TTC following an ectopic pregnancy

[PinkElephant]

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?

I am really confused just had my second ectopic 1st had surgery 2nd ectopic misscarriage. 2nd ectopic 2 months after having a lap and dye. Dr told me on monday he didnt have a problem with me trying again straight away but not sure what to do now. The lap and dye only showed a few tiny adhesions near the ovary in the lap and dye but was enough to give me another ectopic. The really crap thing is Dr said after the lap and dye the tube looked great.

Oh cedar poor you. Its all so confusing isn't it. I know the ectopic website suggests to wait for 3 months before TTC again which I have to do. But as far as I'm aware this is for my body to be free from any traces of methotrexate and also to give you time emotionally. When was your ectopic this time? - would it be better to wait for your first period to see whats happening and then decide, unless of course you are in that position now?. Maybe Aitch could help.....she's great for advise.

......CALLING AITCH

Thanks pink elephant it only happened last thursday. I think i will wait at least until i have had one period, talked to my consultant about having another hsg which he said he will do once my bloods are back to normal. I think it all really hit me to day feeling really shit. Its all the unknow things that do my head in I not going to let the nhs fob me of for 18 months this time.

My period has started today, exactly 4 weeks from the collasped EP.

good news, sparkly. boy, that's been a long month...

cedars, have you been to the Ectopic pregnancy trust website, i really can't recommend it enough... saved my life i think.

here

i'm so very, very sorry to hear that you have lost another pregnancy, it's just absolutely crushing, isn't it? emotionally it's so devastating because you psych yourself up for trying again with all the hope you can muster and then you get another kick in the chops and that wee baby seems to be further and further in the distance. awful, i've been there, you have my complete sympathy. i do have a child now, but ttcing after my second ep felt like staring down the barrel of a gun.

the best place to ask your questions is the EPT site, they have medical professionals who can offer general advice, and of course your consultant sounds like he's on the ball.

i suppose that when the time comes to try again you just have to accept the fact that it might happen again... the balance of probability is that it won't, though.
you just get your head down and go for it, i hope that you get your dream soon and once again i am sorry for your losses.

Thanks aitchtwooh. I had a look at ectopic website It a great site I wish a had looked at it first time around. I think we will try again after I get my first period. I am going to try and get them to do Xray and dye test as son as possible. I expect my consultants secetary is fed up with me, But things do tend to happen a bit quicker if you nag a bit. I work in the Nhs and know how unorganised it can be. Although every one was great when I was in hospital. Had another blood test yesterday to check hormone levels. Feel a lot better than last week life a bit more back to normal not back at work yet but running around after my daughter is keeping me busy shes got music this morning then a birthday party this afternoon so that should keep us busy today.

this may sound silly, but I am getting tons of period pain (as per normal) but it seems to be on the right side where the EP pain was. Is this normal?

totally normal. might continue for a few months yet and is just another argument for waiting the three months to let everything settle down. i still get more achey on my right side, and it's been aaaaages.

Hello ladies my EP was 10 weeks ago now (how quick has that gone!). Ive already had 2 periods and due my 3rd next week. Once thats been and gone DP and i are going to ttc again. Im looking forward to trying again but i am so nervous. Mentally i am prepared for the fact that it can happen again but am trying to stay positive. The odds are in my favour.

SGK- those period type pain that your getting may be ovulation pains. Ive had them on and off since just before my 1st period. There mostly in my left side (had right tube removed) but get them now and again in my right. At one point i convinced myself that i was pregnant again and that it was ectopic. I never had them / felt them before the EP but i think that im more in tune with my body now and feel even the slightest pain or twinge. I have to confess that i have turned into a HPTaholic . Even though ive been getting my period i still do a test just to make sure that im not pregnant .

Hi all,

Cedar - Hope you're doing ok. I too am waiting for an HSG and the appointment is taking forever to come through the post. I've also worked for yonks in the NHS and am the patient from hell, pestering them all the time with queries. Don't give a damn as I know how slack they can be on the wards with communication or should I say lack of it!!

Sparkly - that great news re AF. No sign of mine at all which I'm worried about. Its been 6 weeks since the methotrextate now. I keep getting cramps like its about to happen and then they dissapear again. Had cramping every day last week which got worse and then all stopped for 4days and getting the odd twinge again now. Advice anyone??

Hi pink elephant doing ok, my hormone level have gone down to 47 on monday. Going to re tested next monday then hopefully hsg again.
When I have been in hospital staff ask me what do you do I would answer I am a nurse, They would all say Oh right. Like Oh we better watch what we say! But I know I do the same at work. I think it normal to get cramps etc and hopefully hsg will put your mind at rest. I think I might go private if it takes to long a clinic near us does it for about £250 i think, but hopefully we wont have to.

Cedar - good luck with the HSG, let us all know how you get on. I'm waiting for an appoint to have this done now and I was also thinking about going private if they take forever to send the appointment through. Yes I am a nurse too and it does help as both the nursing and medical staff would talk to me on my level rather than not telling me aspects of my care incase I wouldn't understand. I'm sure I must have "nightmare nurse" written all over my medical notes when I phone up with more questions they huff and puff knowing its me!! AF has arrived today and with the most pain I've ever experienced - thank god for nagging them to give me the Co-codamol 30/500!!

yAh at AF arriving PE My AF has been very heavy this month and very painful. Hoep you feel ok.

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.

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

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.

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!!

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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....

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??

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.