First pregnancy ectopic. What is normal after?

BSaunders1993 · 15 July 2020 15:30

Hi everyone,

I have a few questions and was hoping I could get some answers here.

On the 12th June I found out I was pregnant. (My first pregnancy) and on June 30th it was a confirmed ectopic and I had my right tube removed less then 24 hours later as it was beginning to rupture which was causing internal bleeding.

2 weeks later and Im feeling a lot better physically. I’m back to work, moving around on my own and bleeding has completely stopped. Emotionally it’s a different a but harder as I do work in a private pregnany clinic so i hold myself together as best as I can and grieve in private when I need to.

My questions are…

Has anyone else experienced pain in the opposite side in which their tube was removed? I did have three inscions. Through the belly button, on my bikini line and to the left of my belly button.

Sorry for TMI but has anyone else had problems with their bowels? I can really hear my tummy, I’m a lot more gassy and when I need the toilet I have to go there and then.

My last question is me and my partner have become sexually active again. We arent trying but we arent exactly being careful either. Physically and emotionally I’m ok towards it but wondering if its unsafe and could it still be possible to conceive after a short amount if time?

Thank you,

Beth

EPT_Host_20 · 15 July 2020 21:49

Dear Beth,

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

Generally we advise that 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, especially working in the environment you do. 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.

Experiencing some pain after an ectopic pregnancy is normal as your body has been through a great deal. It is still early days from your surgery and everything is still settling down and healing. The pain may be due to adhesions (scar tissue that binds two parts of the body together) which form and take some time to settle. Your body may be preparing to ovulate and many women experience ovulation pain when they did not before their ectopic pregnancy - including myself. You also may have a heightened perception because of the sad loss that you have had to go through. If you find you experience offensive smelling discharge or an increased temperature of more than 37°C or just want to be checked out to be on the safe side, it would be worth asking your doctors to run tests to check for infection.

It can take up to six weeks (sometimes longer) for our bodies to recover from surgery however if the pain persists after this time, I suggest keeping a pain diary noting when the pain appears, the intensity on a scale of 0-10 and anything that helps the pain eg resting, hot water bottle, paracetamol etc. Visiting your doctors with this information helps them to assess how best to manage your symptoms.

Regarding your bowels, this may be due to the surgery as a small amount of gas is put into your abdominal cavity to inflate it to enable the surgeon to see inside the abdomen. This maybe still causing the noises as it takes time to settle. Also general anaesthesia can slow down the bowels, preventing the passage of gas and stool. Walking encourages the peristaltic movement of the bowels, relieving gas and constipation. A heat pack may also provide relief. Hot peppermint tea is a great remedy to help gastrointestinal motility and relieve painful gas pains.

Before having a period you have to ovulate and it is possible to become pregnant without having a proper period first, if you are not using contraception. As a gentle reminder regarding conceiving again, we and many medical professionals advise waiting for two menstrual cycles. It is important to allow time for your body to recover and emotions to surface and be worked through. This is so that you have some comfort that your body is returning to its natural rhythm and you have a last menstrual period date from which to date a new pregnancy - key information in checking you are not suffering from an ectopic pregnancy in the future. The first bleed soon after surgery for ectopic pregnancy is not classed as a period as it is the body’s response to falling hormone levels.

Above all be kind to yourself and allow time to grieve, to heal both physically and emotionally,

Sending much love,

Karen x

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Franp8 · 18 July 2020 17:16

You are told to wait at least 2 cycles befpre trying again. I think it would be daft for you not to be being careful now so soon after as I’m sure the medical experts know best

I had emergency surgery in April and my left tube removed, i waited two cycles and was careful and now I’m 4 weeks pregnant again.

Your body needs time to recover weather you are feeling mentally prepared or not.

Franp8 · 18 July 2020 17:18

Also my stitches only fully came out 8 weeks after my surgery so you could potentially delay these in healing.

Orangery21 · 19 July 2020 13:41

Hello everyone,

I am sorry if I have written this in the wrong place but I couldn’t work out how to start a new thread .

I turned 5 weeks pregnant yesterday but found out today due to light bleeding that I have a right sided ectopic pregnancy. My hCG levels are below 5000 so this can be managed with Methotrexate and just wondered how you all moved passed having an ectopic pregnancy? Mentally I feel fine, of course I am a little sad but I’m okay. If I’m honest I am more worried about trying again and the same happening. Is this normal?

19457 · 19 July 2020 14:16

Hi Orangery21,

So sorry to enter that you are going through this, really pleased that you are feeling ok mentally.

I had an ectopic pregnancy back in December and was treated with methotrexate, the 1 injection that I had worked and I was discharged when my hcg level was under 10 in mid January, I think it took about a month in total. As soon as I was discharged I started taking folic acid as they recommend to do this for 3 months before trying again as the methotrexate depletes your folic levels which are really important when getting pregnant. It’s important to only take folic when you are discharged, I’ve read that some people always avoided foods with high folic levels as they found this helped get their hcg levels lower quicker but I personally didn’t do this.

We waited a few more months after the 3 months of taking folic to try again just due to covid and to give my body a little more time and I found out last week I was pregnant and I am 5 weeks together, counting down the days until my first scan on the 29th when I will be 6 weeks 3 days. I haven’t had any bleeding yet which I am hoping is a good sign. I will keep you updated about the outcome, but the stats have a really positive success rate of a healthy pregnancy after ectopic. It’s been a rollercoaster 8 months and I’m sure you’ll find the same but thinking positively about the future. Don’t worry if you feel your body do some strange this, but always call the EPU unit or doctor with any worries, I feel a lot more going on with my body since my ectopic, and I get ovulation pains and more cramps now that I did, but I think it’s partly because I’m so I’m sync with it now.

This forum is a great place for support! Here if you need anything x

EPT_Host_20 · 19 July 2020 20:34

Dear Orangery21,

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

When we experience ectopic pregnancy we are suddenly faced with a life threatening emergency and it’s treatment, reduction in fertility, concerns about the future 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.

The chances of a further ectopic after a first in UK is 10%. So that’s 90% chance of the embryo being in right place next time.

While generally it is possible to conceive after an ectopic pregnancy, the amount of time it takes varies from couple to couple. Factors include age, general health, reproductive health and how often you have sex, among other things. It may be comforting to know that 65% of women are successfully pregnant within 18 months of experiencing an ectopic pregnancy and some studies suggest this rises to around 85% after two years.

It is normal to feel anxious about the future. We generally feel a mix of emotions from wanting to try again to being petrified of what may lie ahead. We never forget our babies, but we learn to accept what happened. It is a slow process that might be weeks or months ahead.

In time, we can get to a place where we feel comfortable trying again. When this is, is individual for each person. There is no timeframe for recovery, take each day as it comes.

Importantly early scans avail. As soon as you know you are pregnant, contact your local EPU to inform them and book in for an early scan at around six weeks. Remind them of your previous ectopic pregnancy. This self refer route is the best route in our view. Hopefully you will have some comfort to know you are under the radar of medical professionals right away.

Above all be kind to yourself and allow time to grieve, to heal both physically and emotionally. We will be here for you for as long as you need,