Hi. Did anyone have the injection without seeing the sac or egg?
Dear MrsD83,
Sadly I am not medically trained and it is difficult for me to comment on such limited information.
When diagnosing an ectopic pregnancy, doctors use a combination of transvaginal ultrasound scanning and blood tests to check HCG levels. Usually scans take place at around six weeks gestation as there is a reasonable chance of seeing an embryo at around this time. If scans are inconclusive, doctors usually test hCG levels and a hCG level that is rising by less than 66% over 48 hours can mean it is likely, but not a certainty, that the pregnancy is ectopic
If no pregnancy can be seen in the uterus, or there is a small gestation sac in the uterus without a yolk sac or embryo, the pregnancy will be medically labelled as a Pregnancy of Unknown Location or PUL. It is important to understand that PUL is not a diagnosis; it is a label given until the final location of the pregnancy can be identified with certainty. In the event of a PUL, blood will be taken to measure serum progesterone and hCG and the hCG test repeated 48 hours later. The doctors would also want to repeat the scan.
Until the location of the pregnancy is known definitively or the serum hormone levels have decreased to below pregnancy levels, there is a risk of complications associated with an as yet undiagnosed ectopic pregnancy. For every 100 pregnancies labelled as a PUL about 10 will subsequently be found to be ectopic; and not all of these will need treatment.
If no pregnancy can be seen in the uterus but there is evidence of free fluid in your abdomen and or a possible ‘mass’ in the approximate location of one of your fallopian tubes, the doctor would then be likely to diagnose a possible ectopic pregnancy. An initial scan will detect over 70% of ectopic pregnancies. The doctor may then treat you with the methotrexate injection.
Sending much love,
Karen x
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Thank you for your reply. I went ahead ased on their professional opinion.
Hi,
Yes I did, the hospital had said cause of the HCG level I would need something to bring them down and the methotrexate would help.
Hope this helps x
Thanks for your reply. Can I ask if it was a successful treatment for you? Read so many stories about it not working. What were your readings? My last was 1500. Thanks x
Mine worked with one injection on levels of around that. Or at least it is working currently. Wont be back down to 0 for another month approximately. They could see the yolk sac in my first scan but not in any scans after that. I asked to be told everything that they could see in the scan and they showed it to me. I dont think they show everyone because it could be upsetting
Hi there,
They could also not find my fetus, but they said it was likely in the left fallopian tube. I would prefer to know where it is but they went ahead and treated it like an ectopic pregnancy. Just had my first dose of MTX.
By the way, how has it been going for you? Was it successful? My level was around 2000 when they injected me so I am similarly worried.
- Ranja
Was that to me? If so, yes, I was down to 2 in 4-5 weeks. I feel very lucky that it didnt take me longer but I’m just grateful it’s over.