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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?

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Original poster
PinkElephant · 25/02/2007 20:10

Cedar - well done... 4 miles??!! I was jogging a few times a week last year (lucky to do a mile at a time!!) but have done nothing since my ectopic this year. Really should try and I can't see how it will harm you in anyway.

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AitchTwoOh · 25/02/2007 20:29

PE, it might make the pregnancy re-absorb but it doesn't guarantee that you'll be left with a clear, open tube, unfortunately.

Lubyloo · 25/02/2007 21:33

Thanks for the info PinkElephant. I hope your HSG goes well next month. I think I may just wait and see what happens with TTC. If nothing happens in six months or so
I may push them for one. It's tempting to do it sooner though because I conceived DD straight after a lap and dye.

Lubyloo · 25/02/2007 21:38

Hi Cedar,

Four miles is great and I'm sure exercising can only be a good thing.

TTC does make you paranoid though doesn't it? I used to only ever go to the gym in the first two weeks of my cycle because I was scared I would jiggle the pregnancy out if I exercised after I had o'd!!!

lissielou · 25/02/2007 21:38

i would say see your gp and mention it to them luby

lissielou · 25/02/2007 21:40

lol xpost, i do that too. no sex in the last 10 days of my cycle either

Original poster
PinkElephant · 26/02/2007 19:39

Aitch - no I realise that hense me having an HSG to check whats going on with my tubes
Luby - thanks. Good luck to you also

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PrisonerCellBlockAitch · 26/02/2007 20:34

i'm not wishing to diss HSGs but i just wanted to tell you that (as i recall from the EPT) 15% of HSGs end in an infection which has to be treated with antibiotics. that's the reason i never pushed for one... i was too scared of doing more damage iykwim? so it's somethign to ask your docs about when you're discussing your procedures.

cedar12 · 27/02/2007 08:15

Aitch if you dont ever have a hsg how do you know if your tubes are ok?

PrisonerCellBlockAitch · 27/02/2007 09:57

you don't. it's absolutely terrifying. but for me, i was only offered an hsg after i'd already lost one tube and so i wasn't prepared to risk an infection in the only tube i had, iyswim? it was just personal choice, but i wanted you ladies to have the facts as i understood them at the time in case that would make a difference to you. i mean, if i'd had two tubes i'd probably have gone ahead with it, which of course makes No Sense At All because it's not like an infection would be selective and only choose one tube...

Original poster
PinkElephant · 27/02/2007 16:12

Aitch - Nice name change!! I have already booked an appointment with the GP after the HSG to push for anitbiotic prophylactically -lets hope I can pursuade them

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cedar12 · 27/02/2007 17:46

Aitch I have only got one tube to, lost it after first ep. I think I may do what pink elephant sugests and see my gp for some antibiotics. I am afraid I am a bit of a control freak and cant bear the not knowing. Did take them up on there offer of a hsg in the end and just being really nosy how long have you been ttc.
I still get so angry that after I lost my tube the dr basically told me to bog off for 18 months I wish I had known about mumsnet then.

PrisonerCellBlockAitch · 27/02/2007 20:42

oh i'm brilliant at getting pg, cedar, just a bit shit at getting them in the right place. three pgs in a year, two of them eps. what a pisser. and i got no aftercare whatsoever, either. (well, apart from the nurse who woke me up after the operation telling me that i was better off not being pg as kids are a PITA)...
the Ectopic Pregnancy Trust website saved what little sanity i have.
anti-bs prophylactically... now that's clever. definitely push for that you two ladies.

PrisonerCellBlockAitch · 27/02/2007 20:44

for the record i used the toni weschler book and took my temps, so i think that's why i was good at getting up the duff. i ovulate really late as it turns out so i dread to think how long it would have taken if i hadn't known that.

lissielou · 28/02/2007 07:27

im like you aitch, fab at getting pg, but rubbish at keeping them. saw the doc yesterday whod told me i was mcing 2w before the ep was discovered. just said to her, i told you i was still pg! struggling a bit today. how are you all?

cedar12 · 28/02/2007 08:38

Doing ok lissie except I think my bloody washing machines broken. All my clothes havent been getting rinsed properley and has given me thrush. So a great start to the day!
I still havent had a period since ep and for once I wish it would hurry up so I can hopefully make an appointment for my hsg.
I hope your day gets better lissie.
Aitch thanks for the book reccomendation I am going to try and get a copy of it.

Original poster
PinkElephant · 28/02/2007 10:26

Hi Lissie - I'm good thanks but starting to get a bit twitchy about the HSG. Am really worried about the result and keep tormenting myself that if there is a problem then it will be ages till I get sorted out as the NHS is so crap. They keep moving my appointmnet for the HSG and the Consultants secretary keeps forgetting to make me follow up appointment so I'm loosing my patience with them all now. I just can't believe they won't give me the reults of my HSG there and then and I have to wait for the Consultants appointment. AAAAAAHHHH!! Surely they can tell me something??
Cedar - How long has it been since the ectopic? My first AF afterwards was about 2wks late, I had no idea when it was supposed to arrive to be honest. But it wasn't anymore painful etc. Hope it comes soon for your HSG to be arranged.
Aitch - God you sound like you've had a rough ride too. Yes I am so pissed off with the NHS system that I will be demanding antibiotics at my GP surgery. I'm going away with work straight after my HSG and there is no way I'll gamble an infection. It's the only perk of being a nurse - I'm so demanding!

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PrisonerCellBlockAitch · 28/02/2007 10:40

PE, i think, from what i've read women say about HSGs on the EPT website that it's pretty clear if there's a problem straightaway. i think they tend to show you the dye running through, and also if there are any wee blockages sometimes they can push the dye a bit and release it. it can be painful, though, so take painkillers in advance.
and the toni weschler book should be mandatory for all girls at puberty, i think. i'm a clever woman, and yet somehow i didn't know a lot of the things she explained about my own body. i tell you, we'd all be made to sit exams in it if men were the ones having babies.

i used the software to calculate my temps, tbh. couldn't be faffed with all that line drawiing stuff. you have to pay for it, or there's a free version at fertilityfriends.com (or .co.uk, can't remember). i had PCOS, so that is supposed to make the temps more tricky but i never found it so.

some people stress out about temping, but i think it depends on your personality type. at the time i felt so wildly out of control with my body that i liked having something to do, something that seemed like a positive move. but it does make some peopel feel worse, so jack it in at the first opportunity if that's the case.

Original poster
PinkElephant · 28/02/2007 10:52

Aitch - thank you, this is what I thought and has put my mind at rest. When I spoke to the Radiographer to book the appointment she told me that I would not find out the results and that I would have to wait till my appointment with the consultant. Soooo unhelpful!!
Its so true, if men had to do this not only would there be exams but also SOP's, competancy frameworks and appraisals!!!!
Has anyone find the magic of trying has gone since having these problems. This was my first pregnancy and all I feel is complete numbness at the thought of being pregnant again - of course I'll be thrilled but just terrified what will go wrong next. I just know this is going to be a very long journey

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Original poster
PinkElephant · 28/02/2007 11:02

Just chased up my appointment with Consultant and its Friday 13th April - OMG hope this is not a bad omen

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keeplaughing · 28/02/2007 11:16

Pink elephant, try to keep positive. I had ectopic and lost a tube but periods started again normally and fell pregnant again 3 months later (and i was 38) Know its easy to say but try not to get too stressed about it all, it's the worst thing. I also found out that an awful lot of people had had ectopics that i knew, and things worked out ok for them too. Incidentally you're not a nightmare patient, it's your right to get best and quickest treatment poss, unfortunate you have to be pushy to do it sometimes

Original poster
PinkElephant · 28/02/2007 11:51

Keeplaughing - love the name . I know, the majority of the time I'm positive and upbeat about it and then there's the element of doubt that comes rolling in thinking I'll be that small percentage who will never be able to have a baby at all. I also worry about the age barrier and wish I was just a little bit younger with more time to play with but I'm sure we all wish for that

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cedar12 · 28/02/2007 12:09

Pe my ep was 5 weeks ago this thursday so I am probabley just being impatient. The only way to get anything done in the nhs is to be a night mare patient. Being a nurse also I think we are the worst patients ever
Aitch just ordered the Toni Welsch book from amazon all this charting sounds a bit confusing.

keeplaughing · 28/02/2007 12:11

thanks will x fingers for you. by the way, why 3 months? is that cos of the drugs? my gynae said it was ok after first period

Original poster
PinkElephant · 28/02/2007 13:14

Keeplaughing - It takes three months for the methotrexate to get out of my system apparently. Roll on April....
Cedar - Its so true - nurse make the worst patients!!

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