Ectopic Pregnancy.

[KirstyC90]

Hi everyone,

So the last two weeks have been an emotional rollercoaster. Found out I was pregnant, hormone levels looked great and getting excited for new year and new baby. I was getting some light brownish bleeding with no cramps and decided to go to the early pregnancy unit where they scanned me. No baby could be seen but they said it was probably too early. Went back to work after the new year, and one day had a little gush of blood and decided to bring my next appointment forward and phoned the early pregnancy unit again. Again scan showed no baby, but should have been at this point.

Abdominal pain that night made me go back to A&E, and long story short, my little baby with a heartbeat was stuck in my left (dominant) fallopian tube. I had surgery the next day where baby and the tube were removed. The surgeon came to me later and showed me pictures and was shocked to discover I already had internal bleeding in my abdomen, and my bowel had actually got stuck to my tube.

My main message to any woman out there from this experience would be to get checked out if you're worried. Ectopic pregnancy didn't cause intense ongoing pain for me up until the rupture- it could have cost me my life. Sadly it has cost me my fertility. My right ovary I was told is very small and doesn't look good either. Considering we were under the care of a fertility clinic all this time believing we were healthy and we had unexplained infertility is shocking to me.

Look after yourselves, and if it doesn't feel right, go to the doctors or hospital immediately, you could be saving your life.

[Lizzielizzielizzie]

I’m so sorry to hear your story x

[E8989]

I’m so sorry for your loss and the pain you have been through. I have experienced 3 ectopic pregnancies before IVF if you want someone to talk to you I’m here xx

[KirstyC90 in reply to E8989]

I'm so sorry to hear you've had to go through three ectopic pregnancies! Have you had to have surgery? It's ok if you don't want to discuss any of it with me, I know now from personal experience it's a sensitive subject. I'm just in so much pain and my work don't understand I need time off to recover. I think they think because it was 'only' keyhole surgery that I don't need a whole week off. Then doctor told me my blood sugar/ glucose was high which has scared me even more. I just feel like the physical pain is masking my emotional pain too xx

[E8989]

Thank you 😘 no honestly it’s fine.

1st Time was surgery 2nd expectant management and 3rd metharexane they managed to save the tube in surgery as was miscarrying out when they finally operated after 36 hours of waiting! I was in a bad way also I was massively blotted and in a lot of pain I was signed off for 2 weeks and yeah I totally get what you saying about work mine kept asking when I was coming back like I should already be back! You need to focus on getting physically better before anything you are the priority. With sugar levels I am a type one diabetic since age of 13 so I know everything there is to know! What was your reading? that can be a side effect of being put to sleep tho so don’t panic. Mentally it so hard I really feel for you it’s going to take time to heal but you will get through it I promise. X

[KirstyC90 in reply to E8989]

Thank you, your message means a lot. To be honest I just want to focus on getting my head and body right first. I am just so tired today, got discharged today. I also got a UTI while in hospital which can affect glucose can't it? They said my blood reading was 9? It was after my surgery. I hadn't eaten or drank for 18 hours was only on fluids via drip, then when I came round I ate and was sick, but then later I do admit I gorged myself a bit in anything I could find! I've only really just gone back to not constantly needing a drink as well today, I think I've drank about 5 litres of water! I just panic I don't want to end up back in hospital and they didn't explain stress/ injury ect can cause it too! They were all round quite vague! Xx

[E8989 in reply to KirstyC90]

Yes you will be knackered it takes a real toll on your body. Oh no that’s horrible are you on antibiotics? Yes Defo can effect sugars the drip, UTI and the food it you hadn’t eaten most Defo. 9 is not massively high slightly for a non diabetic but not worryingly it will come down. Yeah I remember being very thirsty this would also be due to slightly high sugar levels. You shouldn’t end up back in hospital hun just make sure you looking after yourself - they should check up in 1 week to make sure HCG has dropped to <5 with a blood test and only then should you go back to work. I know you prob not thinking about this now but please be reassured with one Fallopian tube 95% go onto to conceive naturally and in the right place within 18 months i was unfortunately in the 5% that did not xxx

[KirstyC90 in reply to E8989]

Thanks for your reassurance, yes I've got some antibiotics thank goodness! Hopefully my levels will have dropped too they took the tube out and unstuck my bowel so they must have been thorough! Xx

[E8989 in reply to KirstyC90]

That’s good yes that’s good they were thorough Sending love xx

[StephyBuch in reply to E8989]

Damn! I thought the people at work would be sensible and empathetic to the situation if you tell them what has happened. Having suffered a pregnancy loss, I know distracting yourself from the emotional stress is what any woman would want and nothing can serve that better than joining work. I'm so sorry you've had to be through 3 ectopic pregnancies when even 1 is tremendously heart-wrecking and physically painful too. Some people are just so so imbecile and it's bad luck to have such people at work, especially as a boss. Isn't there the sort of thing that a pregnant woman is allowed leave as per the Dr prescribes? If that's so then all you need do to shut them up is by showing them the medical reports and prescription that clearly mentions resting period. It's a good news that you moved onto IVF - hope that will be fruitful. Sending love, good luck and prayers!

[StephyBuch]

I'm so sorry to hear about your loss! If you don't mind me asking a few questions related to it: when did you get to know about it? Did you have a USG before the point at which you got to know and still they didn't seem to know your baby isn't in your womb? I've heard that ectopic pregnancy can get unnoticed till the 6-7 week scan - that's when they catch that your uterus is empty but your HCG shows pregnant. I'm glad that you're okay - though it cost you your fertility but you can still be a mother with some help or through adoption maybe if you want.

[KirstyC90 in reply to StephyBuch]

Of course i'm happy to answer any questions just to help anyone else worried or suspecting ectopic pregnancy, it's a serious condition. I'm not 100% sure what you mean by USG but I started to get brown spotting quite early on. I was 6.5 weeks when the baby was discovered to be in the wrong place after a suspicion. Thing is, if you go to an early pregnancy unit and they can't see the baby, they may assume it's too early. When you get strange symptoms, that's when you need to get checked out. I knew my symptoms were strange but googling my spotting without cramps made it feel like it was normal. It was the gush of blood that made me ring the pregnancy unit back. It took a specialist gynaecologist to actually discover the baby on scan. Yes my HCG levels doubled initially, then started to slow down, so best to keep getting your levels checked every 48 hours. They use your HCG levels as a guide to see if your pregnancy is progressing, and what they should be able to see. Does this help at all? X

[StephyBuch in reply to KirstyC90]

That's so nice of you to think thatway! I'm not particularly going through one... or suspect one as on now - just planning TTC for my third and value all information that's available on the forum so asked. USG is Ultrasonography or ultrasound. Yeah, I've heard that usually beyond the 6 weeks mark they expect to see the baby in the uterus and if they don't find any in spite of HCG that reflect 5-6 week pregnant - that's when they start looking for ectopic pregnancy. Symptoms are never my thing - I didn't get any till 2nd trimester in my pregnancy. Everything I searched said maybe you're not pregnant (the symptoms part only) and I was carrying twins ever since doesn't rely on them. Your information and the quick response was helpful, thanks a ton!

[KirstyC90 in reply to StephyBuch]

No worries please never hesitate to ask i'm making it my mission to make others aware, because people think it's quite rare, but I don't think it's as rare as we think! Xx

[StephyBuch in reply to KirstyC90]

No, it's not that rare either - to be called a bad luck or opposite of miracle of some sort. Plus, a lot of women are also not aware that assisted reproductive technology has a higher rate of ectopic pregnancy than in normal TTC. It's only 2.6% in developed nations for normal TTC and almost double 4% in case of assisted fertility. So, when one opt for the advanced clinical procedures not only they are increasing the chances of success but a chance for a few odds do open up as well. We can't help the assisted fertility part - that's the only way some woman have to be a mother but being cautious can certainly save a life (the woman's) or some major mishaps. Thanks a ton really, for your initiative in passing across the message on ectopic pregnancy. Usually. we stay contented when there's no pain or discomfort as long as the test says, "you're pregnant" but there's more to it that could be damaging silently. What are your plans now? Are you considering DE+IVF or surrogacy? Just curious,,, hope you don't mind. I just wanna see all the women struggling to get their own bundle of joy someday.

[Tugsgirl]

I’m sorry for your loss but thank you for sharing and trying to help other ladies xx

[KirstyC90 in reply to Tugsgirl]

I will help anyone going through this, I just can't stress enough that strange or worrying symptoms are always worth checking. I nearly fobbed mine off, and I ended up with internal bleeding in the end! X

[baby2016]

Aww sorry to read your post. Ectopics are horrible. I've had 2, one in each tube, the first I collapsed at work with, but amazingly at the time no surgery was needed as my body rejected both. However the ectopics left my tubes damaged and I started with hydrosalpinx so prior to ivf both tubes had to be removed 😢 so I know your pain and the terrifying thoughts an ectopic brings with it. I was admitted on a Friday night and with it being the weekend they monitored my hcg till the Monday where luckily it dropped very quickly. I was convinced it was going to rupture over the weekend and kill me! Xx

[KirstyC90 in reply to baby2016]

I'm so sorry you had these experiences. I don't think many people talk about baby loss enough no matter how we loose them, it's sad because it really damages us emotionally. I need to go back next week to get my HCG done again. Hopefully it will have settled back to normal by then. My husband is worried that it will happen again in the other ovary- to be honest so am I! X

[baby2016 in reply to KirstyC90]

Aw thank you. I'm a big advocate of raising awareness and a couple of years ago did a huge fund raising event at work for Tommys, which really helped raise the profile and what it's about. Made me somehow feel better and it fell the week after my tubes were removed so a bit on a emotional time really.

Was your in your ovary?

Be prepared for your hcg to take a few weeks to drop to normal. With my first it took 6 weeks to drop and had to go twice a week to get my bloods tested, as there are rare cases where it has carried on growing even after the hcg has started to drop, but with you having surgery you should be fine.

I hope everything works out for you in the long run, it's such a hard rollercoaster of emotions xx

[KirstyC90 in reply to baby2016]

Yes it is sort of becoming my mission to raise awareness, I didn't really know much about it until now. Mine was in my tube, so they took the tube away. Everything was in a state, he showed me pictures of my ruptured tube, where the baby was poking through, and my bowel sort of twisted and stuck to my tube! None of which I know how it happened! I hope so, they took my bloods like 100 times while I was there and on discharge they said all looks ok so far! Let's hope no more stress! I know I haven't really got to the emotional bit of it all yet! I cried when they found the baby on the scan because then it was confirmed but I've been getting on with it too much today, I have just been in so much pain that it hasn't all sunk in properly xxx

[baby2016 in reply to KirstyC90]

Aww bless you 😢 I remember that pain after the op to have mine removed. It soon heals and nearly 2yrs on I can hardly see any of my scars.

To be the hardest bit was when I was sobbing in the hospital bed. I got given 2 leaflets, one about taking the tablet and one about having the op, was told to make my decision and the curtains pulled round me. I was sobbing uncontrollably and no-one was with me at this point and couldn't think straight let alone make a decision! My hen do was the following weekend so was adamant I'd be well enough to go to that, which I did and drowned my sorrows behind my face of acting happy! Xx

[TTCs]

So sorry that you have had to go through this and have lost the baby you longed for. Thinking of you and wishing you a healthy recovery. It is disappointing to hear your work havent been supportive! I am sure they would be reacting differently if they had experienced this! Hugs 😘 xx

[KirstyC90]

Thanks hun, I know in myself that I need rest I can barely walk so it'll just have to be that way until I feel better! I'm not going to be made to feel bad about it! If you don't look after yourself then who will? Saying that, i'm majorly blessed to have such a fantastic husband xx

[misswinky34]

Aww bless. You 💜 xxx

[tiger-cub]

My dear I had gone through d same agonising phase 2 years back . I was getting dizzy spells after falling pregnant though ivf . And brown discharge . But my fertility clinic was very prompt they immediately called me for scan and it was in my left tube . I was monitored for 5 agonising weeks before taking d decision of surgery and amidst d wait I did bleed without any signs . I'm still in living in that trauma . And this road had become forever scary for me . I don't know whether or not I'll have a child but d I'll hv to live with d horror . But I try to focus on positive things and move forward. Try get some counselling if possible it really helps .

[Benjaminy14]

Sorry to hear this my thoughts are with you

Hugs x

[Amanda86]

So sorry for your loss 🙁😘 take care xxx

[Emmyeve]

What do you think could have been done differently to find the ectopic pregnant sooner? X

[KirstyC90 in reply to Emmyeve]

I don't really think anything could have been done differently with ectopic pregnancy the early pregnancy unit we very quick. If you suspect any problems get in touch with them as soon as possible or your GP (same day as your concern). Never leave your concerns, they're not silly! I went to A&E and had to wait so long I said 'Oh this is silly, let's go home!'. Luckily my husband said no, and that's the night I was admitted. With regards to the state my body was in during surgery, a lot more could have been done by doctors previous to this I think, but that's a whole different story, just a massive piece of the puzzle has been found in why we've had so many problems just getting pregnant. xxx

[Janer85]

I’m so sorry to here this, know exactly how you feel, it’s happened to me twice and cost me both my tubes. Not a nice feeling to go through. I’m always here to chat xx

[KirstyC90 in reply to Janer85]

I'm so sorry you had to go through it twice! I can barely contain my emotions at the moment! I'm just not really sure what to do with myself it all takes time doesn't it. Thank you for your kind words xxx

[Janer85 in reply to KirstyC90]

It defiantly takes time, I think you need to give yourself that. I’m having time out at the moment (been a year) since having bnf from first cycle of Ivf. You need to be in a better mind set, as I just kept crying Altime and I’m finally feeling better about doing it again. It might not be that long for you, I think everyone is different, but look after yourself xx

[Hidden]

I'm so sorry to hear about all you've been through. It's amazing that you are sharing this to help other. Big hugs xxx

[Cinderella5]

Sorry to hear what you're been through, it must indeed be a shock! Wishing you a good recovery from surgery! Hugs xx

[lily96]

Very sad to know about ,I'm so sorry you've had to be through 3 ectopic pregnancies. I know its very tough. I know its very hard distracting yourself from the emotional painful stress is what any woman would want and nothing can serve that better than joining work. Every thing is important in this world i know but your health and mental condition is most important. I suggest you to give some time to yourself. Time matters but when it somes to saving your self from these type of hectic stuff. You should follow your heart not mind or not conditions. Just follow the right path. I suffered from lossing the fertility can you suggest me some medicines. Hope you have a good day.

[Alyssa123]

Hi everyone. I had an ectopic. I lost my left tube completely. I was so stubborn about waiting it out and letting it work out on its own, even after the doctor told my husband to take me to the ER the minute the pain seemed to worsen. By the time my doctor saw me and sent me to the hospital he estimated I would have been dead from sepsis within two hours. He told my husband he had taken out three fist-size clots and a couple smaller ones. I didn't know I was pregnant until I was already losing it. The hardest part was the people around me didn't think I needed to mourn this baby since it wasn't planned and I didn't know it until it was gone. I was told a couple times by different people to just get over it. To this day I feel like I've never fully gotten over the death of my baby. Last week I just found out after 4 years of trying that I am pregnant again. I am having such a hard time with it, mostly because I am terrified of it happening. My new doctor made my appointment for 8 weeks and it has me so scared that by the time I get in, if it is ectopic it will be too late to save the tube and I'll lose my other one.We must accept finite disappointment but never lose infinite hope.

[Sarahbbb]

Hey KirstyC90!!! Thank you for sharing your story. Your story will save several women. At least will teach them a healthy and good lesson. I also had a pregnancy in my fallopian tubes. I also wanted to share my story with people. Instead of bearing a severe pain you have to go through the Death Valley once. Then you lose your fertility abilities because during an operation doctor has to remove these tubes along with ovaries or uterus in some situation. My suggestion to all of you who are here on this forum is if you feel this type of situation or a slight pain then never ignore it. Visit your doctor or physician. Thank you!!!

[PriscillaDouglas]

Awww! Darling! I'm so sorry to hear your story. I really can't imagine that pain. Well, I have also seen women undergoing procedures like it. Anyway! What I can give is you that you can really talk with me if you want. I'd really love to help strengthen women like you. I hope this upcoming one goes well for you. I know how bad it's needed. Anyway! stay blessed! xx