I'm scared about Ectopic pregnancy.

[PeraltaSpidey]

Hi guys

I'm 5 1/2 weeks and am absolutely terrified of something awful happening to my little. I've read a little about Ectopic pregnancy, and one thing I read was shoulder pain. And, of course, today I have shoulder pain. It's not at the tip and it's on both shoulders. It feels very muscular.
I have dodgy shoulders anyway (I have hEDS) so it's probably normal. I have no other symptoms, feels like I've pulled a few muscles in my back and stomach on both sides today because I have been doing some sorting. Sometimes I get like period cramps but that's normal and gassy pain where I'd imaging my ovaries to kind of be. But that's it.

Can anyone tell me what Ectopic pregnancy pain feels like. Can shoulder pain be the only symptom?

I would assume one sided pain in the pelvis would be felt first. The NHS site has a page specifically about ectopic symptoms.

With my ectopic shoulder pain was the last symptom I had. And it was sharp pain across my chest into my shoulder. But prior to that I had spotting at 5 weeks, then at 6 weeks abdominal pain which GP treated me for a UTI. The spotting and pain continued on and off until 8-9 weeks when I developed extreme abdominal pain which was causing me to feel very faint so went to A & E. I was advised everything was fine with my baby and they actually did an ultrasound and I saw the heartbeat. Overnight the pain worsened and then I developed shoulder pain. After being taken back to A & E it seems I was misdiagnosed the day before and was taken straight to theatre.

The reason for the shoulder pain is bleeding in the abdomen which occurs later and is not normally the first sign of an ectopic. Hope this is some reassurance

I think the shoulder pain is when you’ve ruptured and have lots of internal bleeding.
if you’re really worried you can book a private scan they do them earlier and let you know where it’s located.
pregnancy (especially after a loss) is just massive anxiety and I would recommend speaking to your GP about it if continues because it’s torture. I’m doing CBT at the moment and it’s helping a lot with my worries x

The shoulder tip pain in the context of an ectopic is a symptom of peritonism, which in this case comes about when the abdominal cavity has been filled with blood (from a rupture) which then irritates a structure called the peritoneum. Specifically it’s the bit of peritoneum by your diaphragm that causes the pain to radiate to your shoulder tip. It is an acute/late sign of rupture, and you’d be expected to be presenting with acute abdominal pain and to be feeling very very unwell.

But if you are feeling worried, or if things get worse, definitely get yourself checked out.

congratulations on your pregnancy!

my first symptoms of ectopic were coffee ground like discharge on and off for a couple of days, which then turned into watery plum coloured bleeding coupled with sharp pain on the side where my pregnancy had lodged, sort of felt like it was under my hip. I didn’t get the shoulder tip pain but as previous posters have advised, it’s usually a very late symptom. Congratulations on your pregnancy x

I realise this won't ease your worry but I didn't have any of rhe 'classic' symptoms or pain until my tube ruptured, then the pain was off the scale, so bad I couldn't move.
The only symptom I had was brown discharge for a few days, and a feeling of something not being right just before the rupture.
However I had brown bleeding with an earlier miscarriage too, and also with a successful pregnancy so it's by no means an indicator of anything untoward.

Please try not to worry.

Thank you everyone. It's really helped.
This is my first and I'm just so excited for them to come. I really love the little bean already. I'm trying to not get too attached but it's just impossible. But, obviously. That's not helping the anxiety!

@PeraltaSpidey how is your pregnancy going? I have an full achey feeling in my shoulder on the side I ovulated and it’s freaking me out

Hi.
I'm now 10 weeks (11 weeks tomorrow) and I'm assuming everything is okay. I haven't had a scan or anything yet, but I've had bloods done and a midwife appointment. I also haven't had any other symptoms of that which I'm sure would have raised by now. The shoulder pain comes and goes... But I'm putting it down to A. My joint problems and B. My joints changing due to pregnancy. That's what I'm hoping anyhow.