Learning more about ectopic pregnancies and pregnancy after

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1

Hello all!

Ive only just joined this site and have been finding my way around it.

Me and my partner have had a tough week and we wanted to reach out to others with experiences of their own.

On 18th April 2017 we decided to take the implant out and begin trying for our first baby. I had a break through period from the 20th and missed a period in May. On the 15th June we had our first positive test we used a tesco own pregnancy test brand, pregnancy strips from online and a clear blue (digital) which told us 2 to 3 weeks.

We were over the moon and couldnt believe our luck! Everything was fine, had cramps but on the 29th June at 6 wks pregnant i had shooting pains along with cramps. These were painfully shooting into my bottom left hand side of my tummy and they ran into my left leg. No matter how i moved they kept going continuously. My partner urged we go to the emergency a and e department, so we did.

When seeing the primary care consultant we didnt feel reassured, as the questions and examinations went on he was swaying more to the idea of the pregnancy being ectopic. By this point i was doubled over. We grew more fond of this consultant as he rang a department to get me in for an early scan asap! However, it took alot of persuading to the person on the phone and we waited anxiously. I showed 2 signs of ectopic pregnancy and thats abdominal pains to one side and a positive pregnancy test. I showed no bleeding, no pains in my shoulders and i was not vomitting.

We went home and the next day the pains had dulled slightly. The following morning we went for our scan to be told there is no pregnancy in the womb but a black mass on the left side. We were expecting to be sent home reassured our baby was healthy. Unfortunately we were told they would have to do key hole surgery to take the pregnancy out. My hormone levels were too high for the injection.

On that day, i was nil by mouth waiting nervously for the porter to get me. The following morning on the 1st July at 11am i was told the porter is on the way. I went down emotional and scared. I woke up at 230pm and they had taken most of the pregnancy out. However there was still alittle left, so i had the injection the following day and allowed home shortly after. My tubes were saved and i was reassured everything else was perfect for the future.

We would like to put here that the staff, doctors and nurses were amazing through our experience. They have and showed real compassion in what they do and we will be enternally grateful for theyre support and genuine care!

We are now both recovering emotionally and phsyically and wanting to create more awareness. We will be starting a government petition for scans to be offered at 4 weeks to prevent women going through the pain and loss of pregnancy, fertillity and sometimes life. We will be working on a new site called [edited-moderator]

I have had results from a blood test taken yesterday (6th July) and my hormone levels have dropped to around 100. We have more blood tests to be taken and hopefully we wont need a second dose of injection.

We also would like to hear your experiences of ectopic pregnancies and pregnancy after suffering an ectopic.

We really want to learn more and do more for other women and theyre partners going through similar situations…

2

I’m so sorry to hear of your loss, it’s a really devastating experience to go through. We had been ttc for 2 years when we found out we were pregnant, and a niggling feeling that it was ectopic a week later sent us to the hospital. The ectopic was confirmed by a scan - despite no symptoms. I had mtx two days later, but 7 days later pains meant I was admitted. Severe pain two days later meant I was operated on and I lost my baby & my left Fallopian tube. The doctors estimated I was about 7 to 9 weeks pregnant.

A week ago we found out we are pregnant again, and I called the EPAU at 4 weeks expecting to be brought in for a scan immediately. However, I was informed that a scan at 4 weeks is pointless as there’s nothing to be seen. Instead, I’m going for a scan on Friday 14th when I will be 5w+3 and hoping my hcg levels are high enough to see something then.

I think it’s a very worthy campaign you guys are starting, but just wanted to let you know what my midwife told me regards scans at 4 weeks.

I’ll be supporting your campaign all the same.

X

3

Dubnat:
I’m so sorry to hear of your loss, it’s a really devastating experience to go through. We had been ttc for 2 years when we found out we were pregnant, and a niggling feeling that it was ectopic a week later sent us to the hospital. The ectopic was confirmed by a scan - despite no symptoms. I had mtx two days later, but 7 days later pains meant I was admitted. Severe pain two days later meant I was operated on and I lost my baby & my left Fallopian tube. The doctors estimated I was about 7 to 9 weeks pregnant.

A week ago we found out we are pregnant again, and I called the EPAU at 4 weeks expecting to be brought in for a scan immediately. However, I was informed that a scan at 4 weeks is pointless as there’s nothing to be seen. Instead, I’m going for a scan on Friday 14th when I will be 5w+3 and hoping my hcg levels are high enough to see something then.

I think it’s a very worthy campaign you guys are starting, but just wanted to let you know what my midwife told me regards scans at 4 weeks.

I’ll be supporting your campaign all the same.

X

Hello, i just wanted to firstly say im so sorry for your loss, i hope you are okay! Can i ask you when you experienced your ectopic? Did they explain why it happened?

We just want to say also a massive congratulations! I really do hope all goes well :smiley:

We chose 4 weeks originally as we had learnt the embyro should be safely implanted into the womb around this time. However we do know it will be very small to see. Its great you’ve bought it to our attention as what we want to do is get a early scan offered to all women to rule out ectopics. But at the same time as getting this awareness created we want to find holes into what we want to acheive, so we need to find arguments against it aswell as for it.

Thank you for replying ive been refreshing this page since i had posted and thank you for your support.

X

4

Hey,

Our EP was diagnosed on 20/02/17 and I had my tube removed on 03/03/17. There was no obvious reason for the pregnancy to be ectopic. It was a fimbrial ectopic, down at the open end of the tube next to the ovary so probably just bad luck!

Best of luck with the campaign.

X

5

As a rule, in the second month of pregnancy a woman no longer needs confirmations of her condition – morning sickness, fits of dizziness, demand for salty or sour food and other delights of the “family way” speak for themselves. Hormonal balance of the organism is changing; your organism changes you need all the doctors consultions [link removed per Trust policy]/ likere is written

6

molly23:
As a rule, in the second month of pregnancy a woman no longer needs confirmations of her condition – morning sickness, fits of dizziness, demand for salty or sour food and other delights of the “family way” speak for themselves. Hormonal balance of the organism is changing; your organism changes you need all the doctors consultions [link removed per Trust policy]

Hello!

We find this rule not good enough as we know women will show these early signs for pregnancy.

However, we want to create more awareness and start a petition for women to be offered early scans. This will be purely to check the pregnancy is not ectopic. If caught early, more women could be saved from surgery, the loss of chances of fertility and sometimes life.

Thank you for your reply and congratulations on your pregnancy.

X

7

Dear StaceyStefan26,

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

It is a very difficult time and I truly understand the feeling of wanting to change what we perceive to be poor practice.

Scans are offered to all women who have experienced ectopic pregnancy in the past and this is routinely at 6weeks. This timing is medically supported as there is a reasonable chance of seeing an embryo around this time. Seeing embryonic structures before this timeframe is very difficult as the pregnancy isn’t sufficiently developed. As difficult as it maybe to read an early scan at four weeks would cause a lot of unnecessary anxiety for every pregnant woman because there wouldn’t be a heart beat until six weeks so every woman would need to come back for a second scan. It would also put pressure on the NHS that would be impossible to deliver on. Furthermore, the scan would have to be an invasive scan with a probe for every woman as it would be the only way to see anything so women would be put through intimate invasive procedures for no reason.

The EPT considers that all women of childbearing age with abdominal pain and/or bleeding should be considered pregnant until proven otherwise. This is the gold standard.

It appears your Dr’s followed this advice and thankfully you had the scan and reassuringly got the care you needed. I am so sorry you have had to go through this. There is no time frame for emotional recovery, please take the time needed to grieve.

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. We are here for you for emotional support for as long as you need.

Whilst I appreciate you wanting to raise awareness for other women, I hope you don’t mind me mentioning that the EPT has a policy on our forums about not posting links or specifically direct people in any other way to external websites. We have more information on our website https://www.ectopic.org.uk/patients/how … lp/forums/

There is no time frame for how long it takes us to heal emotionally and it is completely normal to feel anxious about the future. We will never forget our pregnancy or babies but we can learn to accept what has happened and crucially understand that it wasn’t our fault.

We are here for you for as long as you need,

Sending much love,

Karen x

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

Further information is available at http://www.ectopic.org.uk

Email us at ept@ectopic.org.uk.

Our helpline is 020 7733 2653 (available Monday to Friday 10am - 4pm).

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.

8

I am 4 month pregnant and this period is very difficult for me. [<Link removed per Trust policy] Being 4 months pregnant, you will spend some time in front of the mirror looking at your pregnant bump, that gets visible as you take your clothes off.

9

StaceyStefan26:
Hello all!

Ive only just joined this site and have been finding my way around it.

Me and my partner have had a tough week and we wanted to reach out to others with experiences of their own.

On 18th April 2017 we decided to take the implant out and begin trying for our first baby. I had a break through period from the 20th and missed a period in May. On the 15th June we had our first positive test we used a [the supermarket] own pregnancy test brand, pregnancy strips from online and a clear blue (digital) which told us 2 to 3 weeks.

We were over the moon and couldnt believe our luck! Everything was fine, had cramps but on the 29th June at 6 wks pregnant i had shooting pains along with cramps. These were painfully shooting into my bottom left hand side of my tummy and they ran into my left leg. No matter how i moved they kept going continuously. My partner urged we go to the emergency a and e department, so we did.

When seeing the primary care consultant we didnt feel reassured, as the questions and examinations went on he was swaying more to the idea of the pregnancy being ectopic. By this point i was doubled over. We grew more fond of this consultant as he rang a department to get me in for an early scan asap! However, it took alot of persuading to the person on the phone and we waited anxiously. I showed 2 signs of ectopic pregnancy and thats abdominal pains to one side and a positive pregnancy test. I showed no bleeding, no pains in my shoulders and i was not vomitting.

We went home and the next day the pains had dulled slightly. The following morning we went for our scan to be told there is no pregnancy in the womb but a black mass on the left side. We were expecting to be sent home reassured our baby was healthy. Unfortunately we were told they would have to do key hole surgery to take the pregnancy out. My hormone levels were too high for the injection.

On that day, i was nil by mouth waiting nervously for the porter to get me. The following morning on the 1st July at 11am i was told the porter is on the way. I went down emotional and scared. I woke up at 230pm and they had taken most of the pregnancy out. However there was still alittle left, so i had the injection the following day and allowed home shortly after. My tubes were saved and i was reassured everything else was perfect for the future.

We would like to put here that the staff, doctors and nurses were amazing through our experience. They have and showed real compassion in what they do and we will be enternally grateful for theyre support and genuine care!

We are now both recovering emotionally and phsyically and wanting to create more awareness. We will be starting a government petition for scans to be offered at 4 weeks to prevent women going through the pain and loss of pregnancy, fertillity and sometimes life. We will be working on a new site called [edited-moderator]

I have had results from a blood test taken yesterday (6th July) and my hormone levels have dropped to around 100. We have more blood tests to be taken and hopefully we wont need a second dose of injection.

We also would like to hear your experiences of ectopic pregnancies and pregnancy after suffering an ectopic.

We really want to learn more and do more for other women and theyre partners going through similar situations…

Hi I’ve just been reading your original post. In my past experience from my first pregnancy (2nd was ectopic), me and husband had been having problems to conceive and went for tests, one for me being a scan, unknown to me I was already pregnant at the time, about 4 weeks and they didn’t spot it. Had shock of my life when I found out weeks later that I was and it had been missed!!

10

Hi Se1986!!

Thank you for your reply and wow, how lovely that you was already pregnant! My ectopic was our first pregnancy, due to surgery and the injection we’re looking at having to wait 3 to 6 months. We have a check up in September. When i was 4 weeks i knew as my body was changing; however, as it was my first pregnancy i think that maybe the body feels different to experiencing ectopic pregnancy and a pregnancy. (I hope you understood that…i cant think of another way to explain)

Your reply helps us as we’ve learnt that at 4 weeks it could be hard to see anything in the womb through scan as it will be very small. So we’re looking at some time between 4 to 6 weeks.

X

11

To be honest with you I’m actually pregnant again, I sound super fertile, I’m really not!! I had a scan at 5.5 weeks and they could see a sack in the right place with s heartbeat! Mad what a week or so can do! I did feel that I could have done with a little more reassurance but I guess as I already had a healthy pregnancy and an ectopic I could compare!

Sucks you have to wait! I was lucky I did not have the injections, straight to theatre for me and tube out but the way I look at it that tube must have been scared or damaged and keeping it might result in another ectopic! No thanks!!

I do feel this pregnancy had come a little to soon after the ectopic tbh. 6 Months is a nice healing time physically and mentally.

Your husband sound really nice and supportive, you are very lucky! My husband was brilliant when we were in hospital but soon after he was like right now we just forget and move on! Doesn’t work like that mate!!

All the best for you in September

12

Oh wow! Congratulations!! Bet you felt so pleased!! Its nice to learn that we can be reassured at so many weeks.

Your right, your tube had to be removed else you couldve suffered another ectopic and thats not something us women would want to do even once! I still have mine and my pregnancy got stuck in my left tube. I just hope in time everything recovers well.

Fortunate for my boyfriend hes not my husband…yet…i like the think (lol)! But he was, he was incredible and still is, and i know it still hurts for him too. Sometimes he’ll openly say, I suppose everybody deals with it in ways of there own that theyre comfortable with. And i bet for men its hard to deal with loss aswell as making sure us women recover after the ordeal.

Aww thank you! And thank you so much for your reply again!

X

13

Wow, what a story! Very sorry to hear. You will conceive soon and carry healthily and successfully!

14

StaceyStefan26:
Hello all!

Ive only just joined this site and have been finding my way around it.

Me and my partner have had a tough week and we wanted to reach out to others with experiences of their own.

On 18th April 2017 we decided to take the implant out and begin trying for our first baby. I had a break through period from the 20th and missed a period in May. On the 15th June we had our first positive test we used a [the supermarket] own pregnancy test brand, pregnancy strips from online and a clear blue (digital) which told us 2 to 3 weeks.

We were over the moon and couldnt believe our luck! Everything was fine, had cramps but on the 29th June at 6 wks pregnant i had shooting pains along with cramps. These were painfully shooting into my bottom left hand side of my tummy and they ran into my left leg. No matter how i moved they kept going continuously. My partner urged we go to the emergency a and e department, so we did.

When seeing the primary care consultant we didnt feel reassured, as the questions and examinations went on he was swaying more to the idea of the pregnancy being ectopic. By this point i was doubled over. We grew more fond of this consultant as he rang a department to get me in for an early scan asap! However, it took alot of persuading to the person on the phone and we waited anxiously. I showed 2 signs of ectopic pregnancy and thats abdominal pains to one side and a positive pregnancy test. I showed no bleeding, no pains in my shoulders and i was not vomitting.

We went home and the next day the pains had dulled slightly. The following morning we went for our scan to be told there is no pregnancy in the womb but a black mass on the left side. We were expecting to be sent home reassured our baby was healthy. Unfortunately we were told they would have to do key hole surgery to take the pregnancy out. My hormone levels were too high for the injection.

On that day, i was nil by mouth waiting nervously for the porter to get me. The following morning on the 1st July at 11am i was told the porter is on the way. I went down emotional and scared. I woke up at 230pm and they had taken most of the pregnancy out. However there was still alittle left, so i had the injection the following day and allowed home shortly after. My tubes were saved and i was reassured everything else was perfect for the future.

We would like to put here that the staff, doctors and nurses were amazing through our experience. They have and showed real compassion in what they do and we will be enternally grateful for theyre support and genuine care!

We are now both recovering emotionally and phsyically and wanting to create more awareness. We will be starting a government petition for scans to be offered at 4 weeks to prevent women going through the pain and loss of pregnancy, fertillity and sometimes life. We will be working on a new site called [edited-moderator]

I have had results from a blood test taken yesterday (6th July) and my hormone levels have dropped to around 100. We have more blood tests to be taken and hopefully we wont need a second dose of injection.

We also would like to hear your experiences of ectopic pregnancies and pregnancy after suffering an ectopic.

We really want to learn more and do more for other women and theyre partners going through similar situations…

Very sorry to hear about this. I know how it is when the excitement builds only to be flopped down with some bad news. Better will come for you and your husband soon. Click below to read more about ectopic pregnancies.

[Link removed per Trust policy]