High HCG but nothing found on scan? :(

[maciemoo]

So my last period was the 10th of june.
I have a 30 day cycle and ovulate around day 21. I went to A&E last wednes day (18th june) with water infection. They tested my pee and it was clear.
They booked me a scan for last friday (20th june)..they did internal scan and nothing was seen in my womb or tubes i had bloods and they came back at 2483...they are saying that a sac should at least be seen when levels are at 1500. im so confused, how am i pregnant yet there is nothing there? i now have to wait for friday for a rescan. this is my fourth pregnancy

Hi

I am not an expert but wanted to share my similar experience - after two rounds of ivf, I was v excited by my BFP but then at the first scan (at c. 5 weeks) I was told they couldn't see anything and they should be able to by then going by the hcg levels and the dates. We then had a stressful couple of weeks until the next scan when it turned out that everything was fine.

I guess some babies haven't read the textbook as to exactly what they should be doing when; I was also shocked at how gloomy the ultrasound technician was when if you look into it, there are relatively big variations in what can be seen when - especially in the early days.

Do you have any symptoms that make them suspect an ectopic? Have you been given any potential explanations?

I hope you are feeling ok as I know how stressful it is. I am crossing my fingers that you will have a similar experience to mine and that everything will be fine.

Also I hope someone who knows more about these things will be along soon!

Xx

Thank you for your reply.
If i am honest i feel very upset ant confused and finfing hard to think about anything else.
I dont think i have signs of ectopic except diorreah (sorry)
Do you know what your hcg levels were when they couldnt find anything?
I really am so scared that they will never find it in my womb :(
Thank you xxx

Gosh my spelling was awful there, that'll teach me for eating over the laptop, sorry xx

I'm afraid I can't remember the exact levels, but, like you, I was told that, given the hcg levels, they should have been able to see a sac, yolk sac and fetal pole but all they could see was a sac measuring small for my dates and hcg levels.

What have they suggested? Are you going to have a repeat scan?

Can you have a private scan? I know how you feel about not being able to think of anything else ... I eventually went for a private scan as I couldn't wait the three weeks the nhs suggested.

Diarrhea is a v normal pregnancy symptom I think so don't worry about that. If they suspected an ectopic, I think they would have told you about it so you could keep alert to the symptoms.

The other thing to think about is that you could have ovulated later than normal and / or your LO could have taken a long time to implant ... They can take anywhere between four and twelve days so thats a huge variation so early on. (I know this from having gone totally neurotic during my experience!).

I would tell you to relax until your next scan but I know that's impossible. All I would say is try to get another scan as soon as you can to see how things are going. Even a day or two can make a huge difference at this stage; I went from the second nhs scan leading the sonographer talking to me about 'ways to end the retention of the failed pregnancy' to seeing a heartbeat in 18 hrs.

I am sorry I don't know more about the hcg levels ... I will see if I can find my notes and get back to you!

X

Hello,

It is horrible being stuck in limbo, I was in your shoes at the start of the year. To cut a long story short, I had a scan when my Hcg level was 3575 (have just re-read my diary from the time!), and the sonographer couldn't see a pregnancy located either in my uterus or my tubes. I was told the same as you- that when the level is 1500, they should be able to see the pregnancy. I had to go for another scan 8 days later, and they saw the gestational sac, yolk sac and tiny 4.8mm embryo with a heartbeat, all in the right place. I don't know what my hcg level was on that day, but 6 days previously it was 6800. The midwife at the EPAU told me that they had all been convinced I was having an ectopic pregnancy, but it just goes to show that not everyone fits within the 'norm'. Am currently 31+4 and all going well. Do you know if you have a tilted uterus? That can make it harder to see.

Really hope it works out for you. x

Arrrrgh I can't find my notes I'm afraid.

I really hope your little bean is like mine and Moomin's and just doesn't fancy being typical.

Do keep us posted ... I am keeping my fingers tightly crossed

X

I had a similar problem. I had a similar hcg level but nothing was seen on the scan (I had the scan because of slight bleeding). I had hormone levels checked and a repeat scan a few days later and the hormone levels doubled, as they should and the embryo sac could be seen. I was worried about a possible ectopic too or early miscarriage but all was fine and I'm now 31 weeks. Hope it all goes ok for you

I had the same issue - high hcg levels (about the same as yours I think but can't find it in my notes) and they couldn't see a thing. It was 5+3 before they saw the bean on the scan, by which point I'd had a laparoscopy for suspected ectopic under general anaesthetic. Am now 25 weeks.

Hope you're doing ok today OP, my fingers are still crossed for you and your shy bean x

Hello everyone!

So last Friday I found out I was pregnant (clear blue test) in the evening. I repeated the test the next morning and was still positive and then another on the Monday!
I have no idea when my last period is because they have always been irregular so I was booked in for an early scan because I was having slight pains focused on my right side.
Yesterday I had an internal scan and they could see a sac but nothing else!?

They tested my blood and my levels are extremely high so they are concerned as to why the can't see anything?

Could it be because I am so early? There is also a history of twins in my family too?

I am worried now as to why nothing can be seen on the internal scan :(

They have booked me in for another scan on Friday so that would have left it two days since my last.

Any advice?

xxxx

I'm so glad I found this thread... I'm currently going through this...
My hubby and I have been trying for baby two. Well my period was 4 days late last month but started aug 15 and ended the 18th. We had sex the 19th and I had some light, brown spotting on the 22. Well I figured it was too early to test so I just waited. But then I had some pelvic pains and some vaginal bleeding (not a lot but noticeable) on the 31st. So we went to the er and they did bloodwork and told me I was pregnant. Well at that point I figured if my period was any indication then I must only be like two weeks pregnant. But my hcg levels came back at 1900. They did an ultrasound and found a cyst on my ovary but no gestational sac or evidence of a baby. So they told me they feared it may be ectopic because they said they should be able to see something at those levels... Well they had me come back two days later (call it about 40 hrs) and at that point they had risen to over 2000 but not quite doubled. (Also the bleeding and pain stopped after we left the er that first day). So they said to make an apt with my OB. Well That was on sept 2nd and I went in to my OB for another blood check on the 6th and at that point it was at 4500 something. They said it's good that it went up again but they still don't know if it's ectopic or not. I go in the 27th for another ultrasound but I hate waiting and not knowing if it's ok or not... Reading yalls has made me feel a little better... I'm glad to hear that others had higher Hcg levels and still had healthy pregnancys.

Hi how did yours turn out? I am 6 weeks tomorrow and had an early scan today and nothing was seen not even a gestational sac - I was told expect the worst anyway I think even the dr was baffled as he has just rang and wants to repeat bloods but so far my hcg levels are currently 1916. 2 days ago they where 994 and 2 days before that 603 so they are rising perfectly but they just cannot find evidence of pregnancy
I had internal scan and My tubes where checked and nothing could be seen but she did mention I have a tilted uterus so I am hoping the little bean is hiding somewhere xxx

Hi Kelly85,
I'm 6 weeks 6 days today and started light bleeding/staining on Sunday. Had bloods done on Monday and Tuesday, don't know levels but told still high, but on scan they could see nothing. No sac. Lady who scanned me said I might be earlier than my dates but if hormone level is low then unfortunately I'm loosing my baby. So I'm back on Friday for more bloods. I'm really scared. I asked doctor if I have high levels on Friday cud I just be earlier than I think and he said quiet rudely ' ur bleeding so your levels won't rise'. Not nice man at all.

Ladies, I’m really hoping some advice from some of the recent posts (2017). How did you all get on? I’m 5wk 4d and on Sat they couldn’t see anything on the scan, with hcg levels of 2194. I’ve had some pains so they are scanning me again today and if nothing found they want to start ‘treatment’ for an ectopic pregnancy. I’m so reluctant to do this after reading your posts. Please tell me how you all got on? Xx

I started a similar thread in march this year... I was even told by a gyneo I wasn't pregnant... long story short- baby is due to arrive by a planned c section in 7 days :)

Aw wow! Huge congratulations! Do you remember anything about hcg levels (even approx)? And how far along were you when they found something on the scan? X

Hiya, so unfort

Sorry pressed post too quickly! I didn't have my hcg checked but it was five days after I had my positive test that I had a scan and gyneo said since I was over 5 weeks something should have been seen... he then preached me how it's a good thing I had my previous miscarriages as surely I wouldn't have wanted a child that wasn't right all in front of an assistant nurse who was heavily pregnant... anyways, I then had another scan at my local hospital this dated me at 6w6d (so I was further behind at that point) but then my dating scan brought the due date forward by 5 days hope this helps, I mean no one truly knows what's going on but I was told I wasn't pregnant and no signs and god knew why I had a positive but there you go!

If anyone is wondering about hCG levels, mine were about 300 at 4+3, 860 at 4+5 and about 3560 at 5+3 (dates 100% accurate as it's IVF). I only had a scan at 7 weeks with the embryo measuring ahead and strong heartbeat but my hCG wasn't tested beyond 5+3.

Here's some info re scans and hCG levels
radiopaedia.org/articles/gestational-sac

Thanks so much ladies. I had a scan this morning and they finally found a sac! So relieved! I’ve to go back on Friday to make sure there’s a yoke sac too so I guess there’s still some if’s and but’s, but generally a lot more positive than it’s been x

I'm glad to hear that! Keeping my fingers crossed for you, keep us posted

Hi ladies, I'm all new to this so hope you don't mind me posting. On my calculations I thought I was 6 weeks 2 days pregnant. Although I wasn't sure as I had been on the depo injection for 12 years, came off to try for a baby 3 months ago, and only had a slight period before I found out I was pregnant.Yesterday I was experiencing pain in my abdomin, almost like when you have a urine infection, and was having dizzy spells. I do have really low blood pressure, so thought it may be that. However I work in a hospital, and a colleague told me to get checked out. It's all snowballed from there on. I had an internal scan and they stated there was no signs of a pregnancy, they saw two cysts one in my falopian tube and one on the overy. They took my bloods and said my hcg levels were 1600, and they thought I'm having an ectopic pregnancy. I'm absaloutly gutted. I've had no bleeding at all, but am still in pain (but nothing extreme)
Sorry for the essay, half of me feels they know what they are talking about, yet half of me feels that maybe my pain is something else and they just can't see the baby yet?? Silly I know. I'm getting my levels checked again in 48 hours, but I'm all over the place 😩
Scottishmammy im so happy yours looks so positive now 🙌🏻🙌🏻🤗

Jwarburton, that's very sad. But isn't that the ectopic in the Fallopian tube? They'll confirm in 48h presumably.

Jwarburton I’m so sorry you’re going through this. My levels were over 2000 and they couldn’t see the sac so I definitely don’t think it’s an exact science. I also spoke to a gynochologist who also advised that they use 2000 as a bench mark for when they should be able to see something but it’s also not uncommon not to. If my levels have increased appropriately, my levels would have been about 3500-4000 yesterday. I’m delighted they saw a sac but we still need a yoke sac to say it’s progressing properly. If all is ok when I’m back on Fri, it does seem that every pregnancy is different. I also read somewhere that there is a chance of not seeing a pregnancy for hcg levels under 7000.

I’m keeping everything crossed for you xxxx