I miscarried naturally at 7 weeks two weeks ago. My doctor's office has had me coming in every week for beta testing to make sure that my hcg levels were going down adequately (to confirm no retained tissue, etc.). Unfortunately, I'm paying for these blood tests out-of-pocket because I haven't yet hit my deductible. Yesterday, which was exactly two weeks after I started miscarrying, my hcg level was 8. My doctor's office wants to see it less than 5 and indicated that I need to come in for what is hopefully the final beta next week. I kind of feel that this is unnecessary at this point (8 vs. 5!) but I am worried that if I were to get pregnant again quickly that I might have issues since my hcg levels would start to climb again and I'll have never gotten the clean bill of health. If you miscarried, did your doctor monitor your beta levels so closely? Does anybody know of a compelling reason to keep going in to see that my beta went down when it is already so low?
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First off I'm so very sorry!
My 'RE office did the same I had to go back until my HCG was <2......
It started at an 8 but ended as a CP
I'd just go, if your planning on TTC right away again better to clear everything and make sure all.is ok! -
Yes. My doctor did. (but it was covered under my first pregnancy copay).
They want to make sure your levels get down to below 5 to make sure you haven't retained any tissue. If there is tissue left in you, it can cause serious infection. Many times after a natural miscarriage doctors will want to monitor you just to make sure everything is out of your body.
I know it sucks. I hated going in for those appointments.
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I had the same situation, and did about 8 betas (and 5 ultrasounds, no charge) over the course of 4 weeks, at about $10 a pop per beta. I decided to not go back for my last beta because I had had an ultrasound a week before which confirmed nothing was left. By then it had been a 5-week-long experience and I wanted it to be over.
I personally would cancel that last beta draw if it was really expensive. I think with a beta of 8, the chance of retained tissue is very miniscule. Did you ever have an ultrasound after the loss started?
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My last miscarriage it took forever for my betas to go down. By the end I wish I had had a DNC because they just would not drop below what the Dr. wanted. I had a really heavy period 3 months after my miscarriage and I ended up having to go to the hospital because I couldn't stop bleeding and passing clots. I think it finally dropped after that episode. Betas are cheaper than an emergency room visit.
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Sorry for your loss
I'm not sure how your insurance works but for different circumstances I was able to get a beta at my regular GP's office (not my OB). All I had to pay was my regular docs copay of like $15. Still got results next day, or at most 48 hours. -
Thanks for all the feedback. I did not have an ultrasound after the loss. My doctor's office has just been doing the betas. @jmom, were your betas this low when you had your complications or were they still decently high?
One of the nurses told me that I shouldn't be trying again to conceive until I get that under 5 beta. I hope I'm not screwing things up by trying again at my beta of 8 but it took me 5 months just to get pregnant so obviously I'm not expecting much out of this cycle...
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@Shantuck: I truthfully can't remember the exact numbers. I think they may have been between 10-15. They did an ultrasound at the hospital to make sure there wasn't any retained tissue but didn't find anything. The Dr. told me later that it was a "cleansing" period. It cleaned out my supply of pads, that was for sure.
I am sorry about your miscarriage. It is so hard to have to keep going back in to the doctor's to keep getting betas when it is the last place you want to be. I'm sure you won't have the same complication I did, but they check betas for a reason. -
This is all a bit odd to me because after both of my procedures, I never had an ultrasound or betas. I guess because it was done surgically they assume it will drop?
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@T.H.O.U.: My doctors don't run betas after a D&C because they're more confident they've gotten everything out. But when a natural MC, they feel like there's the potential that tissue could be left behind.
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