Anyone who knows about ectopic pregnancy - please help me stop panicking....

[MioMao]

My first pregnancy was ectopic - lost my right fallopian tube. Then was lucky enough to get pregnant again 3 months later and now have DD.

Been trying for baby no.2 for over a year and finally got a faint positive yesterday. I am about 13 days dpo and my period isn't due until tomorrow (I have a 32-33 day cycle).

I have been feeling dizzy and light-headed and sick, which is what I felt with my first ectopic though I didn't get this so early with my successful pregnancy.

I am now panicking that this one is ectopic. I have had some twinges in my abdomen, but I think I might just be imagining that they are particularly on the left-hand-side. I haven't had any bleeding at all.

Is there any point going to the doctors yet? It's too early to do a scan I would have thought. Would I be best waiting a couple more days, at least until my period is late??

Please help me...........!!

go to the doctors, they will have to scan you early. you ar4e more at risk of an ep once youve had one (dont want to scare you) and they need to rule it out asap. congratulations and everything crossed x

hiya.

If you have a positive test then you are pregnant.

You are worried and you have a history of ectopics so not unreasonable to expect a scan asap.

They can do an internal scan, which will tell you whether there is a baby sac in the uterus, in which case no ectopic.

Good luck.

They will be able to do an early scan to see if the baby sac is the uterus rather than in the tube. I would expect that your gp will refer you straight away as you have a history of ep.

Congratulations and good luck xx

hi - sorry you're having these worries. you're right, it's early, and it's unlikely that they'll see much on a scan at this stage. but with a history of eps you should always speak with a doctor if you have any concerns - esp in terms of bleeding/pain

if i were you i would call my local epu and ask about the referral system - i.e. whether you can go direct or make a gp appt

they may start serial hcgs, but these won't give an absolute diagnosis. more likely they will book you in for an early scan at around 6 weeks

i was scanned at epu at 5 and a half weeks at every pregnancy following my ectopic

good luck. keep us posted x

i will be scanned routinely at 5w now too tutter.

Firstly you need to go tot the doctors so that they can begin to 'expectantly manage' the situation. I was scanned with this pregnancy at 5 weeks, only because I thought I had pains, and they saw the sac and yolk. Dizzynes and twinges are also part of a normal pregnancy, I had it with this on and with my previous m/c.

At this stage its very much a wait and see thing until you get to 5-6 weeks and can be scanned. You could also ask for you HCG levels to be tested to see if they are doubleing, but this in itself is only a indication.

Just get things moving, also I found that doctors preggo tests are not sensetive enough and my last m/c they would not believe i was pregnant and they could only confirm this by blood tests.

Hope it works out for you.

I also lost right tube as well.

I had very bad abdominal pains on the side in my first pregnancy and Drs suspected it was ectopic. At 5 weeks had internal scans that showed nothing, so had laparoscopy that showed that the pains were caused by endometriosis. Internl scans over next few weeks showed baby. So best to get checked out, but I wouldn't worry about any pains you may be getting as it is very common to get abdominal pains when pregnant. Hope it all goes weel for you.

Sorry for the hijack but ive been to docs coz of pains who refered me to epu. I had a blood test yesterday and am having one tomorrow. I dont understand why and why they wont just scan me. Im 5+5. Sorry,hope everythings ok for you.x

Hi MiaMo,

I am writing to you because I have had 2 ectopic pregnacies in the past and have some experience as a patient. I am now 32 weeks pregnant (after IVF) and I know how diffuclt it can be to have a subsequent pregnancy after an ectopic. I had all your worries (and plenty more). Lots of hugs over cyber space.

In my experience you can be scanned very early on the EPAU (Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit). In my case once my BHCG levels were above 1,500 (which happened in the first week after my blastocyst transfer, roughly equivalent to the first week after a missed period) they were able to see that the gestational sac was interuterine. Of course there was no foetal heart beat, poles or anything else at that stage and I had to wait another two weeks before I knew it was a viable pregnancy.

The ectopic pregnancy tust have supported me. If you would like to talk to someone who has experience, you could contact these poeple.

The ectopic pregnancy trust, c/o 2nd floor, Golden Jubilee Wing, Kings College Hospital, Denmark Hill, London, SE5 9 RS Tel 020 77332653. [email protected]

Brightshinysun

They can scan early on I don't know why they don't, it would save so much heartache. Hopefully you don't have one, they are very rare. I was told that they scan 100 women and only find one ectopic. Unfortunately I was the 1 on two seperate occasions.
For my thrid pregnancy I had to fight for an early scan and that was after two ectopics.
The reason for the blood test is that they need to check that your BHCG levels (pregnancy hormones) double roughly every 48 hours. In most ectopic pregnancies the BHCG levels fail to rise normally or fall slightly over the two days. I would ask them to follow you for a few days because early ectopic pregncies can rise normally in the very early stages. (I think it's something to do with the embryo not having room but this is going a bit beyond my limited medical knowledge.)

Lots of luck to both of you and anyone else worried about ectopic pregnancy. I suffered a lot of heartache with mine and felt very alone. I found seeking support one of the most useful methods of coping. I am around to talk if anyone wishes.

Lots of love

NS XXXXX

Thanks NS and sorry to hear what youve been through. Have got my 2nd blood test tomorrow and i guess they'll know more then. Thanks for explaining why theyre doing this makes sense now.x

thanks everyone for your responses

I had to turn off the PC this morning because I was getting so anxious!! got on with things as usual, and now feeling much better.

Spoke to the hospital and they tell me I need a referral to go to the Early Pregnancy unit. We have moved since I had the ectopic so it's an unfamiliar set-up - though I am glad not to be going back to the other hospital again, too many bad memories.

I'm going to see my GP tomorrow morning. I am only 4w+3 today, so I will ask to be referred for a scan early next week. The dizziness has gone now so I'm not feeling quite so worried about it all - just extremely tired!

Hi, I have had ectopics too and suggest you go to GP ASAP and they will as Newsisbad says refer you to early preg unit. you need to know asap. I felt sick with my normal pregnancy not with ectopic but we are all different. You will be seen by the unit as they know of previuos history. I was sent for ultra sound and they may follow up with this. either way I know how scary this is and send huge hugs to you. I am pregnant at the moment with 1/2 an ovary after my ectopic and all is well, you have had a successful pregnancy since and they say feeling sick etc.. is due to a change in the sex of the baby you are carrying. I will keep everything crossed for that this is the case. good luck

aitch is also very good at this type of thing..

hi there miomao, are you the same person as mimao who posted the other day and got responses from, amongst others, mummydoc?

assuming you're not and based on this OP alone, sweetheart, i don't think there's anything anyone can say to stop you panicking, except 'there's a sac in the womb'. my hospital were always pretty decent about giving a scan if you'd had an ep before, i think you should give the EPU a ring if you haven't already. best of luck, it's exciting but scary this bit.