Very very low beta. Hcg@5 weeks=210. Chemical or ectopic?

Sarah1516

Today is exactly 5 weeks. 4 days ago the Hcg was 33. It is doubling normally but Doctor said it is too low for 5 weeks.

Anyone has similar experience? Does it end with a chemical or ectopic pregnancy.

I am very worried right now. Outrasound is next Wednesday to see if there is a sac. 

PCOSat25

I mean it is very low. But technically it did more than double which is what they would be looking for in a viable pregnancy. You could have just been a really late implanter which would explain the low numbers. Only time will tell. Fx for your next beta. 

AandDM2014

Sorry, but it most likely is. By 13 days post you should be over 100 (at my clinic at least) and then double by 15 days post. Your numbers did more than double in that time frame, but they're very low. I say wait until the 17th, though I know that is 3 loooooooooong days away from now. I'm surprised that you even went in to get a beta. When I did IUI I only went when I could turn a pee test positive, which you cannot do yet.

leakypen

I'm right there with you...

9dp5dET Beta (Feb 13th) = 16
Will need to retest on the 16th.

Im sorry you're in Beta hell too, but like the first poster said: It did double.

wishing you GL

Sarah1516

@PCOSat25 @AandDM2014Thank you, ladies. Chemical is fine to me. The thing I am worrying most is ectopic. But my Hsg result is very good.

Sarah1516

@leakypen FX for you. Did your doctor ask you to test beta again? 

leakypen

Yes will retest on Tuesday 

my HPT was faintly positive the day before the beta but that means nothing to me now 
i fear ectopic too

lets get through this next wait as best as we can shall we?

mskeenan

Hi there . My heart goes out to you - there is nothing worse than this uncertainty .  Yes, your numbers are low . But , as I've read , there is a lot of variation person to person in hcg levels as you can read on this site .

 https://americanpregnancy.org/while-pregnant/hcg-levels/

You could have implanted late it's just too soon to know  

i will share my experience with this - which wasn't good but I'm hoping this isn't the case for you . My first beta 14 dpiui was 15 ... It then jumped to around 30 and leveled off at 40 4 days later . It was a chemical . It was devastating to me and is still hard to think about . But , like I said , you just don't know what the case is for you until you wait . Try to distract yourself , if possible . I am praying your numbers go up up up !!! 

Sarah1516

@mskeenan thank you so much! I really hope it's a chemical. When did you AF came during your last chemical? 

FX for your transfer in March!

leakypen

Sarah1516 said:

@mskeenan thank you so much! I really hope it's a chemical. When did you AF came during your last chemical? 

FX for your transfer in March!

That's what I'm looking to find too ... It should be at about the point where your hcg goes to 0, but any real-life experience would help.

@Sarah1516 have you been symptom spotting? I've had strong one-sided AF-like cramps in the few days post ET which have now tapered down to a feeble pinching and across both sides. I'm wondering what others in our boat have had symptom-wise...

When I got the results of my beta, and the RN mentioned it could be an ectopic, I asked her about the sensations and she said: Or it could be your period coming on.

Needless to say she wasn't very compassionate but then again I'm pretty sensitive ATM.

And I'm disinclined to believe that the sharp left sided "cramping" could be a period (not THAT early after transfer) or due to an ectopic... It's an embryo - we can't feel anything on such a microscopic level yet even within our fallopians...

Has anyone out there wondered or experienced similar?

Sarah1516

@leakypen I don't have any symptoms till now. I checked my BBT every morning and it's still high..I just came back from the clinic for my blood test but the result hasn't come yet. 

The nurse from my clinic didn't  say anything about ectopic to me. But I will ask her when I can rule out ectopic pregnancy today when she call and tell me today's Hcg result. 

Fx for us.

Drove2u

I had an ectopic this early fall. Luckily with an Re they catch it early so it wasn't anything crazy it just took forever to resolve itself with the medication. Good luck to you and hope it's not a cp or ectopic for you!

Sarah1516

@drove2u Thank you so much for your information. I just got my Hcg 17dpiui, it's 33. Doctor said its unlikely to be a normal pregnancy since it's too low. And we can only rule out ectopic around week 6 and I am now only week 4. Really worried. ..

oxinfree

So sorry you're going through this @Sarah1516 - I hope it's a chemical and not ectopic for you. I also hope you heal up (emotionally as well as physically) quickly. Regardless of which it is, I'm sure it's hard to take. Big hugs to you.

kaitielynnrichardson

@Sarah1516 prayers for a good outcome for you.  I started out with a beta of 16.  My RE was very cautious because he said my numbers were extremely low.  when I went in for my second beta they had doubled so he felt much better.  sending lots of hugs your way!

leakypen

*Update*

1st beta (9dp5dET): 16
2nd beta (12dp5dET): 14

Guess I'm done.
No one's called me to report it since I guess their office hours are over. I got my results online.

Would anyone recommend stopping progesterone at this point? I mean it's fairly obvious it's a chemical right?

Also - I've got my mean on right now, how soon until I can start over? 

mskeenan

@Sarah1516 I got my period I wanna say a week after my positive beta (my beta was 14 dpo ... So 21 days dpo I got AF after stopping progesterone ) 

the odd thing was that my hcg level stayed relatively consistent after i got my period . I tested on home pregnancy tests and got positives for a couple more weeks . It was so frustrating . 

I am so sorry @leakypen that is crappy that they post before calling you so you can't get any info . My heart goes out to you . I would stay on your progesterone until you talk to a nurse . Sending you a big hug . 

PCOSat25

@mskeenan how is your IVF cycle going? I will be joining you shortly! My 3rd/last IUI was cancelled today due to over response. The RE has recommended we discontinue IUI and we jump into IVF. My nurse is reviewing my bloodwork to get my plan in place and lucky (fingers crossed for a good bonus in March) we should be in good shape financially. Starting to feel real.

Sarah1516

@leakypen my 3rd Hcg is 33. Re said it is too low and I will have my 4th beta in 4 days. Actually I hope my betas will drop as yours. Still very worried about ectopic.

@mskeenan thank you! So your Hcg drops to zero 2weeks after your AF? Why it dropped so slowly?

leakypen

@Sarah1516  Oh boy I can see why you're still worried Another goddamn wait too... Yes - I do hope the best for you come next week and no matter what the result - I'm sure your RE will utilize the safest option for you.

@mskeenan Thank you for your kind words. I'm sorry too that you've experienced this same thing... but hopefully if I can progress to a FET, maybe we will reconvene on the March board and start anew together

mskeenan

@sarah1516 I'm not sure why it dropped so slowly . I never asked about it ... Prob should have . I will say my period that cycle was pretty horrific . I'm sure the fact that I was crazy emotional and devastated didn't help .

@pcosat25 I'm so sorry your cycle got cancelled . It's great that pcos allows us to respond so well to drugs but sucks when it's not safe good thing is that with IVF you'll be a rockstar since you respond so well . My cycle is going well . I'm preparing for my FET March 4 . We are planning on transferring 2 of our 10 frozen embryos . Right now I'm on estrace , an estrogen patch and Lupron to prepare . That's exciting you are getting plans together for IVF ! Keep me updated on how it's all going !! 

@leakypen yes !! We can cheer each other on !! Would love to be your FET buddy in March . 

Cmartin6706

@Sarah1516 I know you're hoping it's a chemical but I wanted you to know my wife and I are cheering for this to be a sticky baby for you. Numbers are more than doubling. Is there any talk of doing a scan to check for ectopic?

Sarah1516

Thank you all! My BBT dropped from 99F yesterday morning to 97.9F this morning. Although my AF hasn't come yet but I am guessing it is on its way. I am thrilled.

Ectopic pregnancy won't result in such a low BBT, only chemical pregnancy will, right?

AandDM2014

My ectopic was higher than that and all my cps were less than 10 the entire time.

Sarah1516

Thank you all. My Hcg today is 210. Exactly 5 weeks. It is doubling normally but RE said it is too low for 5 weeks.

Cmartin6706

@Sarah1516 I'm surprised your RE is saying that. The chart I looked up says your within the normal range. 

PCOSat25

I agree with @Cmartin6706 I don't know what you RE is talking about!!!! Maybe just being overly cautious to prevent any disappointment? I mean you have had like 5 betas and they have all doubled as expected! That to me says H&H!!!

KidShrink

I agree with everyone else...I get that it started low, but if it keeps on doubling normally, there's no need for your RE to be a party pooper just yet. There's such variation in what's considered normal.

Here's a good link with what's considered normal:  https://americanpregnancy.org/while-pregnant/hcg-levels/

Is he scheduling an ultrasound for sometimes in the next week or two? That'll be much more telling as to what's going on (especially given your fear of an ectopic). 

ChristinaV2015

@Sarah1516 I had a chemical and my numbers started at 15, then 25, then 28 then 29 and finally started to dip off.  Those Beta tests were each 2 days apart.  My RE said that's how a chemical works it's very slow goes up and then slowly comes back down.  My RE has said that even at 25 had it doubled it could've been a viable pregnancy.   So the fact that your numbers keep doubling gives me hope for you that you have a LO growing in there! 

PCOSat25

Any updates here?

Sarah1516

Hi, I miscarriaged last Sunday. The good news is that it's not an ectopic pregnancy. Thank you all and my best wishes!

laurenlalap

@Sarah1516  - sorry to hear that. Please take care of yourself. 

mskeenan

I'm so sorry to hear you miscarried . My heart goes out to you . 

Cmartin6706

@Sarah1516 Thank you for the update. We've been thinking about how you were doing. Best wishes for healing and your next try. 

PCOSat25

So sorry to hear that @Sarah1516! I was holding positive thoughts for you! I am definitely glad for you that it was not ectopic!