Ectopic or MC?

[Rosses]

I am about 5 weeks pregnant with some brownish bleeding that was not too heavy.  I went to urgent care as I was feeling concerned. They saw something through an ultrasound near my left ovary.  I was refered to an OBGYN for further investigation.  My HCG levels were measured twice two days apart and then compared.
The Doctor said that they only rose by about 18 percent which is not normal.  Although he is suspicious of an ectopic he is telling me to wait and continue to come in for blood tests and ultrasounds.  He says that this could be a miscarriage about to happen or it could be an Ectopic.  The thing near my ovaries could be a cyst because it is very close to the ovaries.  I wish there was an obvious difference, but there is not.  It is too early on.

I don't know if anyone has been in similiar situations and can just give me some thoughts.  I am confused because I have no pain at all in my abdomen.  I almost wish I were having a MC even though that sounds funny.  I am scared of an Ectopic and do not want to take the drug.  I am concerned about my furture fertility.  I have had no other problems before this and I am 29.
if there is any info that can shed some light on the differences between an ectopic and mc that would great.

[Mommynurse151]

Hello. i had en ectopic dx 8/4/08 and had MTX injections the next day. When your HCG levels are 1500 or higher they should def.tly see something, at least the sac in your uterus. The sooner they find an Ectopic the less risk of damage you will have. If it is let go to long,it could burst your tube..causing you to possibly bleed to death..or having that tube completly removed. Im not trying to scare you but its a dangerous situation. I was 7 weeks and 2 days when i got my injection. the drug you get for it will not cause you to be infertile...its a matter of a damaged tube or removed tube..BUT you have 2 tubes ,so even if one would had to been removed you still have the other to conceive from. It might just take you a little longer to get pregnant. But doesnt mean your doomed to never have a baby. My tube was saved..i was early enough to get shots instead of surgery. they can do sugery to remove the Ectopic but it is risky..the surgery itself could damage the tube..plus i heard alot of ppl that get the sugery end up getting the shot anyway. The shot is a better way to go..you have a higher chance of saving your tube and very little damage if any. Miscarriages are pregnancies that are in the uterus but something wasnt right and its your bodies way of expelling it, where a Ectopic isnt in the utuerus so the uterus 'thinks' its pregnant and doesnt know the pregnancy isnt in there, therefore it takes the sugery or the meds to terminate it. Miscarriages are natural losses and ectopics must be treated by medical prof. to make you lose it. But like i said the drug you get for an Ectopic wont make you infertile..in fact some1 told me recently it could actaully 'clean' your system out..incase of any other kinda growth that may have been in your tubes..the drug would attack that as well, possibly clearing up a blockage,which couldve been a reason an Ectopic has occured. There is also a test after youve had a Ectopic in which they run a dye up through your uterus and it drains into your tubes and abd. cavity and while they do this they ultrasound you and it will show if you have any blockage..also the dye running through your system could clear out any blockages if ther is any. Also after this dye test(HSG) the day you have it done..you are to have sex..that the HSG test makes you very very fertile. many women who couldnt even get pregnant had this test done and as soon as the test was done they started having relations and got pregnant right away...even after years of unsuccessful fertilty.

[Tanker Chic]

The treatment will not threaten your future fertility but an ectopic could.  If they know it isn't a viable pg, I don't know why they wouldn't go ahead and give you the methotrexate shot.  The sooner you get the treatment, the more likely it is to work.  When I had my ectopic treated at 6wks, it did not work. The numbers went down but not enough. They treated it again at 7wks and then at 8wks my tube ruptured.  I never had any pain until the tube ruptured.  And even then, not a lot of pain.  When I went to the hospital the nurse told me she didn't think my tube was rupturing because I didn't appear to be in enough pain.  The pain was more like an odd discomfort that radiated from chest to my shoulder.  FYI, radiating shoulder pain is due to blood in the abdomen.  

The bright side is, I did get pg a few months later and my son is now 8 months old.  

Good luck and take care of yourself.