Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Pregnancy

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

Ectopic pregnancy?

5 replies

Lodex · 31/12/2019 07:34

Hi everyone
I found out I was pregnant on 17th December. I am now 5 weeks 5 days pregnant (according to first day of last period). The last few days I've been experiencing a mild pain in my left shoulder but only now and again when my arm is in certain positions. I actually didn't think anything of this until last night when I went on to good old google ... now I am worrying that my pregnancy could be ectopic. I'm am so scared as I have already previously had a miscarriage and have a diagnosis of Endometriosis so everything already isn't straight forward.
I have a private scan next weekend but I don't know what to do as I feel as I can't wait until then. My worry is that if I go to the GP they will start poking and prodding around with my tummy and possibly send me for an internal scan which makes me so anxious from previous experience and if there isn't a problem, I don't want this to make the risk greater. Advice please? It's really getting me down. I want everything to go ok :( not only this, one of my best friends found out she was pregnant too just after me and I feel this is too good to be true and I'm convinced something is going to go wrong! :( x

OP posts:
LunaNova · 31/12/2019 09:25

Hi! I couldn't read and not respond, at 5+1 weeks pregnant (now 27 weeks!) I was in the exact same position as you. I had been playing about with the dogs when the shoulder pain started and I was very anxious about the whole thing.

I called 111 (it was a Friday night) and they assured me I wasn't being a pain, they advised me to go to the primary care centre, where I had my bloods done and they had a look at my shoulder. I was then referred for a scan in the EPU on the following Monday.

When I went for the scan they looked at my blood results for HCG, which they said were really good levels and didn't bother taking a second lot to see about whether they had doubled, instead they decided to go straight for the scan. At first they tried to do an abdominal scan but my uterus is retroverted so I had to have the internal scan, but it was worth it to see that everything was okay! It's possible that they would have been able to see on the abdominal scan if my uterus wasn't retroverted.

I was invited back for a follow up scan at 7+1 where we were able to see a heartbeat (abdominal scan only) before being discharged from the EPU.

It's definitely worth speaking to your GP if you're concerned, in my experience any examinations of your tummy were very gentle and it was only the internal scan and the blood tests (I'm needlephobic) that we're unpleasant for me. Turns out I'd just pulled my shoulder when playing with the dogs, but when you can't get your mind off the alternative, it's hard to concentrate on anything else!

I hope everything goes well for you!

KHall84 · 31/12/2019 11:27

The pain in the shoulder on an ectopic pregnancy is the tip of the shoulder and it's a very Sharpe pain so if it's just in the a tubal shoulder in general I wouldnt worry but if it's the tip of the shoulder then go get checked at your epu x

Keha · 31/12/2019 11:42

I had abominable pain very early on and also worried. I went to GP and as the previous person says, they were very careful and gentle. I also went to EPU and it wasn't ectopic. I can't see how going to the GP or EPU would increase any risks to the pregnancy - but I get it could make you feel more anxious. If you get really concerned, please do call your GP.

I spoke to a couple of doctor/midwife friends when I was worried who said the pain from ectopic pregnancy is severe and you would really know about it. If it's quite mild, you don't have any other symptoms and it's not getting worse I wouldn't worry about it. It's much more likely you've twinged a muscle or slept on your shoulder funny or something. Personally, if it stays mild and on and off, I would try and distract myself for the next few days and get to the scan at the weekend. It's normally to feel anxious at this stage and probably you would have found something else to worry about if it wasn't your shoulder. I was very hormonal as well which didn't help. Good luck, have my fingers crossed for you.

Lodex · 31/12/2019 12:41

Thanks all for your replies.
I've just got back from the GPs she felt my tummy and said it felt really soft which wasn't concerning as she said it would be much tighter if something was wrong.
She also said that she thinks the shoulder pain is more muscular as it hurts when I move it rather than a constant pain.
It sounds crazy I know cos she's a GP and I'm actually a nurse myself but I can't help but still worry! I think it's because I want everything to go well with the pregnancy!
I'm sure all new mums feel like this, if not all mums actually x

OP posts:
Lodex · 31/12/2019 12:42

She also said that if it gets worse, I bleed or get cramping pains (more severe than what I have been having) then to go straight to a&e. I have been having some dull cramping- nothing in comparison to period pains but I read that this is normal x

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.

Swipe left for the next trending thread