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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:
golds · 15/02/2007 15:48

can anybody advise me please, as I am totally rubbish at this sort of thing.

I had a ectopic almost 2 years ago now, I am not trying to conceive, infact me and dh hardly every'do it' these days.

I came off the pill in December - I couldnt be bothered to take it anymore. My period started the week before Christmas and I haven't had one since. We never had sex in the first month, so I was expecting to come on end of Jan, when I didn't and I had a few cramps I thought it was going to appear any day. Me and dh foolishly did it without protection 10/11 days ago and I still haven't come on, 6 days ago I had spotting which I thought was the start but it came to nothing, I am slightly worried.
a) if I am preg and b) the risk if I am.

Oh drats, how long is it before you can test, presumming that spotting was implantation bleed. I am delaying testing, because I don't really want to know, but would prefer to test when I know I will get a accurate result.

It wouldn't be the end of the world if I was, but I would then start worring if it was another ep

cedar12 · 15/02/2007 14:17

I have just had the same problem pink elephant. Just got off the phone from my consultants secetary she now going to refer me for hsg which I will have to wait and she my consultant again to get the results which probabley be forever. I have looked into it a bit more and it costs £616 for hsg in my local bupa hospital but you can have a test ultra sound test called a hycosy probabley spelt wrong and this cost about £300. I know its got to be done at a the right time but its so annoying.I feel like my life is in everyone elses hands and it depends on so many different things I hate not being in control.

cedar12 · 15/02/2007 13:10

All the dr a spoke to said I acould start trying when ever we felt ready. But probabley should have waited until I had a period.
I also had to wait for my hsg results I think I had to wait 6 weeks. But I been told I shouldnt have to wait this time. Its such I pain I am very tempted to go private I think it probabley be about £300 possibley more. Keep us informed its so frustrating.

Original poster
PinkElephant · 15/02/2007 12:50

Cedar - nothing like valentines day to get you a bit carried away aye?! Do you have to wait for the full 12wks? I haven't got a choice because of the methotrexate injection. Can you believe it I have phoned up to check if they give me the results from the HSG whilst I'm there...and no I have to make an appoint to see the consultant I have never met....now I cannot get hold of his secretary and will probably have to wait another 3months for the results!!! AAAHHHH! It will be May 2008 at this rate before we can start trying.

OP posts:
cedar12 · 15/02/2007 12:05

Congratulation I am sure it will be fine this time the dark bfp is a really good sign.
Pink elephant me and dh have been feeling a bit naughty and the waiting thing hasnt really happened not very sensible I know!But valentines day and all that got us in the mood and we werent really prepared.

AitchTwoOh · 15/02/2007 11:46

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY for missnatalie! got everythign crossed for you.

Original poster
PinkElephant · 15/02/2007 11:45

excuse bad spelling ....in a bit of a rush today!!

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Original poster
PinkElephant · 15/02/2007 11:44

Missnatalie - how fabulous!!! I'm so please for you. I really hope everything will be ok for you and am SURE it will be. Lots and lots of luck and keep us updated

Cedar - Great news re your Beta HCG's!! hooray!! Will you wait for HSG before TTC again? I feel great and the only worry I have now is my HSG and hoping AF arrives on time next month so I can have it done and not wit till the summer....oh and course that my tubes are ok but I haven't even started to worry about that yet!!

OP posts:
missnatalie · 15/02/2007 11:19

Hi everyone. I just wasnted to share my good news with you. Im 11 weeks + 3 days post of and lastnight i got a very dark BFP .

1 night of passion & burst condom = me pregnant.

I just wasnted to share the news as i know that when i was reading stories of ladies getting pregnant post EP it gave me hope.

I was told to wait 3 months but we had a accidednt and didnt want to chance the MAP. I go to see my dr on monday to arrange a 6 week scan. I feel more positive this time and im hoping beanie is in the right place. I'll keep you all updated.

Natalie x

cedar12 · 14/02/2007 11:30

Hi everyone hope you are all ok, Pink elephant what have you decieded about the hsg? My hormone levels are almost back to normal it gone down to 13 now so EPU have discharged me now. So can start nagging them about my hsg.

cedar12 · 10/02/2007 17:34

I think the ivf clinic near us charges £250 so try and phone around a bit. Maybe try and talk to your consultant and see what they reckon. The NHS is such I pain I wish I had got medical insurance before this all happened. If my blood results are alright on monday I have to phone my consultant to try and arrange something and he said he will try and hurry it up as it happened twice.
Good luck for Monday Janus I hope you get the all clear.

Original poster
PinkElephant · 10/02/2007 17:02

p.s - am very confused but if they asking you to be day 5 onwards, how can they ask that you have not bled for 2days. Who in the world has period that lasts from day 1 up to day 3?

OP posts:
Original poster
PinkElephant · 10/02/2007 16:55

Janus - forgot to say, good luck for monday. keep us posted

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Original poster
PinkElephant · 10/02/2007 16:54

Janus - I know this exactly my problem. The receptionist said I needed to be on Day 5 onwards and worked it out for me, realising it was a close call. There's no way I will not have bled for 2days unless my AF is early and she never mentioned this - so thank you. I'm going to take the chance and phone on Day 1 if its looking like AF is going to be late. If I don't take the chance next month it will be July which feels like such a long wait.

OP posts:
Janus · 10/02/2007 16:35

PinkE, I'm having an HSG on Monday and they told me it should be between day 5 and 14 and that I must not have bled for at least 2 days. I find it ridiculous that it's booked until July, who the hell knows how their periods will fall that far in advance?? I had to ring on day 1 of this period and they then scheduled it for the right time of the month. I think I did get some literature from a private fertility clinic and I think it was about £400 for the HSG but you would probably have to have a consultation beforehand and that's probably about £150. I would pray your period is on time but if you think you will still be bleeding anyway by day 5 I would ring and check this as you might get all the way there and they refuse to do the procedure. You may then end up being even worse than you are now, ie even futher down the list because by the time you turn up in March the next appt would probably be August or September. May be worth checking??

Original poster
PinkElephant · 10/02/2007 14:15

Does anyone know how to go private for HSG and how much it costs? Cedar - did you say you might do this too? I have finally been referred and phoned up the xray dept yesterday to find out they are full until July!!! I managed to persuade a miserable receptionist to give me their one cancellation for March, but the problem is if my AF is one day late I won't be able to go as they need you from Day 5 onwards. What a nightmare....everything crossed that my AF arrives bang on time...which knowing my luck won't!! I can't wait till July I just want this test done and out of the way and then we can TTC again in April if all is well

Hi Sparkly - I'm ok and AF pains are subsiding. Now getting myself into a tizz about the HSG. Its just one thing after another....

OP posts:
cedar12 · 09/02/2007 18:53

Sparkly glad af has finished are you going to start trying again or leave it for a while I am still not sure what to do. I seem to have so many various aches and pains at the moment not sure if my body is trying to tell me something.I only have one tube so feel i need to get a move on.
Hope everyone has a nice weekend.

SparklyGothKat · 09/02/2007 18:34

AF has finished now. Hope you are feeling ok today PE and Cedar.

cedar12 · 09/02/2007 11:43

My friend started doing community nursing when she had her daughter and loved it, I use to do bank work for the district nurses which i also loved. Not many jobs around here in the community at the moment though.
7 nights what a killer my maxium was 2 before I felt nearly dead. I sure you will be going on mat leave soon and reducing your hours before you know it. Finger crossed for this year, hopefully next year you will be an official part timer.

Original poster
PinkElephant · 09/02/2007 11:31

Hi. Glad your stomach ache has stopped. I know what you mean about working 15hrs a week, it fits nicely into being a mum I'm sure. I haven't got children yet so I need full time work still and the wards were wearing me down with constantly doing 7nights every 3wks etc. I will be looking for part time hours eventually when I become a mum (fingers crossed!!!)....I was wondering about practice nursing eventually

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cedar12 · 09/02/2007 11:17

Do get a bit fed up with ward politics and grumpy relatives but just about cope with only donig 15 hours a week. I also have set hours which I choose so fits in well with dd. Only do 2 lates a week so dont have to deal with to many stroppy drs either!
Since going part time its a lot easier to just shut off when I get home. I am afraid I am not very career minded so quite happy to get on with it whilst I am there and then make a quick exit. I do still enjoy the patient care but get fed up with endless pointless paper work which we do just for the sake of it instead of actually getting on with looking after the patients. Anyway enough of my work rant. Glad your feeling better and hope the head improves. My stomache has settled down now, bloody hormones.

Original poster
PinkElephant · 09/02/2007 10:55

Cedar - I worked for 12 years in secondary care up north and was a Specialist nurse in the last 3years. Got so sick of the politics of the nhs and being nagged at to do another degree for no extra pay that I waved goodbye to it all 2years ago and now I work for pharma companies. Absolutely love it!!! Wild horses couldn't drag me back to the nhs. Would you never consider leaving - do you still enjoy it?

Period pain have now settled but I have developed a booming headache from the co/codamol!!

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cedar12 · 08/02/2007 21:26

Thanks pink elephant that reasuring. I am still nursing I work 2 shifts a week on an elderly care ward at the moment. Just being nosy what do you do? Hopefully we will all feel better in the morning maybe a glass of wine will help.

Original poster
PinkElephant · 08/02/2007 19:26

Cedar - do you know I'm sure I had the very same symptoms, roughly about 2-3 wks ago when my levels were around the same. I phoned up and went back to see the SHO at about wk 3 post ectopic as I was having hideous cramping and sharp abdo pains which felt like a large knitting needle was being rammed through my stomach and down to my bowel, making me want to have my bowels opened immediately (far too much info sorry!!). The SHO reckoned it was the miscarriage being induced and that it was normal and would eventually stop, which it did. I did ask her for some co-codamol 30/500 as paracetamol didn't touch the pain, which dd help. I've started with my first AF since the whole episode which was about 7wks ago and thank gawd I had the co-codamol. I really don't care if my notes have "scary nurse who reckon she knows everything" written accross my notes - it really has helped me in getting the info I've wanted. Are you still nursing? Hope you feel better soon.

Sparkly - hope AF eases up for you soon too

OP posts:
cedar12 · 08/02/2007 19:14

Pink elephant, hope your feeling a bit better. I have had funny cramps today and one minute feeling like I am constipated then having to rush to the toilet(sorry about having to talk about poo!)and this was what happened when I had both ectopics. No awful pain but just feel a bit crap.Phoned EPU said take some paracetamol and phone back if it gets worse. Only stopped bleeding last week and hormone level arent back to zero yet so dont think I would have a period yet. Before I had this ectopic I use to feel a bit strange around the time I ovulated but I am not sure that this would happen if my hormones level hadnt returned to normal. Anyway I glad i am not the only stroppy nurse out there, on my daughters dr notes I saw mother is RGN in large writing. I thought what a bloody cheek they think I am nerotic mother and a mad nurse. Every Gps nightmare. Ive Probabley just got a bug or something.