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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Dropping HCG levels

5 replies

ThisElatedMintDreamer · 29/05/2024 14:23

Hi, first time post and I’m just wondering what others views are.
A bit of a backstory:
At 5 weeks at 5 days pregnant I had a small bleed upon wiping. I rang my local epau who said nothing could be done until I was 6 weeks. The bleeding stopped and I assumed this was just implantation bleeding.
The following week I went to the doctors due to constipation. I was immediately transferred to my epau and treated as suspected ectopic. They done a blood test which said my hcg levels were 155 and for me to come back 2 days later for another test.
The next day I returned to hospital with severe stomach pain. They kept me in overnight and the following morning I had an internal scan which confirmed there was no visible pregnancy and my hcg levels had only risen to 178. They sent me home and said to return in 2 days for more bloods. Once I got home I began to bleed heavily with clots. I rang the epau who confirmed it sounded like a miscarriage and that on further inspection of my scan they could see a sac in the correct place but it was sadly empty. They also said that the pain I was experiencing was due to a ruptured cyst on my ovary.
I then was told to come back for a blood test and scan once the bleeding had stopped.
I went back for my blood test, and the scanner confirmed everything had cleared away. After the scan, a nurse spoke to me and said they still believed it to be an ectopic pregnancy as my hcg levels had only dropped to 153 following the bleed. I asked how it could be ectopic if a sac was visible but they didn’t seem to know what I was talking about and that I should come back for another blood test in 48 hours. I then returned home and began to bleed again.
I went back for my bloods and explained I had started bleeding again but was unsure if it was because of the internal scan. They said it sounded more like ectopic as my levels were now only 122. They then said to return the following week for more bloods (which would be today).
I went in today, and explained I had taken a test yesterday which came back negative. They still wanted to do the blood test to confirm this. I’ve had my results to say my hcg levels are now at 62. The nurse on the phone has said they want me to come back twice a week for bloods until my levels are at 0 as it could still be ectopic?

Has anybody else experienced this? This is my first miscarriage, and was my second pregnancy. My first pregnancy was fine and my little girl is now 6.
I am just not sure how I feel about all of the uncertainty, and the possibility of ectopic pregnancy still hanging over me. I feel like the constant back and forth for bloods is prolonging an awful experience. Also, my work place are beginning to complain about all the time off I’m needing to take to go for bloods as they are needing to get a supply teacher in each time to cover for me as the local epau is not in my home town.
Do I need to keep going back for these tests if a pregnancy test is saying negative? We have also been told we cannot try again until my hcg levels are zero which feels like it will take forever.

sorry for the long post, I’m just very confused! We were very prepared for this baby, and have bought a 3 bed house ready for our little ones arrival. I hate the thought of now having to move home to a house which will now just have a spare room rather than a nursery.

I feel as though I am stuck in a situation with no end.

OP posts:
Lilac90 · 29/05/2024 14:37

Really for your loss.

When I had a miscarriage my levels went 57, 90, 58 (48hrs apart) then 13 to 2 (5 days apart).

As your levels are fairly low now it shouldn't be too long until they drop to non pregnant levels, although I understand why they want to ensure they are falling and don't start to rise again just incase it were ectopic.

Do work know why you're off? Not really fair of them to be getting funny about it, no one wants a blood test every 48hrs but your health comes first! If being in and out is unsettling them, can you get signed off for a week? Think the hospital can do this without them specifying it's pregnancy related if work don't know that.

I'm now 10 weeks pregnant (conceived on next cycle) so don't loose hope that it'll happen again for you.

ThisElatedMintDreamer · 29/05/2024 21:26

Thank you. I’m sorry to hear about yours.

think it’s just different information from whomever I speak to. The nurse who informed be about the cyst also told me to start trying again as soon as the bleeding stopped if I felt comfortable to do so, but now I’m being told to wait for my results to clear.

Work are aware of the situation, but are more concerned about when I will be in. I wish I were in a position to take sick leave, however with me now moving homes I can’t afford it. I was only able to take 2 days off when the miscarriage began.

Congratulations on your pregnancy! I wish you all the best :)

OP posts:
Lilac90 · 30/05/2024 10:34

I think they just recommend waiting until you know your hcg are back at non pregnant levels so if they rise in the future you can be confident it's a new pregnancy and not be in any doubt that it's a previous ectopic that didn't resolve itself.

If your levels are 60 and continue to drop then hopefully it shouldn't be long now, so might only be a couple more blood tests before you're officially discharged from the EPU and can try again. Sorry you've been through all of this and wishing you all the best for the future.

ThatBloatIsBloating · 30/05/2024 11:05

Your HCG levels are falling quite slowly for a 'normal' miscarriage. If I'm reading correctly, last week they were 122 and around a week later 62. I've had an ectopic where my HCG also fell slowly and another suspected ectopic where again, the HCG fell slowly. They need to ensure your levels are under 5 before they can discharge you. I'm sorry you're going through this but hopefully you're nearing the end now.

HH96 · 30/05/2024 23:01

When you go back request a scan as they'd be able to see by now x

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