Wish I had never gone for an early scan

[stompinthewoods]

I had a positive pregnancy test last week (2-3 weeks clear blue) but have irregular periods so not 100% sure how far along I am. I had a GP appointment and off handed mentioned I’d had some mild period like pain, the GP said it was probably nothing to worry about but sent me to get an ultrasound.

There was nothing visible on the TV ultrasound, which the sonographer said she wouldn’t expect to see anything at 4 weeks, however the doctors in the EPU have scared the life out of me by saying it’s a pregnancy of unknown location. The doctors said this could mean an ectopic or a miscarriage!

They took my HCG bloods 48 hours apart and although they have gone from 1900 to 3576 they haven’t doubled… I have only spoken to a nurse who said a doctor should be getting back to me with a “plan”.

I wish I had never gone for the scan, I haven’t had any bleeding or severe pain, I am so so so worried and scared now… has anyone experienced anything similar and had a positive outcome? I am really hoping for the best but feel like the staff in the EPU have been very blunt and not said anything to imply that it could just be very early stages and to soon to see anything?

This happened to me with my now 14 year old daughter - literally word for word. Try not to stress and just wait - that’s all you can do (though I know it’s hard). Good luck x

@NinaJames thank you so much for the reassurance 💖 do you remember how many weeks you were when you managed to see your little one on a scan?

The waiting is horrendous…I don’t know how to stop thinking about it!

6 weeks 4 days!! Honestly the body knows what it’s doing 🥰

I had a previous ectopic pregnancy so had to go for an early scan with my youngest, I went at 5 weeks but they couldn't see anything yet. I went back a week later and they could see the sack and fetal pole.
It's so hard to see anything at such an early stage, because it's so tiny and it changes so much day by day.
It's a horrible long wait to go back but it's a good sign your HCG is going up a nice amount, I remember the frustration of waiting well. The best you can do is distract yourself as much as possible in a hope the time passes faster. Fingers crossed all is well!

Pregnancy of Unknown Location just means they can’t find it on the scan yet. Once you’re further along something will show up.

@NinaJames amazing! So glad all turned out well for you 💖
@Dontgoforward oh no I’m sorry to hear about your ectopic…if you don’t mind me asking did you have any symptoms and can you remember when they were? Since the doctor mentioned ectopic to me I am very paranoid…If the doctor ever gets back to me I’m hoping they will book another scan for a couple of weeks time and fingers crossed something might be visible then 🤞🏻

@MrsAnon6 I did wonder why they even bothered to scan at 4 weeks as surely nothing will be visible?! The doctors really freaked me out by saying PULs can result in ectopic/miscarriage and then absolutely no reassurance that it could just be too early…

It is pretty pointless this early but they probably just wanted to rule out anything sinister after you said you were having cramps. The Dr’s are likely saying those things to warn you of the possibilities. If it is an ectopic pregnancy then it will be caught super early and can be treated medically and won’t result in the loss of a tube (I’ve had two ectopics treated this way). I’m not saying this is what is happening as your HCG levels are encouraging (mine only went up a tiny amount) but the Dr’s have to prepare for every possible eventuality.

I’m so sorry you’re experiencing this. I had a PUL which was an ectopic sadly and I was quite unwell. I had bleeding from very early on, almost continuously, and looking back at photos from that time I was clearly ill, looking exhausted and white-faced. It was many years ago now but from what I remember my hcg levels only rose minimally each day. Hopefully you will be fine, but it’s good you will be under close observation, it’s safer for you. But I know the waiting is really awful.

@stompinthewoods its scary to hear but remember they can't see anything yet, it just means they can't say with certainty where the pregnancy is to cover themselves really.

I didn't know I was pregnant so sadly it ruptured, but I was about 7-8 weeks. I just didn't have any pregnancy symptoms, had a negative pregnancy test 2 weeks before and a normal 'period'.
If I was you, I'd feel some reassurance by the HCG but I'd be on the phone tomorrow to find out when they are next going to see you as it should only be a week later they can rescan. At this gestation a lot happens in a week! Have you got any real life support? It does feel like a long wait. What do you expect your gestation is exactly?

I had a scan at 5w4d abdominal though and the consultant could only see a pregnancy sac. After fiddling about and tweaking buttons on the machine he zoomed in and could see the heart flickering away. I also had a very early scan with my other daughter 2 weeks after a positive test which again was abdominal and they couldn’t see anything not surprisingly. I had bloods done which was given the ok however I do remember being told something could be amiss. I think it’s protocol to inform there could be an issue this early on if they aren’t seeing much or anything at all. If you were 6/7 weeks and they weren’t seeing anything on a tv scan then I’d be inclined to start worrying.

@MrsAnon6 I’m so sorry about your ectopics, do you mind me asking how they caught them early if they weren’t visible on the scan (or were they?)
@PinotGrigios I’m so sorry that you had to go through that 😔 thank you for your well wishes I really appreciate it x

I had period like cramps at the start of all my pregnancies (3 in total). With my first i was sure i was about to start my period any minute so kept checking. But also had like mini electric currents feeling too (only way I can describe it). I waited til 7 weeks for an early scan with all 3 as was told it was pointless before that. Wishing you the best

I had a scan at exactly five weeks, there was a gestational sac but that’s it. Two weeks later was my baby with the yolk sac and a heart beat. Please try not to worry it is just early xx

My ectopic was vaught at 4-5 wks. Cramping and no sac.

I've had this go both ways op. One ectopic treat with methotrexate and one 7 month old currently pushing stuff off my sofa. Painful as it is you have to wait

Hey ! I think nhs would have performed scan because 1. Your periods are irregular so would be possible to be later than that and also 2-3 weeks on clear blue usually indicates 4-5 weeks by pregnancy dating so you could be closer to 6 weeks pregnant just now. Hopefully still too early. I'm sure its 60 percent the levels need to go up to still be considered normal which yours are. I just had an ectopic a few weeks ago and my levels doubled and then only 10 percent then doubled again so can be so difficult to give a definite answer. It's a horrendous wait but the reassuring thing is you dont have any symptoms. Hope this all turns out good for you xx

They became visible eventually after multiple scans. My poor HCG increases indicated a failing pregnancy so they knew something was wrong and kept repeating the scans until it showed up as an ectopic was the most likely reason. The pregnancy was trying to grow but couldn’t hence the sub optimal HCG increases.

Was your first HCG when the scan was done? Obviously not an exact science but they usually don’t expect to see anything on scan if it’s under 2000. I had an ectopic which never became visible on the scan but once HCG got to a certain level and they still couldn’t see, then they acted on it.

I had bleeding at week 4. Filled up a pad. Went to the emergency and they did se bloods, urine and cervical exam. OB confirmed he found the bleed but my cervix was closed. My hormones was very high for that point of pregnancy so even though he was pretty sure it is uterine, he refused to send me for an ultrasound that early because he didn’t want to risk adding more stress if they saw nothing. He explained that any bleeding is treated as threatened miscarriage/ectopic until proven otherwise and booked me for a scan 2 weeks later. That all went well. I am now waiting for my dating scan which is annoyingly late at 14 weeks. It is hard not to worry as at this point you have no proof that everything is ok. But what helps is thinking that all is well until proven otherwise. Any worsening of pregnancy symptoms which may hit you like a brick next week is a good sign.

@stompinthewoods I had a very early scan with strong specifically right sided pain that woke me up in the night and bloods that behaved erratically, stalling, increasing, yours at least are pretty close to doubling. will they do more bloods?

The early scan showed two haemorrhagic areas in my right tube. Officially it was always a PUL (pregnancy of unknown loc) because the embryo was too small to see, but it was an ectopic hence the internal bleeding in the tube. So an early scan can actually tell you something, they won't solely be looking for the baby but for areas of concern in your pelvis. It doesn't sound like there's an alarm bell going off, that they didn't see areas of concern, its just that so far, they're not sure whats going on because its too early. the best thing is they're paying attention, and hopefully in less that two weeks you'll see the pregnancy in the right place :)

Thank you everyone for your replies and insights, I really do appreciate it!

The doctors have never got back to me with any next steps as they said they would, I have booked a private scan for 3 weeks’ time and in the meantime just hoping for the best and trying to stay positive. I haven’t had any more cramping but would describe it as a very mild and generalised ache, so I’m hoping that could just be muscular or due to hormones?

I am really hoping that all is well and just praying that baby sticks and is healthy and in the right spot 🤞🏻

I was told period like pain is completely normal. Sometimes it is the pelvis. Sometimes it is gas! Bleeding, one sided pain, or shoulder tip pain - call the early pregnancy unit and go in. Otherwise it is waiting game

My pain was kind of rolling across my lower abdomen.
It was VERY painful, there was no ambiguity.
When I went for the early scan at the doctors the first pregnancy test was negative, then he couldn't see anything, then he redid the test and it was positive.
(Should have triggered something in this very expensive, celebrity obsessed Harley St doctor but it did not.
Ectopic picked up by the NHS in the end.
The guy eventually called me two weeks after my scan - I'd had the surgery by then, which I told him. HE SENT ME A BILL FOR THE SCAN - which I put in the bin.)

I'm baffled why your GP sent you for a scan. Period liek cramps are notoriously common in early pregnancy. A CB of 2-3 weeks meant you were 5w or less pregnant (based on dating scans) so again, you were never going to see anything. The term used when nothing can be seen on a scan is Pregnancy of Unknown Location... I.e.. your bloods and urine indicate you are pregnant but it hasn't been located. It could mean an ectopic, a miscarriage or in your case that the scan is just too early.

Most places won't even scan you (even EPU) unless you are 6w plus.

In terms of HCG, it only doubles every 48-72 hours so there doesn't seem to be any issue with your results.