I had a ruptured ectopic pregnancy AMA

[Whiskyski]

I suffered a ruptured ectopic pregnancy last year.

Ask me anything

I’m so sorry that happened to you.

How did it get to that stage?
Did you find the hospital supportive?
How are you recovering?

It got to that stage because I stupidly didn’t know I was pregnant. I had a period about 3 weeks before as well, no sex during the fertile window.

The hospital were ok. I was rushed to theatre at about 7pm and I was home by lunchtime the next day. No follow up.

I’ve recovered ok, thank you. I still get a bit of pain occasionally at the surgery sites and I think I may have that forever.

My symptoms made it difficult to diagnose.
I am lucky and thankful to be alive, but not closer to having a living child

I have been diagnosed with an ectopic I’m worried it might rupture before my treatment day. Is the pain very severe ? I have pain anyway but I assume rupture pain is unmistakable?

Also if I presented at an and E is this something that is the highest priority?

I was believed to have been ruptured about 2 weeks or so before phoning 111 and presenting to A&E.

The day I phoned 111 I had collapsed and just felt shaky and sweaty. I was in a lot of pain.
Have they prescribed methotrexate?

That would probably depend on your A&E dept.

I phoned 111, they said they would let the hospital know but diagnosis and admission was still 4 hours. But bear in mind, my ruptured ectopic pregnancy was difficult to diagnose, as I didn’t know I was pregnant and didn’t have “classic” signs.

Yes methotrexate. I’m just worried it could rupture before my appointment for the injection. I only have mild- moderate pain so just trying to wait it out but it’s making me so anxious . I was offered the option of surgery too but the doctor advised methotrexate would be the better option for me unless anything changes

I had 2 live ectopics (heartbeats) and both ruptured blue lit by ambulance both times

@Theunordinary yes rupture pain isn't something you'd miss - I have a very high pain threshold but I was literally writhing around unable to stand type pain - best way to describe it as someone had their hand around your tube and is literally trying to rip it out of your body

Did you get put on the postnatal ward? Just wondering if it's common as I ended up there for a night of my stay and I thought it was a bit cruel to be put there for ectopic.

No, I think I was on a dedicated “maternity/gynaecology complication” ward. I had my own room and I was very out of it after general anaesthetic, so I didn’t really notice.

@mybunniesandme youre right though, it’s completely cruel to be put on a postnatal ward. I think there’s a petition somewhere that tries to highlight how wrong it is.

I had a ruptured ectopic and was so well that I was told it couldn’t possibly be ruptured as I’d be in agony. I had a sharp pain in my bottom and a feeling of pressure in my tummy (I learned after this was the pooled blood). I also felt quite light headed, but not bad at all. I used the lift rather than the stairs to get to the EPC on the day of my surgery. It delayed my diagnoses because I was a typical presentation.

I should add I was being monitored with blood tests every 48 hours over the course of 10 days. I nearly had methotrexate the day before my surgery but they faffed around so much I needed to leave to get my son. I’m so glad I didn’t have the shot as with hind sight think I had ruptured at that stage already.

Sorry to hear this op. Happened to me too. Sixteen years ago.

Now have two beautiful children ages 12 and 8 with another loss in between.

It’s horrible but thank goodness you are okay.

They managed to save my ovary, but not my fallopian tube, unfortunately. I have had incredibly bad anxiety, along with still experiencing pain and stiffness.
I am grateful I didn’t die.

I had one about 14 years ago. I was being monitored as it was during fertility treatment. I had had a low positive blood test which was increasing very slowly, and a scan showed a heart beat, which was the worst part. I was recommended for surgery, and it ruptured while I was waiting to go down, at which point all hell broke loose, as they had to take blood as an emergency and whip me down to theatre ASAP.

It is worth saying that I had no pain at any point. I suspect this may have been because mine was not in the fallopian tube itself but in the entrance to the uterus where the tube widens out, like the estuary of a river. So had I not been being monitored anyway, it could easily have been missed.

Upsetting time but I have had no pain since, at least once the keyholes healed.

This happened to me 15 yrs ago. Ruptures alone in house with my then 3 yr old. Fell unconscious and discovered by neighbour by chance. Internal bleeding and flatlined in ambulance.
Revived by time I got to a&e. Taken for emergency laparotomy and lost ovary and both tubes.

I was 13 weeks pregnant as it turned out and I am beyond thankful to our NHS for saving my life and not leaving my child without his mother at 3 yrs old.

Forgot to mention I also had a blood transfusion as I lost 2 pints of blood due to internal bleeding.

My hospital was a big one so had a gynaecology ward so that's where I went post surgery which was much better than being on pre/post natal or EPU

I had an ectopic pregnancy in 1987. No idea I was pregnant. Had blood loss, diarrhoea and fainting. GP came out to see me and called an ambulance. A and E did a pregnancy test. Had surgery that night. The surgeon said he couldn’t believe how I was alive. Although the tube hadn’t ruptured he said it was like the size of an Orange trying to get through the width of a hair. Was in hospital for a week. Now have two adult sons x

I had one in 2021, and now I have a gorgeous 3 month old girl. I felt totally hopeless about having another child at the time but almost a year to the day I was diagnosed, she was born. There is hope ❤️

There is definitely hope. I had my first son 13 months later ❤️

I actually do feel a bit hopeless. But I have also had two silent miscarriages.

I had a healthy baby after my ectopic too,