Thought Ectopic but Not?

Lubaba · September 2016

So apparently I'm one of those women who freaks out over all types of aches and pains. I'm 5.5 weeks into my first pregnancy. I had an early miscarriage two months ago and it was fairly rough on me emotionally. So of course, this time around I'm highly aware of every twinge, leak, sore spot, etc, and with each symptom my brain jumps to the worst possible thing.

I've been having dull cramping mainly on my left side/hip bone/leg at night for only two nights, but I'm already harboring fears of ectopic. Even though I've talked to my doctor, and I've tried to reassure myself with saying that ectopics are rare, and that it's good I'm not bleeding/spotting, I can't shake the worry.

Forums often have stories of people currently worrying about it, or people who had horrible ectopics so bad that tubes needed removing. I'm wondering:
1. Is there anyone here who worried about an ectopic in their first trimester but later confirmed that it WASN'T?
2. What symptoms made you worry it was one?
3. Did you feel like the worry and/or your reaction to it was worth it after?

I would be really interested to hear from anyone else out there who suffered from first pregnancy freaking out.

leksiL · September 2016

Stop and stay away from the internet. You are putting yourself through too much stress. You can find any number of horror stories on forums, and it will make it seem like everyone is always having problems. You will be able to go in for an ultrasound in a few weeks and confirm that everything is okay. Find a good book or ten to absorb you until then.

SnarkasaurusRex · September 2016

Exactly what PP said. I know that PGAL brain is hard, but you need to focus on the positives and try to avoid worrying about things that you have no control over. It is going to be a LONG 9 months if you cannot find ways to get yourself off of that track. Like you, I worried about everything, during first tri especially. With this second baby, I'm a lot calmer. I know that I am making healthy choices and that everything else is out of my control. I can guarantee you that the worry is not worth it. All it's going to do is stress you out, and your body is going through so many changes right now that one of the LAST things it needs is that additional stress.

Find something that helps clear your head, and do that when you start to worry. I like to crochet because it takes my mind off of things and helps me to focus on the task at hand.

Jyoung327 · September 2016

I'll speak to the "symptoms that made me worry it was one"...Because I had one. My physical symptoms were not "twinges" or "aches" even though my experience was rather unusual. My tube started shredding itself over a 4 day period and clotting at the same time, delaying the rupture. I felt random intense pain that made me almost pass out and then it would go away. I was thinking kidney stones or appendicitis because I had already had methotrexate to dissolve the pregnancy due to my hcg numbers and ultrasounds. The day it actually burst, I couldn't stand up straight, and by the end of it couldn't breathe because of the pooling blood putting pressure on my diaphragm, in addition to shoulder pain, so there was a weird gasping I was doing and my BP bottomed out...bUT by then I was in the ER. I had had weeks of spotting, and I also obviously lost my tube. I was also 3 months post miscarriage at the time so I understand the paranoia...but if you have no other reason to believe you have an ectopic other than some aches, I would stop googling. If your doctor isn't concerned and your body isn't screaming trouble, you are causing yourself unnecessary mental trauma.

Aches pains and twinges are all normal parts of the pregnancy causing your joints and ligaments to loosen and expand and you'll have minor pains all over a various times. If you remind yourself of that, you might stress less. First tri is a helpless kind of position to be in, there was nothing I did wrong or could have done differently to impact my results, so just make sure you are making healthy decisions.

vrj0522 · September 2016

It could also be a cyst that is bothering you. Those are pretty normal during pregnancy. I agree to stop reading the Internet. If it's an ectopic you will know soon enough, believe me. But if it isn't, then you just wasted all that time and energy on something that wasn't worth it.

kkerner87 · February 2017

I'm 5 weeks and have had the EXACT same pain only on my right side. I agree with that the internet can drive you insane. I keep saying it almost feels like my hip bone is not aligned correctly and it is just this dull ache. Of course I read on a forum the only symptom of her ectopic was it felt like her hip was out of place. I had a loss back in 08 and this will be my second pregnancy since then and until i have that first appointment where I can see everything is okay, I drive myself crazy picking out what "could be" going wrong. I also have really bad anxiety so I'm like that with everything. Even now I'm like that with DD. Drive myslef crazy with what "could be wrong". It sucks being this way but i can't keep myself from doing it.

SwtAnana · February 2017

Try not to google this...you'll read all kinds of horror stories! I know it's easier said than done though.

I am going to be a FTM. I was (still am) having a very similar pain but on my right. It reminds me of my ovulation pain, dull and achy. It radiates from my right pelvis, around my hip, to my lower back. I was paranoid I was having an ectopic pregnancy although I haven't had (red) bleeding and I wouldn't describe it as sharp or severe pain. It didn't help that my best friend had just had emergency surgery for a ruptured ectopic pregnancy! Well I had a scan at 5w2d (I'm an IVF patient and my clinic scans all of us early) and it's a confirmed intrauterine pregnancy. Just turns out that my little bean chose to embed mostly on the right instead of in the center of my uterus.

So to answer your questions:
1.) yes I was worried! But an early scan proved it was unwarranted

2.) my symptoms were a dull ache with radiation. I had no other worrisome symptoms (nausea/vomiting, lose of appetite, fevers or chills, severe pain, red bleeding)

3.) yes I think my worries were warranted!

Webrs2016 · February 2017

Hello I'm new here ,
It took me 7 years to conceive my son which is now 17 months old. I am currently pregnant with my second, I had a hcg blood test completed Thursday which provided me with the positive results but my HCG was at 22.1. Saturday night I began spotting a little with some brownish mucus, it progressed into me bleeding bright red and passing large stringy clots of blood by Sunday morning. I've had very mild cramping accompanied by some nausea tender breast and tiredness. I took a hpt this Sunday morning and it says not pregnant. I'm so confused - help

Webrs2016 · February 2017

msashley2010-2 · February 2017

@Lubaba I was also scared of having an ectopic pregnancy because of my prior losses and having pain only on one side of my pelvic region. It turned out to be an ovarian cyst and nothing to worry about.

Try not to google your symptoms as the internet is full of horror stories and worst case scenarios.

Speak with your doctor about your concerns. They will be able to give you the best and most accurate advice.

msashley2010-2 · February 2017

@Webrs2016 You should call your doctor as soon as you can. They should be able to bring you in and give you the answers you need and hopefully peace of mind. No one here can really tell you the reason behind what you are experiencing. I truly hope for the best for you!

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