointment in anticipation of what help it would offer (believeing perhaps my gp had the clinic name & the services it offered wrong, but the hospital read the details of my case & is really responsible for booking me into the wrongly suited clinic) & they have taken bloods from both my husband & I to have "genetic" testing done where they assure me we will likely find nothing "clinically" wrong anyway. Com back in 6 weeks & in the meantime, it's more than likely just bad luck! WOW if I had a dollar for everytime I heard that I could have $100 to spend on pregnancy tests every month!

When I found out I was pregnant again, I contacted the hospital -Whom informed me, my doctor was on leave & I had to go to a gp AGAIN & get another referal to the prinatal clinic stating that my case was of urgency & I needed an appointment. Even though a doctor that works along side mine made the suggestion?!? & I am patient of the hospital.

So I sucked it up, did all that now the real drama begins!

My hcg has dropped to 8 over the last 72 hours, miscarrying again is inevitable. Again, I call the hospital as my doctor in Repo services said he wants me to have a curette in the event that I do miscarry again. I speak to the perinatal clinic & explain the situation who says they will transfer me to Emergency & I should inform them so that they know to expect me in the next couple of days. They take my Jan 7th appointment off me & give me one in MARCH as I am miscarrying & my referal marked as URGENT is now useless to me because I'm not pregnant! When I should have been booked in there with my original referal sent in October anyways, not repo. services!

I speak to emergency who inform me that there wont be enough tissues to test from a curette due to miscarrying so early & sorry... Best of luck! ****!

My first 2 losses were @ 5 weeks, second at 4w 1d & I am 17dpo today & wil no doubt start to bleed within the next couple of days, making this also an almost 5 wk loss.

Can ANYONE recommend a doctor or specialist that takes care of Recurrnet Miscarriage cases?!? I dont care where, or how, or the cost or the effort required. I don't demand answers, sometimes there are none, but I want a plan of attack, someone that will help us & someone that is capable of managing our case.

I'm can't believe I am constantly self diagnosing, arranging my own referals & even getting contact details for gp's who know nothing! I am my own advocate at the moment... Lucky my desire to compete our family is over shadowed by the careless efforts of others & I'm more determined than ever to make this work.

I would have loved to be able to spend a little quiet time greiving & rebuilding my strength to start climbing the TTC mountain again, rather than doing everyone elses jobs for them! But no such luck hey...

Thanks for thaking the time to read my ramble - Love & Best Wishes to you all

[Jaycee]

Mrsdex, I am so very sorry you are going through this.
I don't have any advice, but couldn't read your post without offering my support, four losses is such an awful, awful thing for you to have to go through, and it doesn't sound like you're receiving much help from the hospital either. Is there somewhere else you could go?
I really hope you get your sticky bubba soon.
Take care
xxx

[melbel]

HUGS Hun........I also have lost five little bubbas on the six year journey to the little one I am now expecting in a few weeks. I am also in Melbourne and despite this I recommend looking in to seeing a man called Gavin Sacks in Sydney...we flew up to see him last year sometime and he did extensive testing which showed up an immune system issue that was attacking my babies before they had a chance......using his treatment recommendations and working collaboratively with my specialist here in Melbourne we are now expecting our little boy in just a few weeks. A lot of other ladies here will speak highly of him as well.......

[shellbell3]

A good friend of mine had 4 m/c and told the whole 'bad luck' crap. She found a doctor eventually who has taken her seriously and took blood tests trying to look for something, listened to her concerns etc, made her feel much better. She is now pregnant again about 7.5 weeks and so far things looking good.
She has now referred her onto a high risk obstertrican.
Dr Flue Cattrall is the fertility specialist and Dr Susana Kotevska is the high risk ob she has been sent to who is also a fertility specialst. Hope that helps and good luck. (hope the name spelling is right too)

[mrsdex]

Thank you for your ideas ladies! It's exciting to know that I have found a few more possibilities / avenues to follow!

Gracious_Goddess TY from the bottom of my heart, your thoughful words are more appreciated than you can imagine possible! You are just gorgeous!

Melbel - AWESOME! Finally a sticky one on the way for you and so well deserved might I add. 5 losses no doubt was quite a horrible journey for you & your closest loved ones. Thank you so much for the advice, I will be sure to research Gavin as soon as I have completed my post! Enjoy what remains of your pregnancy & my best wishes are with you for bubs arrival! x

Shellbell3 - More awesome info for me! I'm so pleased!!! & have my fingers crossed for your friend harder than you can imagine possible! Thanks for popping past & I will be sure to follow up the lead you have given me.

You ladies are fantastic! I feel more relieved now than you can imagine. If anything this crappy experience has made me more determined to make this happen somehow, someday... But I will be sure to let you know when it does!
I really feel that there is a "reason" and its findable... & now I just need to find someone that wants to find it as much as me!

You ladies have really made my day, best I get back on the bandwagon hey!

[dory]

Mrs Dex

I am so sorry sweetie. Early miscarriages are tough too.

There are some Drs in Sydney who work in an emerging field of recurrent miscarriage - natural T killer cells, which I understand may contribute to early miscarriages, especially when you have had a successful pregnancy in the past. One is a Dr Sachs at the Sydney IVF clinic. I didn't end up using him yet, but the info on their web site is reassuring. I also called the clinic and the staff were pretty helpful. Sixty Minutes also did a segment on a patient of Dr Sachs who had experienced 20 m/c during her journey for multiple children. It was probably son time in October/November.

You will need a referral from your GP. You can have an appointment by phone if you are interestate, but if you have a phone consultation you can't claim medicare. if you attend the consultation in person in Sydney ( Bondi Junction - it's on a train line) then you can claim medicare. I can't remember the estimate fees for the consultation.

There are a whole heap of tests suggested for recurrent miscarriage. If you look at the book by Dr Alan Beer - Is your body baby friendly - it details some of the issues and tests. It is an emerging and controversial area, natural T killer cells.

There is a sticky at the beginging of one of the forums of what types of tests others have had.

I recommend you make a written request from your GP & Hospital for copies of all of your test results

In my experience, you are most likely to have had chromosone testing not genetic testing. Usually genetic testing is performed by a genetic counselor and can be quite expensive.

The squeaky wheel gets the oil - sadly, as hard as it is for you, you are the only person who can advocate best for you, no one else is going to do it. Be strong my sweet and as much as you can be gentle on yourself.

[KateStrang]

Hi,

I also had unexplained miscarriages (2), went through the mill at RPAH / "shared care" system with local GPs - they just said keep trying and weren't willing to investigate the problem until I'd had a 3rd miscarriage. But at 38 years old the clock was ticking and my window for success was rapidly closing + I just wasn't up to going through another miscarriage.

Then I read Alan Beer's book late last year, which led me to Mark Beale (obstetrician / gyno') - absolutely brilliant, can't recommend him enough:
Doctor Mark Beale - main menu

Saw Dr Beale just before xmas 2008, conceived in Jan 2009, and with Dr Beale's help I now have a perfect, beautiful little baby boy (born in Oct 2009). Turned out I just had insulin resistance, which is relatively simple to manage.

Clinic is in Maquarie St, he delivers at Prince of Wales Private Hospital.
He is very experienced, thorough, careful and a genuine human being who really listens and understands. He deals with difficult cases every day, especially "older" mothers (after 35 years old you are virtually written off as unviable by alot of practitioners), PCOS, etc.

You just need a straight forward referral from your GP for an appointment.

Wishing you good luck.

cheers, Kate.

[dory]

Kate - congrats. If you don't mind my asking - at what stage were your m/c? Glad to hear you found a special doctor in the end. I have read that book too - it's a goldmine of information.

Mrs Dex - how you doing?

[KateStrang]

5&1/2 and 7&1/2 weeks

[dory]

I am so happy that after your heartbreak you are able to nurture and parent your little one.

[Hollybolly]

Just another one who can add to Melbel's recommendations for Dr Sacks

Even if you search him here on BB let alone the internet in general, you'll find a STACK of info that will help you - there's a lot of us on here who owe where we're at to him in one way or another.(He's known as Dr S on here mostly )

If you want any more info, send me a PM - everyone on here has read more than enough posts from me & how highly I think of him

ETA - My DS will be turning 12 just after my new little one is to be born - so I completely relate to your frustration

Best Of Luck