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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Ectopic pregnancy

40 replies

TakingTheStairs · 30/01/2015 15:53

I went for an early scan today and my consultant said she thought I was much earlier than my dates would suggest. Instead of the 6+3 I thought I was, she thought I might be 4-5 wks but was concerned about an ectopic pregnancy. I was sent for emergency bloods and my hcg levels came back higher (7500) than she would have expected considering what she saw/didn't see this morning.
I've been called back in for another scan and more blood tests tmr morning for a second opinion,
and a list of what to watch for and strict instructions to go to straight to A&E if I get any of the symptoms she listed tonight.

I'm petrified.
What happens if it is an ectopic pregnancy. I know there is no way to continue with the pregnancy but how is it resolved? Can anyone help?

OP posts:

Hurr1cane · 30/01/2015 15:59

Hi, going through that at the moment I have a very long thread about it.

Basically my levels were 246 and they said they would take it again in 48 hours. If the levels doubled in 48 hours then it was ok. If they didn't double then they'd have to scan.

If it was ectopic she said they could inject something that would abort the pregnancy, but if the tune ruptured then it would require surgery and the tube would be removed.

They wanted to keep me in hospital, I'm surprised they let you home to be honest, she said that if my tube ruptured it was very serious and I would pass out and need immediate surgery, that's why they wanted to keep me in but I have a disabled child so I went home with another adult with me constantly.

In my case the levels went down to 74 so basically they said its miscarrying itself.

I hope your news is better. Please rest and have someone with you and please call 999 or go straight to hospital if you start feeling bad

Original poster

TakingTheStairs · 30/01/2015 16:19

Thank you for your message Hurr1cane. I'm so sorry that you're going through this.

During my scan, after searching,she thought she had the sac in the uterus but it is too small for my hcg levels. So it's not definitely ectopic, just something isn't right.

Thank you so much for answering. It's so worrying.

OP posts:

Currentlyclueless · 30/01/2015 16:35

Hope you're okay and I wish you luck.

If you're not in pain I suspect it isn't ectopic but obviously I can't be sure. Look after yourself and try and rest

Original poster

TakingTheStairs · 30/01/2015 16:38

Thanks Clueless. No pain at all, so I'm crossing my fingers and toes.

OP posts:

KittyRaar · 30/01/2015 16:45

Hi there. I had pretty much the same scenario about 18 months ago. I was pretty sure on dates but there was no pregnancy showing in womb so they told me at first maybe I had my dates wrong. My bloods also came back with levels of 7500.

I wasn't in too much pain but had some bleeding but not much. Anyway, eventually it was confirmed as ectopic but I was allowed to go home and visited a different hospital the following day. On the phone I was told to pack an overnight back as I may have to have surgery. At the hospital they gave me the option of Methotrexate (injection) and I was able to go home.

I had cramps and more bleeding and had to revisit the hospital on a weekly basis to make sure my levels were going down. Physically it wasn't too bad but emotionally it was hard. With the injection you can't TTC for at least 3 months. I'm now 19 weeks pregnant (although I had an unrelated miscarriage in between).

If you have any questions, just ask. It's very scary. Xxx

EeekNumber4 · 30/01/2015 16:51

Im really sorry to hear that but there is hope that everything is ok. I really hope it is not ectopic and that you are just not as far on as you thought. I don't want to scare you but it is really important that you take them seriously about symptoms.

I had an ectopic pregnancy last year and I had some early spotting and cramping which is why I was scanned. They could find nothing at all so was it was classed as a pregnancy of unknown location. I had to go back to have my hcg levels checked every other day and my levels were dropping so they thought it would resolve itself however this went on for two weeks and I had a couple of spells of immense pain and feeling faint. I went into hospital to be checked and they didn't scan me again because my levels were dropping. By the time I insisted on another scan they found a 6cm growth in my left tube so had to have emergency surgery and the tube removed.

The nurse said that I was extremely lucky that my internal bleeding was slow, otherwise I could have died?!

If you aren't in pain that sounds positive but please take care of yourself and if you get any symptoms, go back to a&e. Good luck x

Original poster

TakingTheStairs · 30/01/2015 17:02

Kitty, congratulations on your pregnancy. I'm so sorry you had to go through the ectopic pregnancy and your miscarriage before now.

Eeek, you had a really awful time too. I'm so sorry.
I have no pain, no spotting, nothing like that at all! I absolutely will take any symptoms seriously. I know how dangerous it can be.

OP posts:

KittyRaar · 30/01/2015 18:20

Crossing my fingers for you that it's not ectopic Takingthestairs. However, if it is we are all here for you. It sounds positive you are in no pain and have no spotting and also that she saw a sac. My womb was totally empty which was a big giveaway. Just don't any chances as the other ladies have said. x

Original poster

TakingTheStairs · 30/01/2015 20:06

Thanks Kitty. I guess I'll know after my appointment tmr morning. Fingers crossed

OP posts:

Hurr1cane · 30/01/2015 21:00

I am in a lot of pain and have been since last Saturday and I usually handle pain very well.

However, the gynaecologist said that she's had women in all smiles and they've been at the point of rupturing! So she told me not to use pain as the only telling point.

I'm very scarred inside (thanks DS and your cord wrapping skills) so that's probably why my pain is so severe.

Look out for all the other symptoms they told you about as well

Original poster

TakingTheStairs · 30/01/2015 21:29

You poor thing Hurr1cane.
She told me to watch for feeling faint, dizziness, shoulder pain or diarrhea too. Anything else I'm missing?

OP posts:

SueV14 · 30/01/2015 22:16

OP, keep in mind that injection and surgery are not the only options of ectopic outcome. It may also resolve by itself without any of the two. It basically happens when the foetus "dies" in your tube very early on while it's still microscopic and therefore stops growing. Then your body can re-absorb it and you get away with just that. This is what happened with my ectopic end of 2013. I was bleeding lightly but no pains or cramps whatsoever. The bleeding then stopped after ca 7-10 days. Fingers crossed for you, hope all will turn out well!

Hurr1cane · 30/01/2015 22:19

I'm not totally sure. Just go back if you don't feel normal.

Hurr1cane · 30/01/2015 22:20

Mines dying apparently as well sue. Doesn't make it any easier knowing that it saved surgery though does it?

SueV14 · 30/01/2015 22:34

Hurricane, I was glad I could keep both my tubes, because considering that I'm 35 I knew my chances to conceive naturally are getting less. And it took us 9 months to conceive the ectopic one after I got off birth control. So even though it was traumatising I tried to focus on the positive part that I've had the best case scenario possible in a very sad case. And my focus was taken away from it only a few weeks later when I was diagnosed with breast cancer.. That's what was REALLY scary, so the ectopic all of a sudden seemed "harmless". I know it is difficult to understand, just as it is hard to explain.. Therefore sorry if I sound like a lunatic.

SueV14 · 30/01/2015 22:41

And Hurricane, I am really sorry for your loss. I followed your thread and I do feel for you. Hope you'll never have to go through such hell again.

Hurr1cane · 30/01/2015 22:44

Oh no I understand completely.

It's a bit like how I feel about DS, he was first diagnosed with a degenerative disorder and I was told he would die in childhood. Turns out he has a genetic disorder that makes him regress at times and caused autism. So for me autism was a 'relief' whereas others struggle with the diagnosis.

It's all about personal circumstances.

For me I wasn't planning a baby because it wouldn't be sensible in my situation with DS but when I found out I was pregnant I was happy that the decision was taken away from me and I could have another baby, but then all this has made me feel sad like it was my last chance.

Its strange how experiences are so different emotionally depending on personal circumstance isn't it? I'm trying to go back to focusing on how lucky I am to have my DS, extremely supportive DP (he's taken unpaid time off work to look after me through all this) and my hundreds of fostered rescue cats that I never managed to part with after fostering

OP please update with good news when you get it. I'm sure you will. I'd love to hear some good news

Hurr1cane · 30/01/2015 22:45

By the way do we only have 2 tubes? The gynaecologist drew 4 when explaining to me and told me I would still have 3 if they operated

Hurr1cane · 30/01/2015 22:47

I was really confused because I thought we only had 2

SueV14 · 30/01/2015 22:52

Hurricane, absolutely agree that all feelings are different depending on personal circumstances and everything is relative.

I am shocked about 4 tubes?! Will google it straight away!!

SueV14 · 30/01/2015 22:55

Ok, here we go, looks like its 2: en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fallopian_tube

Maybe your doc was tipsy when he said/drew that?

Hurr1cane · 30/01/2015 22:55

I've been Google imaging it and I can only see 2, but she definitely said that I would still have three. I hope she wasn't wrong! It doesn't instil much confidence in my diagnosis if she was

SueV14 · 30/01/2015 23:02

It is extremely weird she said that. I can't find even 1 source only saying that we have more than 2. You sure there was no misunderstanding? Cause if there wasn't I'd definitely go for a 2nd opinion elsewhere... We do have only 2 tubes, this is for sure.

Hurr1cane · 30/01/2015 23:04

No she definitely said that, because I remember my mum asking if surgery would reduce the likelyhood of me conceiving in the future and she said "no because it's only one taken out of three so there's still loads of chance" and I remember thinking that's strange because I'm sure we only have two, but then deciding that she must know more.

There was a student with her as well and the student didn't say anything.

SueV14 · 30/01/2015 23:07

Maybe she was testing the student to see if they say smth? This is my only logical explanation cause otherwise she's simply wrong. Shall we start a new thread and have everyone vote on the amount of tubes?

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