Was I misdiagnosed or not?

[tlink34]

My name is Teresa. I am 39 and had tubal reversal in December of 2004. When I got a +HPT on April 12th, I immediately made a dr. appointment and got it confirmed at 11 DPO with a beta of 26. I had my first u/s at 5 weeks 3 days to confirm that the pregnancy was not in a tube since I am at higher risk due to my reversal. There was a nice little sac in the uterus but the dr thought we should see more. The next week, at 6 weeks 3 days we saw a yolk sac and a gestational sac that had grown appropriately but the dr thougt we should have seen the fetal pole and was not pleased. I went back at 7 weeks 3 days and there was NOTHING in the sac. It had grown to 25.4 mm but there was nothing in it. The dr. prepared me for a m/c and I was devestated but determined to seek a 2nd opinion due to the dr.'s negative attitude throughout my pregnancy.

I saw a new dr. at 8 weeks 1 day and the disappearing yolk sac was back and had a tiny fetal pole measuring .16 cm next to it. The dr. said there was no way it was an 8 week pregnancy and I told him I knew exactly when I ovulated because I was charting etc. He told me to come back in a week and ordered some betas. The first one was 107,900, the second was 102,000+. Not good news I didn't think but at 8 weeks I heard your betas can start to drop and that is normal. In the mean time the morning sickness really kicks in.

So I go back at 9 weeks 2 days for yet another u/s fully expecting to see a deteriorating sac and I was prepared to talk about options to move it along.

Immediately the nurse midwife detected a flicker and began measuring something. I could not even speak but just kept staring and tryong to understand what I was seeing. I never really saw the flicker but my husband and the midwife did and I took their word for it. The baby had grown from .16 cm to .78 cm in one weeks time and had a flicker of a heartbeat to weak to hear.

The measurement was consistent with a 6 week 5 day pregnancy but I was suppose to be 9 weeks 2 days according to my ovulation date. The midwife said no, this heart has only been beating a day or two at most and so can only be 6 weeks 5 days give or take a day or two. I said that is not possible and she said it is. I told her I had a positive pregnancy test at 9 days post ovulation and doubling betas every single blood draw except that last one that declined. She said I had to have conceived twice and lost the first pregnancy, which could be consistent with the ultrasound results we received at 7 weeks 3 days (When the sac appeared empty where before there had been a yolk).

So I don't know that I was really misdiagnosed but I do know that if I had rushed into a D&C I wouldn't have found that heartbeat yesterday. Miracles can and do happen and our baby is living proof of that. I never spotted at all.

Hope this brings some hope to someone. My husband fasted and prayed for me and our little one. I believe in the power of prayer.

Teresa

[Lovinmom]

How wonderful to hear that you got a heartbeat. Thank you so much for sharing. This is why we don't recommend a D&C to get things over with. There can be another sac hiding behind another, ect... This is known as the vanishing twin. I personally would never trust a u/s diagnosis until the minimum 10 wks. Even at that, it is good to wait a few weeks to really make sure the isn't a misdiagnosis.

Congratulations on the good news! We will keep praying for you and your little one.

Lovinmom :heart:

[alliemich]

your story really gives me hope. i am in similar situation. at first u/s (5w 5d) doctor was concerned b/c my sac seemed much smaller than first day of last period. I had blood drawn and my levels were 5500 then 11400 3 days later. the doctor called and said the numbers and my progesterone were supporting a healthy pregnancy, but to come for another ultrasound thursday. i went back 1 week later at 6w 5 days and he said i was measuring 5 weeks but that this ultrasound showed a yolk sac so thing were looking okay. i went back the next thursday and my doctor said he was almost 100% sure i would miscarry due to lack of growth and no heartbeat. i am devastated! i just got married in october and am pregnant for first time at 34 years old. i feel like i don't have very much time and i really want this baby to be healthy and make it!
i went back again monday for more blood. my numbers from the last draw at 6w 5 d were 24500 which was 8 days and just a little over doubling. this worries me but many people say they don't double as quickly in weeks 8 and beyond. i am currently waiting on call from dr to see what numbers are from yesterday. please pray for me that i will have some wonderful news - i am so scared as i feel i am starting to lose pregnancy symptoms but my husband said it is all in my head. please be true...

[Kay]

Hi Allison. Yes, hCG levels really start to slow after they reach 6,000. This is normal. They will even begin to drop toward the end of the first trimester. In fact, most doctors don't like to take hCG levels after the sac is seen because unless they drop down 10s of thousands, they really don't tell them much. When is your next ultrasound?

[alliemich]

my next ultrasound/appointment is today and I am so nervous. I am really hoping and praying for a miracle. I am 8 weeks 4 days today so pray something will be seen! I called them yesterday and my blood levels from last thursday to monday had gone up but had not doubled. I read that is not a concern for non doubling this late so let's just hope for a miracle to happen on the ultrasound....

[JOHANNA]

YOUR STORY HAS BROUGHT ME SOME HOPE. I AM HAD AN ULTRASOUND DONE AT 8WKS INWHICH MY BABY MEASURED 7WK AND 4 DAYS AND THEY SAID THAT THERE WAS NO HEART BEAT. MY DOCTOR WANTED TO IMMEDIATELY SCHEDULE A D&C THAT VERY WKEND BUT ALL MY LABS WERE GRAET, I HAD NO PAIN, BLEEDING OR ANYTHING. I OBJECTED AND SCHEDULED ANOTHER US FOR TODAY AT 8WK AND 5DAYS. THIS WAS THE WORST WKEND OF MY LIFE. I WENT TO CHURCH FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MANY YEARS.

I DO NOT FEEL PREGNANT BUT I NEVER REALLY DID. I AM SO NERVOUS I FEEL SO DISCOURAGED NBUT YOUR STAORY HAS GIVEN ME HOPE.

I CAN NOT SAY THE SAME ABOUT THE DOCTOR, SHE ALREADY SCHEDULED A D&C FOR THIS UPCOMMING FRIDAY WITH OUT EVEN WAITING FOR MY US ON MONDAY.

THANK YOU FOR POSTING YOUR STORY. U HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH IT GIVES ME HOPE ( AND THATS THE ONLY THING I ASK GOD FOR HOPE AND STRENGTH)