In January 2016 I found out I was pregnant with our second baby and soon started to experience the all too familiar nausea and vomiting of hyperemesis gravidarum, severe vomiting in pregnancy that I had with my daughter also and which this time lead to a 10% bodyweight loss in 6 weeks (beat that weight watchers) and 10 days in hospital having iv fluids and medication. I also discovered that I had developed hypothyroidism during this pregnancy and was started on levothyroxine in order to manage blood levels and reduce risk of fetal complications (just what you want to hear).
Just as the sickness was easing in the May I experienced some unusual bleeding but was reassured by everything I knew from my first pregnancy and everything I read that this was nothing to worry about; as it wasn't heavy or bright red.
The bleeding continued off and on until June when I experienced my first bright red bleed, when staying at a friends house for their daughters 4th birthday which I subsequently missed as I spent it in hospital waiting to see a doctor before discharging myself after 4 hours of not being seen as I was seeing my consultant 2 days later (and I really wanted birthday cake and boy was kicking away).
When I saw the registrar they reassured me that everything was fine as bleeding had stopped and didn't suggest an urgent scan as I was having one in a couple weeks anyway and baby boy was active but they did an examination and said all was fine and thankfully scan said the same; my baby boy was doing well and nothing wrong with the placenta.
The bleeding continued off and on throughout the rest of the pregnancy and I was admitted seven times in total and had several scans and examinations and was always told placenta was fine, baby was fine, probably my cervix as it looked "angry" (this conjured up images of a tiny hulk shaped cervix shouting "cervix smash") which they assured me was likely due to extra blood in pregnancy and just advised to get a smear at 6 week check.
So pregnancy continued, as did bleeding, which became more frequent and heavier and always bright red and had become accompanied by back and hip pain and cramps, as well as feeling like I need to go to the toilet; very much like early labour. On my last admission for bleeding and pain they decided to deliver my son early as they though I was having sone contractions and Dylan was delivered by emergency c section, as he was breech, on the 10th September at 38 weeks and 2 days weighing 8lbs 6oz.
Recovery from section wasn't as bad as I expected and life started to get in to a routine again, only now with a 3 year old (going on 13!) and a newborn (much easier than threenager). My bleeding continued, which I expected for up to 6 weeks so at 8 weeks when I got my son weighed I mentioned pain and bleeding to health visitor who suggested seeing GP as bleeding should have stopped by then.
I got an appointment to see my GP on the Friday and later that day I was in A&E seeing the oncall gynaecology registrar who referred me for a scan and gave me medications for the pain; which still felt like early labour, as well as antibiotics as they suspected an infection or retained placenta.
The appointment for the scan, bloods and examination was on the following Wednesday, where I was advised by the sonographer and registrar that my cervix was bulky and that I needed a referral to colposcopy in order to get a better idea as to what was going on and that I would be seen within 2 weeks which sent alarm bells ringing, however everyone I spoke to assured me that that was fairly routine and that it was nothing to worry about and I went away waiting for my appointment still convinced it would be something minor or random and told it will just all sort itself out in time. Ignorance is bliss!
