Hi there,
I am recovering from surgery following my second ectopic pregnancy where my left fallopian tube was removed. While I had a relatively small amount of bleeding straight after the surgery, I have had none since and it has been two days. Does it take a while for the body to realise it is not pregnant anymore and for the uterine lining to shed? While my experience at hospital was generally excellent I didn’t get much time to debrief after surgery or a chance to ask these questions. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks.
That was true for me. I was in the hospital for three days post-tube removal and bled minimally by day three. However, I continued to bleed for the following week at home, including one day where it was heavier than usual (which I think was the uterine lining).
Dear KathrynMary86,
I am so sorry to hear of your ectopic pregnancy and loss,
It is not unusual for women to bleed after treatment for ectopic pregnancy. This first bleed after treatment is a response to falling hormone levels and involves shedding of the uterine lining and is not classed as a period. It will therefore depend on your hormone levels as to when this will happen. The length of the bleeding can vary from woman to woman and some women do report spotting and bleeding for up to around six weeks after an ectopic pregnancy.
I hope you don’t mind me adding a little general information as you mentioned that you were not given the time to ask questions in hospital
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.
Sending much love,
Karen x
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Further information is available at www.ectopic.org.uk
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Thank you so much Karen. I really appreciate it. X