Pregnancy of unknown location/raising HCG treatment

[user877377]

I'm in a bit of limbo right now with the hospital. According to my LMP I should be coming up to 7 weeks pregnant on Monday.

For the last 2 weeks I've have bleeding and cramping, my GP arranged for a referral to the early pregnancy unit. I've had 4 blood blood tests showing Hcg levels around the 270 mark with not much change in between, internal scan which shows no signs of pregnancy, the doctor said at them Hcg levels it's too small to see on a scan anyway. It's gone down as a pregnancy of unknown location which I accepted on Sunday and a non viable pregnancy.

Yesterday after my Hcg levels slightly raised (but not enough still around 270 mark) I was called back in to speak to the doctor after the results showed a rise not fall. I was hoping everything was sorting itself out naturally, but apparently not. I'm back in again next week for another blood test to check Hcg, but nobody can tell me what is going on or what happens next.

I appreciate everyone is different and this will hopefully sort it self out naturally. But if I need treatment what can I expect? Will I feel poorly with treatment, need any time off work to recover etc.

That's great news @undomesticgodde55 , sounds like it's working well and you can get back to your life soon!
I am currently sat in the hospital waiting to speak to a doctor about what is going to happen next. Just want to go home and have a drink!

Happy New year to you all!

@BlueSarah ah what a rubbish way to spend New Year's Eve. Do you have any indication on your treatment plan yet? How are you feeling about it all?

Well that was a complete waste of time! My levels have remained the same, the doctor I saw today was very against surgery and really wasn't keen on giving me methotrexate either. He is convinced it will sort itself out so I will be back in a week for another blood test.
Enjoy your evening x

Ah bless your heart, waiting for answers is the worst. Did you HCG levels change at all? It's strange how everyone has a different experience with different hospitals. You would think every hospital had set protocols.

Thinking of you this week

@undomesticgodde55 hey, jus stumbled across your thread and had to message. Your situation sounds very similar to mine, I'm sorry you've had such a battle lately.
I mc in early November at 6 weeks, was my first pregnancy, but my hcg levels wouldn't budge below 100 annoyingly so had the methotrexate injection, it took about 5 days for my levels to finally drop. I felt fine until about the 6th day of injection before I felt really sick, only for about 2 days and by the 7th day I started to bleed which lasted for 2 weeks.
Fast forward to today and I think I'm ovulating but reluctant to check since I can't conceive until March so kinda don't wanna know at the min.

Will you be trying again as soon as you get the green light?
I want to but am terrified of getting pregnant again, unfortunately being 36 time isn't on my side

@Tiniestsky thanks for sharing your story, it does really help knowing others have been/are going through the same. Yes we have discussed getting pregnant again, it really sucks waiting three months. I'm really worried this will happen again, I'm 33. Have you started re-taking folic acid again? As soon as my Hcg is below 5 and I'm discharged from EPU I'm back on it lol. We are booking a holiday to mark 3 months, splashing out as (hopefully) will be our last big trip away without children. We wouldn't normally splash out and make do with UK holidays but we really want something to look forward to while we wait.

I was intending to go back to work today, I have had 3 weeks off so far. because of the line of work I do is physical work haven't wanted me in (there are policies in place that if your pregnant you are not allowed to carry out full duties due to health and safety). I was fine the last few days and was looking forward to a bit of normality, but last night the cramps and bleeding started again, no sleep at all. Was wide awake when my alarm went off. I spoke to work today and they had already come up with a plan if I didn't make it in (to be fair they have been great through the whole thing) and have arranged for me to go back on Monday on light duties (coffee lady/photocopy and laminating lady haha!) so I can at least put my mind on something else.

I'm just so done now .

It's nice to talk to someone in a similar boat to be honest, I've felt a little out of sync or like I kinda don't have a place because a lot of people's situations are so different, sounds bizarre but having a pregnancy of unknown location kinda feels like I've been robbed of a proper title (that's my weird brain at the mo lol)
I haven't taken folic acid as yet, wasn't sure when I was safe to start again, my last blood test came back at 2 so I'm all good now.
Myself and 2 lovely ladies Lily and Rachel started a messenger group, of you want to join us you're more Han welcome, it's been great for support and ranting lol

Ah yes that would be really nice thank you, I know what you mean about the title, when you say "pregnancy of unknown location" nobody seems to know what that means, and I can't say if it was or wasn't ectopic because it was too small to see. When you say could have been an eptopic everyone thinks ruptured tubes, A&E and surgery and don't (IMO) always believe you. And I can't answer questions because I have no idea where it was, what happened, if it was a misscarrage with parts left over, no one can tell me .

That's exactly how I feel!
If you want to search for me on messenger my name is Cara Langley, profile pic is a close up of me wearing glasses, the pic has a blue and white stripe border. Just drop me a message and I'll add you to the group :)
What's your name? X

How's everyone doing?

Hey sorry I haven't messaged yet, I don't have messenger on the app which I use but my names Sarah.

Back to work today for me, only worked an 8-2 and I'm shattered!!! Got in and been napping until my doorbell just went!

How everyone else doing?

Just been for my weekly blood test and it has fallen by almost 50% to 500 and something! First drop since they started testing 3 weeks ago; I know this doesn't necessarily mean it will drop all the way by itself but at least it's finally moving in the right direction!

@undomesticgodde55
It's all good, don't worry, offer is always there if you want to join us for a chat anytime.

@BlueSarah glad your levels are heading down, hope they're right down soon for you, did you have the methotrexate too?

I'm doing ok, good days and bad, calm then panic, laughing then crying lol
It gets a bit easier everyday.
I really just don't know how to get to grips with trying again, how do I get passed the fear that it'll happen again ....

@Tiniestsky thanks for the offer, I asked my nurse about methotrexate (sorry if I've already mentioned this) and she said you can start taking it again once your levels have dropped. Soon as mine get to 5 or lower ad I'm discharged I'm going to be taking it all again so it's back in my system ready.

@BlueSarah How are you feeling now your levels have dropped? Did you need treatment in the end and did they locate it? So sorry this has happened to you - take some time out for yourself, and if you need to rant or anything rant away on here

@undomesticgodde55 yeah I'm going to star taking it again now that I'm in the clear.
Really bugs me how sometimes I'm talked to at the hospital like it's ectopic and others it's pul
I guess n a weird way I should be grateful I was 6 weeks pregnant when it happened but now I'm finding it hard to pull myself together and be positive and trying again.

Your bound to be upset, I know they say don't tell anyone and miss carriage is common before 12 weeks, but in all honesty I know when I saw the test it was a baby which was very much wanted and didn't think complications would ever happen to me - and then the wait for blood tests etc. Is horrendous not knowing if you baby is going to be a one in a million that somehow beat the system. I couldn't stop searching on google and YouTube for stories of low Hcg levels, continue folic acid and kept to "pregancy" rules throughout Christmas just with the hope the hospital mixed my bloods up or something. it's gonna break your heart when it doesn't go as planned so be kind to yourself, take time out and do something you enjoy which with kids would be a nightmare

I did the same, at first it was googling positive stories of people that had had heavy bleeds and still been pregnant and then trying find reasons it was normal to have a pain in my side etc
I feel like if nothing else I've learned a lesson from that, and if it were to happen again I'll hopefully be more mentally prepared, not that I'm being too negative here lol

Yes I agree in will definitely be more wary next time and deal with it better if it happens again. Another blood test today, down to 33 now. Feeling much better this week, no cramps - still bleeding though hope it stops soon. Works keeping my mind active again and definitely more my usual self.

Double checked that I can take folic acid again from when my levels are normal (hopefully next week!) and that the three months start from the methotrexate not from when my levels reach 0. Nurse confirmed it was all correct. Roll on March 2019!

How is everyone else doing this week?