Ectopic Pregnancy Diagnosis

dachsielove

We have been TTC for 14 months.  I had an early miscarriage about a year ago.  I was ecstatic to find out I was finally pregnant again in mid February.  A week later I started spotting and three days after that bleeding.  Went to the drs and they saw a small sac but was told I was a week behind than where I should have been.  They did 2 blood tests that week and my levels dropped from 16 to 12 so they assumed I miscarried.  I have been having my levels tested every week since and they have been rising ever since that one day they had dropped.  However, they are not rising very fast.  They went from the 12, to 21, to 46, to 70, and to 85.  I have also had 3 subsequent ultrasounds and they did not see anything on them.  I was reassured time and time again that it was not an ectopic pregnancy with the possibility of it being something hormonal or even a slight chance of a new pregnancy.  However, today they told me that it is ectopic and have scheduled for me to have my levels tested one last time before giving me  the shot methotrexate.  But they still do not see anything on the ultrasound and have said they do not think it is in the fallopian tubes.  So, I have lost my last shred of hope that maybe I had immediately gotten pregnant again.  This has all been so confusing because for the past few weeks they have been baffled as to what has been going on.  I'm also afraid that what "if" in the slim chance this is a new pregnancy and I end up getting the shot. I've also read that they usually give the shot within the first 6 weeks.  If this is the same pregnancy, I would be around 8 - 9 weeks.   I'm just heartbroken.  Anyone have any experiences with this type of situation???

DancinDreamer

Sorry, I have no experience with this, but am sending a **hug**.  Hope you get some kind of definitive answer.

buckeyebaby814

Sorry you're going through this.  Your betas sounds like a possible ectopic to me.  Mine rose much slower, but towards the end they rose a little more but still not anywhere close to doubling.

Just to clarify, did you say your doctor saw a sac the same week you had betas at 12 and 16?  Typically, you can only see something on an u/s when your levels reach 1000-1500.  When my doctor Dx my ectopic, my last beta was 91 and like you, I was scared because they couldn't see a thing in my ute or tubes.  

I still opted for surgery (my RE wanted to do a lap to remove the ectopic and look around) and he found a small, empty gestational sac in my tube.  Even with a beta of 91, my tube was huge and swollen and my RE said I'm lucky it did not burst.  With abnormal betas, my advice is to have something done about it.  I'm not saying it's not possible, and I know pregnancy loss is difficult as it is, but you don't want to put your health and fertility at risk by allowing an abnormal pregnancy to grow.  

GL to you! 

dimples128

I am at the end of a similar situation.  My RE couldn't see anything in my fallopian tubes but still believed that's where the pg was. My levels were all over the place, but never got above 60.  I have now had two shots of MTX and my levels are now decreasing.  If I were in your situation, I would get to shot so I could move on.  Your levels are not rising like they would if it were a viable pregnancy.  Some women don't receive MTX until 8-9 weeks.  My SIL had an ectopic and received it at 9.  Good luck with everything.  This is a difficult and confusing thing to go through.  I hope your levels drop quickly so you can move on.

 Side note - you'll have to wait at least 3 months before trying again to avoid the risk of birth defects.

SMG2721

I had an ectopic last year after TTC for about 6 months.  I started spotting at 5 weeks, and they immediately sent me for bloodwork.  They also did not see anything in my tubes, but my levels weren't increasing enough and there wasn't anything in the uterus (my levels were over 2000 so you should be able to see with an u/s).  I try to think I'm lucky it was caught early so I was able to receive a dose of Methotrexate, but I also sometimes questioned what if they were wrong.  

My only advice is get more than one dose if it's an option.  My levels were dropping at the right levels and I wasn't having any side effects, so I took my doctor's advice to not have another dose.  She allowed me to make the decision, but I didn't think it would take almost 4 months for my levels to reach zero (my dr also didn't think it would take that long).  Since you can't take prenatals while on the Methotrexate, my dr wanted us to wait a cycle or two before trying again.  We've been TTC again since August 2011.  My doctor also sent me for a HSG test in January 2012.  I had none of the risk factors for an ectopic, and the test showed no blockages so hopefully our next pregnancy will be a success!

eastcoastjess

When did you get your shot? I am at 5-6 weeks and go back in for testing tomorrow. Last Friday I was at 620 and the following Tuesday I was at 654. The nurse told me my level should be double that and it will not be a viable pregnancy.   I have had no bleeding or cramping on my side. My breasts still hurt like heck. This is my 1st pregnancy and until I got pregnant, I did not even know anything about hormone levels. I am scared to have to get surgery and risk my tube being excised, as I've read some horrible stories online with that outcome. I would much rather get the shot than have to go thru surgery. I am just wondering how the dr determines to give you the shot vs. the surgery?