Intro...possible ectopic?

Rachd110

Hi ladies,

I'm new to this board, coming over from the infertility board. First of all, I want to say how sorry I am for your loss. It is not an easy process and is one of the most difficult things I've ever had to deal with. I've read through some of these threads--you are all so very strong.

I had my first IVF in November with a fresh transfer on 11/10. I got a very faint positive about 8 days after my transfer. First beta was at 28. Got a total of 4 betas within two weeks and they were not rising appropriately. My third was only at 88 a week later it declined to 18. My dr told me that the pregnancy isn't viable, to get off my meds and I should expect to bleed. I started bleeding this past Monday with pretty bad AF like cramps. My cramps got worse on Tuesday night and I passed something on Wednesday morning. I thought it was the embryo, but didn't get a good luck at it. In hindsight, it may have been a clot. Sorry, tmi.

I went back to my dr yesterday to make sure HCG level dropped to zero. It actually rose! As of yesterday it was 56. My dr wants me to come in on Monday for an ultrasound to rule out ectopic.

I was told to go directly to ER if I feel pain that restricts me from doing normal activities, but what does that really mean?
I still have some moderate bleeding. Since Thursday night, I've felt very bloated and constipated. Last night I started feeling light right-sided pelvic pain. With a beta at 56, I don't think an ultrasound will show anything. If it is an ectopic, can it rupture at a beta this low? I would be 7 weeks 2 days if this was a viable pregnancy.

I'd love to hear anyone's experience with an ectopic or normal miscarriage. After trying to conceive for more than a year and a half this is like a dagger to the heart. I just want this to be over so I can move on and start planning my frozen transfer. This doesn't seem fair at all.

hapafamilyvlog

I'm so sorry that that you're experiencing this. I just want you to know you're not alone. I am in the same exact limbo that you are right now! I feel for you... it's the absolute worst just having to go day in and day out, bleeding and cramping, and still not knowing. I am being scheduled for a D&C finally after more than 2 weeks of blood testing showing my HCG going up and down... and just praying to the highest god that they do indeed find some pregnancy tissue in the uterus, so that I can at least confirm it is not ectopic and avoid the MTX shot. Because my pregnancy isn't visible on an ultrasound either, I asked my doctor the same question about if there was a danger of my tube still rupturing with levels so low if it was ectopic (mine HCGs have been fluctuating between 82 and 149), and she said it wasn't likely, but of course it is still possible (don't you just hate that kind of answer?). Anyway... I hope you get answers soon. In the mean time, take care of yourself and try your hardest to stay positive about the future... that's what I'm trying to do, even though I'm finding it incredibly difficult. And keep us posted on how things go. I hope you get your rainbow baby soon after this is all over. *hugs*

penelope4612

Hi,

I'm sorry you're both going through this. I had an ectopic in Sept and the waiting, repeat blood draws, ultrasounds, and not knowing was so exhausting. I started bleeding at about 5 weeks and my dr drew levels which were low and then dropped so my dr said it was likely a miscarriage, but then they started rising again quite quickly. Like both of you, nothing was visible on ultrasound. I was scheduled for a repeat ultrasound and uterine biopsy but then I started having left sided pain so brought myself to the ER where they found a tiny (< 1 cm) sac in my left tube and gave me methotrexate (hcg was about 600 at this point). My tube didn't ever rupture, but after the methotrexate I was told to not have sex or workout or do anything that could increase intraabdominal pressure because I was at risk of rupture until my HCG hit zero. It took 4 weeks for my hcg to go to zero and I bled lightly almost the entire time, followed by a period when it actually went to zero. Also the methotrexate works by eating up all the folic acid and preventing the pregnancy from growing and I was so paranoid that I basically didn't eat anything healthy for the whole time because I didn't want to eat too much folic acid because I just wanted it to be over.

For me, the pain was a constant nagging pain (not severe) but then it started radiating down my leg, which was pretty painful. After about 30 mins - 1 hour I decided this was it and went to the ER. Retrospectively, I had had twinges of pain in that spot throughout but had just written it off as cramping or gas. Hope that is helpful, good luck to you both.

Rachd110

Thank you, @waitingwishing28 and @penelope4612 for sharing your experience. I am also sorry for what you are going or went through. @waitingwishing28 it's good to hear that it's unlikely for your tube to rupture with a low HCG. It gives me a little bit of peace. I'm glad you are finally having a D&C and hope it will give you closure.

@penelope4612 I felt twinges on my left side on Friday night that radiated down my leg. The pain wasn't too bad and has since gone away. Four weeks is a long time to wait for HCG levels to go down. You are so strong.

I have my ultrasound and another beta tomorrow morning. Really hoping I get some answers.

SharonB222

After an initial decrease to 17 (4w2d), my hcG increased again and after the MTX peaked at 430 (7w3d). My response was slow but my RE opted to wait - sure enough I did eventually response so have avoided a 2nd MTX dose but sacrificed time to do so. Last week on MTX Day 59 my hCG was 4.4 (13w6d) - usually takes 25 days to resolve. I have another b/w (hopefully last) in two weeks. In the meantime, I'm having my 3rd(!) "AF" during this pg loss. The 1st flow (4w6d) was 6 days (cp like), the 2nd flow (9w6d) was 12 days (mmc like) and this 3rd flow (14w3d) is a bit heavy, but not very (perhaps cp like, time will tell). I am sorry for your loss. My RE said that for my circumstances including very AMA and history of 2 eps, another ep would be 30% which is high, but would remain unlikely. My RE said at my clinic fresh ET have 1 in 20 chance of ep, while FETs have a 1 in 100 chance which is safer than natural conception (1 in 50 at my age). I am sorry for your loss; hope your ep is physically past quickly.

TTamTamTam

I'm so sorry to hear about your loss.
I went through something similar to your experience with the levels and bleeding. We were trying to conceive but when I started bleeding at 4 weeks and thought it was AF. Bled for 3 weeks before I tested (I'd only been off the pill for 4 months so I wasn't alarmed by the long 'period').

Ultrasound showed a mass but no visible yolk sac despite being at 6 weeks so my doctor was pretty sure the pregnancy was elsewhere. Like yours, my levels were still increasing but not as much as they should with a viable pregnancy.

Went with the D & C in hopes of skipping MX. No fetal tissue was found so I had to take the MX anyway. As disappointed I was that I needed to do both I am glad for the information that this was ectopic so I can be aware in the future. It took me 4 weeks for the levels to hit zero and my first AF came 2 days later.

On a positive note, AF just arrived and so I finally had the 2 predictable cycles my doctor said was necessary before trying again. I hope you heal quickly and are back on track to do the same. Sending healing thoughts to you.

Jennmiller1

So sorry for you loss. Just went through a a similar experience. Started bleeding at 4wk3day and to doctor because we had pain. Checked my blood levels and were slowly rising and dis an ultrasound which was inconclusive. Doctor offered us the methotrexate but we wanted to see if qe would naturally miscarry. So the watched the blood levels which began to rise and monitored my symptoms. Had no cramps and bleeding was increasing. Ultrasounds showed nothing. Unfortunately we ender up in the ed and my blood level were 312 and had an ectopic pregnancy that had ruptured. Emergency surgery which they had to remove my left fallopian tube.