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Miscarriage/Pregnancy Loss
180miles
member
My Ectopic Story
180miles
member
I had an ectopic pregnancy ten weeks ago and I just wanted to put my story out there in case someone else was in the same situation. After my surgery I was constantly trying to read information on ectopic pregnancies and I just thought it might be helpful to someone. I know this is long. You don't have to feel obligated to read it or reply. Maybe it can help someone.
Background: I am 27 and DH is 28. We have been TTC for 2 years. DH checked out fine. My doctor suspected that I had endo, but otherwise I had no explained causes of infertility or any reason to believe I couldn't get pregnant. I did not have any procedures or take medication. I did start a vegetarian diet about 3-4 months before my BFP but that was all.
Monday, July 22, 2013- BFP (I had no idea/ total surprise. Boobs had been sore for a few weeks but that is common for me anyway.)
Cramping and spotting the next day. Went to my doctor, did blood work and got a progesterone shot. My OB thought everything was fine.
Continued cramping/spotting all week. Doctor put me on bed rest and I went back for more progesterone shots. My HCG levels were increasingly high as with a successful pregnancy. My doctor thought everything was normal and scheduled me for my first ultrasound for 2 weeks later.
Saturday, July 27- cramping on right side. Was like a bad period but I wasn't worried until it continued for over 2 hours. Then I was scared and went to the ER.
Found out it was tubal pregnancy in my right side. I guess I was about 6 weeks pregnant but I never knew for sure. My OB was on-call so he did my surgery.
He saved my tube and said everything looked fine and that I didn't have much endo either. He said it was just "bad luck."
Recovery: I didn't have much pain after the surgery at all. I never took the big pain meds, just the motrin. I did get some anxiety medicine though because I was very anxious the week after surgery adjusting to everything. I was up and moving around after about 3 days and back to work after about 9 days. I didn't have much bleeding until about 3-5 days post-op. Yikes. That was scary. Very heavy cramping/bleeding/clotting about 3-5 days post op. I would have been scared except I had read online some other women experienced the same thing. Then no bleeding for a couple weeks. Then another 3 day bleeding episode (no pain, just heavy) and then no bleeding for about 2-3 weeks and then a third bleeding episode about 3 days long (no pain, heavy bleeding.)
And here I am now, 10 weeks post-op. Two incisions are pretty well healed, having some issues with the third one healing- doc may have to adjust that one a little bit- nothing major. Also, I had some stitches sticking out of the incision very slightly and the doctor said it was okay/not to worry since they will dissolve.
Now, I am waiting for AF- which the doctor said may take awhile to return and I am ordered not to TTC until 3 months post op to ensure everything heals. I guess that whole week of cramping/bleeding I had expected to MC (not that it would have been better or anything, I just had a bad feeling like something wasn't right. I didn't even think about ectopic.) but was surprised to have a tubal pregnancy. You never know.
Hugs to everyone for their experiences with loss and hopes for brighter days ahead.
Background: I am 27 and DH is 28. We have been TTC for 2 years. DH checked out fine. My doctor suspected that I had endo, but otherwise I had no explained causes of infertility or any reason to believe I couldn't get pregnant. I did not have any procedures or take medication. I did start a vegetarian diet about 3-4 months before my BFP but that was all.
Monday, July 22, 2013- BFP (I had no idea/ total surprise. Boobs had been sore for a few weeks but that is common for me anyway.)
Cramping and spotting the next day. Went to my doctor, did blood work and got a progesterone shot. My OB thought everything was fine.
Continued cramping/spotting all week. Doctor put me on bed rest and I went back for more progesterone shots. My HCG levels were increasingly high as with a successful pregnancy. My doctor thought everything was normal and scheduled me for my first ultrasound for 2 weeks later.
Saturday, July 27- cramping on right side. Was like a bad period but I wasn't worried until it continued for over 2 hours. Then I was scared and went to the ER.
Found out it was tubal pregnancy in my right side. I guess I was about 6 weeks pregnant but I never knew for sure. My OB was on-call so he did my surgery.
He saved my tube and said everything looked fine and that I didn't have much endo either. He said it was just "bad luck."
Recovery: I didn't have much pain after the surgery at all. I never took the big pain meds, just the motrin. I did get some anxiety medicine though because I was very anxious the week after surgery adjusting to everything. I was up and moving around after about 3 days and back to work after about 9 days. I didn't have much bleeding until about 3-5 days post-op. Yikes. That was scary. Very heavy cramping/bleeding/clotting about 3-5 days post op. I would have been scared except I had read online some other women experienced the same thing. Then no bleeding for a couple weeks. Then another 3 day bleeding episode (no pain, just heavy) and then no bleeding for about 2-3 weeks and then a third bleeding episode about 3 days long (no pain, heavy bleeding.)
And here I am now, 10 weeks post-op. Two incisions are pretty well healed, having some issues with the third one healing- doc may have to adjust that one a little bit- nothing major. Also, I had some stitches sticking out of the incision very slightly and the doctor said it was okay/not to worry since they will dissolve.
Now, I am waiting for AF- which the doctor said may take awhile to return and I am ordered not to TTC until 3 months post op to ensure everything heals. I guess that whole week of cramping/bleeding I had expected to MC (not that it would have been better or anything, I just had a bad feeling like something wasn't right. I didn't even think about ectopic.) but was surprised to have a tubal pregnancy. You never know.
Hugs to everyone for their experiences with loss and hopes for brighter days ahead.
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Re: My Ectopic Story
BFP 5.19.13 EDD 1.18.14 M/C at 16 weeks
We will hold you in our hearts until we can hold you in our arms in Heaven.
BFP #2 12.28.14 EDD 8.26.15
Praying for our rainbow!
DS born 04/25/2012
09/2007: Ectopic with rupture - lost right tube | 09/2012: Ectopic - saved the left tube
08/05/2013: BFP not ectopic | EDD: 4/22/2014 | 09/15/2013: Miscarried at home
Burned the bench 01/20/15 - Medicated Cycle with Clomid and HCG trigger shot on 02/08/2015
++++ BFP 2/17/18 ++++ EDD 10/26/2015
Kris, thanks for sharing with me. It is such a scary experience that no one can predict or really prevent. I am apprehensive to TTC again because I am fearful of a 2nd ectopic but I guess there is risk in reward or whatever that saying is. That is terrible that the medication treatment didn't work. I have read about it helping many people although it still seems awful.
Thank you all and best wishes to you too!
Thank you so much for sharing your story! My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
I also had an ectopic pregnancy this summer and what you wrote at the very end of your post resonates with me, that you just never know. I was so surprised that this happened to us too.
I hope that your three month wait goes by quickly. I actually just started my third AF today since my methotrexate shots this summer so technically we are cleared to start trying, however, DH and I have decided to wait until the new year to give ourselves a bit more time emotionally to heal.
Married Aug. 2011
BFP #1: 6/9/13; (EDD: 2/14/14); M/C: 6/22/13; confirmed ectopic: 7/8/13 (3 doses MTX: 7/8/13, 7/15/13, 7/22/13)
--AL Always Welcome--
Also, I forgot to mention in my story about my HCG numbers. When I found out I was pregnant I guess my lab work showed around 700. A couple days later it was over 1400 so that is why my doctor thought everything was in good order. By that Saturday when I went to the ER my HCG was 2800. It took about 6-7 weeks to finally get back down to zero. Just wanted to mention that because it seemed like it was taking forever to go down.
I think it is wise to take some time before trying again. And yes! I am so glad to have people to take to about this because it helps with the healing process and I don't feel like I have people I can talk about it with in my daily life. Especially when my closest co-worker is pregnant. (She actually found out the same time that I did... so that was kind of difficult to deal with also. Now as she progresses I think that I would have been at the same stage. I know I shouldn't think like that.
Anyway, our time will come!
And for an update, AF did arrive around 11-weeks post-op. It was longer than usual, but nothing abnormal and I felt like I experienced more PMS symptoms than I usually do. Otherwise a pretty typical AF.