Pregnancy in unknown location .. 5 weeks

[northernsunshine]

had an early scan today and my pregnancy couldn’t be found. I’ve had pain in my right hand side where I usually get period cramps for days now and feel dizzy every now and then. I am so terrified about an ectopic pregnancy.

has anyone else been through this before or currently?

[WellOneDoesWonder]

I have too unfortunately and I'm sorry you're going through this. Have they taken your bloods to check your HCG level? What was the reason you had a scan? The 1 sided pain?

[northernsunshine]

@WellOneDoesWonder sorry you’re going through this too.

Yes the scan was for the right sided pain, where my period pains usually are. It’s like a constant dull ache. Have you been / or are going through something similar?

They took my bloods earlier today, expecting the results by this evening. I then have another appointment on Saturday for a clinic.

[OpenHeartZoo]

Hi lovely. Try and remember only 2% of pregnancies are ectopic, but that you are doing the right thing by getting this all checked. They may not be able to see much at 5 weeks. As soon as you get your blood results you’ll have an idea of your HCG levels and you will go from there.
If the pain gets bad, or if you get shoulder tip pain, head to A&E.
I’m a week ahead of you and I’ve just been through something similar.
I hope everything turns out ok. I know it’s easier said than done but try and rest and stay calm… and chase the doctors if you have to!

[WellOneDoesWonder]

@northernsunshine

@WellOneDoesWonder sorry you’re going through this too.

Yes the scan was for the right sided pain, where my period pains usually are. It’s like a constant dull ache. Have you been / or are going through something similar?

They took my bloods earlier today, expecting the results by this evening. I then have another appointment on Saturday for a clinic.

Mine was years ago and I've had 3 children since so all is not lost! It is frightening at the time but if you're only 5 weeks you're very early so they can monitor you. Hopefully things are just too early at the mo and your HCG doubles when you have your next set of bloods on Saturday. Just keep an eye and return to A&E if the pain increases/ you get shoulder tip pain.

[bstar2024]

Same thing happened to me but with left sided pain. I am now 7 months pregnant. It's good to get checked out and followed up!

[H20202]

Hey, yes I had this last year and sadly it was ectopic. Just keep getting scanned and having your hcg monitored. Not all ectopics rupture, mine didn’t and was managed with medication.
Of course it may just be trapped wind / normal cramping.. some symptoms are very similar.
x

[OnceUponARainbow88]

I had this; looking back I was young, naive and didn’t even realise it was unusual to be told this, was scanned a few days later and all was ok. Hope the same happens for you.

[northernsunshine]

@OpenHeartZoo thank you for your kind message, it means a lot. I’m sorry you’ve been through this too. It feels very lonely and isolating. How are things for you now?

i am trying to keep calm, I took the EPU up on their offer for a check over by the doctor this evening and am waiting to be seen. My HCG level was 1,107 which they said was in a “grey” zone of being more than they thought it would be at this stage but without being able to see anything. All so confusing.

[northernsunshine]

@WellOneDoesWonder thank you, it’s difficult to interpret what a “good” outcome is for the HCG/ progesterone results. All so confusing but appreciate your message.

[northernsunshine]

@bstar2024 glad to hear it! Hope the rest of your pregnancy goes smoothly. Do you mind me asking how far gone you were when they found it? And how your HCG levels were?

[northernsunshine]

@H20202 thank you for your reply, sorry to hear this happening to you too. But good to hear it didn’t rupture. The things we have to put up with as women! Do you mind me asking when and where they located it, and roughly how long it too?

at the moment is the unknown of just doing these tests and waiting to see if my symptoms get “worse” which is causing me so much anxiety

[northernsunshine]

@OnceUponARainbow88 that sounds like the best possible outcome, glad it turned out ok. Can you remember how far gone you were?

[KellyMarieTunstall2]

I've had this twice. The first time I had my hcg levels monitored and they dropped and I miscarried. The second time, my hcg levels doubled and then the sac was found on the scan 2 weeks later.
If I were you I'd be neutral, don't get your hopes up. And try not to Google. Take care of yourself.

[infertilityissues]

I had an ectopic a few months ago. Scans and bloods every 48 hrs for a week 4-5 weeks and as soon as the hcg level was hardly rising they saw the ectopic on a scan and I had a methotrexate injection to dissolve it. My hcg never got above 650 but it kept going up and down 500-650

[northernsunshine]

@KellyMarieTunstall2 thank you for sharing your experience. Will try and stay neutral. The waiting will be the hardest

[northernsunshine]

@infertilityissues sorry to hear that, hope you’re doing ok. It’s such a stressful and lonely experience.

[infertilityissues]

@northernsunshine

@infertilityissues sorry to hear that, hope you’re doing ok. It’s such a stressful and lonely experience.

I found it really strange , I struggled a lot me I was actually lucky in that it was identified early and treated promptly with no complications. I just felt so terrified of a rupture and so sad about the loss and then frustrated that we couldn’t ttc for 3 months afterwards. It was just quite overwhelming and I struggled more emotionally than physically .

Hopefully you will be ok and the next scan they will see something in the correct place ! Good luck

[Petal7]

Yes, sadly I had this twice (treated with methotrexate both times)

I'm sorry you're going through it as it's very lonely indeed. I had to have my hcg measured every 48 hrs for what seemed like ages, which was exhausting. I found waiting to try again very hard and I felt so down.

But, i did go on to have 3 healthy pregnancies, so there is hope.

Thinking of you.

[waryandbored]

Hi, sorry you’re going through this. I am currently around 6 weeks pregnant. I had a scan due to bleeding and one sided pain and they couldn’t see anything so said it was a pregnancy of unknown location. My HCG doubled in 48 hours so they scanned me again after 4 days and could see a sac and a yolk sac. They determined it was just very early when they scanned me originally. It’s still very early days and I’ve got another scan in a week to hopefully see some growth.
I hope you have a positive outcome x

[OnceUponARainbow88]

@northernsunshine

it was about 7 years ago but it was an internal scan so I think about 6 weeks!

[H20202]

@northernsunshine

@H20202 thank you for your reply, sorry to hear this happening to you too. But good to hear it didn’t rupture. The things we have to put up with as women! Do you mind me asking when and where they located it, and roughly how long it too?

at the moment is the unknown of just doing these tests and waiting to see if my symptoms get “worse” which is causing me so much anxiety

Mine was quite complicated in the sense that i ‘miscarried’ but then ectopic was found.

so I went in with pains down my side, lower back, around my bum and bleeding. My hcg was 151, couldn’t find anything on scan. I few days later I ‘miscarried’ and my hcg went down to 40 odd. However it started to rise again. Couldn’t see anything on scans, I was back and forth for a few weeks monitoring hcg and trying to locate ectopic.
2 things may have happened: herotopic pregnancy which is a uterine pregnancy and ectopic. OR my uterus lining was what I miscarried not the ectopic. My uterus was thickened for pregnancy but no sac found.

anyway it continued to creep up over a few weeks and finally they found the ectopic in right tube (hcg 220) and I had the methotrexate as I’d been in and out the hospital for 3-4 weeks and was just so fed up and didn’t want to wait anymore.

really hope yours is a case of simply returning in a week and seeing baby 🧡