hcg rising, bleeding, ectopic pregnancy?

Hi, last period was July 5th, abnormal, very little symptoms, bled for about 2 days (I usually bleed for at least 6 days, so period was very unusual).  8-21-07 I woke up bleeding and passed some kind of tissue in the toilet.  Blood that day, all day was red, cramping was very mild.  Went to the ER.  HCG level was 896 indicating about 4 to 5 weeks pg.  Was told it was a blighted ovum and to see PCP in a few days.  Went to PCP (in the meantime, only brown blood, no cramping) and they performed HCG.  Level was 1149.  On Friday 8-24-07 was bleeding red again with cramps, and was told to stay off my feet as much as possible, and to use pads instead of tampons.  Will go in Monday morning for another HCG test and later on that day an ultrasound.  My question is this, am I having an ectopic pregnancy?  When I went to the ER on Tues, they performed 2 ultrasounds.  Nothing found in my uterus (so far) and only a cyst on my right ovary.  Is it possible to be having an ectopic pregnancy while bleeding like I am and my hcg levels still rising?  
Just looking for some insight as to what is going on.  I still feel pregnant.  My breasts are still sore, visiting the bathroom constantly, some nausea.  

[alaysha]

Numbers should double at least every 24-48 hours you didn't give specific dates for the HCG levels. Whenever you have a miscarriage it takes a while for the levels to do back down to zero. When I had a miscarriage it took 6 weeks for my levels to hit zero and for me to loose all the pregnancy symptoms. Its possible that you aren't having a miscarriage because for some people they do bleed in early pregnancy. However the tissue passing sounds like a miscarriage for me and you may need a D and C in order to get the remaining tissue out.

[sheera]

Hi Alaysha, ty for commenting.  My hcg levels on 8-21-07 were 896 and on 8-24-07 they were 1149.  8-21 was the only day I had any tissue.  On Thursday 8-23-07 my doctor was fairly convinced I wasn't going through a tubal pg, but then she read my HCG levels on Friday.  She didn't speak to me but her nurse did and told me to stay off my feet as much as possible and to use pads.  Also, on Thursday, my doc thought that she might have to give me a D and C to help stop my bleeding.  
I go in this upcoming Monday for another HCG test and ultrasound, just don't know if I can hold out til then.  It's making me insane.  3 years and now this...
The thing that confuses me is that the hcg levels are rising and yet I'm bleeding.  I guess I would have figured that if I was going through a m/c, the levels would slowly lower.  Maybe even creep down, but still drop.  But they are rising.  I'm scared to death of a tubal pregnancy.  I'm afraid of what they will have to do if it is and how my body will react.  
How can you have a tubal pregnancy, bleed and the levels rise?  I just don't get it.

[alaysha]

It doesn't sound like a tubal pregnancy to me it just sounds like a miscarriage where there is some tissue still left up in there which might be what is causing it to slowly go up. Getting another HCG test and an ultrasound sounds like a good idea. I hope everything works out for you. If it makes you feel any better at all after I had a miscarriage I was pregnant a month later and now I am 22 weeks. Keep your chin up I'm sure things will work out for you. :)

[sheera]

Thank you so much for your kind words.  It's so heartbreaking when you try and try and get no where and then suddenly, out of the blue, you're pregnant only to find out you are miscarrying.  I went through one month of fertility drugs, which were so expensive I couldn't imagine paying for more than just a month.  And that was several years ago.  We had basically given up.  I just wish this was all over with.  My doctor will probably recommend a D & C.  I'm sure that will make my pain and emotions worse...
I do appreciate you getting back to me.  I posted two different times on another website and have still received nothing!  And that was over 18 hours ago.  This whole mess is just so disheartening.  
I don't want to get my hopes up.  But I do know that my husband's secretary was told at least 3 times during her current pg that she was miscarrying b/c of bleeding.  She is due in Dec.  Let's just hope if it is a tubal or I'm miscarrying, that my experience is over soon so I can get back to living.  
Thanks again!

[ashort]

I was just reading your post and I wanted to say that I wish you the best...hopefully you are able to try again soon. I also know how you feel and the waiting game sucks.  I had a D and C in June and am still waiting for AF..almost 10 weeks later.  I still have HCG in my system and nobody knows why...so I am also waiting...good luck to you...

[daprincess21]

best of luck and i hope all works out for you! im sending lots of baby dust your way!

[Torra325]

First I want to say I'm  sorry that you're going through this.  My DH and I have been trying for a year to have a baby.  I've had 2 ectopics in the last year and I lost my left tube with the last one in June.  I had alot of the same symptoms that you've described.  With my first one, I bled but didn't have an ounce of pain.  I ended up having the Methotrexate shot and a D&C (Nov. 2006).  I found out I was expecting again in May and ended up bleeding (passed tissue as well) and then in ER before it was all said and done because of EXTREME pain on my left side.  My ultrasounds with both never showed anything in the uterus... made it to about 5 mos. with the first and 6 1/2 with the second.  I had the option to take the Meth shot again in June or go into Laproscopic surgery to see if they could find anything.  At this point I needed closure, so I opted for surgery and they found the pregnancy in my left tube as well as finding damage caused to the tube from the previous one.  Also, my hCG levels continued to rise, but stopped doubling soon thereafter.  It's hard to say whether your symtoms (symptoms) are that of a miscarriage or an ectopic since everyone is different, but I can only suggest that you make sure that your dr keeps close tabs on you and make sure that if you're in any kind of pain at all (especially isolated to one side or the other) that you go to ER immediately.  Take care and keep us posted on how you're doing...

~T

[sheera]

I can't tell you how much your comments mean to me.  I really don't have friends and my guy loves me, but there's no way he can completely understand what's going on.  So all of your support means the world to me!!!  Let's just hope if it's bad, which it probably is, it's over soon!  
Again, thank you so much!

[sheera]

So sorry to hear about your troubles sweetie.  This is my first ever experience with a miscarriage or bleeding of any kind.  I have a healthy and very talkative 7 year old.  I've never been one to just get pregnant.  My first took 2 months shy of 2 years.  This time it was 3 years.  I told myself I didn't want to be pg after 35.  I've got 2 more years to go!  
I wish you all the luck in the world.  Everyone deserves to be a mother at least once!  I've had my chance, and if I don't get another, so be it.  But I hope each and every one of you at least get one!  Children are a pain, but remember, it's YOUR pain!  lol.  Cherish it.

[Torra325]

Wow.. sorry...that sounded alot worse than it should have!!  I was 5 WEEKS with the first and 6 1/2 WEEKS with the second!  Sorry!! :)

[sheera]

No worries hun, I knew what you meant...

[sheera]

Ok girls, I was cramping quite a bit this morning, and was going to take a nap, but went to the bathroom first.  Started wiping, red blood, as usual, and then some tissue, a little stringy, but tissue all the same.  Looks like maybe my body is trying to rid itself of this pregnancy all on it's own.  Which might be a better thing, considering it's my first miscarriage and I didn't really want the drugs and definitely didn't want a D & C.  Keeping my fingers crossed.

[2songbirds]

what you're describing is what I went through with a blighted ovum/missed m/c. Went to ER when I was 6 weeks pg, nothing seen in uterus, large cyst on ovary, hcg levels were in the 3000's. For the next 3 weeks I cramped and bled on and off for 3 weeks while my hcg levels rose up to 20,000's. During week 7 a sac did form, but that was it. I still had my pg symptoms until after the d&c. That was by far the hardest m/c I ever had...to not know if I was still pg and still had the symptoms and such, then to have it all taken away.

I wish you the best.

I also remember before I went to the ER I saw stringy liver gray looking stuff which was "tissue". I believe that's when I officially lost the baby, but my body wouldn't let go of the remaining tissues.

[sheera]

OMG.  That's something similar to what I experienced earlier.  Except it was bloody tissue.  I've been losing it ever since.  But not in as much.  The severe cramping seems to correlate to the tissue lost.  I go tomorrow for another HCG level test in the morning, and an ultrasound later on tomorrow.  I can't stand the idea of being pregnant and then losing this child.  For whatever reason, it's still not good.  At least to me.  I keep telling myself that it wasn't meant to be.  It's so hard.  My husband told me that I was moaning last night in my sleep, I gathered from the pain.  It's so hard on him too.  We've been trying this second time for over 3 years.  Anyways, I'll continue to post what I find out.  Let's hope this doesn't affect my future ability to conceive.  We were beginning to wonder if I still could..lol.  It can't all be taken away from me now...:(

[2songbirds]

well, when I saw the tissue, it was mixed in with blood. I had had 3 other m/c before this last one (1 1/2 years ago) so I knew to inspect everything that came out of me. I also remember the color of the blood would always change. Some days it was pink, brown, bright red, dark red. OTher days I didn't bleed/spot at all. I only cramped really bad before I would start bleeding, but then other times I would bleed without cramping. THat went on for 3 weeks. At the same time I had morning sickness, starting to show (would've been 3rd DC in less than 3 years).

Things do happen for a reason, no matter how hard it seems to be now. I went on to get pg again 5 months after that D&C and currently have a healthy 3 1/2 month old. Our bodies know when there's something wrong with the pg.

Something like this won't affect your abilty to have more children.Good luck with the u/s.

[tgraham2]

First let me say that I am truly sorry for what you are going through.  I too went through the same type of miscarriage.  I started spotting and then full blown blots etc 2 days later.  I knew for sure that I was miscarrying but my hcg levels were still doubling.  They continued to double for about 1 1/2 weeks and then I actually continued to bleed 4 weeks beyond that.  I think it takes some time for our bodies to process what is happening sometimes.  I passed everything naturally and am now 6 weeks pregnant just 3 short months after the actual miscarriage.  I hope that which ever way this situation is going to end up for you that you are able to find out what's going on soon.  It's very hard and nothing anyone can say makes the pain any less.  Good luck to you!

[sheera]

My HCG levels are a little above 400...going down.  Passed quite a bit of tissue yesterday/lastnight.  My doctor cancelled the ultrasound, they are very confident my body will take care of the rest.  She said we could start trying again in about a month.  9-21-07  So everyone keep their fingers crossed that I have the best birthday present ever!!  My bday is 9-29
I just hope my body can handle another baby.  Keep your fingers crossed for me!  And thanks sooo much for all of your support.  I can't tell you how great it was to be able to have others relate to me.  

Hugs and Baby dust to you all!

[ashort]

I'm so sorry to hear about your loss..I wish you all best and I hope you will keep us updated...good luck to you..so sorry again.