Anyone know anything about ectopic pregnancies?

[Vic85]

As you've probably seen in my other thread, I have just recieved the results of my hcg levels, they've gone up from 44 last monday, to 145 last wednesday and today they are 2075. A healthy jump if it weren't for the fact ive had spotting for a week now and some cramping. The doctors are concerned it may be ectopic and I was just wondering if anyone could tell me what symptoms i'm looking for, what to expect if it is ectopic and also Ive had two healthy normal pregnancies so why could this one be ectopic (i guess what i'm saying is is it possible?)

[tarajanes]

Ha what a plonker just realised how old this post is.and glad all turned out well.

[tarajanes]

Anything is possible,i have a 16 year old son,and experienced an eptopic 3 years ago.i was lucky enough to keep my right tube,however its completly blocked.im currently 21 weeks pregnant.for me symptoms were bleeding ,cramping pain in the tip of shoulder.i was between 4-6 weeks at this time.further on in pregnancy more likely the pain you will be in,your levels are to bad ive heard of higher jumps than that,could be you have plenty of hcg being produced.what has the scan showed.if they are really concerned they wouldnt be leaving it,but doing thorough scans etc,as this is a life threatning situation,if not dealt with.ask for another scan,dont convince yourself this is the outcome just yet.all the best let us know how you get on.

[twinpeaks]

First, I'm sorry to hear you have the suspected ectopic.  I know it's scary and confusing.  I was diagnosed with ectopic 2 months ago.  I was spotting pretty regularly after a positive pregnancy test (both brown and pink, and a little red).  I had cramping on and off.  My levels rose slowly, and my progesterone level stayed very low.  When I went in at 6 w 3d for a sonogram, it showed nothing in the uterus and a small collection of fluid in my left tube.  I never experience pain prior to this point...just some mild bleeding and cramping.  I too had a healthy, normal pregnancy prior to the ectopic and none of the risk factors for it.  My doctor said sometimes it just happens.  Mine was at the bottom of my tube close to the uterus.  

As for what to expect:  If they do confirm it is ectopic, you will either be given a shot of methotrexate (a low dose of a cancer treatment drug) that is designed to dissolve the pregnancy tissue so your body can reabsorb it or you will need surgery.  I had the shot.  It was given as two needles...one in each butt cheek.  However, mine ended up rupturing the day after the shot, so I had surgery too.  Methotrexate, I beleive, is the preferred treatment when your levels are under a certain amount because it is non evasive.  There are some side effects, such as abdominal pain and cramping, and you will have to wait 3months after the shot to TTC again.  

A note about mental state: Ectopic pregnancy is very rough mentally.  Take time to grieve and heal if that is indeed what you have.  It can hit you all at once, and though I feel like I am normally pretty "together", I had a very rough time.  

The good news is, you can still get pregnant after ectopic.  

Best of luck to you!  

[gothgirl]

i had an ectopic pregnency 3 weeks ago,i was in alot of pain on my left side and very heavy bleeding! i thought the pain was normal even though i've had 2 boys before! the doctor was v worried and sent me to the early pregnancy clinic for a scan,they couldn't see anything in my womb but a suspicious something in my tube,they decided that i should go back ten days later for another scan but during the few days after the scan (which was internal) i started bleeding very heavily,i thought i was miscarrying because of the internal scan,i was kept in hospital all day friday but they let me out,my hormone level was hovering around 147ish so i was told if i felt unwell at all to go back in as i could rupture. on the saturday morning i woke up feeling very sick,dizzy and in pain so i was taken back in,they decided to do the laparoscopy (camera through belly button) sat eve and it turned out that my tube was rupturing and if left any longer i would've died! i had the operation on the 18th july this yr exactly a week before my wedding! i was up and moving aaround 3-4 days after the op,it was only last week i was walking properly and my stitches came out this week! if my husband hadn't insisted i went back into hospital i'd be dead.. i owe him my life! another symptom of an ectopic is pain in your shoulders (i don't know why but thats what they kept asking me!) i hope this helps! x

[worriedbabe]

i've had an ectopic pregnancy. my symptoms were pain in my right side and excessive bleeding with clots. symtoms do vary though and you're best to google them. my pain started 2 1/2 weeks after i had sex, but my pregnancy was right outside the ovary. the closer to the ovary, the more pain is involved. my right tube had to be removed as it was so far up the tube. if it's near the bottom of the tube, it may be possible to 'suck' the fetus out without removing the tube. the operation to remove the tube takes about 3 weeks to recover from till you can walk again normally. the first few days are the most painful and although you're put on morphine and other painkillers, it's stil very painful. i couldn't even sit up to eat for two days. i'm on my 4th pregnancy. i had 2 boys before my ectopic and 2 boys after it. it is possible. it's said once you have an ectopic you're more likey to have another. i never did and the 2 pregnancies after were both after plan b/ morning after pills which are also supposed to increase the risk. any pregnancy could be ectopic. 1 in 80 pregnancies are ectopic. must say, if your hcg levels are increasing at a normal rate, i doubt you're having an ectopic. when i had mine they did a few hcg checks and it was my insistence and abnormal hcg rises that led them to check with a camera through my belly button to see if i was, as i kept telling them, having an ectopic. they put you to sleep for that.