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Original poster

TTC following an ectopic pregnancy

913 replies

PinkElephant · 01/01/2007 18:35

Hi, My DH and I have been TTC for the last 8 months and finally found out I was pregnant before christmas. Since then I have been in hospital and have been treated for an ectopic pregnancy. I was given a hefty dose of Methotrexate which has made me feel rotten and should induce a miscarriage soon. We can't start TTC for 3 months now which is really hard to take as it took us a while the first time - but everything will have to be on hold until the summer now. Has anyone experienced this?

OP posts:
PrisonerCellBlockAitch · 27/02/2007 20:42

oh i'm brilliant at getting pg, cedar, just a bit shit at getting them in the right place. three pgs in a year, two of them eps. what a pisser. and i got no aftercare whatsoever, either. (well, apart from the nurse who woke me up after the operation telling me that i was better off not being pg as kids are a PITA)...
the Ectopic Pregnancy Trust website saved what little sanity i have.
anti-bs prophylactically... now that's clever. definitely push for that you two ladies.

cedar12 · 27/02/2007 17:46

Aitch I have only got one tube to, lost it after first ep. I think I may do what pink elephant sugests and see my gp for some antibiotics. I am afraid I am a bit of a control freak and cant bear the not knowing. Did take them up on there offer of a hsg in the end and just being really nosy how long have you been ttc.
I still get so angry that after I lost my tube the dr basically told me to bog off for 18 months I wish I had known about mumsnet then.

Original poster
PinkElephant · 27/02/2007 16:12

Aitch - Nice name change!! I have already booked an appointment with the GP after the HSG to push for anitbiotic prophylactically -lets hope I can pursuade them

OP posts:
PrisonerCellBlockAitch · 27/02/2007 09:57

you don't. it's absolutely terrifying. but for me, i was only offered an hsg after i'd already lost one tube and so i wasn't prepared to risk an infection in the only tube i had, iyswim? it was just personal choice, but i wanted you ladies to have the facts as i understood them at the time in case that would make a difference to you. i mean, if i'd had two tubes i'd probably have gone ahead with it, which of course makes No Sense At All because it's not like an infection would be selective and only choose one tube...

cedar12 · 27/02/2007 08:15

Aitch if you dont ever have a hsg how do you know if your tubes are ok?

PrisonerCellBlockAitch · 26/02/2007 20:34

i'm not wishing to diss HSGs but i just wanted to tell you that (as i recall from the EPT) 15% of HSGs end in an infection which has to be treated with antibiotics. that's the reason i never pushed for one... i was too scared of doing more damage iykwim? so it's somethign to ask your docs about when you're discussing your procedures.

Original poster
PinkElephant · 26/02/2007 19:39

Aitch - no I realise that hense me having an HSG to check whats going on with my tubes
Luby - thanks. Good luck to you also

OP posts:
lissielou · 25/02/2007 21:40

lol xpost, i do that too. no sex in the last 10 days of my cycle either

lissielou · 25/02/2007 21:38

i would say see your gp and mention it to them luby

Lubyloo · 25/02/2007 21:38

Hi Cedar,

Four miles is great and I'm sure exercising can only be a good thing.

TTC does make you paranoid though doesn't it? I used to only ever go to the gym in the first two weeks of my cycle because I was scared I would jiggle the pregnancy out if I exercised after I had o'd!!!

Lubyloo · 25/02/2007 21:33

Thanks for the info PinkElephant. I hope your HSG goes well next month. I think I may just wait and see what happens with TTC. If nothing happens in six months or so
I may push them for one. It's tempting to do it sooner though because I conceived DD straight after a lap and dye.

AitchTwoOh · 25/02/2007 20:29

PE, it might make the pregnancy re-absorb but it doesn't guarantee that you'll be left with a clear, open tube, unfortunately.

Original poster
PinkElephant · 25/02/2007 20:10

Cedar - well done... 4 miles??!! I was jogging a few times a week last year (lucky to do a mile at a time!!) but have done nothing since my ectopic this year. Really should try and I can't see how it will harm you in anyway.

OP posts:
Original poster
PinkElephant · 25/02/2007 20:09

Luby - the methotrexate does make everything re-absorb and by having your Beta HCG's checked during this time will confirm this. Once their down to zero you're obviously not pregnant anymore. The drug does stay in your system for 3months though. I was told by the ward sister that it would be a good idea to have an HSG xray as it might save the heartache of having another ectopic again, but I had to really push and nag for this as the nurses kept forgetting to refer me for this. I've arranged the appointment for next month and then I can find out whether I have problems with my tubes or everything is ok to go ahead and try again. I'm really hoping to pursuade them to give me the results there and then rather than having to wait another month for a Consultants appoint (which again I have had to arrange myself). I just want to get on and TTC again in April which will have been 3months. I couldn't tell you whether this is routine or down to Health Authorities - its worth asking about though. I'm sure I wouldn't have got this info if I hadn't grilled them about everything!! I'm a nightmare patient - I know!!

OP posts:
lissielou · 25/02/2007 12:06

everyones having babies!!!! dhs bf's dw has just had 10lb1 ds. pleased for her, but keep thinking, it shouldve been me!

cedar12 · 25/02/2007 09:00

Anybody got any info on ttc and exercise. Started jogging and worried it might increase risk probabley just being silly. I managed to jog 4 miles last night very pleased with my self.

cedar12 · 25/02/2007 08:58

Luby they offer me a hsg after 18 months as had been ttc since ep and hadnt got pg. Told me at the time of ep when I had surgery that my remaining tube looked fine so we just started ttc again but nothing happened. I knew something was wrong but the dr kept on fobbing me off. When I had hsg 18months later my tube had fluid in which was blocking it. So had an lap and dye which sorted it and got pg 2 months after lap and dye but unfortunatley ended up in epu again with another ep. You need to talk to your gp about being refered to fertility specialist for an hsg not sure if gps could do a direct referal for this. Are you having any sort of follow up after ep. They is also another tested called a hycosy(crap spelling i think) which is a ultra sound of your tube with dye. Keep us posted.

lissielou · 24/02/2007 22:37

night luby, happy birthday sweets

Lubyloo · 24/02/2007 22:32

Just realised I hadn't answered your question - EP was in October

Lubyloo · 24/02/2007 22:31

Oh Lissie, You've really been through the mill. It's strange how bodies work isn't it. You tried for 6 years but have now got pregnant several times in 18 months. We tried for 4 years but EP happened when we hadn't particularly tried and I had no idea when I'd ovulated.

Hope your appt with the consultant goes well for you and they can start to get to the bottom of why you have suffered your losses.

I will see how I feel about testing in the morning. I'm off to bed as keep nodding off at the computer! Night everyone.

lissielou · 24/02/2007 22:22

maybe, i tested on my bday!

took 6y and 2mc ttc ds then 3/4 mc and ep in 18m, see consultant in 1m so after then. my cycles vv regular anyway am 1dpo now, so will speak to doc 1st.

when was your ep?

Lubyloo · 24/02/2007 22:15

Hi Lissie,

Sorry to hear you have miscarried as well.When are you thinking about getting on the TTC merry-go-round again? It does take quite a bit of courage doesn't it?

Anyone think I should test tomorrow? Could be a fantastic birthday present!

lissielou · 24/02/2007 22:10

its not fair is it luby.

Lubyloo · 24/02/2007 22:09

Thanks Cedar. Hope you don't mind me asking - what made them offer you an HSG 18 months later? Should I chase with doctors or EPU?

What I'm finding difficult to deal with is that when we went through fertility testing it was found that we both have fertility issues. However the one thing that came back as positive was that I had "marvellous tubes" (consultant's words!!)So how come I ended up with an EP? Very annoying!

lissielou · 24/02/2007 22:01

tbh aitch coz of the type of bleeding i thought ep! but thought if i ignored it it'd go away iykwim. i preach on mn all the time about how they need to get things checked, epu scans etc, but when it came down to it....

luby, know how you feel. some days i think ttc NOW!!!!! fix this!!!!! make it better!!!!

others i think shit cant do that again, cant mc again