Ectopic PG and managing afterwards

[becnxavi]

Hi ladies,
I can't find information on how my body should be feeling after I lost my baby last week. I had a laproscopy to remove my ectopic pregnancy and the left tube too becasue it had ruptured.

The thing is, my hcg was still quite high when the tube ruptured and had been rising normally all along. I still, a week later, feel pregnant. The sore boobs, nausea, peeing constantly...when does that go away? It's hard enough to cope knowing my bubs is gone, but this is just too much to manage as well.

I just assumed that I would feel normal again pretty soon, which I did with my other m/c.

Can anyone shed some light on this?

Thanks so much,
Bec

[butterfly_warrior]

I think if I were you I'd be going back to the doctor to get another blood test or scan or something. I've never had an ectopic, but I did have a missed miscarriage, and the pregnancy symptoms that remained after my baby had died did vanish pretty quickly after the D&C. I wouldn't know what's going on, but it sounds like something I'd want to get checked out.

Sorry that you are going through this.

BW

[Yas]

Bec- so sorry hun I agree with BW, my pg symptoms all went away really quickly (like 2-3 days) and i was supposed to be 12w the day i got the D&C.
Hope your feeling a little better, even if it's just for a minute.
xoxoxoxo

[Mildez]

Bec again I am so sorry for your losses.

I had 2 m/c's before my ectopic pregnancy and the ectopic by far was the worst pain emotionally and physically I felt. It took me a long time to recover from the lap to remove bub and my tube. I did have complications during and just after the surgery. Physically it was a good 6weeks for the discomfort to subside and 8weeks until I returned to work (this isn't mentioning the emotional pain) I did a HPT about 2weeks post ectopic surgery at 8.5weeks and the HPT was negative. I did find my pregnancy symptoms went quickly afterwards however which was a relief as I had strong symptoms from the time I was told I'd m/c until the pregnancy was diagnosed ectopic. I also ovulated again 17days after my surgery but we were not ttc again at this time and AF was only a few days later then what it would have been if AF arrived the day of my surgery if that makes sense. Once out of the surgery (in hospital) I had some spotting and then had a full flow of bleeding which lasted 10days 3days post surgery. I think from memory I ovulated only a day or so after the bleeding had vanished.

As I had a pelvic infection I was on antibiotics for 3weeks post surgery which then led to bowel problems and because of some bodged up suturing I had an infection where the lap wounds were despite the antibiotics I was on for the internal infection. This could have been why my physical recovery took longer then one would expect. I was unable to DTD with DH for a month post surgery because of the pain I was in (then when I finally could stand it it really made my emotionally pain worse as we had spent the past yr and abit ttc and when that was no longer happening and I was no longer pregnant it was really hard)

During my surgery they discovered I had an infection which had caused the ectopic and the reason why I had trouble falling pregnant and when I did I m/c the first two bubs followed by the ectopic. Despite not having hydrosalphinx they said my tube was toxic causing my pregnancies not to be successful which is why i was then put on high doses of antibiotics and had a 2nd lot of surgery 9weeks after my ectopic to try and repair some damage and flush my remaining tube which was said to be in bad shape.

Close to a yr after this ordeal we were very fortunate to get our next BFP which has been a sticky. Feel free to ask anything you may want to know. I found the ectopic pregnancy trust very supportive (uk forum for just those effected by EP) and would recommend joining it.

Once again I am sorry you have been through this and hope your recovery is kind to you

[becnxavi]

Thanks ladies for your feed back and sharing your story Mildez. My surgery was also a bit complicated mainly becasue I bled so much internally, but I'm recovering physically pretty quickly, just sore if I do too much. I'm sorry your recovery took so long Mildez, but congrats on your sticky!

I also haven't bled really. I had a few days of wiping blood, but not much, which was when I was still in hospital, and since then just occassionally pink tinged when I wipe. I assume I would have a big bleed, but nothing. Hoping that's normal too! I know I wont ovulate unless I take meds to (I've been on OI for nearly 2 years), but I did think this would be counted as AF.

I have booked in with my GP tomorrow to get my HCG checked, assuming that's a starting point. I was the same as you guys with my other m/c, the pg symptoms disappeared in days. I will let you know how it goes.

XXX

[Tegam]

I bec i have Pmd you but wanted to add and hoping not to get your hopes up but my Dr did a blood test after a few weeks of the surgury to check that there was not another pregnancy there, sometimes a twin is in the uterus after an ectopic.... i had this as i still felt pregnant! Sadly it wasnt the case and i got my periods shortly after!

[Tegam]

I had 2 m/c's before my ectopic pregnancy and the ectopic by far was the worst pain emotionally and physically I felt.

You could never say this to soneone that hadnt had an ectopic but it is so totally and utterly true isnt it! I am crying just thinking of it!

[becnxavi]

I was worried about that Tegam! More becasue if there was another one in there I would hate to think of all the trauma with surgery and drugs I've been on etc. My Dr appointment got moved to monday, so I still haven't had a BT. My bb's are not as sore, so I'm hoping things are starting to go down.

Thanks everyone,
Bec

[alish]

hey bec, how are you going?
ive been following you to see how you are doing

we were ttc for 1 year before i had a laparoscopy to find i had endometriosis, which was burnt out. i didnt get my period when it was expected and i just thought it was because the endo was burnt out, turns out i was pregnant! rang my obgyn and cuz i was worried about the procedure i had doing any harm to the baby and he said everything would be fine.. i started getting very bad bloating & bleeding, stabbing pains in my right side, so i went to hospital & had an internal ultrasound, turns out it was ectopic and it was removed at 8 weeks (still have my tube).. but the placenta kept growing and rupturing my tube so i had to have the methtoxrate (cant spell) injection to kill the placenta.. i bled for 8 weeks after that. i had 1 blood test a week to check my hcg levels also.

they generally say however long you were pregnant for thats how long it takes for your body to get back to normal, which for me was about right, but everyone is different. i still felt pregnant for a few weeks after the pregnancy was removed, but i think thats mainly because the placenta kept growing and my body still "thought i was pregnant".

i know you had your tube removed and i didnt, but i hope that sheds a little bit of light on it for you,

i agree with mildez there is not pain physically & mentally like it, and if you havent gone through it, you have no idea!! (no offence to the ladies that have commented, im just saying a m/c is different to an ectopic pregnancy - as in your body physically healing)

i read somewhere you still have a 75% shot at another pregnancy? thats really good odds, and 15% of another ectopic? thats low, i wouldnt stress too much on that, my doc told me not to fall pregnant for 3 months afterward cuz there was a 50% chance of another ectopic (as he wasnt sure if my tube was damaged or not, plus he wanted the methtoxtrate (again cant spell it) out of my system) and i did fall pregnant.. (that was with my 2nd angel baby, it didnt make it but it had absolutly nothing to do with ectopic or the injection) so i have my fingers crossed for you that next baby will be the one, and that it wont be far away!! xxxxxxx

[Tegam]

Alish sounds like you were lucky to keep your tube, funny word to use hey 'lucky" sorry about that! Good luck with this pregnancy my dear!

Bec - sorry your appointment was moved!

My OB told me that if you have damaged tubes one is 1:2000 chance of having an ectopic. Seeing mine wasnt damaged at all i had a 1:200000 chance "lucky me" but after having an ectopic you have a 1:200 chance of having another.... crappy odds all round if you ask me!

[alish]

tegam - i agree, i am lucky!
there isnt a day that goes past i dont think about both of the babies, but im a stronger person for going through it!
alot of people say to me that an ectopic isnt a "real pregnancy" but theyre so wrong, it broke my heart to see that little babies heart beating, knowing that it wouldnt be able to live on! i still had life growing in me even thought it was in the wrong place!

[Tegam]

Oh when it happened it was the hardest thing i have ever done, being wheeled into the OR for my D & C for my MC and that was when i knew the baby had pasted. Going into the OR even whilst rupturing knowing that things would have been ok if it was in the right spot still kills me a little every time i think of it.

I feel incredibly lucky to still be alive and that my other kids have their mummy but i really wish i had never felt that pain

[alish]

oh i know! it still brings a tear to my eye now!
it just makes me wonder what i did wrong to deserve that, what anyone does wrong, i mean, all we are trying to do is create life to love and they take it away?? it dosent make sense to me.

p.s your little girl is the most beautiful little darling! i love that photo!

[Tegam]

Nope doesnt make and sense what some people have to endure to create love.

Thank you, we think she is ok too, only posted sig and i have PMd bec and she has seen it already....hope it didnt upset anyone else but i was good for me when i was down to see that people do get to move on and have a healthy baby or pregnancy....

[alish]

yes thats right

[becnxavi]

Hi ladies,
I just wanted to let you know that I have been back to the Womens today after my GP checked my hcg and it had doubled in the 2 weeks since the ectopic was removed! It turned out I had another sack in my uterus as well, which is a non viable pg and has been classed as a missed m/c. I'm having a d&C tomorrow. Apparently it's like a 1 in 30,000 chance of having this! It's called a heterotopic pg. I'm not really sure what to think since I've already grieved for my baby and this little one is just an empty sack and there was no baby there really.

I just wanted to update you on what had eventually happened.

Thanks so much for your support,
Bec

[alish]

oh my god im so sorry, gee you have been on so much xoxoxox

[Tegam]

Oh god bec you must be so confused! I am so sorry that you have to head back into hospital! Oh my heart breaks for you and both the twins! So sorry bec!