Ectopic pregnancy

[Dimples81]

Hi everyone.

After a very up and down few weeks where I was told I’d had a miscarriage and then found out my hcg was still rising I have been told that ectopic pregnancy is now suspected. I have had two TV scans which have said everything looks normal , tubes look clear etc but bloods are showing a suspected ectopic. I would like to hear any experiences please from others please. Thank you in advance.

I've had 2 ectopics unfortunately both ruptured losing both tubes.

If your hcg is below 3500 they will most likely offer you a drug called methotrexate- it's a nasty but efficient drug used to treat cancer as it stops cell division. It can make you feel pretty ill for weeks after and you mustn't try and get pregnant for 3 Months after the shot or 6 months if you get 2 injections as it's very dangerous to a new pregnancy as it also removed folic acid from the body

I tried methotrexate with first ectopic but unfortunately it failed and I ruptured anyway - knew it was risk as I was at the upper limit of what they would treat.

You will also be very high risk for another ectopic in the future

That being said methotrexate does work in most cases where hcg is low and rises only slowly - mine just rise too fast and high (second ectopic had a heartbeat so hcg for over 15000)
You'll have to go in for blood tests every other day to confirm hcg decreasing x

Thank you. Just keep hoping they are wrong as tubes are clear x

It could be a pregnancy of unknown location potentially. Sometimes a pregnancy is not in the uterus or the tube and can’t be located. Maybe ask if they still suspect ectopic or this? Sorry this is happening to you. I had an ectopic pregnancy and three miscarriages. I have been her very lucky and also have three children. X

Repeated scans showed nothing in the uterus, but my tubes were clear. However my hcg was rising (albeit slowly) and I was getting severe pain in my lower abdomen so they (my IVF clinic) diagnosed a PUL and sent me to the nearest hospital.

It took the hospital a 45 minute scan (both abdominal and TV), but they eventually located a mass on my right ovary and bleeding both there and on the other side of my abdomen. I had an emergency laparoscopy that night and subsequent tissue tests confirmed that the embryo had implanted on my ovary and then ruptured. Fortunately they saved most of the ovary and my tubes were unaffected (although that was less of a concern for me as I can’t get pregnant without IVF).

So just be aware that clear tubes don’t mean no ectopic (although ovarian ectopics are very rare) and even with low rising hcg under 3500 you will need surgery if the ectopic is rupturing.

Hope you get some clarity soon and that if it is ectopic, you recover quickly. Really sorry you’re going through this.

My tubes looked clear and had to have surgery not drugs but hog was low take care op

I had a suspected ectopic eight years ago. Nothing showed up on the scan but my hcg levels were slowly rising so I was advised to have the methotrexate to avoid the tube rupturing. A few days after the injection, I was back in hospital in pain. I was rescanned and the pregnancy was found to be inside the womb with a heartbeat. It was too late to save my baby after the methotrexate though, and I miscarried a couple of days after that. I wish I'd waited until the ectopic was confirmed.

@Dimples81
Unfortunately most ectopics take a long time to become visible on scans - the first one only became visible when hcg eventually reached 3500 - at low level hcg very unlikely they'd be able to see something so they ll most likely keep testing you every few days and after a week or so give you the shot if still
Nothing becomes visible x

I’m sorry for you OP. I had an ectopic pregnancy a couple of years back. It unfolded very much like yours and was eventually located in my tube. The methotrexate was terrible and it didn’t work. I opted for surgery to remove the tube, it was keyhole surgery and physically easy to recover from. It’s emotionally more difficult as, I found, suddenly no one talks about babies and loss like they might for a miscarriage. I found I wanted to grieve for the baby I wouldn’t have but people expected me to be ok once I was ‘treated’.
The good news is, that one remaining tube has stayed healthy and given me 3 beautiful children. One of whom came from the ovary without the tube. The other tube reached over and scooped him up.
On becoming pregnant, I have a scan at 5 weeks to confirm the location of the pregnancy. After that, it’s business as usual medical wise.
Good luck OP. Take time for yourself. It’s a difficult and confusing time

Thank you. Back in to see consultant today so will see what the plan is x

I had a suspected ectopic. Most places now will be 100% sure that the pregnancy isn't viable before administering treatment so try not to worry about that. Hope all goes well.

Hi everyone, still on watch and wait with another blood test on Wednesday 🤞🏻

Confirmed ectopic this morning. Waiting for them to make decisions now x

I guess my case is the other side of ectopic- no symptoms whatsoever apart from a bleed the morning I found out I was pregnant 3ish weeks ago which I assumed was a miscarriage and then when levels were still rising an implantation bleed. Definitely no ectopic symptoms and pure luck really that it has even been detected this early.

I’ve just seen your update. Sorry not to have replied sooner. Hope everything has progressed ok and you’re recovering now.
I’m so terribly sorry for your loss. I still grieve for my pregnancy lost to an ectopic wonder what might have been. I know it’s an old cliche but time really is a great healer. You’ll never forget but it will feel easier

Did you end up getting methotrexate?