Hi
Just looking for some advice. I’ve had 5 weeks off with expectant management and on week 6 I’ve just had a 5.3hcg and been discharged. All the way through I’ve bled but not had severe pain except on a couple of occasions of passing tissue. But I’ve had moderate cramps and dragging feeling throughout. Not enough to call an ambulance etc but enough to want to be tucked up with a hot water bottle.
My days have been lazier than my normal work pattern as I get the bus in to commute, and we don’t have a lift at work and I’m between floors. However I felt ready to return albeit on shorter days.
Today however I have really really suffered with pain. I haven’t had surgery or methotrexate but today the left side hasnjust been stabby, and it feels like if I were to push for a pee that I would burst something. I’ve had a similar pain occasionally over the years during ovulation but not to this level. It has disrupted my day, which has affected my mental ability to cope in a job where I need to be resillient. I’m supposed to be interviewing for a new role in the team tomorrow morning and I realised if I feel the same, I. Just won’t be in a place to do that. In explaining to my boss, I then burst into tears which made me look all the more mentally fragile.
I’m not worried the pain is at a level that I’m rupturing etc especially with such low hcg but has anyone experienced pain AFTER reaching a recovery level?
I’ve had recent bloods for infection which are clear.
Just would like to know if it’s normal and how long it goes on for. I’ve started taking the pill, to give my cycle a break for a couple of months.
I feel so stupid now having broke down in tears saying I just want to not be in pain. I don’t know if it’s bc I’m now walking more etc during the course of my day.
I’ve taken an ibuprofen, and paramol (paracetamol and dihydrocodiene) and the pain is breaking through that.
Fed up! I thought with discharge from EPAU it was over
Dear EctopicPUL,
Experiencing some pain after an ectopic pregnancy is normal as your body has been through a great deal over the last few months. 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. Having said this, as I am not medically trained, I would always advise talking through any worsening pain with your GP.
If the pain persists, 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.
I completely understand to the urge of wanting to get back to normal but don’t beat yourself up about little upsets along the way. This is all normal for the recovery process.
Sending much love,
Karen x
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Thanks. I think maybe I’ve just overdone it. I assumed bc I haven’t had surgery that the physical recovery wouldn’t be so much but feels like things get tight in the tube or on the left side, get a full feeling and then sometimes that when some blood is released. The nurse did say with expectant Management a small cyst can result where the tissue has been but that overall it has good results for preserving the tube. A cyst is how it feels, the idea that if you push or strain that it feels under pressure. Scary.
Mentally I don’t deal with it well bc it feels like it’s a sign it’s not over, and that maybe my tubes are blocked or damaged?! Though unplanned I’m broody since the loss so pain worries me on its impact on fertility. I guess expectant Management ‘lack of active treatment’ can feel like you’ve done nothing to help things. They should give out placebo pills with it lol
Had 2 hours of stabbing pains, particularly linked to going to the bathroom but definitely in the left ovary. I did mention it early on to the nurse at EPAU and she seemed to dismiss it as maybe you just have a bowel issue. I have never had any bowel issues and the pain is in my ovary and it’s not in my head, it’s so pronounced it’s not one of those where it could be anxiety taking over etc
I’m calm but concerned. Throughout this process I’ve had pain when going to the toilet on occasions but pain where you have to shout out just can’t be normal. I was calm and quiet through passing a lot of tissue in the past 6 weeks.
Think I’m just writing in here to feel less alone. Course this would happen at 1am when I live alone.
After following a low folic acid diet and having morning sickness throughout the last month, I have been cooking lots of fresh veggies and health food and I do wonder if my bowel is pressing on my ovaries. They were always hidden by my bowel on scans. Feels like they’re stuck together but that can’t be when I didn’t rupture.
Is it possible to have had light bleeding internally and therefore scar tissue? I certainly had consistent external bleeding.
Seems bizarre it’s happened now which is why I wonder if it’s linked to better diet which has made it worse. Was there on my low folic acid (and effectively therefore low fibre) diet but not this bad.
Oh to be a woman!!!