Ectopic or miscarriage?

[sometimesalways]

I didn't know where to post this, sorry if it's the wrong place.

I am after just some thoughts and experiences as I am in limbo waiting for a blood test and I am feeling low and anxious.

The backstory is that I had ivf FET cycle and bfp with HPT about a week ago. Unfortunately the hCG blood test showed that numbers are rising very slowly so it's not a viable pregnancy (numbers were 65 at 4w+2 and 71 at 4w+6). So we are looking at etheir mc or, scarier, an ectopic.

I was asked to repeat bloods on Friday to ensure numbers are falling to confirm a mc. The wait is a nightmare!

In the meantime I should go to A&E if I get abdominal pain or heavy bleeding. I am now getting tiny pains or a bit like ovulation pain on my left side. It's not particularly painful or uncomfortable - just there on and off. Also have some lower back pain and heartburn. No bleeding.

Does this sound like a mc at all? I would be 5w today. I have never had one and not sure what I should be expecting. I know I won't get a diagnosis from an online forum, but Anybody been through anything similar?

Your bhcg sounds very low so it could be a misc or ectopic. It’s a waiting game at this stage. If they were very worried about you they would have admitted you to hospital. It’s still early stages.

Thank you for responding @emcla
Yes I understand that sadly the pregnancy is not going ahead. In fact I am hoping it's a miscarriage at this point, and not an ectopic.

I guess I was wondering if my symptoms sound anything like a mc? The heartburn especially seems odd

Not sure if it's helpful but when I had an ectopic pregnancy it was bleeding and pain on my left side that highlighted a problem to me.

My HCG levels were much higher though, 3600 at first test (about 5 weeks) then went up to over 5000. Don't think you can read too much into that though.

They also gave me a few scans to confirm the ectopic - did they mention a scan to you at all?

It’s probably too early for a scan and you may not see much at this stage. When the levels are higher they scan you. So they monitor in 3 ways how you are clinically ie pain and or bleeding, bhcg and scan where indicated. Praying for you.

It may be a miss. Sometimes you can have a tubal abortion which is where the pregnancy is in the tube and miscarries itself and you bleed. There are a few possibilities. Leave it to the medics to sort imo.

@HallowsandHorcruxes no mention of scans yet, no, perhaps it's too early to see anything?
Now it feels like period like cramps and back pain. No bleeding yet. I think hCG can be so different between people, it's v hard to compare. I was too disappointed when I spoke to the nurse to concentrate , I feel I should have asked more questions when she gave me the results. Like how bad should the pain be before I go to a&e? I imagine a mc can cause cramping too but i imagine that pain would not be too bad at this early stage in pregnancy

You are right @emcla I should trust the professionals and in a way I am - just worried as I am scared of the pain and risks of an ectopic

@HallowsandHorcruxes how bad was your pain when you had it? And I am so sorry this happened to you.
Was it take your breath away/doubling over type pain, or cramping/twinges but one sided ones? If you don't mind me asking

I am sorry that it isn't working out for you. I hope that you have a miscarriage rather than an ectopic. At that level of HCG nothing would show up on a scan. My early miscarriages have all been like a medium sized period with extra bad cramps. The one at 11 weeks was more like a mini labour with much more severe bleeding. I have never had an ectopic, so can't really comment on that..

It sounds to me more mc than ectopic BUT Everyone is different and if you have any concerns at all please head straight to a&e

My 2nd pregnancy was both, twins. One twin mc within womb but didn't naturally evacuate and so I was booked in for d&c, had that and hcp was still rising plus I started having other symptoms so they whipped me in for more surgery and found ectopic embryo which I was very fortunate they were able to remove without me losing a tube.

It's so variable with symptoms

Hi OP,

I had an ectopic pregnancy and ended up having a fallopian tube removed. I was roughly 6 weeks and feeling fine, no pain. Started spotting quite heavily, not quite full on bleeding but it was an odd colour. Prune juice like - watery and brown/red in colour. Scan could not locate pregnancy in the womb. First bloods, hcg was around 1000, 48 hours later they were roughly the same. Had surgery on the same day as second blood test results. I had mild pain, nothing excruciating, very much like period pain.

@sometimesalways to begin with it was more like cramping but after treatment and when it passed it was agony and I did go up to a&e but thankfully no rupture.

Also, meant to say before that when they suspected an ectopic but couldn't find anything on the scans, I got admitted to the hospital and thereafter scanned daily until found it. They were really pretty strict with any suspicion of ectopic - again might have been related to my HCG levels.

Either way, sorry this is happening, it's absolutely heartbreaking

@sometimesalways in my case it was an ectopic. My hcg was rising but just minimally. I had presented to a&e with episode of pain (was really sore but not agony iyswim. I ended up taking brufen before i went which eased the pain slightly- to put it in perspective).

I had minimal spotting and just a niggling 'toothache' like pain leading up to this. My levels were 1400 and they couldnt find on initial scan. I was 6 weeks. It took a week of bloods and further scan.

If you are concerned at all then go to a&e.

If it does turn out to be ectopic theres a few options so long as it doesnt rupture.

Im almost 2 weeks into methotrexate treatment for mine- theres not a single thing i have not read online- which made my anxiety so much worse.

It is an awful circumstance to be in, you just want answers but its too early for the drs to give any.

Hope your ok xx

@sometimesalways

I am so sorry for your worries and misfortune. I can't give any advice except on having had 1 missed miscarriage myself... I had very bad flu symptoms. Had D&C after being diagnosed at 7w+ 5d. Sending you hugs

A huge thank you to everyone for replying. It helps me understand this a bit better. Sorry it took me a while to reply but I am feeling very weak and was lying down - I nearly fainted earlier too. I keep having period style cramping and back pain and my clinic feels those are 'normal' miscarriage symptoms. They advised I should go to a&e if I get sharp pains or shoulder tip pain or heavy bleeding. So just hanging in there till the blood test tomorrow morning.

@dottyp0104 I am so sorry you are going through this now, it's an awful situation to be in. I hope are all better soon.

@HallowsandHorcruxes thank you for sharing

@Graphista oh no I hadn't of a combination before. Poor you!

Thanks op, was a long time ago now.

Sorry you're going through this and hope things go as smoothly as possible for you and you're able to recover physically soon.

The emotional recovery I don't think ever really happens. We just get better over time at coping with the pain.

As I say that was my 2nd mc, I since had dd though that was tough and go for most of the pregnancy then a difficult birth and both poorly after too, and I couldn't have any more after her because I have a rare condition meaning if I'd got pregnant again I'd have been risking my life and I couldn't in good conscience risk leaving dd motherless.

It's hard for people who've been able to get pregnant and carry a pregnancy easily etc to understand.

Wishing you so much luck for the future

So I made it to the blood test and now waiting for results. I also just started bleeding this morning, it looks and feels like a period I think- fresh red blood, no clots and no sharp pains, just familiar cramping. I sort of took this as a good sign - mc rather than ectopic - but I guess only the test will be able to offer true clarity. Hopefully only a few hours wait left now.

Sounds like a miscarriage OP and as weird as it is to say it, I hope it is for your sake. I had an early miscarriage a couple of months ago and I had the sharp twinges on my right hand side so I was also panicking that it was ectopic. It wasn’t, it was just par of the course for me. Mine started with pink mucus then bright red bleeding and the clots started after around six hours I’d say.

Take painkillers and use a hot water bottle. Be kind to yourself .

That sounds positive. I am so sorry that it looks like you are losing a much wanted baby, but glad that it is unlikely to be an ectopic. It certainly sounds veruch like my early miscarriages.

Hi all, thought I'd revive this post as... guess what.... one month on and I am still in the same situation. HCG levels low but very slowly rising. Around 145 at the moment so not much can be seen on scan to rule out ectopic. (I don't have any other symptoms)

At the same time, as I am being monitored with bloods and scans by the early pregnancy unit, they saw a small round shadow that could be a failing pregnancy sac, in the uterus. Which could indicate 'normal' miscarriage after all, but hard to tell.

The doctor feels it could still be either, those slow rising hCG levels happen with some miscarriages too, frustratingly.
I am so looking forward to some closure after literally weeks of stress. (I would have been 9 weeks by now if healthy pregnancy)

I guess I wanted to ask anybody with similar experiences. If you had a self resolving ectopic or an early miscarriage with weirdly rising levels, how long did it take for levels to go back to non pregnant?

Bump

@sometimesalways oh I can't image how it is not to have any answers. I am just finished my follow up for ectopic. I had methotrexate and took 4 weeks for my hcg to get lower than 3.

Hope you get answers soon xx

I had an ectopic and they kept sending me home, taking me back in. Was awful. They finally saw it on a transvaginal scan and operated that day as it had ruptured and was causing internal bleeding. However, I had been fainting and bleeding black / brown blood with shoulder top pain for a couple of weeks. Perhaps your pregnancy is resolving naturally. I would request a transvaginal scan as they will be able to see where the pregnancy is located. Good luck OP.

Sorry, shoulder TIP not too

Thank you for your kind words and for sharing your experience @dottyp0104 and I am so sorry you had to go through that! It's scary, isn't it... if you don't mind me asking, how my news your hCG when you took the shot?

Yikes @firesong you were bleeding for two weeks? Terrifying, I am so glad you are ok! thank you for responding

Afm I have been bleeding since Saturday and had a scan today and still no signs of ectopic. It's been weeks now so my Doc seems to lean to miscarriage rather than ectopic now, combined with that round sac-like thing they saw in my uterus. Waiting for new bloods but they expect hCG to drop within a week or two. Let's see...