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Miscarriage/pregnancy loss

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Ruptured Ectopic - my story

4 replies

leo1978 · 05/10/2010 09:11

Last week at 6.5 weeks pregnant I began to bleed. I thought I was having a miscarriage and went to A and E where they said they couldn't scan me until the following day. I explained I'd had a previous self resolving ectopic at 5 weeks and they said it wasn't relevant. The following day I was scanned and was told there was no evidence of a pregnancy and i was given the usual advice - wait 3 months etc. 6 days ago I went to the toilet and felt a seaing pain in my abdomen which would not go away. I called NHS Direct who told me to take a paracetamol and have a bath, the pain didn't go away and I got very panicky and felt something was really wrong, called the out of hours doctor who advised me to go to A and E. When I arrived at A and E I felt faint so they lay me down and said some women feel faint when they miscarry. I felt very poorly at this point and began to pass out - i screamed for someone to help me and was ignored until they saw me, put me on a drip and lowered my head. I stabilised then passed out again and when i came round a surgeon was there and said I was bleeding internally and had had a ruptured ectopic. They didn't take me seriously becuase my scan said all clear. I went into surgery and had lost 2 1/2 litres of blood - all internally - and have lost my left tube and had to have a blood transfusion. Now in bloody agony. My message is Do not ignore your instinct and make sure you double check when you are scanned - I had light bleeding and no pain with the 'miscarriage' which was not really a miscarriage at all I now know.

xx

OP posts:
baby2b · 05/10/2010 21:15

Leo, I am so sorry to hear about your terrible experience. I had a resolved ectopic and struggled to get seen when I had awful pains. Exact same advice from NHS direct. It is worrying that if they think it is a miscarriage you can be somewhat dismissed, which in itself is a harrowing experience.

I also think that it is very relevant that you had an ectopic before. I have been told that if I get pg again I will be given a scan at 6 weeks to check everything is ok. I want to say something to you to help make it better, but everything sounds a bit cheesy when typed (iykwim).

Please keep talking to us on here as it does help.

MummyAbroad · 07/10/2010 01:57

I just wanted to say how sorry I am that you had to go through this. Its so unfair. You really needed help and were failed by everyone you turned to. Sad

I think your message is very important too. Perhaps when you are feeling stronger you might want to make a formal complaint via PALS, there are obviously a lot of people in the NHS who need better education regarding ectopics.

take care of yourself, and I hope you are getting good support from loved ones in RL,

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

leo1978 · 07/10/2010 08:12

Thanks guys. My hubby and SIL and I have drafted a very strongly worded letter on my GP's and everyone on every forum I have posted on's advice. I am feeling a bit brighter today - hit the codeine a bit too hard I think and went around in a fog weeping intermittently for last two days! I am planning nice things to happen between now and New year. I think perhaps I was still swollen inside when I went to try again and this maybe caused the ectopic - again another reason to perhaps wait to ttc after a suspected ectopic. I am trying to count my blessings and not be too hard on myself

xxx

OP posts:
scepticalface · 09/10/2010 15:25

HI Leo - I had an ectopic after 2 normal pregnancies. We were living in Holland at the time and I too suffered a lot of internal bleeding. The pain was definitely worse than labour and there was a strong sense of 'something is seriously wrong' going on for me. I had 5 more healthy babies after it though - even though I had an ovary and a tube removed. So - all the best!

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