Ectopic pregnancy - what were your symptoms?

[deliwoman1]

Hi. I’m 6 weeks by ovulation today, and beginning to feel as though the pregnancy is ectopic. I’ve had brown bleeding with small amounts of brown matter (clots? Tissue?), and a strange intermittent lower back twinges on my left hand side. It would be my second ectopic in 3 years (self-resolved thankfully), and I’m 41 with a history of recurrent miscarriage. So all the risk factors. 😞

The last time I had slow rising hcg, but that didn’t seem to be the case this time. Got 3+ weeks on a Clearblue at 20dpo and was still testing 3+ on Sat after I started spotting. The spotting isn’t enough to totally fill a panty liner but it’s significant. Coupled with the weird back thing I’m scared it’s ectopic. I’ve self-referred to the EPAU but it’s not open until tomorrow and I know it’ll be very busy so have no idea when to expect a call let alone a scan. Not sure A&E can help atm without extreme pain or heavy bleeding but I am concerned…

What were your early symptoms of ectopic? Did you get lower one-sided back pain? If I wasn’t pregnant I’d think maybe sciatica? Never had it before though.

Sorry for the essay. Spinning out slightly.

Hi, I sadly had emergency ectopic ten days ago so will tell you my symptoms in case it helps...

On the Monday, at 5 weeks, 2 days, I had a pain in my left hand side... alternating between the front and back – enough for me to take paracetamol when I don't usually take any painkillers. I was a bit concerned but not concerned enough to see a doctor as I just thought/hoped it might be normal pregnancy pains/twinges.

By Tuesday morning the pain had gone. I had a weekend away planned for my mum's birthday the following weekend so decided to do private blood tests to check everything was progressing ok so I could share the good news with my mum on her birthday. The first HCG test showed levels of 800 which google told me was very low for that stage – 48 hours later they were 1200 which sent alarm bells ringing as knew they needed to at least be doubling. Also on that day (the Thursday), I felt very breathless and noticed my resting heart rate was in the high 80s, and if I so much as walked slowly across the room it would rise to 130–150. At this point I self-diagnosed myself with an ectopic and my partner and I headed to A&E. (Just to note the pain in my side hadn't actually returned since the Monday and at no stage did I have any bleeding/spotting.)

I spent over three hours in A&E and when I finally saw a doctor he said it was 'very unlikely to be an ectopic' but after some discussion finally referred me upstairs to EPU. Once there, I had the same conversation, blood, urine tests etc. and the doctor there told me I 'didn't look like it was ectopic', it was 'too early in pregnancy to be an ectopic' and they 'can't just scan everyone who comes in'. Initially he wanted me to come back in five days but then he said the sonographer would be able to do a 'quick' transabdominal ultrasound. Obviously at that early stage in pregnancy they couldn't see anything. He said I could come back the following day for a transvaginal ultrasound – either at 9am or 2pm. So sure was everyone there that it wasn't ectopic I packed my bags expecting to go straight from the hospital to my mum's birthday weekend away (albeit with a non-viable pregnancy but at least not an ectopic).

However, the 9am transvaginal scan did indeed reveal an ectopic, internal bleeding and I was rushed straight into emergency surgery where I had a fallopian tube removed.

Sorry – that was quite the essay but I think my ultimate message is trust your body. If you believe it's an ectopic then don't delay and go and wait in A&E until they agree to see/scan you in EPU. Hopefully it won't be but I know my situation could have been far worse if I hadn't trusted my instinct even when nobody believed me.

For background, I'm 41 and have no children, one miscarriage on 14 February at exactly five weeks pregnant.

Good luck and I hope it's a different outcome for you.

Thank you @NSC1980 for sharing your experience. I am so sorry for your losses and for how you were dismissed. It’s disgraceful that women aren’t listened to. I really hope you’re able to rest and are recovering well. ❤️

My EPU doesn’t open until tomorrow so unless I’m in dire straits tonight, I’ll wait for them to call me (I’ve self-referred). Hopefully I’ll be seen tomorrow.

I do suspect ectopic but then this does seem different from my last one. It’s so difficult to judge. I haven’t needed to take paracetamol yet. My back issue is intermittent and more dull discomfort than anything, but obviously the combination of that and the brown spotting is concerning. Whatever is going on, it’s not good so I’m bracing myself for bad news.

@deliwoman1 No problem at all. I spent a long time searching this forum for ectopic symptoms/other people's experiences so I know how much it can help.

Must be even more anxiety-inducing that they're closed today but hope you can get some rest tonight and be seen early tomorrow. I imagine with a previous ectopic they'll take you very seriously and investigate immediately (just before my surgery I was told that if I do get pregnant again to call them on day 1). I've read other cases on here of people with discomfort and spotting and it all turning out ok so really hope that's the case for you too (and if all is not right, I hope you're treated with the compassion and care that's very much needed).

I'm so much better today than I was this time last week. Think it's a case of taking one day at a time and getting that bit stronger – mentally and physically – each day.

Good luck tomorrow.

You can go to A&E if you need to when EPU is closed, if you feel worse tonight then please go to A&E.

First sign of my ectopic was bleeding at 7 weeks. Saw EPU at 7+2 and diagnosed the ectopic. I developed shoulder pain in the evening at 7+3 and went to A&E. A scan the following afternoon showed a rupture and I was in theatre within the hour (7+4).

Only other sign of something amiss was that I didn't get a (very faint) positive until I was 5 days late.

Your history means you'll be taken seriously. I've had location scans at 5 weeks for both my subsequent pregnancies. With the first of those I started miscarrying at 5+2 (scan was booked for 5+4). It was a Saturday so presented at A&E for a scan and it was taken very seriously.

Hope all goes well for you.

Hi OP can I ask how this went for you x