Ectopic VS Normal Pregnancy Symptoms

[Journey2022]

Hello,

For anyone thats had an ectopic and a normal pregnancy, how were you symptoms different in the early stages (ie 4/5weeks)?

I am highly anxious and seemed to have convinced myself I may have an ectopic pregnancy - or just something is going to happen as this is my first positive test since ttc three years ago - its probably all totally irational.

My HCG levels at 15dpo (or 4 weeks plus 1) were 251 which is classed as quite high, I have been googling (I know I shouldnt it will make my anxiety worse!) but it states that could be deemed high for 15dpo, and can either suggest twins or an ectopic pregnancy.

I have also had cramping since saturday feeling like im starting my period - also know this is normal, however even though I feel cramps in middle, left and right side they seem to be slightly more noticeable on my left side (but I do have a cyst on my ovary that side).

I did bleed on Thursday a light bleed with red blood rather than pink but did have a very small half pea size clot (after my first faint positive) and had counted myself out initially but then my period didnt come to then find my positives were getting darker.

Sorry - if you have made it this far thank you!

Hey girl,
I’m 4 weeks pregnant with my first and my scan isn’t until April 16th. I am so anxious that something will be or go wrong. I’m getting a blood test on Thursday to check my hcg total and I’m so scared for what they will say.
It’s so confusing and scary. Knowing that if the hcg levels are low it could indicate a problem and if they are high it can indicate a problem also.
I haven’t had any bleeding or spotting but I do get some dull cramps in my lower stomach sometimes which again can just be a regular pregnancy symptom or it could indicate something else.
I totally feel your pain and anxiety.
I’m praying for you that your levels are only high because you’re carrying more than one child - all the best!

@chloe3103 oh another 4 weeker! is your scan via EPU or are you doing it privately? I havent got an EPU scan booked yet but they have said they will book one for me when my next HCG results come in, I will likely also book one privately but I will try and hold out a bit.

I’m going private because I’m too anxious to wait!
this is such a scary and anxious thing, wish I could just be excited and not constantly worrying :(

Hi @Journey2022 ,

I've been in your boat more than once so thought I'd share...
I've got a 2 year old daughter, the pregnancy with her was pretty textbook, a missed period, then a positive test with no cramps or bleeds.
Last year I had an ectopic, I had no pregnancy symptoms and had what I thought was a light period. Just over a week later I began spotting and this is what made me take a pregnancy test - I was really confused to see a positive thinking I must only be 2 or so weeks. Within a few days I developed cramps, worse than usual period pains but not the excruciating pain some describe. I also had a weird pressure feeling in my bottom. I rang the EPU and a scan confirmed ectopic, unfortunately it had ruptured so I had an emergency op to remove my tube. The "period" I thought I had can't have been as they said I was at least 7 weeks from my HCG levels. So I basically had a bleed that I mistook.

Fast forward a year and I found out I was pregnant again. I was delighted but then terrified when I started cramping and had light bleeding (more than just spotting) again. Given my history I was scanned, but unfortunately it was too early to rule out ectopic or not so I had to wait a week before returning. The bleeding continued that week but the cramps disappeared, I convinced myself it was ectopic again and prepared for the worst.... But I'm now 25 weeks pregnant.

So, in answer to your question, in my experience every pregnancy is different. Bleeding and cramping definitely doesn't necessarily mean there's something wrong, but please ring the EPU if the bleeding becomes heavier or you have more painful cramps. I would usually say trust your gut but I actually think we always expect the worse when we're pregnant, and it's far more likely that everything is fine!
Sorry for such a long post, wishing you all the best! X

@LJF234 oh that's really helpful and actually the more I read the more I realise you can't differentiate this early between what's good or bad as there is no one size fits all with pregnancy. I just have to really trust and hope that this is my time and that I will have a healthy pregnancy, and if I don't accept that atleast I got a positive test and that's a massive achievement regardless. Its just so hard to not be so invested, I am very impatient and I hate not to have a plan or be in control of a situation and that doesn't help! 😬😆

With my recent ectopic I got a v v early positive which made me feel like something was ‘off’ from the outset but it got darker really quick and I’d ready that usually with ectopics tests can stay faint or not progress so I tried to reassure myself .

At 4 weeks I had some mild pains low on one side and down the inside of my leg. I said to my dh that I didn’t feel right. I had it for 2/3 days then went to the EPU . When they scanned me they said I’d ovulated from the opposite side to the pain so they weren’t overly worried but did my hcg level which was quite high . They saw me 48 hrs later - at which point they saw something suspicious on my left side where the pain was but they weren’t sure and my hcg had only risen a little bit . I was at this point getting more pain and pain when going to the toilet. A tiny amount of brown spotting too.
They saw me again another 2 times each 48 hrs apart to repeat scans and bloods then diagnosed an ectopic and I was given the option for surgery or methotrexate

@Journey2022 I know the lack of control feeling exactly, trying for a baby is such a life changing thing but we actually have very little control about when or how it happens. I know it's easy to say and impossible to do but try to distract yourself as much as you can over the next few weeks - nothing you do can change the outcome so try not to stress. Got everything crossed things go well for you 😊

Hi, I’m in the same boat. It’s been nearly 8 weeks since my lmp. I had some very light spotting on day 30 of cycle that lasted a few days but only when wiped. I’ve done countless amount of test from expected period to date but only tested positive when I was 3 weeks late for said period. The tests are getting gradually darker but no where near as strong as they should be compared to dates. I had a private scan yesterday which confirmed Pregnancy of unknown location. I’m stressing the hell out that it’s ectopic I don’t have any bleeding but do have an upset tummy and dull ache in right side. I went to doctors today and they are referring me to gynaecologist ward for further investigation. Has anyone experienced anything similar to this?

Hi @Beckyboo222 sorry you're going through this. I experienced similar to you but not identical. Basically in Feb 2020 I bled at 5.5 weeks but continued to get positive tests for over a month. I eventually got referred to the EPU who confirmed ectopic. It was managed conservatively which meant blood tests every few days to monitor my hcg levels until they returned to zero. If took a few weeks to resolve (8 from with I was diagnosed).
If it's helpful, I found it totally confusing and devastating at the time, but I now have a 2 year old son and am 20 weeks pregnant with another one.
Hope you get some clarity soon x

It’s awful having that gut feeling something is off but failing to get any straight answers. I’ve got an ultrasound booked tomorrow morning at the early pregnancy unit and hopefully have some blood tests. Doctor didn’t seem very concerned but when examined I had pain in right side where she applied pressure so thankfully referred me. I’ve suffered a horrible miscarriage in the past but never ectopic so don’t really have any experience to go off.

So sorry to hear this. Thank you for sharing your experience. How was yours determined? Through scan or bloods x

@Beckyboo222 so sorry to hear about your previous miscarriage.
Mine was diagnosed through a scan (they could see "something" in my tube). Then I had bloods which showed that my hcg was falling over several days, and that allowed them to make the decision that it would resolve naturally.
In my experience, if it is ectopic, it can be a few days before the doctors come up with a definitive plan. There was a lot of "we won't know what the best thing to do is until the next blood test" and a lot of "we don't know exactly what's going on yet". Which was frustrating but I understand a bit better now why they don't want to do anything unnecessary (like surgery if it's not required).

Yes it's awful not knowing what's going on. Hopefully your scan provides some answers x

@neverwakeasleepingbaby
fingers crossed I get some answers tomorrow. I’ve yet to have any blood taken yet but if it’s anything like the urine tests HCG is likely to be low. Did you have any symptoms of pregnancy or ectopic other than the bleeding? X

@Beckyboo222 I think it's hard to know what your hcg will be with the blood test. You don't know if it's already falling or what's going on.
No I had no symptoms which is why I was walking around for a month thinking it was a "straight forward" miscarriage but still getting positive tests.
It took me ages to process it all. It was quite a shock when they told me it was ectopic after all that time. My only advice is to be kind to yourself and not rush to feel "ok" about everything x

If it's helpful at all, I think my hcg 4 weeks after bleeding was 320ish. But it took 8 further weeks to return to zero. I wasn't really expecting it to take such a long time and it was a shock that it did. A very frustrating time. Hope it goes ok tomorrow x

@neverwakeasleepingbaby update the scan has confirmed ectopic pregnancy been admitted awaiting medication/surgery. Thank you for your well wishes x

@Beckyboo222 really sorry to hear this. I guess at least you have some answers now. Hope your treatment goes well 💐

@neverwakeasleepingbaby update nothing was found during the keyhole surgery. I had bloods taken 48hrs later which came back with the HCG levels more than doubled. I had a rescan today which confirmed the pregnancy is in the right place and I’m 5 weeks. The last couple of weeks has been a crazy whirlwind of emotions but thankfully some good news after all x

@Beckyboo222 hi becky just wondering what did you get to see on your scan today? Just because I'm going through something similar had pain in one side & brown discharge so to rule out ectopic I have had a scan and all they could see was a 5mm gestational sac and nothing else (supposed to be 5+4 by going on lmp) so they have said it's a pregnancy with uncertain viability then also give me a leaflet on pregnancy of unknown location and then tool bloods got them back, hcg is 2406 as of today but said on phone they still can't rule ectopic out so I'm going back for another scan next Friday.. sorry for long rant lol x

@MummyTo4BoysXXXX hiya, so sorry to hear Your going through this it’s an awful experience. They seen a gestational sac and yolk sac on the scan. I’ve got a rescan in 2 weeks to ensure it’s progressing properly. But when they scanned me the first time there was only a small gestation sac visible so fingers crossed your just to early to see anything else yet like myself my dates don’t add up with the 5 week pregnancy so must of ovulated late x

@Beckyboo222 yeah I'm hoping that's the case for me too and I've just implanted late due to ovulating late lol thanks for replying back 😊 and I hope your next scan goes well, keep me updated, as I will you too.. are you due in February then? x