I had an ectopic pregnancy in December 2015. I thought I’d gotten my period like normal until it was still going (albeit lightly) two weeks later. Lots of blood tests followed by a scan showed that it was an ectopic pregnancy in my right tube. As my hcg was really low the Drs decided to manage it expectantly and in January my body ended the pregnancy itself but it took until the end of February for my hcg to return to 0.
We waited one cycle as instructed by the Drs before stating to try again in March. My period was due mid last week but it never arrived On Friday I had some spotting so expected it over the weekend. The spotting continued but never turned into my period so took a test on Monday morning and it was a faint positive much to my surprise. You would think I would be over the moon but all I am is terrified. The spotting I’m having is so similar to what happened in December and the test was so faint that I must have low hcg so now I have little hope that this pregnancy is going to end up being where it should be. Pretty much it feels like my worst fears are being realised. The spotting is still going on which makes it about day 5 and I’ve been getting the occasional cramp but they are just like regular period cramps. I had little pain with my previous ectopic.
I have a Drs appointment in three days (earliest I could see her) and I plan on retesting tomorrow morning to see if the line has gotten any darker. My hcg rose so slowly last time that if the line is no darker I feel like that will partly confirm my suspicions. I guess at this stage I just feel really down and deflated because I can’t stand the thought of going through it all again (it makes me feel exhausted because I know what an emotional toll it takes). I’m also scared to get it all confirmed because it will be my second ectopic and I don’t know what that means for me in terms of having another baby. I have a son who is 18 months old and we really want to have a sibling for him, our family doesn’t feel complete yet.
I guess what I am wanting to find out from others on here is whether they experienced similar ectopic symptoms with other pregnancies but they ended up with a good outcome? Although at this stage I feel that it is dangerous to give myself hope because I will just be even more upset if it turns out to be ectopic again.
I can completely understand how worried you’re feeling. My ectopic was a few weeks after yours…we started trying again this month. My period is due this weekend, so we’ll see, but I’m feeling worried already!
Hi Ladies, thanks for your replies! I’m still just waiting for my Drs appointment tomorrow morning and trying not to go crazy with worry! I’m still spotting and not really feeling anymore hopeful. Annoying thing is even though I see the Dr tomorrow I won’t get a definitive answer because I’ll have to serial hcg tests next week then obviously wait for a scan too so more worrying to come over the next couple of weeks.
EmmaB4 - I hope you got lucky this month! I completely understand all the worry that comes with trying to get pregnant again, such conflicting emotions because you want it so bad but you are terrified at the same time!
Bec, did your friend have a previous ectopic too? I had spotting with my first pregnancy which resulted in my son but it was only for two days. This spotting is just like what I had with my last ectopic.
Yes she did hun, infact one confirmed ectopic and one pregnancy of unknown location. She had a son previously and now pregnant with a little girl. Good luck tomorrow, let us know how you get on. Xxx
We’ll have been to the Dr. Had a blood test and will get another on Monday to check my hcg. Have a scan booked in for the 22nd of April so have a long two week wait for that but last time hcg results were strongly pointing to an ectopic (really low and slow rising) so I guess my blood results next week may help to tell me one way or the other.
Urgh, there’s so much waiting involved isn’t there. That’s what really got me when it was happening…in this day and age, with all these medical advances, WHY can’t they just SEE where the pregnancy is!!
Have you contacted the EPU directly? They might be able to scan you earlier, given your ectopic history?
The waiting and not knowing is just horrible! Last time undergoing expectant management as opposed to an injection or surgery meant I felt like no one was doing anything to help me, they just took masses of my blood over two months! I’m actually in New Zealand and our system operates a bit differently, we don’t have EPU’s. The 22nd was the earliest I could get an appointment for a scan and they said they probably wouldn’t be able to see anything if I went any earlier anyway.
I went for my second blood test this morning and got the results for the first one while I was there. So last Friday (8th April) they were at 240. From looking at the tables this is in the normal range for 4 weeks (I was 4 weeks 5 days exactly) but as you know they don’t really tell me anything until I get the second set of results tomorrow. Last time I didn’t have my first blood test until I was about 5 and a half weeks and my first reading was only 77 so they are higher earlier this time but still not going to let my hopes get too high!
Got second hcg result today, so it went from 240 on Friday to 670 on Monday. So doubling ok but numbers aren’t really high. Only got to speak to the nurse hoping my Dr will ring tomorrow but for now the nurse has booked me in for another blood test in a week. Still managing my expectations until I go for my scan which isn’t for 10 days! How do you keep sane during this time!? I need to ban myself from Google!!
My hcg results leading up to the scan were doing the right thing going from 240 to 670 to 1200 to 6850 with about 3 days in between each test. We went to the scan on the 22nd feeling hopeful and we weren’t disappointed! There was our little baby in the right place with a little flicker of a heartbeat! It was lovely and I shed a few tears in relief.
Unfortunately it was short lived relief because just 2 hours later I had a bright red bleed which started the worrying all over again. Midwife suggested some more hcg tests to check hormones still rising and thanks to a public holiday I only just got the results today with hcg going from 21200 on Friday to 47000 on Tuesday so despite the bleed (which only lasted a couple of days) everything still seems to be going ok.
Now just have to wait until midwife appointment on the 9th of May. Trying to now relax and just enjoy the thought of adding a new little person to our family in December
