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Methotrexate, ectopic pregnancy and bleeding

I have had two doses of Methotrexate administered by a needle. Between doses, the embryo grew from 2.8 cm to 5.8 cm in a span of a week. My Bhcg went from 2600 down to a little over 900. Was at the hospital under observation but have been released. This is my first night home, and I am concerned about what can happen. Experienced a fainting spell while under observation, low blood pressure after, but since then went up. Still ight headed, bleeding light to moderate, bright red, no tissue or clots. Slight cramping in my left side (where ectopic was discovered). Does anyone have any similar experiences or experienced this? What was the outcome? Am I just paranoid, or am I in grave danger at this point? ALL honesty is respected, will not get offended. Thank you
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Avatar universal
I am 32, married for 5 years with no children yet.  My husband and I have been ttc for 7 months and I started experiencing abdom. pains on my lower left side.  It got so bad one night that I couldn't sleep and we went into the ER.  Once there, we found out we were 3 weeks pregnant, so we were super excited but a little worried there could be problems.  While waiting in the ER, I started bleeding a little, so the Dr. became more concerned and had me get an ultrasound.  They couldn't see anything in the uterus, so they had me get comparison blood tests the following week (beta HCG was 2000).  My numbers were increasing but not as fast as they should be, so I was told it was definitely a miscarraige and possibly ectopic.  My Dr. had me go in for another ultrasound the following week, and they decided it was probably ectopic.  They rushed me to the ER and gave me the option of surgery or metho. injections.  I opted for the metho. to increase my chances for future fertility.

I started bleeding 2 days after the injections, but my numbers started dropping slowly.  The cramping came back, but not as severe.  Now I have diarrhea and an upset stomach, but the worst part is having to wear a pad (hate them!)  I am also tired and short of breath when I try to do too much.  This has been a hard lesson of slowing down, asking for help, and learning to grieve.  Though I am sad about losing the baby and anxious about having to wait 4 months, I'm doing okay.  My emotions seem a little heightened, probably due to the hormones dropping.  I have faith that God will carry me through this journey; He always does!  My HCG is finally below 1000, so I'm praying it continues to drop quickly and I won't need another injection.  So sorry to all of you who've had to go through this.  It's a lonely and frustrating experience, but it helps to hear from all of you!  Best wishes on your baby-makin!!!
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1685730 tn?1305398626
ON MARCH 30 I BEGAN TO SPOT AFTER WHAT I THOUGHT WAS MY NORMAL PERIOD...TEN DAYS LATER STILL BLEEDING I STRT FREAKING OUT AND WENT TO THE ER...THEY SAID I WAS PREG. BUT THEY SAY COME BACK IN 48 HOURS BEACUSE OF THE BLEEDING YOU MAY BE  HAVING A  MISCA.  48 HOUSR LATER DOC SAYS YEAH THIS IS NOT A NORMAL PREG. SO THEN MORE BLOOD WORK  HCG LEVELS STILL GOING UP BUT NOT NORMAL...HE DOES AN ULTRA SOUND AND SUGGESTS A D&C HE HAD FOUND A THICK WALL AND A COLLECTION OF CYSTS... D&C ON A FRIDAY...I THOUGHT THIS CRAP WAS ALL OVER....BUT TO NO!!! SO SAT. NIGHT MY HUSBAND TAKES ME TO ER..I WAS IN SEVER!!!!! PAIN THEY GAVE ME DRUGS AND SENT ME HOME...THEN ON MONDAY I GOT A CALL FROM THE DOC..."YOU WILL NOT LIKE WHAT I AM ABOUT TO TELL YOU" YOUR STILL PREG. NONE OF THE TISSUE WE TOOK OUT HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH A BABY AND MY HCG WAS EVEN HIGHER..SO..TUE I HAD TO GO IN FOR ANTHOER BLOOD TEST NOW MY LEVELES WERE 2000.. HE SAYS YOU NEED TO GO TO ER NOW AND GET A SHOT.. LAYING THERE WHILE THEY GAVE ME THAT SHOT WAS THE WORST EXPERIANCE OF MY LIFE..KNOWING THAT WAS GOING TO KILL THE STILL GROWING BABY INSIDE ME..I CRYED FOR DAYS  AFTER AND STILL AM.. BLEEDING HAS BEEN GOING ON NOW FOR 47 DAYS!!!! IM SO READY FOR THIS ALL TO BE OVER...MOST PAINFULL THING TO EVER HAVE TO GO THROUGH...MY LEVELS ARE NOW AT 44...I JUST HOPE THE BLEEDING WILL STOP SOON AND MY NEXT BLOOD TEST IS THE LAST AND ITS A ZERO... IF YOU ARE SOMEONE GOING THROUGH THIS  HERE IS SOME ADVICE TO FEEL BETTER ...GET A HEATING PAD!!!!(IT WAS LIKE HEAVEN..KEPT THE SHARP PAINS AWAY) SOME GOOD MOVIES AND A BOTTLE OF TYLO. ...AND IF YOUR SO LUCK TO HAVE A 4 YEAR OLD LIKE I DO TO CUDDLE WITH ..IT HELPS I WAS IN BED THREE WEEKS WITH ALL THE PAIN..A WEEK AFTER THE SHOT YOU MAY START TO FEEL BETTER..BUT ALL THE TESTING WILL JUST DRIVE YOU CRAZY..
Helpful - 0
1674879 tn?1304180587
I am currently going thru the same thing. On 3/1 I had an IUD put in to prevent pregnancy.  I had my first period on 3/28 and everything was normal. On 4/16 I woke up with severe pelvic pain that last thru the weekend. On monday I seen my gyno which then told me I was pregnant. I was shocked!!! But ok I can do this. Then they took out the IUD and did a vaginal ultrasound and it was negative they could not find the pregnancy anywhere. So the dr says it may just be to early since i haven't even missed my period yet. He sends me to the hospital for a QBHCG and that came back at 2300. I had my levels drawn 2 days later and they were only 2500. So the office called because they were concered it was ectopic. I went back to the office for another ultrasound and they said they still coulndt find the pregnancy but since my levels were above 1200 they should def be able to see something if it was in the uterus. So they confirmed an ectopc pregnancy and sent me to the hospital for a shot of methotrexate. The next 4 days after that was horrible. I had nausea, dizziness and alot of pain and cramping. Had labs drawn 6 days after the injection and they had decreased to 1400. The dr says it is a good sign but I was still without any bleeding. Finally today I started bleeding. what a rollercoaster of emotions!!!! I to thought it would be absorbed by my body but reading everyones posts I am mortified now that I am going to pass it !!!
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Avatar universal
I came across this board after recently being diagnosed and treated for ectopic. On April 20, I felt bad pains in the uterus area and could not even walk. The pain started the night before but got worse the next day. I was at work and got a last minute doctor's appointment. Turns out I was 2 weeks pregnant and did not even realize it! My husband and I just started trying the first month and I was already pregnant. I was bleeding on and off for 3 weeks and thought it must be stress. I am so glad I had pains and went to the doctor, else I would have let more time pass and not even realized I had ectopic. I started bleeding as soon as the egg was fertilized by the sperm.

Anyway, the doctor send me to a radiologist and my uterus was empty, I had a growth of 5.8x2 cm on my right fallopian tube. The doctor sent me to ER immediately and my HCG test was 388. The doctor decided to give me methotrexate - 5 doctors told me 5 different things and were even thinking of sending me home without any treatment because my pregnancy was only 2 weeks and they were not sure if it was ectopic. Anyway, the head doctor decided to give me methotrexate. I was in a lot of pain till Sat & skipped work. I went back to the doctor on Thur to make sure that the pain was not due to a rupture. I had abdominal cramps, could not sleep and woke up a few times. I usually sleep on my side but since it was painful, I slept on my back. On Sunday I started feeling better and could walk a little. I was nauseous but did not throw up.

Monday I was back to work but was very tired, I ended up over-exerting myself on Friday and had some pains, but rest helped. I avoided a lot of processed foods and ate healthy with a lot of fiber and protein, no caffeine. I was constipated for a day which caused more cramping. My father, a doctor, told me that constipation could impact the rupture so I should remove it asap. I drank a lot of hot water, ate some flax, and prunes. Prunes caused cramping so I removed them from my diet. Once constipation passed, I felt better.

7 days later my HCG level was 110. It has been over 10 days now - I had bleeding for 2 days on the 7th and 8th day, which is now very minor spotting. I am still in a little pain. I feel as though something wants to come out, but its not coming out. I have had this feeling from the very first day. I am not sure when it will go away. The pain on my side has reduced a lot. I cannot walk fast but overall I feel fine. I feel grateful that I caught ectopic 2 weeks in, else it could have been worse.

Hope this helps others. I was scared and sad about my loss, but since I found out about my pregnancy the same day as I knew something was wrong with my body, it was easier to get over it. I am 33.5 years old and feel bad that I had to lose my first in this manner. I hope I can get pregnant before 35.

Do others feel that something wants to come out but is not, or is it a different pain & feeling?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi BritGalinMS,

This a major up date!!!
Yesterday I called the clinic to check and see if the results from my HCG levels were back from the lab, they went from: 1754 from when I went to the ER the first time, to 3300 when I was at the hospital to get the Methotrexate shot and then up again to 4700 when I went to the clinic to see the Doc on Saturday (March 19th). The Doc's asst ask me if I was in pain at all, I said, Yes, some abdominal pain on the right and left side, also my bck had been hurting since the injection....she told me to go to the ER immediately because at this point obviously the Methotrexate did not work and my hormones kept going up and this was very risky that I needed SURGERY.

I rushed to the ER with my mother and when we got there, they quickly did some blood work and took me in for an ultrasound. The fetus still had  a HEART BEAT and growing!!! I couldn't believe it, the shot didn't do anything at all!!! I was very upset and scare but thankful that I was finally in the right place and around people that understood. I was taken into surgery and spend the night at the hospital, was released this morning around 10am and now home. Resting, I do have some pain, very tired and sleepy...it hurts when I get up but I'm happy that they were able to save my tube and ovary, the baby was very closed to my ovary but everything went well, the Doc had to cut part of my tube but was able to save it.

This has been a very long 2weeks, but God does work very mysteriously and we all have to have faith! Thank you for all you're help, and everyone here that has shared their story, it really does help, relieves a lot of stress and answers some of our questions.

(((IMPORTANT)))
I do want to say that if anything like this happens to any woman, you have to learn what is it exactly that is going on in your organism and find a Doc, (clinic) that will do for you and help you get thru this FAST! be on top of you're hormones, even if you get the methotrexate shot, they tell you to wait about a week to see your Dr. but don't wait 3or4 days after, check your HCG levels, I can't stress it enough. Everyone's body and organism is different, I was almost 8weeks and was lucky that the tube did not rupture, but I was on top of everything I was the one calling the clinic and bothering them so I could have ultrasounds and Dr visits, and blood work for my HCG levels. My fiance has also been great and helpful, my family has been there for me thru it all. Good luck to everyone out there.
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Avatar universal
Hi again Lis21,

Yes - it was very lucky my husband was around when I ruptured.  It happened so suddenly and unexpectedly - one moment I was sitting on the sofa, next moment I was passing out in pain.  I'm not sure if I would have made it driving myself to the hospital, I would have had to call for an ambulance.

The doctor said she said the other tube "looked fine" so we are going to hope that we conceive naturally that way, but after this whole experience I need to give my body a break.  Maybe we will think about it again in 6 months or maybe a year.

Good luck of the methaltrexate working for you.  From what I've heard the HCG blood test is the only real way of determining that, so make sure they keep tracking that very regularly.  Some people have pain associated with the ectopic, others not, some have pain after methaltrexate, others don't.  Often things continue to grow on ultrasound before it reduces also, so I don't believe that is the best way of diagnosing it's working either.
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