Previous Ectopic Pregnant Again Very Anxious

[Soph1809]

Heya so I’ve jst found out I’m pregnant again on my first month of trying after ectopic surgery to remove tube very early October. I was in such an anxious state last night that I called EPU today as felt I had some shoulder pain. I would be around 4 weeks 5/6days if my cycle is 28 days. I went in for a scan and they did say we might not see anything this early which wouldn’t be unusual sometimes we can sometimes we can’t. So nothing was seen other than the endometrium lining is thickening. They’ve asked me to have HCG bloods as that’s policy. I was told sometimes after ectopic ovulation may be bit all over place and I can’t be sure exactly when I ovulated so I may be a few days or so earlier than I think. They also said hcg below 1500 they wouldn’t see a sac yet. Done bloods today and I’ll see what they come back and ones Sunday to hope they’ve gone up by the 63% they would like to see. Once they know what bloods doing they will make a plan to re scan. Is it possible that it is just too early? Obviously I am terrified of another ectopic and with Xmas approaching I’m even more so nervous given what I went through last time. I’m trying my best to hold it together, having lots my dad to cancer this year and the ectopic I’m feeling pretty beaten right now. Thanks in advance ladies

Completely get it. Ovulation tests drove me mad when we were trying, they never said I was ovulating and I just felt completely broken and like I was infertile. It was only when my friend told me she never tested positive even when she got pregnant that I could breathe properly again. I had to throw them all out or I would have lost it.
Give yourself permission to get rid of them!

Sorry to hear you’re still in the horrible limbo of waiting for that first scan. I don’t know what the sensible advice is but I know I spent a small fortune on private scans during my pregnancy as the anxiety continued even after I’d found out it wasn’t ectopic. Sometimes I would’ve convinced myself so much that something had gone wrong that I would book a scan on my lunch break and go after work. The only way I could get a bit of relief from the panic!

Ironically I didn’t have to book any private scans this early on as I had two quite early ones at the EPU. It is a shame that your EPU can’t offer anything sooner than Tuesday. Obviously it’s good news that they don’t seem worried its ectopic but given you’ve had an ectopic recently your anxiety is through the roof!

I’m hoping they are just not very good at judging hcg. When I had my last ectopic I had a private scan when I started bleeding as EPU couldn’t see me. Part of me is debating finding a private place this weekend as I’ll be 6 weeks it’s £70 and only 3 days difference but tthe private place was sooo much kinder to me last time and felt they explained things a lot better . But then also think could it be early …. Gahhhh do I don’t I. Not sure will make me feel much worse?

If I were you and genuinely feeling this stressed by it (which I understand btw the 6 week scan with my second pregnancy was the most nerve wracking experience of my life) then I'd get the private scan this weekend for £70.

The only thing I'd say is, have a look for ones that are done by private hospitals rather than a standard ultrasound clinic.

I had one at 7 weeks this time with a private hospital and the sonographer was a consultant obstetrician who also worked at the maternity hospital. I knew I was in safe hands and that they could easily refer me if something was wrong. It cost about £100 so a bit more expensive than a standard place but I felt it was worth it x

Heya I’ve tried looking for a hospital one but can’t seem to find one near me! I’ll have a search. There is one about 25 mins away that is an ultrasound place but has very good reputation. It seems silly going 3 days before and then I worry is it harmful? But then I am driving myself mad led here thinking okay have I got right sided pain ☹️EPU if I pushed would probs see me but feel they have had enough of me and always find I get given very little information from them. The risk of going is it could still be bit early but have I got a lot to loose other than money?

@NapTrappedAgain I think it’s a sense of control. I think EPU would probably see me tommorow if I pushed for one but feel they have had enough of me and feel bit embarased really. I also found with my previous ectopic the women at the private place was far kinder.

i think I’ll sleep on it and call the private place and ask if they think too soon. There is a chance it is still too soon to see anything. If hospital allowed me to do bloods this week I think I could have kept my cool a bit more but that was too big of an ask and guess wouldn’t have given the answer.

This is horrid. I can help but feel it’s bad. Don’t know why.

I had a scan at 6 weeks with my second pregnancy and they could see a gestational sac and yolk sac but no fetal pole. They dated me a few days early (which I knew wasn't right) but when things are that tiny it's hard to get accurate measurements.

Anyway, it was enough to know that the pregnancy wasn't ectopic, but not enough to know that it was currently viable. Everything turned out to be fine ❤️

EPU I think have concerns that because I have fallen so close to my surgery my cycle might be bit irregular. So my period came 28 days exactly after surgery. I think I ovulated around day 17 so probs means my cycle maybe a little longer that time so would that have an affect on weeks and days calculations?

i think the first hurdle for me is finding out whether there is anything in my uterus. Whether it’s viable is the next hurdle…

it’s so hard to be positive right now. Xx

Well ladies I’m bleeding so it seems this is not a viable pregnancy praying not surgery again and hugely blaming myself right now for it being too soon. Going to get seen by someone today

Sorry to hear that @Soph1809 I hope you get your answers today x

me too gutted 😞 I need to avoid surgery so I’m going to have to push for someone to see me today. I was fobbed off last time and I can’t have that happen again x

So sorry to hear that. Hopefully you get seen today. I had a chemical pregnancy straight after my ectopic and they were pretty similar in terms of symptoms so it still might not be ectopic again. It might even be completely fine reading stories on here. But I think you need to push to be seen today before the weekend. Good luck OP.

Hiya just an update- nothing on scan but hcg gone from 186 on Sunday to 35. So I’m guessing this is a miscarriage but sat on bed waiting for gyne doctor to actually speak to me. I’ve been at hospital since 9am so long day. Seems if EPU had tracked my bloods as asked we would have known about them dropping before now. I don’t assume I’m out the woods for ectopic so hoping I get told something!

I'm sorry to hear your update @Soph1809. Life can be really cruel sometimes. 💔

Definitely. As horrible as it sounds I would prefer it be a miscarriage than any form of ectopic. But not really sure how they can tell right now… xx

I ended up leaving yesterday after a 12 hour wait. I was offered a slot at EPU for 3ish but was so scared of ending up in surgery again so went down a&e and might have backfired but got a scan and bloods done so guess not. Just felt again like EPU were not caring which is such a shame as they are my local hospital. Anyways left not really knowing anything other than bloods gone back to 39 from 186 Sunday and nothing seen in womb. I am guessing miscarriage or chemical. But not sure what I expect next? Waiting for call from gyne today. It was probably too soon after surgery but now I’m really worrying something is wrong with me and I’ll never get a baby in the right place or something 😔

It's hard to know because your HCG wasn't high enough to see a pregnancy in the womb, so it could be either really. If they fear it's ectopic they should take your bloods every 48 hours until your HCG returns to normal. Ordinarily in an ectopic pregnancy your HCG falls slower than with a miscarriage so that could give you an indication.

In any case, it sounds as though it's resolving itself (I hate that terminology!) so you'll avoid surgery.

There's a podcast and Instagram page called The Worst Girl Gang Ever which is all about different forms of pregnancy loss etc and I found it a really supportive resource after my experience. Sometimes it's comforting for someone else to put how you're feeling into words x

So sorry to hear this OP. I am no expert at all but when I had the ectopic my HCG was in the thousands and it was visible on a scan at 5 weeks 3 days. I wasn’t allowed to go anywhere and had surgery the next day. When I had a chemical nothing was visible on a scan and HCG almost undetectable. So I agree it sounds unlikely you’ll be rushed for surgery. I’d like to think they’d be acting with more of a sense of urgency if they thought there was any chance it was ectopic.

So very sorry this is a terrible time for you. I’ll be honest I felt such an enormous sense of relief when I was told it wasn’t ectopic the second time round that it took a few days for the loss to actually sink in. Look after yourself and make use of the support you have around you.

so sorry

@vibratosprigato thank you for your kind words I think it was just too soon after the surgery and maybe my body just wasn’t ready. I sort of blame myself for falling that quickly but guess I just need a couple of months break and try again another time xx

@NapTrappedAgain I’m sorry you’ve also been through more than one loss. I think I need a break from it all. Just a couple of months of letting my body sort itself out, seems a sensible idea?

Honestly yes. I remember wanting to never step foot in an EPU again. It might be worth spending some time healing physically and mentally but I know people deal with things in different ways and some just want to get on with it. No right or wrong but you’ll know what feels best for you.

Have you been offered a follow up with a consultant after the ectopic? I was told I could request one within six months. I wasn’t ready at first but when I was I did find it quite helpful to go through it all calmly when it wasn’t all so raw and ask honest questions about what next.

@NapTrappedAgain I did have a follow up with the surgeon and he was very helpful. Both him and EPU said fine to try after my first period however I guess for some that all goes smoothly and for me it didn’t. I suppose there’s always a risk. Just does feel raw. I am going to leave it a couple cycles to let things settle and sort. However I am still currently waiting for a call back from doctors at hospital as at minimum need to track hcg to make sure goes below pregnant level! X

thanks again for the support xx