Recurrent Miscarriage Clinic at RWH?

[mr_al]

Hi folks,


My wife and I have been referred to the recurrent miscarriage clinic that operates at the Royal Women's in Melbourne, following our fifth miscarriage (http://www.bubhub.com.au/community/forums/showthread.php?t=8416) late last year.

Just wondering if anyone has been referred there, and what you experience/etc outcomes were? We're going there in a couple of months, after tests following the latest mc didn't reveal anything conclusive (again. :confused: )

ta all,


mr_al

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Her: 33 Him: 35 The Dog: 4
Hits: 0 Misses: 5 Pending: n/a

[Rianna]

I was wondering this too, has anyone got any feedback on the clinic from themselves or friends?

[Towie]

Hello,

My husband and I went to the recurrent miscarriage clinic at the RWH and it was the best thing we could have done. You have to have had three or more losses to be eligible and it operates on a Thursday afternoon. I think the main doctor is Dr Jo Said, that is who we saw and she is absolutely fantastic. I had already had some tests as well before my appointment(which my ob told me were all normal) but Jo actually found that the results of one particular test was not quite normal and it ends up that this is what was likely to be causing the miscarriages. So ask your doctor for copies of all the tests you've had and take them along to the appointment. It is likely she'll do some more tests or re-run some you've already had.

I had had three miscarriages when I first went, I had another while under their care, but it was chromosomal so it was never going to be. After following their instructions, I am nearly 32 weeks pregnant and still can't quite believe it. I'm sure you must be feeling like it is never going to happen for you, we certainly did. But after going to this clinic we finally felt that someone might be able to help us.

She may advise that you can start trying to get pregnant again, depending on your test results, once you are pregnant, from six weeks they scan you every week to check how the pregnancy is progressing (or if it has failed). These scans are an absolute god-send and helped me hold on to what little sanity I had left! If at any time you feel that things aren't right you can just ring them and they'll tell you to come in for a scan. One morning I had a bit of melt-down and convinced myself that the pregnancy was over. I rang the midwife and within an hour I had been scanned and reassured.

If your pregnancy progresses, at about 12 - 14 weeks they hand you back to your primary carer - either your obstetrician or the hospital where you will have the baby.

I really hope that everything works out for you because it is a terrible thing to have to go through.
Good Luck

[*Sparkles*]

Hi :wave:
I can't offer any advice as I haven't been to the clinic at the RWH. I did however go through their reproductive services unit to fall PG and they were really good.
Just wanted to wish you all the best with your journey :fingerscrossed:

[mr_al]

Hey Towie, :wave:

Thanks for the reply. Great news on your front. My wife is around your age, and after 5 years of trying it is a constant frustration. Congrats on being at 32 weeks, that's amazing...you must really be in the "this time it's really going to happen!!" mode. Hope the next month(s) are great for you.

Yes, we've been going to the clinic for a number of months now - first battery of specialists tests also revealed something that my wife is taking treatment for. We've been trying for a few months now to fall pregnant again - our 6th attempt - and we'll see how we go this time.

We hear you on the reassurance thing...those first 12 weeks are heartbreakingly hard. We got to just short of 12 weeks last time before our 5th baby died. Having ultrasound-on-demand sounds pretty good to us!!

Outside of Jo (who is lovely, yes) has been the counselling support of Di. My wife reckons she is absolutely the best person she has ever encountered (short of her husband, of course...) and I've been in to see her as well, and got a lot out of my visit. She just has a way of making you feel 'right' about yourself, in the middle of what is a pretty dark thing to be going through... We like that. :yelclap:


Recurrent miscarriage, to be blunt, is an absolute ******* of a thing to go through. Especially as you hit your early-to-mid thirties, and everyone (or their wives) seems to be pregnant, or - in many cases recently observed - on to their third kidlet ( a growing trend, it would appear). :banghead:

To be able to go to a place for both treatment and counsel that really UNDERSTANDS what you are going through - as an individual or a couple - is very special, and I for one am grateful to have access to such a clinic in Melbourne.

BTW, did anyone catch the BBC Horizons documentary special "Waiting For A Heartbeat" ( link (http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/tvradio/programmes/horizon/heartbeat.shtml)) that was on the Teeve a few weeks back? Set in St Mary's clinic in London...very accurate portrayal of emotion and process that folks like us go through in the recurrent miscarriage space...

Cheers,



mr_al

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Her: 33 Him: 35 The Dog: 5
Hits: 0 Misses: 5 Pending: Dunno yet...

[Towie]

Hi there,

I had a look at the BBC link, all so familiar!! How cruel for you to get so far (nearly 12 weeks) and lose your last baby. All losses are terrible but to get so close to the apparent 'safe' stage must have been awful.

The Professor that the show featured, Prof Leslie Regan, I have read a book of hers on miscarriage which was very useful. I can't recall the title but I just borrowed it from my local library. If you haven't already read it, it is worth a look. Although if you're anything like me there wont be much in it that you don't already know! I totally immersed myself in the subject in an effort to avoid more miscarriages. While it was Jo Said who really helped, having all that knowledge made me feel a bit more empowered.

I also went to see Di, but unfortunately didn't have as positive experience as your wife. We spent most of the appointment talking about the number of losses she has had and I left feeling like I didn't really have a right to ask for help, having not reached double figures! She quoted all these women to me who'd had 10, 12 + and one who'd had 21 losses, so having lost only four, I felt a bit of a fool. There were other aspects of the appointment that didn't go so well so I decided not to go back. I have seen another councellor who was great and very helpful so it was probably just a case of 'not clicking', it's great that your wife has found her to be helpful, because it really is such a desperate time.

You're right about it seeming like everyone (or their wives) are pregnant, everywhere I looked on the street, every woman seemed to be pregnant. After I lost my last one, a friend of mine was pregnant and due two weeks after I would have been. She conceived through IVF so her journey was not an easy one either. I remember her saying to me 'It will happen' and that she really believed she'd never get pregnant and there she was carrying twins. But while her efforts to try to convince me that everything would be ok were 'honourable', it was hard to take, after all she was sitting there safely pregnant. So yes, I am unbelievably over- joyed to finally be carrying a baby but I know how it feels when people say 'Everything will be all right' - I guess they don't really know what else to say.

Anyway, good luck with the next one:fingerscrossed:, my husband used to joke that we should buy some shares in 'early detection pregnancy kits' the way we went through them! The trying to conceive brings different stresses altogether, so I hope it happens soon for you.

Towie

[Billy]

:hugs: Mr Al, I have no experience in this at all, but after reading your heartbreaking story in tears I just wanted to wish you and your wife the absolute best of luck in this next attempt. You have such a beautiful relationship together and I truly believe you will make wonderful parents when your little angel eventually comes along. :fingerscrossed: everything goes perfectly- I honestly have everything crossed for you. Take care :hugs: xox

[Crazy Monkey]

:fingerscrossed: All the best in trying to conceive again and :fingerscrossed: everything sticks this time...

Like Billy, I haven't been through anything like you and your wife but just wanted to send you all the best wishes and that your dreams of starting a family will happen soon...

[shikha77]

Hi, Iam new to this forum. I have had six Miscarriages and do not have children. I have had a battery of tests both here in Melbourne and overseas (India) but cant seem to find the cause. I hope to get an appointment at the RWH and speak to someone overthere who can show us some hope. Good luck to you all and please keep posting any new info you might get while surfing the net.
Regards.

Iam 32 yrs
My husband 37 yrs