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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:
beckyjones · 12/01/2007 11:49

pinkelephant I wanted to post on your thread as I have had a EP- it was 3 years ago now. I had to have an op which removed one of my tubes, the bean was in the tube but they didn't see it until the last minute because I PCOS and the cyst was so big on my ovary, it hid it.

What it puts your body through is immense, I had to wait 6 months because of the internal stitching, but I needed that time to sort my head out. The good news is I did get pregnant again this Oct, but unfortunately it ended in MC, however it did answer a whole world of questions about whether I could conceive again.

The biggest worry when I get PG again is whether it will end in EP- but the doctors and hospital were excellent in October so don't worry about support from the NHS.

On my remaining tube I have the dye treatment which I recommend you enquire about when you TTC again. It will stop any niggling thoughts about damaged tubes.

It is a horrible experience and very painful so my thoughts are with you. Have a look on the Ectopic org website as I felt very comforted that I wasn't the only person who had gone through it and also the success stories will also make you positive.

Take care of yourself, be selfish as you need this 3 months to think about and only acre for you x

Original poster
PinkElephant · 12/01/2007 17:14

Thank you Becky. Good luck to you too.

OP posts:
merrily · 12/01/2007 17:50

Hi PinkElephant - so sorry to hear what has happened to you.

I had an EP 3 years ago - it was quite far advanced so they ended up doing a laparotomy and removed one of my tubes. We waited three months before TTC again, which I really needed to do to spend some time grieving and letting myself recover mentally as well as physically.

By some miracle I got pregnant again at the first attempt. It was quite nervewracking to start with, but I had an early scan at 6 weeks to confirm that the baby was in the right place, and that set my mind at rest. I had an uneventful pregnancy, and now a beautiful 21 month old daughter!

As others have already said, take care of yourself, and take as much time as you need to recover.

SparklyGothKat · 22/01/2007 12:17

how are you PE?? I am ok but when I am out shopping and see tiny babies I well up. Its not be easy but am slowly getting better.
Does anyone know when my period should come?? I started bleeding on the 1st january with proper bleeding starting on the 9th. I bleed for about 5 days but today I have sore boobs so I think my period might be about to come, but I wonder if its too soon.

AitchTwoOh · 22/01/2007 12:23

it's very common to find your periods are very wonky for a few cycles, SKG, i think it's just one of the reasons that they recommend waiting three cycles, tbh. i know the feeling of seein wee babies, it's not fun, is it? it gets better, takes a bit of time though...

SparklyGothKat · 22/01/2007 12:26

cool, I thought this morning when I got up and had achey boobs, that it might be a bit soon for my period but I suppose it depends on when I ovulated after the EP.

Original poster
PinkElephant · 23/01/2007 13:46

Hi Sparkly - I'm doing ok. I'm still having my bloods monitored after the methotrexate and am really hoping this will be the last week. Like you I haven't had a proper period yet either since the 3 days of bleeding I had 2 wks ago, I have no idea when my period will arrive or my dates etc, I'll just have to wait and see what happens next. I generally feel ok and just want to put it all behind me and get on with TTC again but I can't until April which I guess isn't a bad thing as I'll be able to get my head together by then. I do find that if I walk past baby shops or see maternity clothes I still fill up and have to walk away quickly. As for seeing babies, I feel a bit ditatched at the moment and find myself thinking it will now never happen rather than staring longingly.....I'm sure when we TTC again that feeling will soon return!! How are you?

Merrily - what a lovely story - it gives me hope

OP posts:
SparklyGothKat · 23/01/2007 15:59

Soory to hear you are still having blood tests you must feel like a pin cusion. TBH I have been keeping myself so busy I don't have time to think about whats happened. Plus DD1's statement of education needs has just been written up and I am thinking about that atm, keeps my mind off it anyway, also DS is going to Great ormond street in 6 weeks to discuss surgery ( a huge operation on his legs) and I am worrying about that too.
I feel fine and on the face of things I look strong, its just when DH catches me drifting into a trance, i relaise just how much I am affected. People see the strong face, not the wreck behind it.

Original poster
PinkElephant · 24/01/2007 12:35

Aitch - do you know much about HSG? I've got this test in the next month or so and don't really know much about it. Is it when they flush your fallopian tubes to check for damage or blockages? What exactly do they do and more to the point how do they do it and is it painful?? I'm feeling scare about having it doen but I know it needs to be done for me to progress in any way from here...

Sparkly - My bloods are finally down and I have had my last one now. Hooray!!!

OP posts:
AitchTwoOh · 24/01/2007 12:53

i didn't have an hsg, they don't offer them as standard round my way.

i would've had one after metho, cos i had two tubes to play with... but after my tube was taken out they offered me one cos i'd had two eps by then but i didn't want it any more. there is a small risk of infection that you should be aware of... i felt i couldn't take that risk with only one tube. but loads of people do, so it's a personal decision.

i believe they can hurt like quite bad cramping, or not at all. depends on the person, also depends on whether or not there's a blockage. i think the advice is to take painkillers beforehand.

anecdotally, i do remember seeing a lot of women on the EPT board saying that they got pregnant soon after their HSG, which would be lovely, wouldn't it?

Original poster
PinkElephant · 24/01/2007 14:29

Oh yes that would be fantastic.... but I'm really not that optimistic

Its probably worth me having this then to see what happening with my tubes. Potential infections are a risk with all procedures so its a case of weighing up the possibility of this happening, against the odds of another EP. I think I may have to go for it and take the chance..... Knowing my luck my tubes will be fine and I'll end up with a raging infection instead!!

OP posts:
AitchTwoOh · 24/01/2007 14:47

be optimistic or don't be optimistic... whatever gets you through. i'm not much of a one for thinking positive either. it's not going to make a sod of difference if you tube's knackered.

on the other hand, of course, you know that the statistics do support an optimistic outlook..?

if i was you i'd go for it too...

Tutter · 24/01/2007 14:51

pink elephant - don't have much tiem as can hear ds waking up, but...

i had an hsg done a year or so afte my ectopic pg. it was quick and relatively painless. felt a bit uncomfortable during the procedure and a little bit crampy afetrwards but nothing worse than 2 out of 10 i'd say

they feed a dye slowly through the cervix and track it on screen as it flows through the uterus and the fallopian tubes

you have to wait for a full debrief, but the lady doing the procedure was happy to tell me there and then that there was a free flow so unlikely to be any problems

for me was a great relief and would recommedn it for anyone else concerned about remainin tubes

good luck x

SparklyGothKat · 24/01/2007 22:14

My youngest sister phoned me tonight, she is pregnant. I am happy and excited, but feel upset too.

AitchTwoOh · 24/01/2007 23:51

oh you poor thing... it's okay to be happy for her and gutted for you. frankly it's okay for you to feel totally jealous and bitter, you know. i know i did on a couple of occasions after i had my difficulties... you get over it, it gets better... and the thing is you are still happy for them, even if it does make you feel a bit like crap. dunno what to say except i feel for you. and congrats to your sis, naturally.

SparklyGothKat · 27/01/2007 17:05

She is nearly 9 weeks and due the exact same day as I was

AitchTwoOh · 27/01/2007 20:11

oh dear, that's a real kick in the guts... how are you feeling about it all?

SparklyGothKat · 28/01/2007 00:25

ok, but nearly burst into tears when she told me. But I didn't as I didn't want to upset her.

AitchTwoOh · 28/01/2007 00:28

that's hardly surprising, you poor thing. remember you don't have to keep a brave face on here, even if one is required in RL...

SparklyGothKat · 28/01/2007 00:43

She didn;t want to tell me, I asked when the baby is due and she asked me when my baby would have been due, I told her and then she said 'I don't want to tell you' at which I knew that it was the same date. And then she confirmed it. I am really happy for her as this is her 4th pregnancy, but she only has 1 daughter, as she has miscarriaged twice.

AitchTwoOh · 28/01/2007 00:46

fingers crossed for her, it's such a worrying time in the beginning. perhaps you'll have a lovely bond with this baby when he or she is born? they're wise when they come out, i think.

SparklyGothKat · 28/01/2007 00:57

as everyone keeps telling me, I was lucky, it could have been so much worse and I am still here to tell the story (as they say) And I have to think postive.

AitchTwoOh · 28/01/2007 01:06

ah well you see i never felt particularly lucky... in fact i felt spectacularly unlucky. so it always got right on my tits when people told me that.
but you're right, though, you just have to keep on keeping on. and then one day you realise that it doesn't hurt quite so much so your heart must be healing.

Original poster
PinkElephant · 30/01/2007 15:41

Tutter - thanks for that info, its really helpful. Lets just hope the hospital get their arses in gear and send me an appointment within the next 2 months (they are hopeless and I have to keep phoning to remind them about test etc)and then we can get on with deciding what happens next. I'm glad you get the results back so soon. Do they have to do the HSG in the middle of you cycle? I have no idea what is going on with my cycle at the moment as things haven't returned to normal just yet...

Sparkly - How are you feeling? Thats great news about your sister, but heartbreaking for you. Its so sad that you can't be really happy for her, but its all too soon I expect. How are you feeling? My Beta HCG's are down to zero now so I can live life normally now. I can honestly say January has been the longest month of my life so far and hope thats not the beginning of my roller coaster ride

Hi to Aitch - are you well?

OP posts:
SparklyGothKat · 31/01/2007 00:51

PE I know thats sad that I can;t be really happy for my sis atm, I am but its just to raw atm.
I went to the FPC to find out when I should have my smear test yesterday and they did a pg test while I was there just to check that my HCG have completely dropped (last time they were checked they were still 170, but EPU discharged me) anyway the test was negitive which I knew it would be. Just waiting for my period to come so I know everything is back to normal. It also feels to me that January had been the longest month ever, its only been 4 weeks since I started bleeding, and 3 weeks since the EPU confirmed that I had the collasped EP, but it feels like ages ago.

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