Hi everyone, firstly thank you to the EPT for providing this incredible service and platform. My husband and I will be fundraising for EPT this year that’s for sure!
I had surgery on 31st October this year to remove an ectopic from my right tube, and to deal with a lot of internal bleeding (over a litre) caused by the corpus luteum cyst bleeding out (alos on the right). It was my first pregnancy, the baby was very much wanted and it was devastating to learn that it was ectopic. They saved my tube but had to cut into it to remove the embryo. They also had to cauterise the cyst and the whole area is still quite tender especially when I ovulate and just before my period. I had the HSG test on 12th December and all looked good and clear. I was about to ovulate at the time and we were advised now was a good time to TTC if we felt emotionally ready, as the HSG clears any small debris in the tubes.
Amazingly, yesterday I got a positive pregnancy test! I am a rather emotional mix of overjoyed and absolutely petrified. It’s very early days as my period isn’t even due until 3rd Jan. When I ovulate (post surgery) I am hyper sensitive to every movement and I felt pinching pain on my right, very low down. I had the same thing 3 days ago (maybe implantation pain?) and now I’ve got light cramping in my uterus and the same pinching feeling on the right.
I will go to see my Gp to ask for a referal to the Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit next week and I know this is not the appropriate place to seek medical advice, but given that I’ve never had a “normal” pregnancy, it would be extremely helpful to find out whether others in my situation have felt a “phantom” pain in their ectopic side and later found that their new pregnancy was in fact in the correct place. My surgery was only 8 weeks ago so I’m trying to remain hopeful that it could just be the scar tissue being stretched , or the corpus luteum cyst producing progesterone. The consultant advised that it was safe to TTC again as I only had keyhole surgery, but it is all very tender when I get bloated. I haven’t had any bleeding or shoulder tip pain, but it IS very early days and every time I feel the twinge on my right I have a flashback and am suddenly paralysed by fear that I’m going to be in danger and no one will listen to me. My ectopic was diagnosed at 7 weeks, after 5 weeks of me being turned away by the EPAU and A&E, told that it was just a miscarriage, not worth doing a scan and no follow up blood tests and I just had to accept it, until I eventually collapsed from internal bleeding. So my trust in the system is somewhat diminished!
Has anyone had this pain in a subsequent pregnancy and if so did it turn out to be ok or another ectopic? Just trying to gather as much info/context as possible to keep me sane until next week when my GP is back from Christmas leave.
Thanks so much, and I hope happier, kinder and gentler times lie ahead for you all in 2017
Sophie x
Hi, I’m sorry to hear about your loss and the trauma that you had to go through. Equally congratulations on the new pregnancy. I can sympathise with you and equally have exactly the same question as you.
I had an Ectopic diagnosed in may and it was treated with methotrexate. I found the whole thing awful and the drug made me quite unwell. I have got two healthy children and my husband and I decided to leave it a while and then just go with the flow.
I found out I was pregnant a few days ago and like you have been getting twinges on the same side as the ectopic and I haven’t noticed any twinges on the other side. I’m sure I ovulated on the good side this month, which should (in theory) reduce the risk of it being in the same tube as last time but currently feeling very scared of it happening again we’ve decided not to talk about it.
Twinges, stretching etc are all normal in early pregnancy but it’s very hard when we are reading into things so deeply x
Hi Soph,
Just wanted to tell you my story. I was treated for PUl in February last year with methotrexate, after waiting the advised 3 months my husband and I started TTC again and I feel pregnant after the second month. I had ovulated from the other side, however I had twinges now and again and went for an early scan to find all was in the right place, however, sadly at 9 weeks I miscarried which was heartbreaking. I’ve recently found out I am pregnant again (4+3) and I know I have ovulated from the ectopic side because since the PUl I have been able to feel ovulation on that side every other month. Pretty much from ovulation the twinges and cramps continued (they usually stop once I’ve ovulated) so I worried if I was pregnant it could be ectopic, however since my positive I’ve only had a few twinges and am hoping it’s just a cyst (I’ve had one with both pregnancies prior to this).
With the PUL I had heavy bleeding and severe pain so feeling more positive this time that hopefully it’s the right place, that’s the first hurdle for me, once I know it is I need to get to 12 weeks.
I really hope all works out for you, keep me updated xx
Hi Soph, just remembered to have a look on here after you answered my own post. Sorry you have had such a traumatic time. It makes me so angry on your behalf that you knew something wasn’t right last time and your fears were dismissed only to end up with the trauma of emergency ectopic surgery.
I can’t exactly help yet as I don’t yet know whether my own pregnancy is ok or not, but I have been having lots of different pains and discomfort - almost IBS type - and it does seem to centre around the scarred areas on my abdomen - both on the right where the tube was removed and on the left where they stuck the camera in. So perhaps (fingers tightly crossed for both of us here) this is quite normal where scar tissue is involved.
What I would say is that, 8 weeks after my surgery in the summer, I was still feeling pain. I remember it really worried me: I knew I wasn’t pregnant again at that point but I did keep thinking ‘has something gone wrong, have they not got it all out’ - which sounds silly I know. But it was like I could feel everything. It was so tender even weeks later. So I suppose if you are pregnant again then any ‘normal’ aches and pains will probably be magnified. Anyway hope that helps. Really hope you get some good news x
Dear Sophie,
Whispered congratulations on your pregnancy.
I can echo everyone’s experiences. When I fell pregnant after my ectopic pregnancy, I too felt pain on the same side (I was treated with methotraxate). I visited my Dr with the pain at about 5weeks. I was scanned, hCG levels were high and according to my consultant with my levels, a viable pregnancy should have been detected on the scan but nothing could be seen so I was admitted overnight in hospital with suspected 2nd ectopic pregnancy.
The following day, I was discharged and had to return a week later for the second scan. It was the longest week of my life, I worried at every twinge and ache (of which there were many)
I wish I had words of wisdom to help you through your time waiting for your scan, but I know with me, it was the first and last thing I thought about. I guess I tried to keep busy and that helped a bit.
Generally, the chances of a further ectopic after a first in UK is 10%. So thats 90% chance of the embryo being in right place next time. Which it was for me.
I am sending positive thoughts and warm hugs to you and also Maggie1 and Nicola1720,
Much love to all,
Karen x
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Hi Sophie. Looks like our cases are very similar. I started a new thread before I read this so I’ll post it again here. Unfortunately my outcome was not good but when you go to the gp they will monitor your hcg levels and as long as they are increasing properly seems pregnancy is good. Sorry in advance my post is long xxx good luck
Myself and my partner had been trying to conceive for a year and a half with no joy. (The first year was kind of ‘go with the flow attitude’). A year in we started to use apps to help track ovulation and nothing, then started on the ov strips etc. The strips always came back negative so thought I wasn’t ovulating properly. We went to the docs and they did their normal checks and OK so then put me on the list to see the gyno.
2ish months later I started to get a throbbing pain in my right side. It went on for 2 days until it was bad enough go to the docs. To my surprise I tested positive for pregnancy but got admitted to hospital straight away where tests and scans etc confirmed the worst. Eptopic and it had ruptured. I had the pregnancy my right tube removed on 29th nov. 
It was horrible, mentally and physically draining.
I was never told that I would be incredibly fertile after a pregnancy or advised to use contraception. I assumed I would have a period before ovulating again. After about 2 and a half weeks I slept with my partner. I felt ok.Twice this happened.
3 weeks after my op I tested negative. A week later I started getting pains again on my right (no where near as bad but why on the right if my tube has been removed?) Little twinges on my left too. I was worried so did a test and it was POSITIVE! I called docs who monitored my hcg levels for a week 48hr apart. Around 170-183-169 so obviously something not right.
Back to hospital today and after scans, blood and a horrible long stint of prodding around there was a suspicious mass around my left ovary, to early to tell whether in tube. Again this broke my heart. To think both my tubes could be rubbish or my body just wont be able to have a normal pregnancy is devastating. I have decided to take methotrexate tomorrow to clear it up rather than ‘wait and see’ which was one of the options. Can’t bare to risk my other tube right now even though that one may be damaged too.
Has anyone been through a similar situation and something worked out for them or what steps do I take now? I’m definitely going to give my body a break and go straight back on the pill. But 6 months down the line we’re hoping to give it another go. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks for listening xxxx