Methotrexate...what to expect?

pinstripechik

A little history...

I got pregnant in January 2009, which resulted in a M/C at 10 weeks due to a golfball size fibroid was discovered in my uterine lining.  After a open myomectomy and 6 months of Lupron (which lead me to bleed for an entire month and my period continued when it should have stopped, but whatever), DH & I were able to try again.  Unfortunately we were unsuccessful due to another golfball fibroid that had been discovered that was being hidden by the endometrium (after my body shed the entire lining it was found). It was removed this April via hysteroscopy.  I was placed on Clomid & Ovidrel from August to October.  I found out I was pregnant 10/28/11.  My HCG levels were slow rising today culminating in the diagnosis of an ectopic pregnancy.

Today I given methotrexate.  Has anyone ever taken this medication?  What should I expect? 

crystalknpp

My last loss was an ectopic that was treated with Methotrexate.  I needed two doses and the only side effects I had were fatigue and some muscle soreness around where the injection was done for a day or two but nothing major!  We were told to TTA for 3 months from the date of the first injection!

I'm so sorry for your loss.  I know how scary ectopics can be.  My first pregnancy was ectopic and I needed emergency surgery.  Luckily with the latest they caught it early enough!  ((HUGS)) Please feel free to PM if you have any other questions.

pinstripechik

Thanks for the info!!  Feeling a little nauseous, tired and slightly dizzy.

Crispity

I'm so sorry for your loss. My last loss was ectopic and I had two doses of methotrexate. I don't want to scare you, but methotrexate failed for me, so I do want to give you some things to look out for.

Nausea is normal, fatigue is normal, and a certain amount of abdominal pain is normal. The pain may feel like moderate to bad period cramps, and tylenol should take the edge off. The pain may come and go over a period of several days - this is also normal.

WARNING - this next part may be upsetting to you:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What is NOT normal is extremely bad abdominal pain that tylenol doesn't touch. Mine was so bad that I could barely walk from the couch to the bathroom. You also need to watch out for shoulder pain, which is indicative of internal bleeding. My shoulder pain started shortly after the severe abdominal pain. It was in both shoulders, and was mild enough that I thought I might be imagining it at first. However, it hurt more when I breathed deeply, which is also something to watch out for (internal bleeding irritates the diaphragm and manifests itself as shoulder pain). 

This happened on a Friday night, and when I called the doc on call, he said to wait and see if it got any worse before going to the ER. In retrospect, I know that the second I told him about the shoulder pain, he should have told me to go to the ER. At the time, I thought deep down that I should go to the hospital, but I chose to follow the doctor's instructions.

It was about an hour later that the shoulder pain got so bad that I knew for sure we had to go, and I passed out four times as my DH tried to get me from the living room to our car (a distance of about 30 feet). I ended up having emergency surgery in the middle of the night.

DH and I were both terrified, and it was an awful experience that could have been partially avoided had I gone to the ER when I first thought I should (the surgery still would have happened, but not the terrifying passing out). So, the moral is listen to your body, and don't worry that you are being too paranoid. If it feels wrong, it probably is.

I truly hope that I haven't upset you more than you already are. It's very unlikely that any of this will happen to you, and I don't want to scare you, but I wish I had known then what I know now. Again, I am so sorry that you are going through this. 

 

pinstripechik

Thanks for the heads up!  

LaLe09

pinstripechik:

Thanks for the info!!  Feeling a little nauseous, tired and slightly dizzy.

 This is how I felt when I got it. I remember sleeping all day. I woke up to cramping and miscarried that night. My betas were never that high... I think they got up to the 600's @ 6.5weeks. They dropped very quickly. Sorry you have to go through this.

Roxie5739

I had to have methotrexate twice this year, in Jan and August for 2 ectopics. It is a real pain, but sadly needed otherwise you may need a lap for the ectopic. I had a lap for the first one.

I found that it drained my energy and gave me real bad cramps 3+ days later and then the hormone crash! Both times, thankfully the first time DH was not home so I could work through it myself. The second I was in Las Vegas against Dr's orders and it was not pleasant.

Good luck with what you are going through. It is not fun at all, sadly you are not alone in this. Rest, destress and in a few days you will be back up and around.