Anxiety over expectant management

New here and found out yesterday I have an ectopic pregnancy after bleeding for two weeks and assuming I’d be told I was miscarrying. Am still in shock and trying to process everything. Was initially told it needed surgery because of fluid in my abdomen, but when the consultant checked the scan images they said it’s very small so instead they advised expectant management. I am still in pain on my right hand side and it’s starting to radiate down my leg. Have had initial hcg blood test which they confirmed is low enough for expectant management and will be going back for another blood test tomorrow. I’m an anxious person normally, but the anxiety around watching and waiting to see what will happen with my hcg levels is next level and I’ve spent 24 hours crying and feeling sick with worry that my tube will burst and I’ll need emergency surgery. I’m hyper aware of every new twinge of pain and have felt close to an anxiety attack today. I hope that my hcg levels will be going down so that gives me some reassurance but I’ve seen from topics on here that it can be a very slow process. I just don’t know if I can cope with the anxiety levels and it’s only 24 hours after I found all this out. I have a toddler at home and feel like a shell of a person and unable to look after him properly. Has anyone experienced this amount of anxiety or does anyone have any advice on how I might cope?

Dear Ljev,

I am so sorry to hear of your ectopic pregnancy loss,

We hear from so many women and people who feel the same way with expectant management. Not knowing what is happening with our bodies can be extremely overwhelming and you have friends here who understand. What I can say is although it is a drawn out process, expectant management doesn’t have the side effects of methotrexate and it is not as invasive as surgery.

I hope you have had more blood tests now which will reassure you, but if not and it is causing so much emotional distress, please speak to your medical team.

Sending much love,

Karen x

The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust

Registered Charity Number: 1071811

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