Apologies for the long post but im starting to struggle physically and mentally after what ive been through. 5 days ago I had surgery to remove my left tube after an unsuccessful round of methotrexate. It all started about 2 weeks after I found out I was pregnant. I had pain in my left side, was bleeding and developed quite a bad limp. I was unable to get a gp appointment that week and eventually (about a week) later nhs 24 referred me to hospital after repeated phone calls (I now know to go straight to a and e with these symptoms). At first they could not see anything on a scan and was kept in for blood tests. My hgc levels were not rising as expected and further scans showed a mass in my left tube and free fluid/internal bleeding. I was offered the methotrexate, had the shot and was discharged with instructions to come back for further blood tests. That night was one of the worst nights of my life. I was on the bathroom floor with the pain but it eventually lessoned after a few hours. I’m still quite upset with the hospital advice of mild to moderate pain and the information leaflet they gave me was the paper i signed to consent to the jag, so that was taken off me before i left hospital! The next 2 weeks were awful. I was so worried about a rupture and ended up in a and e when I lost the feeling in my legs. I seemed to get every side effect listed for the methotrexate. I was kept in for 3 days, had a scan that showed the swelling was bigger but was then sent home as i was “stable”. At day 14 after the jag I had blood taken and I requested another scan due to the pain I was in but did not get it. That afternoon I got a phone call telling me to get back to hospital first thing in the morning for another jag or surgery as my hcg levels had risen considerably. The scan showed the mass was now 3cm and the internal bleeding was worse. I requested surgery as I felt I would definitely rupture if given another jag. My Dr agreed this was the best course and I had emergency surgery 2 hours later. I was kept in hospital for 3 days after the surgery until I passed wind. The staff on the ward were fantastic and I eventually felt safe that I was not going to die from a rupture. However, I’m now quite sore and bloated and unsure how much exercise/movement I should be doing. I can only sleep propped up on lots of pillows on my back, and can only poop when I use a suppository ( used day 3 after surgery and day 5). Sorry if this is tmi. Prescribed laxatives are not working and I’ve even stopped taking the codeine as that can cause constipation. Is this normal? Should i be using these after surgery every 2 days? Getting up and down off the couch and bending down to pick things up strains my stitches. I keep getting random sharp stabbing pains at my wound sites and rectum. How long will this last and should I be sitting down all day or walking about as much as possible? Nhs advice just seems to be do whatever you feel capable of.
Dear Sara01,
Experiencing an ectopic pregnancy is a huge ordeal and you are in the early stages of recovery. Your body needs time to heal from your surgery which is in itself a gruelling task. You have also had to process the loss of your baby and been through an immense rollercoaster of emotions - all of this will take time to come to terms with.
You should take it very easily for about six weeks after surgery. Your body will be using its energies to heal internally. It is normal to feel physically and emotionally exhausted during this time and please do be kind to yourself. Recovery can take time and some days will be better than others, one day you maybe ok and the next you maybe in discomfort or more emotional. This is perfectly usual and the healing process will go back and forth in this way for however long you need. It is important to listen to your body’s signals and pain and feeling tired are your body’s signs to tell you to rest. We suggest keeping a healthy balanced diet, drinking lots of water and resting. Once your wounds have healed, very gentle exercise such as a short walk can help, but please do take this slowly.
Following general anaesthesia it is common for our bowels to slow down and painkillers such as codeine can also make us constipated. If your laxatives aren’t working properly for you, I would suggest speaking to your GP.
We have more detailed information on recovery from surgery here-
https://www.ectopic.org.uk/patients/treatment/
Please take time to recover, to grieve and heal both physically and emotionally.
Sending much love,
Karen x
If we have been able to help you, are you able to help us with a small donation or by volunteering?
Further information is available at www.ectopic.org.uk
Email us at ept@ectopic.org.uk.
Our helpline is 020 7733 2653 (available Monday to Friday 10am - 4pm).
Detailed medical information can be found on our website. Please remember online medical information is NO SUBSTITUTE for expert medical advice from your own health care team.