Taking care of yourself during a medical abortion
In my last post on medication abortion, I talked about the basic details of the procedure and what to expect. I thought it’d be nice to do a follow-up post on how to take care of yourself while you are going through the process at home. I’ve looked through forums and workbooks to find advice from people who’ve gone through the procedure themselves. Hope this helps!
By the time you’ve gotten home, you should have taken your first pill or injection. It’s recommended you eat a small meal before you take the misoprostol, and keep drinking fluids. You can eat a little bit during the process if you’re up to it. If you can’t keep anything down, even liquids, for more than four hours, call your doctor. Same with diarrhea. You don’t want to get dehydrated!
Bleeding! Ask your doctor about the normal amount and timing. What I’ve found on the interwebs is that heavy bleeding and cramps usually last 1-4 hours, and that you should call if you soak through more than 2 maxi-pads per hour for 2+ hours. Of course, your doctor will know more specifics, since this can differ depending on the type of medical abortion.
The bleeding is usually heavier than your normal period, unless you have really heavy periods, in which case, no sweat, right? *sob* Okay, but seriously. Hopefully this is all in the instructions you’re given, but you should be checking on the bleeding every half hour or so to be sure you’re progressing. There will probably some clots as well, which you should take note of in case you do need to call. The bleeding may look different from normal period blood, either jelly-like (blargh) or watery.
Cramping can get really bad, too. Some people on forums were all, “I WAS CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR SCREAMING,” and some were all, “Ain’t no thang.” Some people vomited a bunch, and some didn’t at all.
I will never complain about my period again.
A lot of people gathered up a “kit” of sorts for themselves for once they took the second pill, misoprostol. Here’s what I found:
- All the instructions the doctor gave you
- A phone
- Comfy pillows and blankets
- Comfy clothes – PJs, sweats, whatever
- Movies or TV shows to watch – try to avoid heavy stuff. Skip Sophie’s Choice and go for Legally Blonde.
- Books or magazines (or, hell, homework or work, if you’re on the go)
- Soothing music and candles, if you’re into that kind of thing
- A heating pad or hot water bottle
- Lots of maxi pads – you’ll be bleeding for a while, so stock up
- Towels to sit on, in addition to the pads
- Nausea medication and any others the doctor gave you
- Any antibiotics the doctor gave you
- Ibuprofen or other painkillers
- Thermometer – having a fever and chills for a couple of hours is normal, but you should call the doctor if it persists
- Lots of water or Gatorade (it’s got electrolytes) nearby
- Ginger ale to help with the nausea
- Snacks – comfort food, chocolate, whatever you think you can handle
- Someone with you. Some people may prefer to go this alone, but it can really help if you have someone to talk to, bring you things, give you back rubs, and distract you.
Forums can be really helpful if you’re unsure about your symptoms or just need some reassurance, but they should never take the place of your doctor’s advice, so don’t hesitate to call if you’re concerned.
Sources:
Abortion: Which Method is Right for Me? (PregnancyOptions.info) This workbook is comprehensive and really helpful. I found the answers to almost all of my questions, and they also have quotes from women who’ve gone through the various procedures. It’s definitely worth a look if you’re still curious.
Aftercare (Comprehensive Women’s Health Center)
