Hello everyone, I have a complex story here, please stay with me. In 2010 I went to a&e with blinding crippling pain and a light constant bleed. I was given a blood test and told I was pregnant and that it was a ‘normal sign of early pregnancy’. They told me they would send me home and to see my gp in a few days. On the off chance I was sent for an internal ultrasound and the technician said she wasn’t sure what she could see so would check if the main ultrasound specialist was about as she didn’t feel happy with the results. The main ultrasound technician was still in the hospital, at nearly midnight, had a look and within 10 minutes diagnosed me with a ruptured ectopic pregnancy and sent me straight to theatre. I had surgery, and 48 hours later they got me out of bed at 5am and a doctor told me they removed a ‘5x6cm mass’ from me And that I needed to see my gp for more info, they needed the bed space and I had to leave. I asked if being pregnant and then not would affect me and my hormones and the doctor said no you are fine, go see your gp, and put me in a waiting room for family to pick me up at 5am. I went to a gp appointment a week later and he said in a strange way like he was asking me a question ‘they removed your right ovary and Fallopian tube?’ So I said wow ok, I didn’t realise but how does that affect me? He said It doesn’t, you are fine. Fast forward seven years and I ask my doctor on a routine appointment to check my records after always wondering about the doctors questioning tone, and see if I have that right ovary - he finds two letters, one saying they removed ovary and Fallopian tube, one saying only Fallopian tube. I asked him what to do and he said I have to pursue it via the hospital myself. The hospital eventually got back to me saying the doctor should have referred me to a specialist. I see another doctor and she is confused as to what’s going on and gives me a referral and also tells me they should have checked for my remaining Fallopian tube for damage to make sure natural pregnancy is safe. No one gave me any follow up and no one knows right now if i have two ovaries or not and don’t seem to feel it’s a big deal. My partner and I have not used contraception since and I have assumed I am infertile but now I don’t even know what I had taken away let alone how to deal with the situation. I am awaiting an appointment with the head gynaecologist to see if he can get to the bottom of it but I am devestated to think I can’t become a parent because no one cared to give me follow up or even record what happened to my body properly. I know this is probably a very rare case but has any one got any advice or wisdom into something like this? I feel like no medical professional cares what’s going on with me and I’m trapped In a paperwork loop. Also to add I had an invasive key hole appendix removal in my early 20’s and always wondered if that was a cause of the damage to my repro system.
Dear Minarither,
I am so sorry to hear of your ectopic pregnancy and loss and the confusing time you have experienced.
Sadly I am not medically trained so cannot give you specific advice on your situation but can provide general advice.
We are aware that ladies do conceive naturally with one tube and ovary.
As far as I am aware, women aren’t routinely offered scans on the remaining tube following surgery. It is usually advised that you can begin ttc after 2 menstrual cycles. We then advise to seek medical advice if conceiving naturally has not yet been successful after some time trying - and the EPT advises that women under 35 should seek medical advice following 12 months trying to conceive and those over 35 should seek advice after 6 months.
It sounds as though it has been a very long a trying time for you but you do have an appointment with a consultant who will hopefully answer some questions. I would advise writing down any questions or important points you want answering and taking that into the appointment with you. If you have not accessed them or if you still do not get answers the Patient Advice Liaison Service (PALS) should be able to assist you.
Sending much love,
Karen x
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That sounds like an horrendous ordeal that you have been through. An ultrasound should confirm if you have one or both ovaries. And you can ask for a hysterosalpingogram (hsg) to check for blockage in your tube. A catheter is inserted into your womb and a dye injected under X-ray which will show up any blockage.
I’m not a medical professional but I’ve had numerous scan to look at my ovaries and I had a hsg as part of infertility investigations before falling pregnant.
Good luck with your appointment. I hope you get some answers
X