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The previous posts in this forum helped me greatly in my own miscarriage with cytotec, so like many others I pledged to return and share my experience, which was not that unpleasant.

A little background -- I'm 28, my husband is 29, and this was our first pregnancy. I was diagnosed with polycystic ovaries in August, and on my first cycle with provera/clomid (50 mg) I got pregnant. Of course, we were thrilled, but also apprehensive because we knew the statistics. I was diagnosed with a blighted ovum at what should have been 8 weeks pregnant, after the first ultrasound at 6 1/2 weeks showed a too-small gestational sac with minimal growth over the following two weeks and barely rising hCG levels. At this time, I'd started spotting brownish blood only when wiping, and my (wonderful!) OB suggested using cytotec to induce a miscarriage since I was so early and the sac was quite small (~1 cm).

She inserted 4 pills vaginally (after wetting them quickly with sterile saline) on a Tuesday at 11:30 am and prescribed 600 mg ibuprofen to be taken every 6 hours for the pain (she said she would get me something stronger if I needed it, but I never did). I went home and settled up on the couch to wait for the cramping. It started around 2pm. I don’t generally cramp much when on my period, so I can’t compare the pain to that – but it was not more than I could handle with the ibuprofen and a heating pad. The worst part was that there was no break from the pain – it was persistent for ~ 9 hrs. I found some relief using a yoga ball and stretching/"gyrating" on it to get some slow movement. I started bleeding red blood around 3pm only when on the toilet and actively “pushing” it out. For the next 8 hrs, I had persistent cramping and bled only when on the toilet (I’d try to go every 30 mins or so). The blood was never liquidy but kind of stringy, and I passed a few clots (none that were very big). I passed another small clot (sac? too small to tell) ~ 11pm and the cramping let up after that. I slept fine that night. That whole day and night I never once filled a pad – honestly, a pantyliner probably would have caught everything that happened when I wasn’t on the toilet.

The next morning, I was rather crampy again and spent another day on the couch with the heating pad, still bleeding thick blood but only when I went to the bathroom. This continued throughout the day, and I still never filled a pad.

By Thursday the cramping hat let up significantly but would come/go every so often, so I stayed home again but wasn’t bleeding too much. I had a follow-up dr visit on Friday when they did an ultrasound showing something small right at the opening of my cervix about to come out (probably just some blood, not the sac, according to my doc) and she said I should take it easy over the weekend and then it would be over.

It’s now been just over a week since I took the cytotec, and I haven’t had any bleeding (even when wiping) for a day, so I think it’s really over. My breasts are only slightly tender now and I don’t “feel” pregnant any longer. I tend to have really long cycles, and the dr has advised us to wait 2 cycles before trying again (2 calendar months, since I will use provera to induce a period, and then start the clomid after my second period). Overall, I’d say my experience was as positive as it could be, and I’d choose the cytotec if given the very unfortunate citcumstances again. I think going through this in the comfort of my home and with my husband was much better than a d&c or having the cramping/bleeding happen at work or somewhere else unfortunate.

My main tip is to use a heating pad!! It made such a difference for me. I just tucked it inside my pj pants & top of my undies and was attached to the cord for two days except for when I went to the bathroom, and it really helped with the pain. It’s also very important to have someone there with you – or at least very close (my husband was at work, but could make it home in 10 minutes if I needed him) in case the bleeding gets out of hand. I was fortunate not to have that problem. Hopefully none of us have to go through this heartwrenching experience again, but I must say that I’m so glad it’s finally all over. Hugs to everyone who had to make it through this difficult time!

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