Normal HCG levels at 5 weeks? Ectopic??

[JustShaggy]

I'm having constant twinges and pain in my lower right abdomen; this morning I found brownish mucus like blood when I wiped. Not a great deal, but definately there. My breasts are nowhere near as tender as they were on the weekend and my gut instinct is things not going too well.

I've just had a blood test at the EPU today and am due to have a scan on Friday - will possibly be internal.

My HCG levels for today came back at 1163. My date of last period was 7 Nov. My itouch app tells me I am 5+4 ...

Can some help me understand what is normal and what isn't and what, if anything, might be happening to me.

MY DH is baffled why epu are saying they may see nothing on the scan because I had a MC at 6weeks and we could very clearly see it the last time.

It becomes visible somewhere between 5 and 6 weeks. Nothing to add except good luck with the scan - I wouldn't hypothesise too much before then.

I had an ectopic - it ruptured at about 8-10 wks (I didn't know I was pg). I had no symptoms until the pain really hit.

Hello justshaggy my last period was 6th nov I had a scan on the 14th and very little was seen. The differences in development are massive between 5 and 6 weeks.
Around now you would hope to see a gestational sac and hopefully a yolk sac too but thats about it nothing like you see at a 6week scan.

Sadly for me my hcg results are indicating that I am about to have a 5th mc. I could'nt form any questions when they rang to tell me yesterday but I am going in this morning so will quiz them on expected levels of hcg and report back.

Have they repeated your blood tests?

From what I have googled it may seem that hcg levels are not an exact science but I don't know how much I am clutching at straws.

So hang on and don't give up hope, it is so hard after a mc. We analyise every symptom and lack of symptom till we just chase our tails. Good luck.

mermaidspurse - I'm so sorry for what you're going through and for all your losses. Have you been given tests so see what's happening? Please let me know how you get on today. I'll check back later today. Thinking of you.

Thanks for the clarification re the 6 week scan - my DH was really thinking their refusal of scans was NHS penny-pinching given what we saw at 6wks last time, and I could see he was going to start making demands.

What were your hcg levels?

I did manage to ask a few questions when bloods came back. I was told that, for 5wks, normal hcg levels are anything between 100 - 4000. (Mine were 1163 - so within the normal range, but my DH thinks it sounds low). Plus subsiding symptoms... we think it's not looking good for us.

I was also told yesterday that they need hcg levels of at least 2000 before they have a chance of seeing anything at all on a scan. I'm back again tomorrow for a scan - I assume they are thinking the hcg levels should double by then (assuming things were on track). I am also going to ask them to repeat the blood test to help give us more clarity.

We are hoping the scan will at least show something in the right place, so we can rule out ectopic. After that, we hope the scan plus another set of blood results indicates things are more or less on track. But with variablity of between 100 - 4000, seems really hard to know anything for sure at any stage. We are preparing ourselves for either ectopic or MC.

I'm scared of hoping for a positive outcome because the bad news is so devastating ... nevertheless, I am hoping we get decent news - and then shaking myself for daring to hope etc etc .

my HCG at 9 weeks was 18, yes 18, no missing 0's or anything; eighteen

they scanned and couldn't find anything, then did an internal and found dd who looked like a jelly baby.

just to give you a little hope, she's almost 5 now

justshaggy well honey your hcg levels are very reasuring. On the 14th mine were 470 IU/I and on the 16th they were 554. Hence them pulling me in and flapping about ectopic.
They are still flapping about eptopic after todays scan, they can't pinpoint exactly where it is and the consultant decided that she was going to sit on the fence. The sac has grown though which is a good sign so I am in limbo land until Monday when we do it all over again.
And as tulip has shown with her 18 - tulip thank you you have made my dayevery pregnancy is different.
They were very insistent on this point and were far more positive than me or dh. I so know what you mean about not daring to hope.

The consultant said that she had had cases like mine which have gone on to be sucessful so the rollercoaster continues.

Something that has really hit home today though is the skill of the sonographer. Today they picked up fibroids and adenomyoisis which has never been picked up before and I have had numerous scans and tests in the last year. Todays lovely sonographer seemed to be a real expert.

I am going to cross everything for you tomorrow and will come and check on you.

Oh yes and I was told catagorically no sex and lots of rest, no heavy lifting and no rushing around like a mad turkey. lol always serene at this time of the year!
Any pain and straight in to epu.
So we have to be gentle on ourselves.

I agree, thanks tulip, that really gives pause for thought and it does put things a bit into perspective. mermaidspurse my heart is with you. I am also encouraged by what your consultant said to you.

I wasn't told no sex but fat chance of that with dh and I staring at the ceiling, unblinking, all night, worrying ourselves sick.

It is a bloody nightmare isn't it. I got a christmas card today from a friend of ours with a picture of her baby in it, plus words saying she hoped to introduce us to her number 2 due early next year. God, she has no idea. Will come back tomorrow to see how you are and give you an update after the scan. My stomach rolls every time I think of that, oh well.....

Justshaggy just nipped in to see if you are ok. Fingers and toes crossed for you.

Hi mermaidspurse - we had a hectic day yesterday and the news is bad. The pregnancy has def failed. We were at the hospital the whole day with tests and examinations. Scan showed nothing but did reveal 'free fluid' - apparently a sign it could be ectopic. So they did a rushed blood test which shows my hcg levels dropped to 813.

They can't rule an ectopic out so they're playing safe. I have to go in tomorrow to have another blood test and need to sit and wait there for results. They say if my levels keep dropping its very good news because it indicates my body is dealing with it. If hcg levels stop dropping, we may be talking about keyhole surgery to see what's happening, and if it is ectopic... laproscopy or the injection to deal with it.

Either way, travel plans have been cancelled along with christmas, I think. I feel utterly numb but I think the shock of the long stressful day is beginning to wear off because I'm starting to cry a lot now too.

Right now I'm just hoping what happens, happens quickly so I can move on.

Truly hope you get better news. Will come back to check on you on Monday and will be sending positive vibes your way.

oh justshaggy I am so very sorry.
You must both be absolutely drained.
Thank goodness the hospital are taking such good care of you though.

Its not bloody fair and my heart goes out to you, especially when everyone and everything is all tinsel and fairy lights.

I hope you have some sort of answers today because its horrible to be in limbo.

It sounds like you need to make a little cocoon around yourselves this Christmas with lots of m&s treats a cosy sofa and let it all wash over you.

I am dreading going in tomorrow, dare not get my hopes up and then feel bad cos I feel I must keep some faith in this little bean.

Thinking of you and thanks for the positive vibes.

Thanks mermaidspurse - popped online to see how you're doing.

Everything was fab on Monday, the sac had grown and the yolk was clearly there and it began to feel like a miracle.

Then yesterday the bleeding and cramps started
So thats it for me too justshaggy

Thank you for the vibes anyway, heres to wishing you a far better new year than this one.

I'm so sorry to hear this mermaidspurse - heartbreaking news.

Here's hoping the new year is a better one for both of us! I'll be glad to see the back of this one, I must say. All the very best to you ...

Just wanted to send lots of hugs to JustShaggy and mermaidspurse. mermaidspurse - My friend had 5 miscarriages and then had some tests and they found she had a problem and needed to inject herself every day until 20 weeks with an anti-clotting serum - surely they must be ready to help you try to find out what may be causing these little ones to leave ?
Justshaggy - big big hugs. I had two ectopics (one laparaoscopy, but they couldn't find it, and the other resolved itself). Here I am pregnant with my third and I wish you all the best. What a shitty Christmas.

xx