Pregnant after lots of bleeding?

I'm so sorry you've been going through all this OP. The way the staff at the first EPU treated you was unacceptable and I would complain through PALS once you are feeling up to it. Had they actually listened to you, this could've been sorted much sooner.

I don't have much advice for you I'm afraid but wanted to send my love. I was diagnosed with an ectopic last year that turned out not to be ectopic but actually a blighted ovum pregnancy and I was terrified and had surgery for the ectopic(that wasn't there). I was told after the surgery it was a PUL and after that was told it was actually a blighted ovum.

Did they see a sac or anything in your uterus or was there nothing there?

Because your HCG is very low, if it is ectopic they could treat you without surgery.

I'm so pleased you decided to take a test though as otherwise you might never have known so it's good you've found out now before it got much more dangerous.

Really hope you get some answers soon xx

Your hormone level may just fall. Mine was a while ago now so I can't recall all the details but they didn't offer me immediate treatment because they were giving my body a chance to end it on its own. I was having repeat blood tests every 48 hours for quite a long time so there was never any risk that they would miss a jump in levels - at no stage was I left alone to just get on with it.

You can have an injection called methotrexate when the hCG levels are below a certain point. I think it is around 2000 but it may be a bit higher / lower. In any event, you are still well within the range of being able to have that. The upside is you avoid surgery. The downside is a. it might not work immediately and you will have to have a second injection and b. you cannot try to conceive for 3 months afterwards / 6 months if you need two injections.

I think the hardest part for me - when I realised the pregnancy was not viable, was the time it took to resolve. It takes time. Mine dragged on so long, one of the nurses ended up sending me a card when my hCG levels finally dropped to a non-pregnant state. But that won't be the case for everyone.

I know of people who have asked for the methotrexate fairly early on because constantly being in limbo is stressful so that could be an option for you - although they probably will be reluctant to administer it straightaway preferring to try and allow the levels to drop naturally.

That is pretty much my experience of it. The time it takes to resolve being the worst element of it from my point of view.

Please feel free to ask me anything - I'm not an expert and can only go from my own experience but happy to try and help if I can.

There is also something called a pregnancy of unknown location - where they basically cannot see the pregnancy. If they have ruled out an ectopic, then you may be diagnosed with a PUL.

I'm so sorry to to hear that @chica1990 it is a really really shit thing to happen but don't be scared. You're in their care now and they won't do anything to put you in any danger. When I had mine, my hCG levels never went above 500. I did not need surgery and was never really at any risk of a fallopian tube rupturing.

My levels would drop a bit and then increase a bit again. I had blood tests every 48 hours until it got to the point where it was concluded that they weren't going to drop on their own so I had methorexate to help end the pregnancy.

I don't know if you want to be forewarned about what you're likely to face because I don't want to upset you (or you may find it helps relieve your fear) but let me know if you'd like more info.

I would definitely raise a complaint about the other EPU.

@Chica1990 I'm so pleased the EPU are looking after you. And it's great news it isn't an ectopic. I will be keeping my fingers crossed that your hCG levels are rising. 🤞🏻🤞🏻

Hope you're ok @Chica1990 frimley are lovely in my experience been exceptionally well looked after by them with a few pregnancy issues. Hope you have a similar experience

@Chica1990

First time round I found out I was pregnant on 21st Dec 2019 at around DPO11, I was tracking so I found out early on. Then a week later I started to bleed. Mainly red, it would start and stop throughout the day. Thankfully with it being the festive period I could get my feet up and work from home instead of commuting. EPU recommended rest!
Then on New Year's Day I miscarried in full right before hubby served up dinner. I passed a clot that was like a jelly bean. Bleeding continued until the following week and I had a positive for 10 days after. Albeit the pregnancy tests were fading in strength so I knew it was full happening. I was about 5 weeks.

Then I fell pregnant in April, had an early scan at 7 weeks all was good. Went to my 12 week scan in July and no baby, I had absorbed it around 8weeks. No bleeding at all.
I opted for a medical procedure given it had been 4 weeks and my body was behaving like I was pregnant. I got a negative 10 days after I had my medical procedure. Which is also when the bleeding stopped.

I really would push for bloods. Xx

@Chica1990 hope it goes well today. I will be keeping an eye out for your update. Be prepared to be told you need to go back in for repeat blood tests before anything definite can be confirmed. A scan at this stage is unlikely to tell you much so they may be reliant on hCG levels and not much can be told from one reading with those.

So sorry you are going through this OP. Your EPU sound awful . Do put in a complaint if and when you have the mental energy. So glad GP did the referral. Fingers crossed for you. 🤞🏻

I'm sorry your having such a crap experience with your EPU. In both occasions I've needed them they have been very supportive and quick to check things out.

Sadly I've had two miscarriages so I've had to experience how EPU works.

Bleeding can be a few things but I really think they should be doing bloods to check your hormones are increasing over a 48hr period. If they are not, they will be able to give you more information on what may be happening.

After both of my miscarriages I've still had positives before they faded to a negative but I'm keeping my fingers crossed this is not what your dealing with. X

Oh OP, I’m sorry, let’s see what they say tomorrow. Sending a virtual hand hold xx

How many weeks would you be OP?

@Chica1990 I can't believe how awful your EPU have been!! I was about 5 weeks when I started bleeding and I also had a slight niggling feeling on my right side. It wasn't painful - I could just feel something. I ignored it for a while but when I googled the symptoms ectopic came up. I phoned 111 (as it was on a weekend so GP surgery shut) and it was them who told me to go to EPU. When I got there the EPU were great (Manchester). They tested my HCG levels with blood tests ( it turns out they were doubling every 48 hours as a normal pregnancy would, so we were hoping the bleeding was nothing sinister) but when they scanned me later in the week they could see it was ectopic.

I'd say keep trying to get in touch with your GP or try 111 as they may be able to refer you to the EPU if EPU won't let you self refer. My story is a sad one but, as previous posters have said, plenty of people bleed in a normal pregnancy so don't give up hope! Wishing you lots and lots of luck!

That's horrendous. I actually can't believe they're ignoring this. Did you raise the possibility of an ectopic? Shoulder tip pain tends to occur as a result of internal bleeding when a Fallopian tube has burst. Suggesting you wait until then is absolutely awful and quite frankly, possibly negligent.

It may be just bleeding but please push to be seen by someone. Your GP can do blood tests 48 hours apart just to ensure hCG is either rising properly or dropping.

Oh, I missed your update - I'm so sorry they were so awful! That's horrendous.

I had this with both pregnancies. Assumed there was no way I could be pregnant after that much bleeding. They are 8 and 14 now! I know several people with similar stories. But I also know several people whose stories didn't end as happily too.

I'd definitely see if you can see someone at an EPU. Best of luck, OP.

OMG OP, that’s terrible! I’m really sorry they treated you like that, that’s appalling!
I know their role must be stressful and it’s difficult in the NHS right now, but they should have showed some compassion, FFS!
Your kind of situation is exactly what the EPU is supposed to be there for!!
At the moment you’re just left in this awful ‘am I or aren’t I?’ Limbo.

I hope you get through to the GP.