Hello all, I'm new and very nervous!
I am a 25 year old law student from the USA; my partner is British and I've moved here to be with him and to attend post-graduate university (again, my 2nd MA, what was I thinking?!).
About 8 months ago I was fitted with arm implanted birth control, and assumed all would be well. My partner and I have had regular intercourse since then and I never had a period I was told many times this was normal and that some women don't have a regular cycle on Implanon. Colour me surprised when out of nowhere I began having extreme discomfort in my back/pelvis, trouble breathing when walking up hill, horrific heartburn, and what I described as "a rolling feeling" in my abdomen.
I was convinced I was very ill with some terrible malady. I finally got up the courage to make GP appointments, etc., but before going in I decided to take an at home pregnancy test because my symptoms seemed to maybe be associated with that but I thought, surely this will reassure me that this isn't the case. I ordered a test online, as I've never even had a PG scars and the thought of going to Boots to buy one was too much to bear at this juncture. So I got it in the mail yesterday, laughing as I filled a small tumbler glass to test, and stuck it in as instructed. Well. 30 seconds later I had a positive. A definite one. I swore loudly enough that my dear partner heard, and I told him immediately. I had read if I was indeed pregnant and had an arm implant I needed to go to A&E, so we took an uber right away. Of course the ride was tense.
My partner is much older than I, and does not want additional children beyond the one he has with his ex wife. I have never wanted children either and hadn't planned for this. He started discussing "our options", which I couldn't really think about yet, not knowing what was going on or whether the pregnancy would be viable.
Hours after we arrived at A&E, a nurse called me back and asked me about symptoms. I provided more wee to test, and grimly awaited the news. A different nurse brought me back to the minor injuries area and asked me for another sample, and told me that so far, it had been positive. I saw her write HGC POSITIVE on my form. I almost collapsed. It suddenly became very real that I was exprecting. She helped me calm down and the next step was to get a basic scan. My head was spinning as a doctor asked me some basic questions and had me lie down for examination. The scan revealed the pregnant to be about 6-7 months along, but she did not know exactly because it was not her specialty and the scanner was a basic one. So she contacted midwives(?) who will be contacting me today to make an appointment for a more detailed scan and blood testing.
My partner is still upset and wants some time to think about all of this, which I understand. But I feel so alone in a foreign country without my family for support.
I'm writing this at 5am and feeling so many things! I am scared and nervous and hopeful all at once. This is no unexpected and shocking. Has anyone experienced: 1) pregnancy on Implanon or other birth control? 2) finding out they are due so late in the pregnancy? I feel like one of those silly girls who "didn't know they were pregnant" but I honestly had NO IDEA until yesterday. Suddenly all of the symptoms I've been having make perfect sense, which is a relief in a way.
I hope this post wasn't too rambling! Any advice regarding this situation would be so helpful. Thank you!!