Methotrexate for Ectopic at 5 weeks HCG Levels 2960 anyone have success with similar?

[monster]

I am 5 weeks pregnant with an ectopic pregnancy. This is my 2nd ectopic in the left tube. My HCG levels were almost 3000, my doc treated me with Methotrexate. Has anyone had a similar experience? Was it successful with the first shot? Can I take Ibuprofin for a headache? My doc just said no tylenol. I'm not sure what is considered a high hormone count to measure whether or not one should be treated with Methotrexate, anyone have an idea??

[sarahloe]

I want to share my story because after going through this process, the Internet was all I felt I had. My partner and I weren't careful around the time I usually ovulate and I decided to take Plan B. After about a week, I started spotting which turned into heavier bleeding. I didn't feel any pain but scheduled a visit to my doctor anyway. My initial blood levels were at 46, jumped to 750 and then reached 2300. My doctor was concerned because I had been bleeding for about a week and a sonogram confirmed my fear:the pregnancy was located in my right tube:( My doctor was really pushing for surgery but after I researched Interent articles and scrolled through forums, I felt that (if I met all the criteria) Methotrexate would be the best options for my situation. My goal is/was to preserve fertility, avoid scaring and reduce the possibility of losing a tube. My doctor schedule a hospital time for me two days after my levels were at 2300. Methotrexate works best when your hcg levels are below 5000, so the plan was to take my blood that morning at the hospital to see how we would proceed( surgery or medicine). They came back at 3700. I was given Methotrexate via IV and sent home. My next appointment with my doctor was to be 6 days after to determine if the medicine was working. He wanted my hcg levels to be 3000 or below and if they weren't, I would need another injection of the Methotrexate. Until then, no sex, no vitamins, no gym, and no tanning! The first day I was okay. I didn't leave the house and stayed in bed. For a person who is used to working out and lifting heavy 6 days a week, this was tough! On the second day I felt ok and did some housework. I wasn't nauseated and had a little bit of energy. The third day was hell. I woke up with what felt like labor pains, got out of bed and fainted! I thought my tube had ruptured so I called my doctor. He said it was probably just a drop in blood pressure and told me to stay in bed. The next few days were horrible. I felt those same labor pains day and night, nonstop. The day of my first blood draw I was still uncomfortable but better. He okayed me to walk on the treadmill but that was it! The next day I felt almost 100%! I still had a little pain in the side that had suffered the ectopic but I walked on the treadmill and was okay. My blood results came back and were at 797! And that is where I am at right now. My next blood draw is in 10 days and they expect it to be negative. For now, I am glad this process is ending. It has been emotionally and physically draining. I will update this post when I get more results. In January I will be going in for a hsg test to see if my tubes are clear:) I hope this helps someone!

[lianr]

i just found out i am pregnant and i have had a etopic pregnancy in the past on my left side resorting in me having my left tube taken out at the age of 20. I have just found out i am pregnant and have to have a ultra sound scan to see where the baby is and i have pain in my right side atm but have had pain in my right side since i hade the OP on my left side. Im really scared because i really want this baby and dont really know what to do or how to handle it if it is a etopic again. :(

[unlucky]

Ectopic preg is very very scary thing for women. I got 1st ectopic in last july and second in this year both times even I was 5, 6 weeks I had to do surgery the first time tube removed and second time It repaired and now waiting for the harmone level drop down to zero. Now I feel It very hard to adjust with this emotions can't do anything without crying in corner of the house. Now I think I would never have baby I know It very devasted but the more good things is that I am still living for someone my parter he loves me so much.      Best of luck all those women who are trying to conceve after ectopi pre, let leave all these things to god hope they finally judge well for us.

[monster]

I'm sorry to hear about your possible EP. My count was only at 1600 when I started having pain and they couldn't really see anything yet either so they kept me overnight at the hospital (because I had the pain) and did another blood test in the morning. My hcg's had gone to almost 3000 and they could see something in the tube, that's when they gave me the shot. The side effects of the shot so far have not been bad there was some stomach pain for a few days but my doc kept me home just in case of a rupture. It's been one week and I'm still at home waiting for tomorrows blood test results.

Did you have your tube checked after your first ectopic? I didn't. My doc said she told me to have that checked to be sure it wasn't blocked before trying to concieve again but I don't recall her telling me that at all. Maybe that would have prevented another one. Oh well, too late for that now. Is yours in the same tube as the last time also?

[monster]

Well, it's been one week since the metho shot. My doc said my HCG levels have not dropped yet but at least they only went up from 2960 to 5000. I took another blood test today so I need to wait to find out tomorrow morning if the levels have finally started to drop. If they haven't the next step is to get another shot or to have surgery. I'm hoping they will have dropped because I dont' think I want another shot.

Has anyone here had to get more than one shot for their HCG levels to start dropping? I think this is normal so far.

[misskai]

I recently found out that once again im pregnant and it may be my second ectopic pregnancy.  Ive been doing blood tests for the last three days.  Yesterday my hcg level wass 1000, today only 1450, tommorow the doc will determine by ultrasound if anything is in my uterus.  The ultrasound done 3 days ago showed nothing and im hoping that its just too soon to being that i just had an ectopic in march.  My left tube was removed, so ive got one left and have no children.  Has anyone ever had more than one ectopic pregnancy?  Im really nervous about this shot i may have to take if it is determined to be another ectopic.

[mslkpage]

Oh, and methotrexate is often used to treat EP's- it's actually very common.

[mslkpage]

My hcg was over 5000 when I received methotrexate, and actually rose to 7700 before it started dropping. Although the EP caused some problems for me later (I had to have adhesions removed during laparoscopy), the shot worked as far as terminating the pregnancy.

[jessie2blue]

I had a molar pregnancy last summer and my ob/gyn said that if AFTER my miscarriage my hcg levels didn't return to 0 or if they went down and back up then he would treat me with methotrexate.  This drug is technically considered a chemotherapy drug (according to my ob/gyn) and is used to treat growths and tumors. Molar pregnancies can sometimes grow into a tumor if some tissue remains after either a natural miscarriage or a D&C.  Luckily, my hcg returned to 0 within a normal time frame and stayed there for the year.  I would honestly ask your ob/gyn a ton of questions in regards to prescribing this in your situation.  I have never heard of it being given during an ectopic.  Another site to check out that was extremely helpful to me last year was misdiagnosedmiscarriage.com  it's a forum site somewhat like this....but it also as more topics and you can join a topic more closely related to what you are going through.  Good luck

[monster]

yes they are trying to treat the eptopic. I was curious about the success rate with the HCG hormone levels at almost 3000. I've done a lot of reading tonight and it seems to be 85-90% successful in a case such as mine. We decided to do this since if my doc went in to remove the left tube she would not be able to tie the right one since I hadn't signed a consent form to have a tubal litigation 72 hrs prior. So we are hoping this works and then I can go in after my tube has healed to do the tie the tubes. I'm not sure if at that time she would then remove the left tube and tie the right or what. But I wanted the right one tied because the last time she performed surgery on my left tube she said the right one was not as healthy looking as the left tube. So I dont' want to take a chance of having another ectopic in the right if just the left tube is removed. I hope this works and it doesn't rupture.

[RockRose]

I'm not sure what you're asking,  what is considered a high hormone count to be treated with Methotrexate.  You are being treated with Methotrexate to end the ectopic pregnancy,  not to treat the high hormone levels,  as I understand it.

Is your doctor removing the tube that is causing these problems?  Two ectopic pregnancies in one tube seems like more than enough to either remove the tube,  or treat the scarring so this doesn't happen to you again.

Best wishes.  This must be very hard.