Waiting/Trying to TTC after having methotrexate after ectopic

[Crackers83]

Hi everyone,
Wondered if anyone was in the same situaiton as me. I found out I had an ectopic pregnancy on 6th Feb, it was near to the ovary in my fallopian tube. My HCG levels were only 269 and so they said I could have methotrexate, which I had that day. I was 6 weeks pregnant and it was my first time ever pregnant, had been TTC for 5 months. Now this week my Hcg levels have gone down to 7 and I havent had many side effects. Now I have to wait 2 cycles/3 months to try again which feels like torture. I feel sad that my pregnancy ended but I want to try again, its so hard waitng. So I just wondered if anyone else was in the same boat or a bit ahead of me and were trying, or if you have had any success after an ectopic. Just need to talk to people who know what I am going through!

[tasmaniandevilchaser]

hi there, I'm in a similar boat, but only just found out that it's ectopic. Going to have the methotrexate on Monday. Not sure if you are still around, but happy to chat if you come back! Hope it's all going well for you.

[lizziebennet]

Hi. It sucks doesn't it!

I've just had the methotrexate today.

We will be going back to ivf when we can try again, and as there's a delay between cycles anyway to give your body a chance to recover it will probably only delay us by a month or so, but it's frustrating.

[tasmaniandevilchaser]

hi there! sorry to hear your shit news. how are you? I'm just thinking about cancelling work appts for next week, have new clients to see, can't even think about planning and being normal to impress new people. It's a silly idea to even think about going in next week isn't it?

Hope your ivf goes well, that avoids tubes completely doesn't it?

[LulaBear]

Hi there sorry for your loss I had a (probable) ectopic at the end of last year but I lost it naturally while they were investigating. I was 8 weeks and it was my first too.
Fwiw I didn't wait the three months to try again because it took me about 6 months to get pregnant the first time and I heard that fertility is raised after mc. Probably stupid of me but haven't got pregnant anyway. Waiting for AF next week so fingers crossed. Good luck to you and everything possible crossed for you too!!!

[Northey]

Just to clarify - the reasons for waiting three months after a naturally miscarried ectopic like Lula's are not the same as the reasons for waiting three months after methotrexate.

Methotrexate is a hefty drug also used in cancer treatment and MUST be completely gone from your system before you become pregnant again or it will harm the new foetus.

As for the recommendation to wait after a naturally miscarried ectopic - who knows what that's based on! I'd probably ignore it too.

I'm sure you all knew that, but i just wanted to make it clear, in case.

[LulaBear]

Oh I didn't know that Northey, the nurse at the EPU told me to wait to give my body a rest.

[lolalotta]

Hi, I had a mc at 6 weeks last weekend and am now waiting for more blood tests to rule out ectopic. .. my HCG was 176 last Wednesday and the doctor says it needs to reach 5 to rule it out, so that means another blood test on Wednesday. I'm so worried it is...

[Northey]

I know, Lula, and I'm so sorry you went through it too. It sucks no matter how it ends.

I just thought you might have zeroed in on the ectopic bit in the OP and missed the methotrexate bit that tas posted later. Though actually now I look, she only says injection, so there's no reason you would have known, if yours ended naturally so you never had to go through all the management options with nurses.

[FessaEst]

Sorry to hear that your going through this. My first pg was ectopic, treated with two doses of methotrexate. I felt impatient to try again, but in hindsight, my poor body did need some recovery time & I bled for a while after too.

I went back for a follow up appt after the 3months, and they did a blood test to check my ?dilate levels were back to normal before giving the go ahead to ttc.

I have gone on to have 2 healthy pgs with early scans to check that they're not ectopic. I found the. Ept talk boards v helpful as there is a lot of info re methotrexate there.

[FessaEst]

*folate!!

[Crackers83]

Hi Everyone! Sorry I started this thread and then moved house so only just back online! So glad there are other out there like me. I have just had my first AF after ectopic, 4 weeks exactly after the methotrexate, so I guess thats good. Im confused with the waiting three months; I have read wait either 2 cycles or three months whichevers first? Im not sure what to do about that one. I have been lucky in a way as I have had no side effects and hardly bled at all after the methotrexate so waiting does seem like forever but I know its for the best. Also, anyone get advice about when to start taking folic acid again?

[tasmaniandevilchaser]

hi there, god moving house and having an ectopic, what a lot of hassle and stress! Hope the house move went well and glad you didn't have any side effects from the methotrexate. Have the hospital been monitoring your HCG levels? Or did you move before they finished?

You can start taking folic acid when your HCG levels are back down (to non-pregnant levels), but I expect you've read you must take the folic acid for 3 months before TTC or your baby is at risk of damage like spina bifida because the methotrexate drains all the folic acid out of your system.

[chasingtherainbow]

Sorry to revive a zombie thread. .. but if any previous posters are about and would like to update I'd love to hear x

[user1471191254]

I am in a similar situation I would love to hear some positive story's from previous posters if your still about