A week went by and my doctor's office gave me a call to check on me. During that week nothing had happened yet, so they presented me with the options.
I opted to go with the less invasive version. While I don't know much about D&C's, I just didn't feel like it was the right option for me. As much I wanted to just wait it out for a natural miscarriage, I knew that the stress from waiting was only going to make me more stressed. So, I chose the medicine to induce it.
This is an account of my experience using Misoprostol/Cytotec to miscarry. Please note this is my own experience. Growth stopped at 5 days 5 weeks and this week would have been the 9th week.
It's about to get real. If things make you queasy, this is your warning to turn back now.
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I went to pick up the prescription for Misoprostol as well as the painkiller Tylenol #3 (with codeine) for pain management.
I was pretty nervous about it. The nurse had told me that I would be receiving two doses. I would take one dose at bedtime and if nothing happened, I would repeat the dose the following evening.
And of course, what do you do when you're about to take medication that you've never taken before and the nurses can't predict what your personal reaction will be? You take to the internet, of course! I'm really thankful for the couple of personal accounts I found of other women who chose to take Misoprostol to miscarry. It made me feel less alone, more prepared, and at least have some idea of what was going to happen.
I was instructed to insert four misoprostol tablets vaginally before bed. I was also given the option to take two Tylenol with codeine for pain management - I opted to take them.
I consider myself pretty lucky that I rarely ever get menstrual cramps before or during my regular periods. That being said, I was nervous about what was going to happen.
12:00AM - At about midnight on Saturday night, I took the two Tylenol #3 and then inserted the four (total 800mg) Misoprostol tablets. I also set myself up with a pad just in case bleeding started in bed. I also laid out a towel on the bed under me. I got into bed and we watched a couple episodes of The League on Netflix. I didn't feel anything quite yet.
1:05AM - I started to feel slight cramping, but nothing too bad. I got up to go to the bathroom, and nothing yet on that front.
3:30AM - The cramps were getting stronger and starting to feel uncomfortable. I got up again to use the bathroom and there was some spotting. I figured that was a good sign.
5:25AM - The cramps continued, I tossed and turned, and then when I turned over one more I time, I felt the feeling like when your period starts. I got up to go to the bathroom and whoa...there was a lot of blood.
5:55AM - More cramps, more feeling of bleeding, get up again. More blood.
6:15AM - Get up again. Cramps feel worse. I go take one tablet of Tylenol #3 since 6 hours had passed. Try to get comfortable in bed.
6:30AM - Get up again, go to the bathroom. Still passing clots, pass what looks like could be the embryo (grey material with the clot).
6:50AM - Get up again. When I lay back down, the cramps are feeling unbearable. Can't get comfortable.
7:05AM - Get up again, this time I leaned at the foot of the bed face down, hoping that position would be more comfortable and bearable. When that wasn't working, I got up again and wandered around the bedroom, hoping to get things going.
7:10AM - Then I suddenly felt a clot or large amount of blood coming, and before I could sit down, SPLAT, looked like a toned down scene from Dexter. I passed a large clot, perhaps the sac.
7:15AM - After that last bathroom run, I feel much better and can finally get comfortable in bed.
7:45AM - Get up again, pass more clots, but the volume of blood is significantly less from earlier.
7:50AM-10:15AM - I'm able to sleep for the most part comfortably.
In about two hours time, I went through five pads, that were FULL and soaked.
The cramps finally subsided completely by about 12:00PM, so a full 12 hours after inserting the Misoprostol.
Now, my nurse had told me that if nothing happened from the first dose that I could do a second dose the following day. Since I felt like all my insides passed, I wanted to know if I needed to take the second dose or if just taking the one was okay.
I called my doctor's service and well, I have to take the second dose. I'm sure that just to shake out whatever is still left...though I feel like there's not much of anything! (Gotta keep a good sense of humor when dealing with gross things).
I'm really hoping that round two is less intense than round one. I'm hoping that since I've passed most, if not all the tissue, that the bleeding is a lot less and the cramping is hopefully not as severe. But who knows?!
In spite of the pain, I'm still glad that I chose the medicinal option over the D&C. Even with outpatient surgery, that still kind of freaks me out because I do know they have to put you under in some capacity.
Have you ever taken Misoprostol/Cytotec for miscarriage? What was your experience like?
Updated after second dose of Misoprostol:
The second dose of Misoprostol wasn't bad at all. I experienced the slightest cramping, but nothing in comparison to the night before. I was able to sleep through the night.
The thing they don't tell you (or at least doesn't seem too important) is that after you have bled out what feels like half your body volume in blood (okay, being dramatic), you continue to bleed for days after the event. It's kind of like having a normal period. And just when you think that you're done bleeding, things have reduced to spotting, you get a random bit of blood here and there. Like heaving spotting. It's annoying more than anything given the circumstances.
How to prepare to take Misoprostol:
It'll depend on how your doctor's protocol works, but if you're instructed to take it at night, here are my recommendations.
- Eat a good dinner, but nothing that might upset your stomach.
- Stock up on pads. Considering the amount of blood that gushes, tampons are not recommended.
- Lay out a towel on your bed, just in case.
- Keep a glass or bottle of water accessible.
- Wear whatever makes you feel most comfortable, and easy when you need to run to the bathroom.
- A heating pad - I did not use one, but I have heard that this can help with the cramps.
- Decent toilet paper. Like, you don't want the thick, fancy stuff clogging up your toilet, but you also don't want 1-ply because you'll be bunching that stuff up like crazy anyway. A good, middle of the line toilet paper will do.
- Netflix or other distraction - if you can't sleep, I'd recommend finding a distraction - Netflix is always a great option...watch something funny.
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