I had keyhole surgery 2 weeks ago to remove a live ectopic that was 6/7 weeks along. This would have been our second child but sadly it just didn’t make it to where it needed to be. To say I am heartbroken would be an understatement - I can’t seem to square off the fact there was a heartbeat. It’s so terribly sad.
I didn’t have any bleeding until 8 days post surgery which came as a surprise if I’m honest (just had expected it sooner so stupidly I thought maybe I wouldn’t have any bleeding). The bleeding started heavily last Sunday (on Mother’s Day of all days) and has become lighter in the last few days. It is scarily similar to the light bleeding/spotting that I had during the week before my surgery - which I now know was a sign of the ectopic. I guess I just wanted to see what others had experienced in terms of flow and how long I can expect this bleeding to persist for?
I also just had what can only be described as a little breast milk leaking from my breasts in the shower (exactly as I did when I was pregnant with my little girl). I hadn’t realised I could expect this, is it normal?
How cruel that we have to process the loss, shock and trauma of this all whilst continuing to experience physical signs of what has happened. I am feeling physically and mentally stronger every day and then when a new physical sign appears I feel like my emotions just go back to square one. I’ve also had to deal with the announcement of a family pregnancy this week and the jealousy, bitterness and sadness that comes with this no matter how much you yearn to be happy for the person because jealousy and bitterness are not qualities I would ever wish to associate with myself… yet here we are.
Thank you for creating these forums. I have found the information and messages of hope to be invaluable. There’s such a dearth of information out there on ectopics so the resource really is so important.
I am so sorry to hear of your ectopic pregnancy and loss. You are right in saying that when we experience ectopic pregnancy, we deal with a life-threatening emergency and its treatment, reduction in fertility and the loss of our babies. Experiencing any one of these is an ordeal putting them together is immense and your feelings are completely normal.
Bleeding after surgery can be different for every women. Some women have very heavy bleeding, Some women will only spot lightly, for others it will be like a normal period and some ladies will bleed or spot for up to 6 weeks after surgery. There is no set pattern however, if your bleeding becomes heavy so you are having to change sanitary ware less than hourly, please seek medical advice.
Unfortunately I am not medically trained, So cannot give you specific advice on your other symptoms. I would advise speaking to your medical team or GP if you continue having leakage or discharge from your breasts.
We hear from many women who struggle with news of pregnancy from family or friends this is completely normal. News of new pregnancies can be a stark reminder of what could’ve been and can be very difficult. We can be happy for people whilst feeling sad for ourselves, this does not make us bad people and we have to protect our hearts in any way possible.
Above all be kind to yourself and allow time to grieve, and to heal both physically and emotionally.
I’m so sorry for your loss, and it’s so very unfortunate that this topic is so not talked about enough in the medical field or at least in the public .
I am experiencing similar to this I tested positive on home multiple different brands of pregnancy tests but have negative bloodwork negative ultrasound so they’re ruling out ectopic pregnancy I’m having all the pregnancy symptoms such as sensitivity to smell, nausea, lightheadedness, freaking urination, breastmilk production and I would be roughly 6 weeks… I thought I had gotten my period on October 5 but it came earlier than I expected so either I had a miscarriage or they’re trying to make sure that this is not a ectopic and if it is for me to do further treatment.
When it comes to diagnosing sometimes it could take a really long time before women can get diagnosed with ectopic pregnancy and then a lot of times it’s either too late or it’s caused damage and I really hope that when I finish nursing school program here in Canada to raise more awareness about this subject miscarriages bring light of what’s happening to women and that it’s so fairly common nowadays. I really hope to enhance the healthcare field so doctors will be more equipped in situations like this and even though women might not even have any ACG levels still have neck pregnancy which makes it really dangerous motivation is to help other women get access to emergent services even with symptoms to help save lives. I hope you’re doing better and I pray for your recovery and always know that God is with you always and thank you for sharing your story with us all .