Ectopic pregnancy, what are the signs?

[pumpkinsweetie]

I'm around 8 weeks pregnant and for the last few weeks I have been experiencing only what I can call shooting pains quite low down, near my pubic bone. Midwife dismissed my pains as being stretching pains of my uterus as I'm having baby no5, but I'm starting to thing it is something more sinister as the pains went and tonight they are quite sharp.

I am quite annoyed due to a previous mc that I haven't been put forward for an early scan, especially with these strange pains. But she said unless I have been bleeding I will have to wait until 12 weeks for my scan as that is the procedure.

She did say to go to the epu if I experience any bleeding, but the thing is Im not bleeding, I'm just in pain. I have the phonenumber but I'm not even sure if it is open at this hour so it would basically be a & e, which I don't want to have to consider as I don't want to waste the hospitals time, so I'm asking you guys what signs and symptoms I should be looking for?
Can I be experiencing an ectopic pregnancy without bleeding ? How severe should the pain get before I know what it is iyswim?

Tia, very worried mum to be

Bump

You know your body and your midwife doesnt. If you went to A and E they can still scan you - the scanned me at 6 weeks internally as I was having stomach pains. I didnt get a great bedside manner but we could see that everthing was ok and it was just my abdominal muscles stretching. I would go. Knowledge is power imo. If the epu isnt open they can still take you up there to scan you.

Hi there,

I had an ectopic and I had no signs other than being woken up in the middle of the night with the most painful stabbing pain in my lower abdomen.
I managed to crawl upstairs to my parents room to raise the alarm and they took me straight to A&E.
On arrival I was tested immediately and then taken straight to the theatre for operation.
Sorry I don't mean to alarm you, I guess my point is I didn't have any signs at all.
If I was you I would push and lie if necessary to get a scan to reassure myself. This kind of stress is not good for anyone.

Good luck.

I had an ectopic too. Bleeding for about 2.5 weeks, then scan where they diagnosed it and said they hoped it would sort itself out. Then two days later agonising pains in stomach, worse than labour, due to blood loss through ruptured tube. You will know if it's agonising. I knew I just had to get to A&E.

Shoulder pain is a possible symptom if it ruptures.

Thank you everyone, the pains went the next day & touchwood I was just experiencing stretching pains, no bleeding at all.