Possible ectopic. Anyone just gone through it?

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1

Hi,

I was 6 weeks pregnant and yesterday afternoon went to hospital following heavy bleeding. I had an internal examination and was asked to come back today for an ultrasound and a camera check as they couldnt see anyhring except something that didnt make sense. They now suspect an ectopic pregnancy but im undergoing 48hr blood work to spot a trend and to confirm. After which if it is ectopic ive been informed either medication or keyhole surgery.

My question is, do you get to choose? If yes i think im leaning towards surgery. What made you decide?

Secondly I’m a stay at home mum to an 18 month old. Has anyone been/is in the same shoes? How did you recover whilst running around? I had a c-section with her so understand a little about looking after a little one after surgery but this feels a bit different and im a bit worried.

Thirdly at the moment i think i would like to try for another baby as soon as we are comfortable to so (i understand 2-3months is recommended). Have many conceived quickly is there any pain that would be normal to expect?

Fourthly if we did have a baby in thefuture would it mean i cannot give birth naturally due to c section and ectopic surgery?

Many thanks, my mind is racing at the moment.

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hi AnB

so sorry to hear of your ectopic it’s a completely heartbreaking and emotional time. i was rushed into hospital nearly a year ago now and had to have emergency surgery to remove my right ovary and tube so I’m not sure if they will give this as an option.

at the time I had a 2yr old and 4yr old at home so know that u must be worried about ur child. I luckily had my husband and lots of family to help me with my children after my surgery but was still tough to carry on as ‘normal’ after for my children but time is a great healer.

as for trying again I thought exactly the same as you to try straight after then realising juggling recovering, work and my children was harder than I thought so I was ready to start trying after around 4/5 months then I had the devastating news that my sister in law was pregnant and it completely knocked me and something I’m still trying to cope with and feel I am not ready still yet to try again.

as much as you want a plan in your head to stay focused on things change and get in the way. I would advise to give yourself time to recover physically and grieve after and make sure you are truly ready to try again after this

thinking of you xx

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Same here :frowning: went to EPAU this Friday and despite being 6weeks 6 days they couldn’t find a baby literally anywhere :(( all I have is dull pain just above pubic area and light brown spotting since last 10 days…Hcg is 800. I have to come back for blood test on wednesday…what a nightmare

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Hi ladies, huge hugs.

AnB, my understanding was it depended on how “far along” the ectopic was, and i think that can sometimes be determined by HCG count. My ectopic resulted in an HCG of 7000+ so they realised it had not “just” happened and I was therefore too far along for the medication to flush it out. When I had surgery they discovered the ectopic had already ruptured the tube therefore they had to remove the tube, but fortunately my ovary was in tact.

Recovery wise, physically I found it hard to move for the first few days, standing up etc was very painful, but my wounds (3 of them) were very small compared to a c section scar so if you do end up with surgery I hope you do not find the recovery as bad as a c section. Within a week I felt physically fine, maybe the odd pain on my scars. Mentally the day 3 after surgery I was extremely emotional, and nothing prepared me for that, I think it was a hormone crash, I wish I had known to anticipate it.

If you were to fall pregnant again, my understanding is you would be monitored very early so as to check everything was in the right place. I know it’s possible to have a normal birth after a c section but that obviously depends on the individual case. I don’t think that surgery for an ectopic in itself would affect chances of a natural birth afterwards.

Lots of love to you, I wish you and all the other ladies who go through this the very best xxx

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Hi, sorry for what you are going through! It sucks!! I have surgery in the beginning of march and lost my tube. My son had just had his second birthday and he is a child and a half!! It was ok. I’m also self employed and had to go to work 2 days after coming out as I had no money, and a empty fridge! Your body will tell you when to stop. I used to get on with it all day, watch the soaps and go to bed about 9.30, sometimes before. Physically I was fine, mentally took a few months to recover.

I actually feel pregnant again 3 months after. I was never told after surgery that I had to wait, I thought that was more if you have had the injection.

Take care hope all works out xx

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I’m literally going thriugh this right now…

I’ve been in limbo since 14th august as they monitored me as my hcg levels were 120/217 and then 4 days later 367 they advised from scans they couldn’t see anything anywhere and I should have been over 1000 at over 5 weeks.

I panicked I am a childcare provider and my clients rely on me to be there for them to work!

They said I would need surgery but it was confirmed as I had such low numbers and spotting had already started together with loss of some pregnancy symptoms that methotrexate should be the first treatment option.

I had 4 injections one in each deltoid and one in each bottom cheek.

I have aching bones especially hip on the right hand side (believed to be the side of EP)

I still don’t know if surgery will be required or even another dose.

It’s such a terrible shock and long long existing wait.

I slept almost all day yesterday and all night last night too. I’ve never been so exhausted.

My daughter luckily has gone to a friend’s house for the day to help me to try and rest.

I’m sorry you have to go through an EP and all I would say is that you need rest time…im not someone who will sit still so it is bothering me but I know this is the best for me long-term.

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Thank you for kind words ladies…I didn’t tell anyone yet and it’s a torture. Last 72hrs I feel somewhat less pregnant but I’m not sure if it is just my imagination…

I red everything I could about ectopic pregnancy. Only one publication mentioned that progesterone level high as mine was noted only in 3% of EP…and HCG is low but again range is big.

I didn’t sleep much…Im waking up literally drenched in sweat, change whole bed and try sleep a bit again. Honestly I would rather to find out that I misscaried than go through those injections. But hopefully I will know some more in next 48hrs.

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AnB,

I am sorry to hear of your ectopic pregnancy and loss. It is an overwhelming experience and I will do my best to help.

It is generally possible to conceive after an ectopic pregnancy. The time it takes to conceive successfully after an ectopic pregnancy varies considerably from couple to couple. This can be affected by factors including age, general health, reproductive health and how often you have intercourse (sex). Unfortunately, we don’t have access to your and your partner’s medical records to comment on these, but it is usually possible to conceive and, overall, 65% of women are healthily pregnant within 18 months of an ectopic pregnancy. Some studies suggest this figure rises to around 85% over two years.

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.

Regarding conceiving again following surgery, 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.

With Methotrexate, you should wait until your hCG levels have fallen to below 5mIU/mL (your doctor will advise you when this is through blood tests) and then take a folic acid supplement for 12 weeks before you try to conceive. This is because the Methotrexate may have reduced the level of folate in your body which is needed to ensure a baby develops healthily. The Methotrexate is metabolised quickly but it can affect the quality of your cells, including those of your eggs and the quality of your blood for up to three months after it has been given. The medicine can also affect the way your liver works and so you need to give your body time to recover properly before a new pregnancy is considered. A shortage of folate could result in a greater chance of a baby having a neural tube defect such as hare lip, cleft palate, or even spina bifida or other NT defects. This is why the “wait” and then taking folic acid for 12 weeks before trying to conceive is so important.

Your medical team will discuss the best treatment option for you and it will depend on a number of factors including the level of hCG and if there is any ‘free fluid’ in your abdomen.

We have further information on treatment options here:- https://www.ectopic.org.uk/patients/treatment/

What I would say is that methotrexate has been developed as a less invasive method of treatment than surgery. Also, studies suggest that the chances of successful pregnancy are not significantly different between treatment methods ie whether having a tube removed of methotrexate. From what I understand, the chance of a successful pregnancy is determined much more by the health of the opposite tube.

Take the time to discuss all of your options with your medical team,

Sending much love,

Karen x

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

Email us at ept@ectopic.org.uk.

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Hello,

So i went to a an e hospital as experienced pains and was feeling sick and dizzy. They kept me in over night and did a bloodtest in the morning. My hcg levels dropped under 1000. So they discharged me believing i had naturally miscarried . I had another blood test this morning and was asked back in as hcg levels had risen to 1100. My options now they said is to do another blood test in 48hrs, take medication or have surgery. My ‘patch’ measures 1.2cm by 9mm so very small and so possibly may not be picked up by surgery. Weve chosen blood test in the hope i miscarry naturally. Ive been bleeding since last Thursday but this has now decreased to hardly bleeding at all. I really dont want meds or surgery. Has it been worth just doing blood tests for anyone? Theyve said ill need to make a med or surgery decision if my levels reach 1500. And in order for this to be over my hcg levels need to be below 50. They said this could take 3 weeks.

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Big hugs AnB, you are one brave woman.

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This is my last update:

Went for bloodtest on Friday. I felt like i really wanted to push for another ultrasound but thankfully this doc i had seen before had already booked one in. The patch was still there and doc was convinced i needed surgery that day. I had surgery yesterday afternoon and my right fallopian tube with ectopic removed. Im now very sore but discharged from hospital. Thank you all for your support. The baby never had a heartbeat so im glad i didnt have to think about the moral side. Now i just need to recover. :slight_smile:

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You poor thing, won’t always feel like it but you WILL be ok xx