Negative test with ectopic pregnancy?

[canibe]

Hello

I have been on here twice recently first worried I was pregnant then got my period but still felt pregnant and tested which was negative so to tried to put it out of my head. I am not trying for a baby so not symptom spotting or wishing it which I use to do and totally convince myself.

Anyway my period came late on 17th of this month, it was unusually light and watery. I tested a week later because I just felt odd, that familiar strange taste in mouth, dizzy, hungry, no pmt etc. Test was neg so I tried to put it out of my head and thought I just must be unwell.

Since yesterday I am getting stabbing pains on my lower right side, lower back pain, loose stools accompanied with the other pregnancy symptoms above. I just tested again with my 2nd cheap asda test and neg?

I am worried because I have a few symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy but surely a test would be positive?

If I was I would be 6 weeks pregnant today.

I'm thinking of going to my gp tomorrow but bit embarassed as I have done two neg tests, he will be like... "why are you here?"

But you know when you feel something is not right, I do not normally go around feeling like this, I was surprised to suddenly have back pain and these sharp pains in my lower abs have come from nowhere but they are not present all the time.

This is a strange month for me. I could not talk about this to anyone so mumsnets has really helped me lately.

It is unusual but possible to have a negative pregnancy test for an ectopic. I would go to your GP and explain your symptoms and your concerns and see if he will do a blood test for you to check your HCG level. Hope everything is ok.

Thanks I will, going to call up in the morning. I am just worried because my sister had one a couple of years ago and they said if she waited any longer she could have died. She has internal bleeding and had to have teh tube removed. But she said she had excrutiating pain for a whole day and my pain is nowhere near that and not all the time.

Glad you are going to the doctors. Pain can be a bit misleading. I have had two ectopics. The first one I just had twinges. The second one I just had twinges until I ruptured and then it was excrutiating. Let us know how you get on tomorrow.

sorry to hear that you experienced this twice, did you test positive both times?

We were running late today, and did not get to call gp until 30mins after the lines open and all app's are full today :(

Do not really want to talk to him over ther phone either. I feel a bit embarassed about it. So think I will call NHS direct if i get any more pains.

Can you not call your local EPU and ask them for advice/blood test or a scan?

I had an ectopic & lost my tube.
I was bleeding for weeks, had a d&c (they thought i'd had a miscarriage), was in pain etc but noone believed me that i was sure it was ectopic, also had my hcg levels done too.

I would say it is possible to have an ectopic & a neg test as your hcg levels can go up, down & up again..... it did with me.
If you really suspect you may have an ectopic you need to get yourself seen asap, believe me, you won't want experience what i did.

Thanks for your message, I'm just holding to speak to nhs direct.

I'm not bleeding now, I had a late period that was really light and watery which started off brown. I am normally quite heavy. I hardly used the normal number of pads.

Lower backpain for the last week, last few days here and there I get stabbing pains below right of belly button. But not really bad just uncomfortable. I dont have them now but i've had a few twinges today.

With all of this I've had the usual pregnancy symptoms that I've had with three pregnancies.

Just spoke to nhs direct and waiting for call back, as I was speaking I was listening to myself say i've had a period, i've done two neg tests and no I am not in pain right now. They must think I am a hypochondriac. But something is different, this pain that comes and goes, the very light period, back pain, loose stools, pregnancy symptoms...

I'll see what the nurse says and if she suggests I call EPU, I just would feel really silly calling them when people who are miscarrying or have positive tests and having an ectopic pregnancy needing their help.

Just spoke to NHS and she said it sounds like its def not an ectopic so that makes me feel better. So I moght just go to gp to get him to feel my tummy tosee what else it could be.

My first HPT with my ectopic was negative....don't let them fob you off!

Just wanted to add.... not to scare you but when i went to a&e with very heavy bleeding, a lot of pain etc, the on call gyne doctor felt my stomach & did an internal & still didn't feel anything.

I had been told on the phone 6hrs before from the epu that it was very possible it was ectopic to due to having a d&c a week & a half before & my hcg levels had risen despite falling. Told gyne doctor who didn't believe me & wanted me to go home. I was sent to the gyne ward at 3am & left there til 11am when they got round to scanning me & found my tube was about to burst & i had internal bleeding as well as bleeding out.

If you strongly feel it may be ectopic then you need to go to an epu for blood tests & a scan.

Just wondering if its not ectopic if the pain could be a cyst on the ovary?

I don't want to scare you either but you mentioned loose stools and that can also be a symptom. You know your body best. If you really feel that something is wrong then you need to be seen. Please call your GP tomorrow and if all appts are gone ask doctor to call you. Most doctors do telephone appts every day.

Like Serendipity with my second ectopic I had my tummy felt and was scanned and told not ectopic. I kept trying to tell people that I felt it was another ectopic and they wouldn't listen to me. Three days later I collapsed, lost my tube and several pints of blood. Please go with your gut feeling. I let the doctors override mine and I regret it dearly.

Thanks for your messages. The reason I feel like she maybe right is she said that if it was ectopic I would be bleeding heavy and I would have all the symptoms together, loose stools and the pain would be getting worse and bew really bad.

I did not feel much this early evening but then had quite a few twinges tonight, she did actually say it could be a cyst and to go to gp if it persists.

canibe.
I don't know who you spoke to at NHS Direct but they gave you completely crap advice. I am so so so angry for you.

I had an ectopic which resulted in surgery to remove my tube.

At no point did I have pain, heavy bleeding, loose stools etc. But it was there inside me, growing and becoming more dangerous as time passed. The only symptom I had was slight spotting of brown blood after I'd had an BFP.

Please get yourself checked out by a doctor - face to face.

Piprabbit, she said to me that it cant be an ecptopic for the following reasons:

1. Neg pregancy test
2. I would only be 6 weeks and you dont get symptoms until about 8-10 weeks
3. I would have loose stools, pain and bleeding all at the same time which would get worse as time went on.

I don't know, today I have had lots of twinges on both sides now so something is not right. I tried to get a doc app again today and they were full. I am going to call at 8am in the morning to get an app and will ask to see a female doc.

Two neg pregnancy tests and the nhs direct call made me think I am not. But something is not right, that taste in my mouth is driving me mad and I have felt queasy and a bit dizzy today. I hope to see a doctor tomorrow but feel like they will probably not take me serious especially as I said I have done a couple of pregancy tests.

I will ask if they can take a blood test to check hcg levels but surely if I am having an ectopic, that is wasting time? How do they find out for sure, is it by scanning you?

Canibe, I really don't want to worry you as the BFN does mean that an ectopic is not likely but I had spotting from 6 weeks, no pain, no heavy bleeding at all. All I am suggesting is that NHS Direct is only giving you (at best) partial information, that not all ectopics meet their criteria, and that if you still have pain and concerns you should see your GP rather than allow NHS Direct to lull you into a (possibly) false sense of security.

I was diagnosed by repeated blood tests showing my HCG levels rising, but not fast enough. They couldn't find anything on my scans (nothing in the uterus, nothing visible in the tubes). In the end they took the view that they had to take definite action as it had been dragging on for weeks. They were pretty certain there was an ectopic pregnancy, but only the laproscopy was able to 100% definitely confirm.

I hope you feel better soon, or that your GP can help if not. Good Luck.

hello again
dont worry, i appreciate what you said and its always good to know. sometimes you think the person on the end of nhs direct is typing in your symptoms to match up and when it doesnt they fob you off.
i know something is not right, earlier i came over all weird and thought i was going to faint. i plan on definitely seeing the doctor tomorrow, i just hope my gp takes this seriously and checks me over.
thanks again

Just got back from gp and told her all of the above, she thinks I am pregnant and that I just tested too early. She believes I fell pregnant after I had that light period and that I am probably only 2-3 weeks pregnant but feeling all this because I've had three other pregnancies and I am just in tune with my body?

She felt my stomach and said at the moment she does not think I am having an ecptopic pregnancy but if I am we still have some time to wait. She said she wants me to wait another two weeks before testing again to see if I am pregnant but if my pains get worse to go back and see her.

??? I am confused now as I've had these pregnancy symptoms around the time was period was due, then I had the light period. That would not tie into me falling pregnant after my period was due? If I would be in such early stages that would I really feel like this? Can not remember that with the other pregnancies.

The gp just ended it with she is not worried about this situation and wants to wait until my pregnancy is confirmed and if the pains continue. She also talked about the pain I am experiencing is probably a Corpus Luteal Cyst? I had never heard about this before and she explained the following to me for anyone else like me who is not aware of them I have googled and pasted it down below.

This would explain the pain I am feeling but until I am scanned now I can not relax. I keep thinking about what you all said and last night I woke in the night and could not sleep. I could feel the pain and start thing it was going to burst and would I get to a & e on time. Would I lose a tube etc...

First I think I am pregnant, tests confirm no, start feeling pains etc, think I might be having an ectopic pregnancy and worried about the procedure and the after effects etc, now again I think I might be pregnant again but told to wait 2 weeks before testing. I am going to go insane in that time. I cant say anything to my partner. I would not want to tell him unless I know for sure, he will be upset anyway because he did not want anymore and wanted the snip this year but i talked him into stalling (another long story). There is no point in telling him until I know...

A corpus luteal cyst (CLC) is a very normal part of pregnancy and most women are unaware of having them. When the egg is released from the ovary at ovulation and the baby is conceived, the site of ovulation in the ovary becomes a corpus luteum cyst. For a few women this cyst can grow to the size of a golf ball (5 to 6 cms across) and cause symptoms such as quite distressing pain and sometimes a small amount of bleeding.

Most CLC's start to regress (or shrink) at around 10 weeks of pregnancy and disappear by about 16 weeks. In very rare cases, the pain becomes so severe that an operation is done to remove it, but this is unusual and most resolve on their own, with the pain gradually disappearing.

Generally an ultrasound will confirm that the cyst is causing the pain (often a low pain on one side of the abdomen), and the unborn baby is growing normally, not being affected. Some doctors will do further ultrasounds if the pain becomes more severe or to just montior the cyst's growth over a few weeks.

Hi Canibe,
I really am very sorry for worrying you, but I am so glad you have been to see your GP. She sounds fab to me.
I'm sorry you have to wait for so long, worrying and not being sure what is happening - not being able to talk to your DP must be tough. Do you have anyone is RL you can confide in?
Take care of yourself.

Yes I do, but dp and I are very close. I feel like I would be going against him discussing something so private especially if I am pregnant then he should be the first to know.

I'm going to try put it out of my head for now and see how I get on. Thank God for mumsnet :)

If I start going insane I will come on here again or just go and talk about it to my friends.

Thanks for everything
x

Glad you have seen the doctor. Did you ask if she would do a blood test?

I'm afraid I have little confidence in doctors prodding your tummy and telling you that it is not ectopic. In my experience they can't tell a thing. I also agree with you that your dates and light period and symptoms do not tie in with falling pregnant when the doctor says.

The important thing is that you are aware of ectopic symptoms so if anything starts to worsen get yourself straight to A&E. Not all ectopics end in collapse, loss of a tube and are life threatening. My first ectopic went on for weeks BUT it was very closely monitored with blood tests every other day for three weeks and weekly scans. Some ectopics do resolve themselves.

I guess what I am trying to say is try not to scare yourself just be aware of how you are feeling (although it sounds like you are very in tune with your body anyway) When are you next going to test? I take it you're not going to last out for two weeks!

Thanks Marrow!

She said she wants to wait until I test in two weeks before we do anything unless my pains worsen.

How will I wait two weeks? I will probably give in and test in a weeks time with an early test but buy a clear blue rather than asda.

She should have just done a a blood test, waiting round isn't good.
Also GPs don't know much about fertility/pregnancy so you need to proactive & tell her you want a blood test.
I know more about fertility/pregnancy & pregnancy complications than most of the GPs i've seen. I've had to be very proactive before with my pregnancy problems & pregnancy.

I know i couldn't wait 2 weeks to test esp as i'm a POAS addict & the stress of not knowing would drive me nuts.

Good luck x

I know I am such an idiot, I hate the feeling you get with GP's they stand up with one hand to guide you out of the room before you are finished. I had also written everything down and forgot the note so I felt a bit flustered and when she said, "ok then!" and stood up I felt like I could not say anything.

I feel like going and testing now I am so rubbish! And this is me not trying to conceive, can you imagine what I was like when I was?

Plus it's terrible how all this messing around with my brain is taking effect. The other week I was so terrified I was pregnant and really felt like it was not what I wanted. But in the last few days I have softened to it and actually feel excited at the idea of a new baby. I've even been looking at little babies and got all emotional when I saw a baby gazing at her mum. I'm such a drip!

But if I am there will be some serious talking done because my partner will be upset. He is a great dad and he loves babies but we've had such a hard time with dd3 that he could only imagine life getting much harder.

We'll see how long I last before testing!

Agree with Marrow and don't think you've had great advice from either NHS direct or the GP.

The points 1, 2 and 3 from NHS direct may be generally true, but certainly not always.

Number 2 in particular is just downright incorrect. My tube ruptured at 6 weeks.

For point 3, I didn't have any bleeding whatsoever, no spotting, nothing. The pain was niggling and wouldn't go away but not excruciating, I didn't have loose stools. And the tube was already starting to rupture. So point 3 is also untrue imo.

I did get a bfp, but I bet you don't always as HCG levels are all over the place in an ectopic.

I don't personally like the GP's take on the situation either. It is all too common for GPs to get this wrong. Feeling your tummy is not necessarily going to tell her anything. If you've only just conceived, how does she explain all the oddness before that, eg very unusual and light period and lots of twinges? Seems a bit coincidental.

I would turn up at an epu I think if I were you. However, if you don't feel you can do that yet, please, please go to GP or out of hours GP or A&E if you start getting continuous pain (even if not agonising).

Oh yes fgs do test again. If positive please go to A&E or the docs.

Where's Aitch when you need her?