So panicked and scared

I had an appointment with the doctors today and he couldn't find the baby's heartbeat. I'm 11 weeks 3 days gone so was all set to start telling family and friends this weekend. I had a scan 3 weeks ago and all is well but now am totally freaked out. I could tell he was trying to be calm about it but feel it is going to turn out to be the news I was most dreading but never expecting. He even asked the other doctor in his practice to have try and he couldn't find it either. I can't have a scan due to my own work commitments before early next week but am totallly and utterly freaked out. He was trying to reassure me by saying that at 11+3 it may be too early to hear it but the fact that they seemed bothered enough to think that a scan is necessary ASAP tells me I should be worried. I left the doctors and just broke down when I got to the car - really can't believe we may be about to hear that its bad news just when we thought we were over the danger period. So really really looking for any reassurance at all- has this ever happened to anyone else? And really is there anything I can do - like a pregnancy test that will tell me something before next week. The uncertainty of not knowing either way is more that I can bear.

sorry was this on a doppler that he was trying to find the heartbeat....? my doctor told me she wouldnt even look before i was 16 weeks as its very hard to find a heartbeat as the baby can be under the pubic bone. i had a doppler myself and coudnt find the heartbeat until i was 15 weeks even though other people on my m2b board could find theres with the same doppler. try not to panic to much (easier said than done i know) hope everything is ok

Didn't want to read and not reply, Just want to say I hope you are ok, this is a terrible shock for you.. I' m not v sure of an answer tbh because im only 6 weeks preg myself and have had probs the whole time so i know how waiting takes its toll. Did the doc give any reason? what did 2nd doc say? I will say a prayer for you and really hope all goes ok next week.. re preg test, im not sure but if something is wrong, i think you will still have hormone so will show preg. Try your best to stay positive.. was it wilth doppler or u/s? Sorry i cant help really, hope you ok x

Hey NewBaby123.. I had a doctors appointment at 11 weeks and 2 days and she couldn't find the heart beat then, but she had warned me before hand that she'd try and couldn't guarentee anything, the baby is so small at that stage it can be lying anywhere in the uterus so it's very hard to hear anything. She booked me in for 13 weeks and then tried again and we did hear something then - it might be abit too early? Book an early scan though and see when you can be fitted in. If they were worried you'd miscarried, they'd have insisted on a blood test to check your hormone levels to make sure they were still rising, so don't think the worst (i know it's easier said than done..) just yet... keep with the positive thoughts... Thinking of u.

Thanks for your kind words. I don't know what a doppler is. The thing they were using was a small hand held thing with a circular disc on the top they put gel onto my tummy and started moving it around to try and find the heart beat. Oh God its just so scary I really can't believe it. I have had very little symptoms in pregnancy anyway but had what felt like growing pains in my tummy a few times but that hasn't happened in the last few weeks so although i'm trying to stay positive it doesn't look good.

yes what your describing is a doppler and my gp would not even entertain listening for heartbeat until i was 16 wekks so try not to worry im sure eveything is fine.

i've never "heard" the heartbeat. i've had 2 scans. they say you can't hear on a doppler until 16-18 weeks so try not to worry. why was the doc using a doppler anyway? crazy!

Oh newbie thats given me some hope thanks. I am going for a scan on Monday so will find out then for sure but I just can't stop crying as am a worrier at the best of times but am finding it so hard to be positive about this as in my heart I want everything to be ok but my head is telling me i have to be realisitic- no heartbeat + no symptoms = missed m/c. I'll be praying I'm wrong though.

Hi New baby, I echo what others have said about the doppler - it's incredibly hard to hear the heartbeat this early on. I don't think GPs should even try at this stage, as it causes more difficulty if they can't find anything than would have happened if they just said no to begin with. With regard to your work commitments, are you based in Dublin? If so, some of the private scanning clinics are open late nights/weekends (incl Sundays) Otherwise, please don't worry. Hopefully everything will be fine, but this is really no reason to think it wouldn't be.

Thinking of you, my doctor wouldn't even try to listen for heartbeat until i was 14 weeks as she said it can be hard to locate. Could u even try getting to your local hospital to their early pregnancy unit at the weekend and they could do a scan for you, you will go stir crazy waiting until next week.