So yesterday morning when I was up posting at 4 am, it was because I didn't feel right.  I never went back to sleep.  At 7:00 am, went to the bathroom and wiped blood.  Started shaking.  Tried to pretend I didn't see it.  Put in a progesterone suppository and pulled out the stick.  Covered in blood.  Called the RE on call and sat and waited.  Cramping set in.  Back pain too.  They scheduled me for 1 pm.  My mom came and took the boys and my dh, numb (as he put it) and silent for hours that morning after he called out of work for the day, drove me to the office because I couldn't face it alone.  There, we saw on the u/s the same thing as the day before, a perfect baby with a hb of 170 and no problems.

I DON"T want to create more drama on this board but I feel it is important to explain what happened so other women know what I didn't.  NO ONE, including the RE on Wednesday, told me that with a vanishing twin you could experience ALL m/c symptoms and still remain pg through the whole thing because you are passing blood from the baby who did not survive, while the other one remains uneffected and intact.  I had read that this could happen, but when my RE told me NO on Wed. when I asked "Could I bleed?" he was wrong.  The nurse yesterday confirmed that.  I have NEVER bled, even in a little, in a pg without having a m/c.  I was sure it was over. 

In the midst of all of this, I realized how valuable blogs are.  The thing that helped me hang on until 1 pm was KateDreamGirl's blog where she literally wiped blood right after her RE discovered her vanishing twin wasn't making it.  And I think that was around 8 weeks, too.  And her other baby (Aine) was fine.  Has this happened to anyone else with vanishing twin syndrome?  My RE keeps reminding me (I think to help me grieve) that most women never find out they have a vanishing twin because they don't get u/s's as early as we do to discover it before it reabsorbs.

Thanks for listening.

 Seeing red blood is SOOO scary, I'm so sorry you have had to deal with this.  After my vaginal ultrasound two weeks ago, I bled, panic set in and I thought for sure it was the end of my pregnancy, but it stopped by that afternoon.  My RE thought it was possibly a vanishing twin, and didn't seemed concerned.  I had another ultrasound last wednesday, everything looked great and we heard his heartbeat!  On my way home I started bleeding again.  Panic sets in again.  Unfortunately here I am a week later and I am STILL spotting. 

As soon as I get up and move around a bit, it comes back. If I stay still, it goes away. My RE said I could have come in last Monday, however I opted to wait until my already scheduled appt. tomorrow morning. My nurse thinks it's the U/S causing the bleeding or possibly still a vanishing twin. At this point I would be very surprised to see a heartbeat, so I'm really not sure about her guesses. My RE hasn't been very supportive or informative...this has been a very difficult 8.5 weeks.  I did call the on call dr. last Saturday.  She said that the meds we are on causes many women to be very "vascular" and any bump into the cervix from the U/S can cause pretty severe bleeding for some women.   

Anyways...not sure if I answered your question or not!  But to sum it up, I did make it through one bout of bleeding and still had a healthy heartbeat.  Hopefully tomorrows U/S is a happy one, and we find our little bean growing...

Wow, you have been through a lot.  Yes, the nurse said the probe of the transvag u/s could cause bleeding from the cervix being so sensitive.  I think that is what triggered it for me.  Good luck tomorrow.  Please let us know how it goes.  Thanks for sharing!

Lisa,

Sorry that you had to go through that but I am so glad that she looked wonderful and what a strong HB she has. I'm glad that Kate's blog eased your mind alittle. Try to relax and take it easy. 

Nicole,

 I am sorry that your pregnancy  has been so stressful. I am sure that everything is going to be fine at your US. I bled with all of my boys. With my first ds I bled until I was 12 weeks pregnant. Hang in there.

(((((((HUGS)))))) ladies!! Thinking of you both! 

Big hugs to both of you!  Any bleeding in pregnancy is so scary.  Lisa, my understanding is that there is often bleeding with a vanishing twin--can't believe your doctor said you would not bleed!  I'm glad you discovered that all is well, and really hope the rest of your pregnancy is uneventful.  Nicole:  good luck at your ultrasound!!

I have goosebumps reading both your posts.  I think we're all living in fear of the same thing.  I'm so sorry you've had these scares, and pray that your little ones keep sticking and growing.  Thanks for keeping us all informed.  I'll be thinking of you.

 oh, honey.  i am so sorry. i know it is so scary.  let me tell you a little more about my story.  when i got to the er the nurse said it could be a vanishing twin. then the er doc came in and said no way.  you dont bleed unless you are having a complete miscarraige he said.  he was adament about it and i argued with him.  the only reason i didnt flip out was because a good friend of mine lost a twin at about 12 weeks. she ended up in the er with bleeding and passing clots and cramping.  her daugher is now 2.  i kept hanging on to her story the whole time in the er. 

i did stay on bedrest a few days after my bleeding.  i hope you do too.  hang in there.  you deserve no more stress.  ((hugs)) 

Lisa,

I am sooo sorry you had this terrible scare.  When I started reading your post I immediately thought of Kate so I'm glad you found her blog.  I really hope you can rest easy now and everything is fine.

Lisa and Nicole, I'm so sorry that you both are going through this. Hugs and prayers  to you both.

My vanishing twin story (non-IVF related) was: had first u/s at 9 weeks in OB's office. Saw 1 hb and a smaller sac with no h/b. Confirmed vanishing twin. I asked if I would start bleeding the twin out and similar to what Kate's OR doc told her, I was told the same thing. If I bleed, then it's most likely me losing both babies. 

Fast forward to week 12. I start bleeding at work. Rush over to OB's office and confirm that my baby is fine (see and hear hb). I ask if it's the twin and doc says no, it's either a cyst or your placenta. I bled for 2 weeks from that and then it stopped. Christian turned 1 last week!

I wish the doctors would all get their stories straight! 

Lisa and Nicole- I am so sorry you have both had to go through this. I know how scary it must be to see blood.

 Oh my, I'm so sorry you have been through such a scare!

Here is another story with a happy outcome, from AlohaMom (she doesn't post much anymore but it's a great story).  She had a m/c, but weeks later kept feeling weird and took a pg test and it was a BFP -- which was impossible because her DH is in the navy and had been deployed the whole time.  Went to the OB, did a u/s and there was a baby waving at them --  she was 18 weeks pg!!  With a girl!! When she had her m/c, she didn't know that she was losing a twin, and the other twin was perfectly healthy.   Baby has been born since then, just fine.

So sometimes it definitely happens that you appear to have a complete m/c with the loss of one twin and the other is perfectly fine.

My mom did this. When she was pregnant with my younger brother she didn't know it, but she was expecting twins and she miscarred one, but carried my brother full term.  He is now 15 and wonderful Good luck!

OMG, I just came on for the first time today and your stories are so encouraging and wonderful, thank you Maureen (love that story) and Nicole (I had no idea that happened to you).  It makes me feel so much better!

Wow.

All I can say is I'm thinking of you both.

Looking at your past cycles and following your current one all I can think is that haven't you been through enough.

I'm a little disappointed in your RE. I think you could of been prepared for this possibility and perhaps not of been so worried when it happened. You have obviously been through enough ups and downs with the loss of your twin. I'm so sorry you had to go through this.

Hang in there!