I was treated with methotrexate at the end of April, and currently in the waiting to TTC for 3 month stage after the injection and still waiting for hcg to hit 0, currently at 150 so hopefully at next blood test I will get some good news! But just would welcome all suggestions that when I do not 0, I want to start preparing my body to give it the best chance next time.
What conception tablets/vitamins did people take following methotrexate as I know it depletes the body of vitamins. Is the standard recommended dosage of folic acid enough or do I need to take something like pregnacare conception?
What have you all taken and what worked for you?
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
Hi.
I was treated with methotrexate in March and am about 2 weeks away from being able to try again - I have to say it’s felt like a lifetime. It took me 2.5 weeks for my HCG to return to normal and do started taking pregnacare prenatal which is basically a multivitamin with the added folic acid. I would buy specific pregnancy ones just so you know you are getting all you need plus the depleted folic acid. X
Thanks Nicola, I know what you mean about a lifetime! This will be the 6th week of returning to the hospital for more blood to be taken! I didn’t bleed until about 10 days after the shot and have now had about 8 days of bleeding. I wonder when my period will return after this bleed stops? Are you using the pregnacare conception one? Thanks for your reply, is nice to talk to someone about it. X x
It’s horrible isn’t it all the hospital visits? I got married the Saturday following my methotrexate injection and had to cut out honeymoon short for hospital visits so was very poor timing. It took 2.5 weeks for me to get HCG back for 0 and I had bleeding for around a week about 10 days after methotrexate, it was roughly 6 weeks from the injection to my first proper period. It was then 30 days until my second so my cycle now seems to have regulated again. I am going to have another cycle and then start trying so I have about 2 weeks to wait now. I started on pregnancare as soon as my levels were 0 and have took them religiously everyday. Ask anything you want as its so helpful having someone to talk too. X
It was bad timing for you, life really is unfair sometimes. The hospital visits are horrible, a constant reminder of it all, once they stop, will be easier to hopefully move on and try and focus on the future! I don’t even need to tell the receptionist my name anymore, i’ve been to the hospital so often! Glad to hear your body is settling back down again and wish you all the luck when you TTC again. These 3 months are going to feel like the longest ever! I’m hoping on Wednesday then that I might have some good news as will be 3 weeks on Wednesday since the injection, fingers crossed, and then I can start building my body back up again.
Just one thing, were you told to stay out of the sun? If so, how long does that advise apply for? X x
You will feel much better once you are back to 0 and that’s the start of preparing your body for the next 3 months. I have just been taking the preconception vitamins with the folic acid, you get some in food too so I don’t think you need any more than that. Luckily my honeymoon was in Iceland so sun wasn’t really an issue :lol: I would say I had really itchy skin though for about 3 weeks and my skin felt quite sensitive. Let me know how you get on when you visit Wednesday. I am hoping they have gone right down now for you and you can focus on the next steps…
Ha ha, your Iceland comment did make me chuckle! Kind of glad i have got to wait to try again really as quite petrified of this happening again! But i will keep positive, and will keep trying and treat myself to a pack of pregnacare conception and keep it in my drawer until allowed to break them out! I will let you know how I get on after my blood test. Thanks so much for talking it out with me. X x
Thank you. I’ll keep you updated with my TTC again. I think 3 months is a longtime but it allows your body to fully recover, the methotrexate to clear out your system and the chance for you to build up your folic acid and other vitamins again and you know after that 3 months you will be mentally prepared to try again too. I have the same fear but I know once I have a scan at 6 weeks and it shows everything is in the right place I’ll be fine 
just try stay positive these next few months. X
I agree, why put yourself through more potential heartache when 3 months in the big scheme of things is nothing really! Yes, keep me posted on how you’re getting on too! Sorry for getting down to the nitty gritty now and hope you don’t mind me asking, but are you going to take a relaxed approach or track ovulation when you start ttc? I’ve never tried the ovulation sticks etc, we just kind of dtd every other day throughout my cycle, as my cycles have been a bit irregular after stopping the combined pill in September 2015 in the hope it would happen, which it did, but was of course not meant to be this time. X x
That’s ok. I came off my pill end of December and had my January period and find out I was pregnant 2 weeks later when I had irregular bleeding mid cycle, I wasn’t tracking anything at all and we just took a relaxed approach as I thought If it happens before the wedding then great, if not then I might start tracking. Since the methotrexate I have used those 3 months to pinpoint when I ovulate etc so I brought ovulation sticks and a thermometer and have now worked out i ovulate on CD 15 each month (well for the last 2 months at least) however, when we start trying again I am planning on taking the relaxed approach again but having the knowledge that I should ovulate around CD 15. I have found a few online forums that say once you actually pinpoint ovulation with sticks and temperatures it can be too late as you have already ovulated. It’s worth doing it these few months I think just to get an idea for when you do start trying again.
I will have to properly read up on the whole temping/ovulation stick thing then as have no idea where to start on that one! Oh well, will give me something to research in the meantime! Keep my brain occupied at least!
They are so easy to use. I started tracking from day 10. Do you have an app you can keep a log on? I use an app called Glow which is really good. That is good for temperature tracking too. I have read so much in the last few months, I think I have more knowledge than a midwife :lol:
OK, thank you for the advice! Think I will get some of those ovulation sticks and then at least that will provide me hopefully with some guide of when I might ovulate while I’m waiting for these 3 months to pass as dtd every other day like last time throughout my whole cycle was getting pretty tiring I have to say!
Hi Nicola, can I just ask you something, it’s 3 weeks since my methotrexate, but during those 3 weeks I’m getting the odd stabbing pain on my right side which radiates down my leg and makes it feel numb. I also have occasionally had pain when urinating and when I sit with my arms rested on lap the left side feels fine but right side feels like I’m squashing something as can feel pressure there. Never been doubled over or anything but feels uncomfortable. I have told the hospital of these symptoms throughout the whole process but they don’t really take any notice. I’m just worried about it, I will mention it again tomorrow when I go for bloods in the hope that they take some notice!
During each scan they could never find the ectopic so treated it as a PUL with the methotrexate.
Hi,
That’s exactly what mine was classed as, as they couldn’t see it on the scans. I had twinges for a few weeks after mine but they also found a cyst so I put it down to that. I still occasionally have the odd pain but I just put that down to being on the pill so long that it is just my body doing what it should again. Definitely think it’s worth mentioning again at your appointment tomorrow just to be on the safe side though.
Thanks for your reply. I will bring it up yet again! It’s all so very wearing! Funny you should mention a cyst, because they also found a hemorrhagic corpus luteum cyst on my scan but have never once mentioned anything in regards to this, but have always wondered about it. Do you know if the methotrexate dissolved your cyst? Or does methotrexate not treat cysts?
My cyst was 5cm long and they said it shouldn’t cause me any issue, as far as I am aware the methotrexate won’t treat it so it will be interesting to see if it is still there when I end up going back for a 6 week scan. He just said they are fairly common and again it wasn’t really mentioned. 5cm isn’t exactly small though is it?! I felt the same when I visited, I was given a leaflet and no one seemed able to answer any additional questions I had like does the 3 months start from the injection, or from 0 etc. I called them the other day as I am now on my 3rd cycle and ovulation is past the 12 weeks mark from methotrexate, however, if they date it back to my first period then I wouldn’t have waited the 12 weeks and all the nurse said to me was that the 3 month wait is the minimum and couldn’t advise if I was safe to try this month or not so that’s why I am waiting another month just to be sure. So frustrating as it probably wouldn’t have happened straight away anyway. I hope you get good news tomorrow.
They don’t seem to very forthcoming with information do they, which makes it even more frustrating and makes you feel fed up, doesn’t it! Can’t believe how much this process drags on and on! I’m sorry you have also had an unhelpful time. If it gives you some piece of mind to wait another month then you should go with that. Oh well, I shall look forward to having my questions not answered yet again tomorrow! I will let you know how I get on!
Yes please keep me updated. Such a horrible experience and I can’t imagine the pain and upset people must feel if this happens multiple times, it really is heartbreaking. Just have to hope in a few months we both have something to celebrate. X
And vice versa, keep in touch too! I know, it has been the worst experience, and it’s not over yet! I know, please God let this all work out in the end for us! X x