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I had an ectopic pregnancy on February the 24th of this year. I went in for a scan as I had positive tests and I had been bleeding quite a lot… they told me that it was a miscarriage there and then and the bleeding should stop in 2-4 weeks as I had experienced 4 prior I guess this was just what we all expected. They asked me to come back in a week, where they had found my HCG levels to be rising, they asked me to go back 2 days later, again… they had risen. They did a scan, and told me all was okay. They sent me home that day saying that they would keep checking on me every 2 days to make sure my HCG levels were rising. Later that night I was rolling around in pain, my partner rushed me to the emergency room, they seen me immediately as I was curled over in pain. I had my bloods taken, and they sent me back to the EPU the next day for a checkup scan. This is when they found that my pregnancy was in my left tube, I was still in so much pain at this point and they told me i needed to go to surgery within hours otherwise my tube would rupture. This was my 5th miscarriage within 2 years. I don’t have any children that aren’t in heaven. I know it’s been a while since our loss, but I can’t seem to get back on track at all, I can’t sleep at night, I barely leave the house, I’m so tearful and depressed every day, I’m pushing everybody away. I thought I was getting better… until august the 12th when I was being scanned and they were looking for a heart shaped womb, they said all was fine however they had found a sac… I don’t get my blood results or a follow up until the 20th of September. I have been non stop taking tests and worrying, absolutely terrified that it will happen again:disappointed:

Does anybody have any tips or advice on how I can get through this? It is getting too much for me, I miss all of my babies, but my ectopic pregnancy has traumatised me. I feel so lost, alone, low… it hurts like nothing has ever hurt before. :broken_heart:

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Dear Leah,

I am so sorry to hear of your ectopic pregnancy and losses. To experience one loss is difficult, to deal with multiple losses is heartbreaking and my heart truly goes out to you.

When we experience ectopic pregnancy, we are suddenly faced with a life threatening emergency and it’s 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.

Generally speaking, you should take it very easy 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 so please do be kind to yourself. Recovery can take time and some days will be better than others. One day you may be okay and the next you may be 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 signals. Pain and feeling tired are your body signals to tell you to rest. We suggest keeping a healthy diet drinking lots of water and resting.I

Emotionally however it can take a lot longer. Experiencing an ectopic pregnancy can be very traumatic for some and it can take up to 3 months to even start to process a traumatic event.

After a frightening ordeal like ectopic pregnancy, some women also find that they suffer from Post Traumatic Stress (PTSD). Symptoms can include anxiety, flashbacks and not being able to focus on everyday things like work. There are a number of avenues that you could look into to get the help that you need. There are specific.counsellors who specialise in PTSD, and it maybe worth a referral to speak to someone if your down days are outweighing the good. Sometimes journalling may also help express what cannot be put into verbal words.

We at the Trust believe that talking through what happened and your emotions as and when you can helps the healing process. We also have support services, We can exchange emails as well as support on this forum. We’ll simply be here for you, however you wish and for as long as you wish.

We have information on our website about finding counselling services and we have more information here: http://www.ectopic.org.uk/patients/emotional-impact/

Many women experience feelings of isolation after an ectopic pregnancy - I did, too. It is a frightening experience. Like you, I reached out to the Trust for support and we will be here for you to lean on for as long as you need. Above all be kind to yourself and allow time to grieve, to heal both physically and emotionally.

Sending much love and warm hugs,

Karen x

The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust

Registered Charity Number: 1071811

Ectopic pregnancy patient information suite: Highly Commended in the 2019 BMA Patient Information Awards

During the coronavirus outbreak, The EPT team is still working hard to provide crucial information and support to women and families experiencing ectopic pregnancy as quickly and efficiently as we can.

If we have been able to help you, are you able to help us with a small donation or by volunteering or fundraising?

Further information is available at ectopic.org.uk

Email us: ept@ectopic.org.uk

We provide a call-back helpline service: 020 7733 2653

Take a look at our newsletters and subscribe to our mailing list here: https://mailchi.mp/986bdd6091ee/ectopic-matters

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