How long does the actual miscarriage last, a day? a week?

It helps to have found all this since I think I am having a mc. I had a positive pregnancy test last Mon night and should be about 6 wks along. Thursday I started having cramps and late Thurs night I had a gush of blood with some small clots. I started cramping really bad and having lower back pain that continued for a couple of hours. I managed to sleep and woke up to the pain being gone except light cramps but I was still bleeding. I bled Friday and part of Sat and then it just stopped. I've had a couple of small gushes of fluid but no more bleeding or severe pain since then. I don't know if I'm miscarrying or not. I wish I knew what was going on. I had bleeding with my son at 7wks and again at 9wks but never had the pain I've had this time so I think I may be losing this baby. I just wish there was some way to know.

I just found out two days ago that I had miscarried. Actually, they scared me first by saying that I had had an ectopic pregnancy and that my health was at risk! I am nineteen years old and this is my first pregnancy. There was no bleeding at all before the miscarriage but I had MAJOR pains. It was so painful that I was up the entire night trying to walk it out. But the pains never went away so I hopped onto the computer and starting researching since it was a Sunday and no one was at the clinic. So I went in the next day and had an ultrasound, nothing there, so they performed an internal ultrasound, there was so much blood, the screen was BLACK! I was so sore from the chest down from the cramping that I cried and squeezed my partners hands until he started to sweat. So, I was scheduled to come in the next day. And had a biopsy. As soon as Doc stuck the clamps in, EVERYTHING came gushing out! It was a horrible way to discover that the reason why I was not bleeding and kept having cramps was because the embryo was still in there and that was the main reason why all the staff thought that I had had a ectopic pregnancy.
Today is only the second day living with the actual reality that I had miscarried. No one treats me or looks at me differently but I feel like a totally different person and moreover I feel completely empty like there's nothing left to live for. Whenever I eat, I feel like I am never going to be full, and I cry spontaneously all the time. It's going to be a hard journey but I can't wait to try again; I want one so desperately!

Hey everybody! This is so weird to me to be typing about a miscarriage because everything happened so fast. I didn't even notice that my cycle was late until the 11th because my cycle usually came on around the 10th but it was suppose to have come on on the 4th. Noticing that I was a week late which never happens b/c I usually have my cycle every 28 days I too a HPT, it was positive. I even had my fiance bring a HPT home with him and took it too, both were positive. I was feeling so overwhelmed b/c we are getting married in April and all I was worried about was not being able to fit into my dress and stressing about minor things that were not important. I noticed really light pink when I used the bathroom Sat and it was a little more Sun. Monday the blood had gotten heavier and I was going to get a blood test at the doctors office Tuesday. After I left the doctors office the bleeding really intencified amd I knew something was really wrong. I called later that evening and the test was positive. I was cramping really bad and was contemplating going to the ER but the nurse said that there was nothing they could do and that my body would take care of itself she also suggested Tylenol for the cramping which helped a bit. When I went back Thursday I was told that my hcg level had fallen from 135 to 35 consistent with a misscarriage. I have to go back next week b/c the level has to get down to 0. I am so full with emotions right now because everything happened so fast and I feel extremely bad b/c initially all I could think about was not being able to fit my wedding dress! All I keep thinking about is how selfish and silly I was being. I have a handsome little boy who turns 2 Dec 21st :-D and I just keep thanking God for him. This situation hurts me so much b/c I really want to know what caused it so I can be better equipt to handle things differently but I have no clue.... One thing I have taken from this whole ordeal is to not complain so much, take in every moment in life and make the best of all situations. Look at what I do have and be Thankful for it.

Sorry so long, needed to talk to someone!

It's been one week since our miscarriage. We had just told our family the good news about the pregnancy at Christmas and 1 week later we are in emergency for two days with contractions as my body passed the baby.
I spotted and and cramped early on and had these fears. However that doesn't mean the same will happen to you. As previously mentioned there are other reasons including gestation for early spotting.
Following an ultra-sound that confirmd the miscarriage, it was also shown that I still had 'debris' left behind and that we would wait in hopes that it would pass naturally. I am still passing 'debris,' light bleeding now and cramping- but not as bad as the contractions.

It's a tough road whether you are at 4 weeks or almost 11 weeks like we were. We were lucky to have a really good doctor who had been through 3 years of trying to have a baby- with 3 losses- and his wife was due with their 1st child the next day. He gave me a tip for the next time we are pregnant- to have a baby aspirin a day to assist with clotting. Something to think about next time you see your doctor to discuss.
Good Luck- and do know that that this too shall pass, and this is the work of Mother Nature, it's not your fault.

I am going through my second miscarriage in 5 months and this time it seems to be worse. The first miscarriage happened in October and was our first pregnancy and was so devasated to find out what was happening. I was only 5 weeks along, but that didn't seem to matter when it came to my emotions. This time it is so much worse. We are 6 weeks 2 days and the bleeding started 4 days ago. The same day that I went to the doctor to see what my levels were at, we found out that my progesterone level was at 1.12 and should have been at 12! The doctor said it was most likely an ectopic pregnancy, and that I should start to bleed soon. Well within an hour of my phone call I started spotting with brown and clear mucus. It seemed to get a little heavier over the last couple days, and then the cramping started. These are the worst cramps I've ever had in my life and last for what feels like an eternity. Today I started bleeding real blood, very red and passing clots. I am an emotional wreck, but have kept it all inside because I fear that my husband just doesn't fully understand the emotion that goes with this. He keeps saying that it's a good thing that we got pregnant twice, that means it will happen in time. We have my step son this weekend and are celebrating his 7th birthday, and all I want to do is go to bed and hide under the covers. The cramping is terrible, I have a UTI on top of it all, and the bleeding seems to have gotten heavier. I just want it all to be over soon, and from what I've read it sounds like this can last another 10 days. I sure hope not!! For all of you out there you are not alone, when you are out at the store or driving down the road, remember someone else is going through the exact same thing as you. The time will come for each of us- just continue to keep your faith and it will happen.

i am so sorry for all of you, i am 15 yers old and i think im just haveing implantation bleeding but a secend ago i went to the bathroom and a quarter sized clot came out im cramping..i was so upset at first tht i was pregnant then i got so happy now this im so sad.

I am currently miscarrying as I type. I believe I may have already passed most of it as I have stopped bleeding heavy clots but I am still having painful contractions. This is my third miscarriage. My last pregnancy before this was 10 years ago. Each one has been a little different then the other. I have also been at different stages. My first miscarriage was at 6 weeks, my second was at 8 weeks and 3 days and this miscarriage was at 4 weeks 6 days. I suffer from extreme stage 4 endometriosis. I have been through fertility treatments and years of disappointments. The doctor told me I would never be able to get pregnant without assisted fertility help and even that was "maybe". I have had two laparoscopys. The first laparoscopy did not help me get pregnant at all. I had finally come to terms with my infertility and was getting used to the fact that I would never get to be a mom. 3 years later, in August, I had another laparoscopy and 5 months later I found out I was pregnant without assisted fertility drug or fertility help besides the surgery 5 months previous (so doctors don't know everything...miracles happen ladies). I was in disbelief, scared but mostly excited. I didn't think getting pregnant would ever happen for me. I was still in shock. I didn't want to tell anyone because with my other miscarriages and the fact that women with Endometriosis have a higher chance of miscarrying. I HAD to tell someone. I told my brother, who is my best friend. He was so happy for me. He knew how much I had wanted a baby and how many heartaches I had gone through. I remember telling him that even if I did miscarry that the fact that I at least got pregnant was enough to give me hope when everything seems hopeless. Literally, after I hung up the phone with him I used the restroom and noticed a very light brown discharge when I wiped. The next morning I had a bright pink clumpy discharge. I was actually having a pinching pain where I imagined my cervix was. Days before this my uterus had kept twitching but I had no bleeding or pains I was keeping all fingers crossed. I called my doctor but they didn't seem to be concerned. They sent me to a lab to get my HGC levels tested. While waiting for lab technician I felt myself cramping horribly and I was bleeding heavily. When I got home I passed three large dark red clots. The next day (which was only yesterday) I had extreme back pain, bleeding and cramps but they went away towards the night. I never really did bleed on the pad like a regular period. It seemed to be only clots coming out and it was only when I went to the bathroom and pushed. Today I have haven't been bleeding but small amounts brown blood discharge but my cramps, man, the cramps...I can't even express the pain. They are intermittent and feel like contractions. I have actually been doing meditation breathing trying to get through them. I just can't wait for it to be over. I am so emotional. The first two days I cried hysterically. To finally have something surprise you that you thought would never happen again and get so excited and so joyful just to have it ripped away from me was crushing my heart and hurt worst than the cramps. Maybe I will one day try to have a baby again but this is so heartbreaking that I need time to just come to terms with it. I am currently trying to stay positive and realize that it was a miracle that happened for me to have severe Endometriosis and get pregnant naturally but dealing with loss is never going to get easier no matter how many miscarriages.
My heart just goes out to all the women who posted on this board. Reading your experiences brought more tears to my already tearful eyes. Being able to relate is oddly comforting. I know everyone's experience and physical/mental pain is different but we are all survivors. We did nothing wrong and we are not defective. Life doesn't work out the way we think it should. If you do want to get pregnant again, don't ever give up hope and just understand that you may have to learn patience. I believe that one day it will happen for all of us who experienced such a painful loss and wish to be a mother. It might take years but never give up on yourself or your dream.

melodywak ... I read your touching post and then saw that 38 cruel and heartless souls gave it a thumbs down ... who would do that?! Honestly, some people just don't get it.

Anyway, way I was supposed to be 10 weeks today but 2 ultrasounds confirmed a blighted ovum and a GS of about 6 1/2 weeks. I am 41 years old and this was my first pregnancy. It was a surprise to say the least but were cautiously excited. Alas, it was not meant to be. The loss has not been too emotional because, in all likelihood there never was a fetus so I don't feel like a little life was slipping away. I think I have been lucky with the miscarriage, I didn't have to wait long for it to start and with the exception of an hour of extreme pain, I seem to have passed everything naturally and quickly with only minor cramps. Maybe there's more to come but I don't think so. I have a follow up with my doctor in about 10 days and hopefully we get the all clear to plan for the next one.

Best of luck to everyone and keep the faith.

OK, so I see now that every post has 38 thumbs down ... including mine which I posted 30 seconds ago. Strange!

i had a miscarrage 4 weeks ago today (5.03.10) it was a natural misscarrage, was only around 5 weeks, my bleeding was very light (only when i wiped) and only lasted 4 days. i am now waiting for my next period to start, we have been ttc since i stopped bleeding so i hope i could be pregnant i took a test this morning which was negative and have since started having a very light dicharge which i saw when i wiped but not seen it since. what could this be ??????? so confused x

Eight days ago now is when my ob told me that there was no heartbeat. I was 12w6d along and devatated. I had a natural miscarriage which I highly discourage. The cramps started two days after my appointment and were nearly unbearable. They lasted all night and the next morning I passed a golf ball sized "thing." The next day they were still going strong but more of a break in between, but abs were so sore by now that I could hardly stand it. Noon the third day I passed a plum sized "thing." Then the fourth day the cramps were even less but that night got bad and right before bed I went to use the bathroom and passed and approx 3 in long and 1 in wide "thing," at least. That was four days ago and I have only had some very small clots but I am still bleeding. I hope this ends soon. I am really ready to move passed it.

I never knew that getting pregnant could be such an emotional rollercoaster!

I'm a bartender and have been with my boyfriend for the last 3 years. I suspected I was pregnant when I didn't feel like drinking my normal after work. Sure enough, I came home and took a test, and it was faintly positive. My older sister has been trying for a year, so I already knew that getting a false positive was pretty rare. I cried for a whole day thinking my life was over. My boyfriend and I went out to eat and talked about our options. I always considered myself the type of girl that would "get rid" of anything standing in my way of my dream.....owning a restaurant one day. But after talking with him, we both realized that getting an abortion was not something that either one of us could live with. I took another test to be sure and the test line didn't even show up..... I was so confused! But I felt it!!! I knew I was pregnant. The following day, I went to the doc to get a confirmation.

Result? Negative. I was two weeks late, my breasts were sore, I was exhausted, craving spicy food, and emotional to the point of hysteria. Verbatim, my doctor said, "Completely Negative." However, until I got my period, my instructions were to avoid alcohol, cigs, etc, til the facts were straight in a week.

The whole next week might as well have been a class in how to be a mother. Between my sister, who is desperately trying to get pregnant, and my mom who is desperately trying to be a grandmother, I was completely enraptured. In that one week, I feel like I lived an entire pregnancy listening to those two. I went from never wanting children to falling in love with the child that would be ours. I was so stupid and naiive, that I even thought of names. As a bartender, I hang out at bars, and I order soda water.....I get strange looks...but I'm happy. I know I'm pregnant....I stop smoking cold turkey. The smell disgusts me. My boyfriend doesn't even stay for his shift beer....we go home early and he rubs my feet and we think about the future.

Then I started spotting. Very light. Brown. I called my sister. She told me implantation. She told me 1/3 of all women bleed. She bellied out stats after stats. In my heart I knew already, but remained hopeful. My doctors appointment was two days away, so I would know then.

My boyfriend and my non-baby-crazed sister came to the doc. Result? Positive. We smiled at each other!!!! We were all excited!!!! After a week of listening to hope after hope, I was genuinely hopeful! All the stress about money, and my job, and his job, and my dogs, and our insurance, and yadda yadda faded away and I got a glimpse of how our life might take a turn for the grand. As hopeful as I was, I knew I was bleeding and had to know for sure the baby was ok. At my request, she scheduled me for HCG tests and took my first one that day...thursday.

Ok, so if you've ever been to a busy bar where it's hard to get a drink? THAT is where I work. I start in on a busy Friday night dinner rush, and something starts to feel wrong. I'm one of their strongest bartenders.....I don't cry at work, I don't call in sick, and I NEVER give up my weekend shifts...but I start to bleed...AND cramp.

Emontionally, I lost it. I grabbed the only female manager and drug her outside and just started balling. I was a freaking WRECK. Thankfully, she took my hands and in hers and said, "you need to go home."

At home, things got worse. Bloody clots and cramps so bad I couldn't sleep. My next HCG test was in the morning. Saturday.

When I got up , I passed a golf ball sized clot and I knew it was over. I went to take the HCG blood test anyways. Some new shoddy lab tech stuck me all over my arm and it's now so bruised I look like a meth addict. Continued to bleed all through Saturday with nasty clots and cramps. Sunday morning the same..... But it's Sunday night and I won't know the result until tomorrow.....Bleeding is letting up now. Hardly any cramps at all.....

It seems very short from what I've read. I don't know what to think. My older sister might say there is still a possibility that I'm pregnant, but I don't feel it anymore. My breasts aren't sore. And it's weird, but I just don't feel it.

Am I wrong to think that it's over?

Sorry this is so long. Just needed to get it out.

I just had a miscarriage- Yesterday. I have to blame myself for it. It was not a planned pregnancy, so I did not take all the necessary precautions. I drank and partied too much during the first few weeks of this pregnancy. I did not have any pregnancy symptoms either. I did not realize I was pregnant until I missed my period for a week and did a HPT which came positive. Everything went well until I was 8 weeks pregnant. On Tuesday Jan 18th, I saw pink residue on the tissue. Wednesday morning at 4 AM, bleeding appeared bright red. There is no pain/cramping whatsoever. I started to freak out. Went to the ER, they did some pelvic exams and said, they did not find anything that I should be concerned about. They transfered me to a Ob/GYN after discharging from ER. Doctor did ultrasound and found the heartbeat. He mentioned that heartbeat was faint, but that should not be a major concern. Sent me home and asked to return to my daily activities like going back to work. Wednesday night,I started having severe lower abdominal pain and Tylenol was not helping. Thursday My bleeding and cramping both increased. Thursday night I had 8 contractions that were very painful. I stayed on the bed and tried to sleep as much I can. Friday morning I passed a clot in my pad I was wearing for the bleeding. Sorry I could not help myself, I stared at that clot for almost 30 mins. It looked very much the same like a 7 weeks fetus size and shape. After 30 mins of shock, I told myself that I had a miscarriage. Went to the OB/GYN who did another ultrasound and confirmed that I had miscarried. The uterus did not show any residue. The first few hours after the doctors visit, I was angry, I hated myself and cried a lot. Then I came on the internet and started searching about miscarriages. I read this prayer like 3 times that was posted on a website. "God, Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, And the wisdom to the difference". After reading this, I felt a little more stronger. I was not sad anymore. I thought, I cannot change the fact that I already had a miscarriage. I realized that I want a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby. This time I will take the time to prepare myself for it. First I promised myself to stay away from alcohol until I have a healthy baby. Secondly, Once bleeding from miscarriage stops, I will start exercising. I will keep taking my muti-vitamins and eat a healthy balanced diet. I will take change the things that are under my control. I will wait until my next regular period comes and give a fresh start. Good Luck to all those want to be Mommies including myself.

On the 4th of May I was 5 weeks pregnant, it was totaly unexpected but both my partner and myself wanted kids so we took it in stride.  On a Wednesday afternoon I started getting light spotting and i thought it was planting which i thought i has already had.  my back felt unconfitable like when i get my period but not too bad.  I decided i needed to rest when i got home, but my 4pm I had fresh blood and small amounts of clots.  by the time i got home I went to bed and started getting cramps, just normal pains not really bad.  That night I had lots more cloting and Thursday I lost the rest.  I never got the really bad pain just normal light cramps and lots of lower back straining, which i realise was contractions now.  My partner gave me back rubs when i was awake and i slept as much through the pain as i could.  Today is Friday and I'm still bleeding but my clots as very small and it looks like just the remains are leaving my body as if i was having a normal period except the without cramps.  I only had the cramps on Wednesday night when i was having the contractions, but non since.  Still I am not sure how long I will be bleeding for as non of you have mentioned the lenght of time you bleed just how you loose the child.  I don't have medical as I'm am not from this country and have to wait 1 month before going to a doctor to have a check up and all clear.  I am hoping it is a natural MC and no complications as that will mean a very big bill.  Can anyone tell me if i should be bleeding for the same time as my period will take or more?  I have had the baby pass yesterday and alot of the rest.  Please help.

 

Wow.  It actually makes me feel so much better to read all these threads...I know its common to miscarry, but you still somehow feel like you are the only one experiencing this.  I miscarried at 8 1/2 weeks - had my first ultrasound and no heartbeat.  I was absolulty devastated!!  I had two very painful days of on again off again cramping and contractions and thought I had passed everything.  To my surprise, 1 week later, I went to my Doctor and he had to physically remove what was left...very painful!  Needless to say, it's been 20 days since the beginning of my miscarriage and I'm still bleeding.  Yikes!  I would just like this to be over so I can move on and hopefully have a healthy, happy pregnancy soon!!