Ectopic pregnancy support thread

[tasmaniandevilchaser]

Hi everyone, this is a place for anyone who's had an ectopic pregnancy - whether you want to moan, cry, fret or just have a chat with other people who understand. I know there's lots of other good websites on ectopic pregnancies but after hijackingchatting with sunshine on another thread, I thought I'd start one here.

Well I'll get the ball rolling with my story - after a MMC in November (found out at the 12 wk scan that the baby had died at 10 wks) I was just getting myself sorted, having counselling, when I had the ectopic. I know I am lucky in that I have a lovely DD. Having had a normal pregnancy, I knew from the beginning this one was not good and as soon as I got a BFP I was down at the hospital.

After 10 days of mental torture, waiting around, scans, rescans, blood tests, it got too late for the methotrexate (they finally saw the ectopic in a scan on a Friday early evening and the methotrexate wasn't in stock )

I finally had the surgery to remove one tube on the Tuesday. This was the end of February, at first I wasn't sure how I would cope, but I am just plodding on. I know I am lucky that it didn't rupture, but honestly I can't think of having an ectopic as being lucky. Especially after a MMC .

Anyway, come join me if you want to share your story, I have , and

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Hi there - this thread is a little old. If you'd like to know more about ectopic pregnancies, we've got more information here. MNHQ

It is a shit situation. How are you feeling today?

Hi,
I'm very sad today to be honest an very angry about how I was spoken to at the hospital. I don't think I can face surgery there with those horrible nurses if it comes to it

How are you?

I have in my head this won't work, at every point we've been the worst case scanario minority, so I'm thinking I might elect for surgery if this one doesn't work. The waiting is awful.

Also trying to think of fun things to distract myself from all this horrid ness, except we have no annual leave left for a holiday and we can't move house and dh has Vito'd any new pets
What are you doing to take your mind off it?

I can't really help with taking your mind off it tricks. My days still pass in a blur of small children needing me. I spend a large proportion of the day preparing food, feeding them and crawling about picking it up off the floor, changing nappies, hoping they will both nap together so I can have an hour or so to myself. It doesn't happen. The baby has taken 3.5 hours to go to sleep tonight, refused to be put down even when she had been asleep on me for ages. I'm finding myself increasingly frustrated & short tempered & then feeling terribly guilty. The rest of my time is spent trying to pump enough to keep my dying milk supply up. I'm feeling doomed, it's dwindling sway to nothing & I'm not going to attempt to get her back in the breast until day 7 (Saturday) when I know if it has worked. I can't imagine anything worse than getting her feeding again & then having to whip it away again. I have an infant feeding person coming to see us next Monday, who will help us get her back on if I haven't managed over the weekend. I don't think she will, but I'm going to give it a good go.

I hope you're feeling alright. I have no idea whether it has worked this time or not, I just assumed it would work the first time, now I'm making no assumptions, it's too awful when it hasn't.

DP is at work all day (self-employed joiner, v busy) so I just have to get on with it. I expect it'll all hit me in stages once it's over. Right now I am just keeping going for the children because I have no idea what's around the corner that might mean I really need to fall apart. If that makes any sense.

Hi ladies. I'd like to join you all. I've had four (yes you read that right) ectopics. The first two happened before my hypothyroid diagnosis so they ended naturally as my body couldn't handle the pregnancies. Once I got the hypothyroidism under control I conceived quickly. In January this year I had a ruptured ectopic that needed emergency surgery. Right tube was removed. Last week I had my second surgery where my left tube as removed. We have 1 DD and desperately want more. We're moving on to IVF now. Still a bit numb.

Oh my goodness inanimate I'm sorry for your loss. Do you have any risk factors for it? How old is dd?

Tucking when do you find out if the second injection worked? What are your options now? I really hope it's worked for you. Spotting started today for me, I'm hoping that's a good sign. I think my breastfeeding journey has come to an end my toddler seems okay without, at 9 months it was a totally different story and I really hope you can get back to it
Take care x

Thanks Bees. No reason given. Had no idea I'd need one tube removed due to ectopic but to have two one after the other! Surgeon said its actually quite common.

inanimate I'm so sorry to read of your awful time. I do hope that IVF is your successful path. It's heartbreaking having options taken away from you.xx

bees I think today is your day 4, have you had your results? Hope you didn't die on the spot as I almost did when they said the level had increased. How are you feeling?

Today is my second day 7 & I'm really pleased to say that my level has dropped, it hadn't dropped as much as expected on day 4 so I was getting very worried. It is still a slow drop & they are concerned about how stubborn it is but it is a drop & I don't need to worry at this stage about what the next step is. I go back in a week for another test & weekly after that until the hcg is back to non-pregnant levels. I asked when I can stop worrying about the risk of rupture & they said once it has dropped by another 50% from today's level. I'm very lucky that it hasn't been painful at all other than a night of mild cramping & a long sharp pain that I hope was detachment on Sunday.

My DP has announced that two children is enough & we aren't trying again because the risk is too high. I broke down & said I don't think that's a decision he can make unilaterally & although I am not ready to think about it in detail yet, I can't bear to imagine us without that longed-for third child & it is something we will have to discuss between us at a later date.

I've been told I will be referred to recurrent miscarriage clinic & will get an early scan if I get pregnant again in future, but it would still be 6/7 weeks before that happened & so still 4/5 weeks of worrying. I'm really not ready to say yes or no though.

Aww Tucking, this is such an ordeal for you and dh. Do you think he'll rethink once this is all over and you are healthy again? I was told my chance of another ectopic is 10%, is that the same for you?

I had d7 bloods today, can't quite figure out how they count it. Day 4 it had dropped so I was and pleased but worried because it had come down only to shoot up again before the injection. Day 7 has dropped again to about half of the day 0 hcg. I'm so relieved. They said it could still rupture but less likely. I asked and they said it will not go back up/fail to fall. Although I seem to be the exception to their rules

Also on weekly bloods now. I'm so ready for this to be over. Take a jog. Go swimming. Have sex and some

I went a bit OTT cutting out all foods with folate in. Margarine, weetabix etc so that might have helped it drop more quickly?

I'm so sad and terrified that it might happen again, but we have to give it another go, I think my dd would love a sibling.

Sadly I think our breastfeeding days are done, I wanted to feed til 2 and we were nearly there but not quite. She's not asked once and after all this I need my body back for a bit.

Got an appt with my GP in a couple of weeks to discuss everything that's happened including my concerns about my fertility and also contraception (I've never thought about it before) and options seem limited now so to go through all that.

Tucking I read on the ectopic trust website that you only have to wait 3 months not 6 even after 2 injections, did you see that? Might be relevant.

Take care ladies xxx

Oh also I was told I could have a scan as soon as I had a positive pregnancy test, so if you're worried next time be pushy (or lie) to get an appt xxx

Inanimate how are you doing? X

My Story so far. I had an ectopic in Sept 2013 after ttc since early 2011, I was under fertility and had one three month cycle of Clomid it was this that they believed caused the ectopic as over stimulated ovaries and on scan they could view multiple on left ovary, this ectopic was treated with Methotrexate and I returned back to work gutted that I lost a pregnancy but numb. I returned to fertility clinic and had a hycosy where it was found I had a narrow left fallopian tube but as my right tube was fine I was to do another cycle of Clomid.

In June 2014 I found out I was pregnant and went to Early Pregnany Clinic and was monitored by blood tests my hcg level increased as it should, but on 13th June I called for result to my horror I was told we believe its ectopic. I went the clinic had a scan where they told me there was fluid in my pelvis again around my left tube. I had a laproscopy the next day believing that I would lose my tube, but after coming around I was told no ectopic was found and the fluid was natural from a cyst on my ovary. I was pregnant and to be again monitored by bloods and scans. My bloods continued to double I was very early 5 weeks and getting excited, but when my level hit 3546 they said they should see something on scan "a little bag of pregnancy". but no they told me there was a mass on my left hand side and also on my right. They believed the Clomid had again overstimulated my ovaries and I had ovulated from both sides. I was told I would lose my tubes but I asked for Methotrexate, I had one dose but my hcg level went up to 7658 and I was given another dose.

Im now nearly negative awaiting my results tomorrow its been 7 weeks, an emotional rollercoaster with glimmers of hope then bad news . I've been told I should not try to get pregnant naturally or using clomid and on my return to fertility clinic in Oct I should be refered for IVF. I due back to work on wed and feel ok one min and a mess the next, reading peoples experiences on this thread has been a comfort as I feel like I am going crazy my partner is being amazing but its hard to express emotions to others and not sure if going back to work is the right thing to do or if its to soon.

hi all and sorry to hear your story and say welcome littlepooh.

I am still waiting for first AF post surgery (4 weeks ago) and yesterday I got a +ve OPK and today I have really really bad pain on my right side. Has anyone else had painful ovulation after a laparoscopy?

Hi all

I was diagnosed with an ectopic at 6 and a half weeks in London hospital (was working away from home when I started bleeding heavily). I was then transferred to Cardiff who said it was a pregnancy of unknown location. London said they could see the mass in right tube, Cardiff were unsure if 'it was just a cyst linked with pregnancy hormones'. I was expectantly managed and had a tubal miscarriage or something like that. I just got results in for hcg at 4 and have been discharged. I think I may have had a period also although not sure if it was more bleeding from the sort of miscarriage. We have been advised to wait but I really don't want to....even if it's the sensible thing to do, I'm heart broken and want to start trying again. Does anyone have any positive stories about success after ectopics? Also please could someone explain charting to me as I would like to give this a go and figure out what my cycle is doing now. Thanks xxx

Hi lovemylittlebear
Sorry to hear what you've been through, I hope your getting the support you need.
I had an ectopic pregnancy in April at 6 weeks and had my right Fallopian tube removed. I never bled after surgery and conceived again 2 weeks after. I am now 18 weeks pregnant. I found the first weeks of this pregnancy quite difficult but luckily for me everything has been fine up to now.
After the ectopic I decided to just see what happened and am so blessed to have conceived immediately.
I wish you well

Xx

lovemylittlebear sorry to say welcome. I had an ectopic 5 weeks ago and I'm also waiting to conceive and keeping my fingers crossed. I have read lots of positive stories from people having gone on to conceive again so there is definitely hope!

I charted when I was TTC with DD and its really fascinating. I used the fertility friend website which is really good and easy to use. If you need any help or advice with it feel free to PM me.

How long did they say you should wait for before TTC again and did they say why you should wait?

Hi guys, thanks for the messages. Glad to hear some positive news ryslady - congrats :) Terrysno2 - well I found out about the ectopic on 29th June and then it took a while for hcg levels to come down. I know I'm lucky that this happened by itself. I was told three months but no clear rationale other than to get dates right. So I did a bit of googling... Some research indicates that if you try sooner you may be more likely to have another ectopic though it's not conclusive data from what I could see. A new article about ttc and misscarriage is different to who advise and says actually those that conceive sooner are less likely to have another misscarriage. There is some data on ectopics there too and that looked like it was less likely. It was a meta analysis study. I wasn't particularly impressed with the consultants I saw in Cardiff, apart from saying unhelpful things like (I'm looking forward to seeing this bagel shaped anomaly in your right tube - competition with the other hospital and who knows best I think) and (wow you are my test for the day) some of the consultants were not particularly sensitive or informative (though one was thorough and I can't fault her)....or the four students they had in the room- LOL - yeah throw them all in with the hysterical thought she was properly pregnant woman).

I have a lovely little girl already and am very lucky as she is always such a comfort. Do you have to chart straight the way in the morning as she is often my alarm clock as wakes up belting still lol? X

if your temping you need to do it at the same time each day and before you get out of bed/move. I used to get up for work at 6.30 so I'd temp then and then I'd still have an alarm for 6.30 at the weekend and then just go back to sleep afterwards. If you're woken in the night then it can screw up the results but you just make a note of that on your chart.

Have you got a proper thermometer?

Yes I just bought a proper thermometer . Looking forward to charting :) is it likely to indicate pregnancy also if you get lucky? X

Bump

Thanks Caitmous x

hello, anyone out there at the moment? I'm just wondering about something... 4 weeks after my ectopic surgery (before my first AF after surgery) I ovulated for the first time and I was in a lot of pain on my right side (it was my left tube that was removed) I am now on my 2nd cycle TTC and last month I didn't feel anything and this month I'm ovulating today (according to OPK) and I can't feel anything again and now I'm worried wondering if I'm ovulating from the left side and therefore TTC is pointless.

I feel totally confused

Hi terry I'm sorry that I can't answer your question. However I wouldn't think that it's pointless ttc. I had a searing pain the first cycle I ovulated after my prolonged situation but didn't this time, so perhaps it's more the case that the first ovulation is painful... I am sure I have read somewhere that we tend to ovulate from one side & then the other so perhaps keep an eye when you are due to ovulate next. I would also say that I have just had my second ovulation & it was about four days later (going by cm) than I expected. Things could still just be settling down.

As I have popped back in, I suppose I should update on my situation. I had the second methotrexate & it seemed to be slowly working for several weeks, however the hcg level started rising again, sending epu into panic ( and me into a spiral). In hindsight I should have guessed because the week before that blood test I was utterly miserable, I had been coping on autopilot but that week I was furious & in tears a lot, I had awful tummy pains but not to the point that I thought i was in danger. Clearly my body was having one last go at holding on to the pregnancy & sent my hormones into overdrive. So, I had the blood test on Saturday, had to go back on the Monday for a scan & more bloods & to talk to a consultant (finally). Had internal & external scans, still nothing to be found. Consultant talking about a radical emergency hysterectomy, which I wouldn't have agreed to without a failed third attempt at mtx. However, fortunately after a lot of waiting about my bloods came back showing a slight decrease so I was put back on weekly monitoring. A further two weeks & I was back to normal levels & discharged.

In the midst of all this I was still expressing for my daughter but my supply was dropping so I was told to ask my gp for domperidone. I asked my hv to talk to him for me as I was tied up at the hospital & he needs everything to be deeply discussed & explained. Her chat with him resulted in an answerphone message for me telling me that he had been told that I wanted to stop breastfeeding & that domperidone wouldn't do that for me & to call him. So I did & went through the whole thing with him. This resulted in him insisting that I get the consultant to phone him because he wouldn't want to prescribe something that might "harm my unborn baby". I went mental. I explained that it hadn't ever really been an unborn baby, it didn't have the potential to develop normally & that after two doses of mtx, even if they were wrong about where it was, it still wasn't going to be a baby. Honestly, he KNEW what treatment I had had & why, he had a letter from the hospital as well as what I & the hv had told him. I don't think he'll ever make that mistake again. It knocked me for six & he still didn't prescribe it. I asked the midwives at epu to speak to him & they said it would be easier to get a doctor there to prescribe it. So I waited another two hours at the hospital for it. In total I think I had about 4 weeks worth & it was a godsend. I'm still pumping now but without the domperidone & supply is dropping but DD will be one next Saturday so I feel ok that she has had so long & when my supply drops to the point that I'm not sustaining the ability to quench her thirst, I will stop & be proud that I have pumped for her for at least 3.5 months amidst all the turmoil we have had this summer.

My DP still isn't fully onboard with trying again but I still have another two months of taking folic acid before we can consider getting on with it & we are talking about it so I have a chink of hope. I desperately want another baby & the investigations they did, due to two miscarriages immediately prior to the ectopic pregnancy, have shown that there is nothing wrong & the consultant I saw on Monday said it was a run of very bad luck & there's no reason to think that I shouldn't be able to have a successful pregnancy in future. I would hate to go through the same again & we have discussed our boundaries as to potential problems that would stop us pursuing it further. I just hope we do try again.

Terry, I really hope you get lucky soon & I honestly don't think it is pointless to try. Lots of love to you & to anybody else who finds themself in the horrifying position of having an ectopic pregnancy. If anyone wants, now or in the future, to know more about bfing & methotrexate or multiple injections or the staff at AMU EPAS, please feel free to pm me if I don't reply here. I'm not an expert but I know it can help just to have an open ear available.xxxx