Lisa B's Story

Eight days after the birth of my first baby and eight days of heavy bleeding something happened. When I went to the bathroom I realized a huge piece of something literally stuck halfway inside of me-I knew it was retained placenta. I had my suspicions all week long but my son was in the neonatal intensive of care and I ignored it. I called my doctor and got the on call doctor who sent me to the emergency room. He told me I had a lot of tissue and had to have a D&C. I trusted his judgment and didn't ask any questions. I had a spinal and a D&C and felt weak but okay. I became anemic. I lost tons of blood and almost needed a transfusion. Instead I was given iron pills, pitocin and some drug (I forget the name) to stop the bleeding. I had been breastfeeding and had trouble with milk production--no one told me retained placenta could cause this.  I found out after the fact. 

Six weeks later my son came home diagnosed with a seizure disorder.  (He's outgrown it now and there is no known link to what happened to me)  Then I began to think more clearly.  My placenta came out in two pieces.  Why didn't they follow up on me?  I let it go and focused on my son.  After about eight months of no returning period I began to wonder.  I only breastfed for 9 weeks-I should have a period by now.  I lost trust in my ob/gyn and went back to my original gyn.  She put me on progesterone to bring on a period--nothing.  We tried again--nothing.  Then she tried prog. followed by estrogen--nothing.  This confirmed her suspicion that I had scarring due to the D&C. Luckily she knew of Ashermans and diagnosed me with this syndrome. 

I still have unanswered questions.  I do not know if I had an infection. I know was hemorrhaging and only wish I followed my gut and caught it sooner before it became an emergency to have the D&C. Now I experience painful cramping without bleeding during my "period" each month.  I will be going to a specialist.  My son is a year old and I hope to have a brother or sister for him in the near future.

International Ashermans Association

This book is dedicated to telling stories of women who were given no hope by their doctors but ended up with babies. 

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