Post # 1
Member
608 posts
Busy bee
For those who’ve experienced an ectopic pregnancy, I’m so sorry for your loss. If you are comfortable sharing your recovery experience, I’d love to know how you’re doing physically and emotionally.
Some of you may already know my story, so I will shorten it to just say that I am recovering after 1 dose methotrexate that was not successful, which led to emergency surgery about 10 days later. The surgeon was able to save my tube, which means that my HCG levels are being monitored (from what I understand there can be tissue, etc. remaining on the tube following the surgery, so it’s important to monitor the levels back to 0, or <5).
Even though I know that I am no longer pregnant, I am still in the no-man’s land where I’m not pregnant but my body still thinks it is. I just found out today that my most recent blood test came in at 6, down from 115 from the week before. I’m right on the cusp of the “not pregnant” territory. I expect within the next day or so, the levels will decrease below 5 and my pregnancy will officially be over.
I’m not exactly sure what to expect once my hcg falls under 5. Will I have a period? (TMI warning) I bled for about 5 days following surgery, at times it was quite heavy. But I also thought I heard the doctor say that I’ll have a period when my levels come down. I am only about 2 weeks past my surgery, so it would surprise me to have a period again, but maybe this is normal. Can anyone clear this up for me? What happened when you finally hit “0”.
Post # 2
Member
799 posts
Busy bee
BeeBlake : Sometime shortly after my 2nd dose of MTX injection I had the heavier bleeding as you did after surgery. Once my HCG level was measured under 1, I started my period about 1.5-2 weeks later. My periods have been regular since then and somewhat getting back to normal cycle lengths (31, 34 days). Also my HCG slowed in the end. Measured 4.1 and when it was checked a week later it was under 1, which is what my RE wanted. And then period was 1.5-2 weeks after that.
Post # 3
Member
4093 posts
Honey bee
I only had surgery, not methotrexate, but I don’t recall doing anything for follow up. I didn’t even have HCG checks since everything was surgically removed. My inciscions were checked about a week later, and my period came relatively on time. I waited two months to TTC again per my doctor’s orders, but it was business as usual otherwise. I’m sorry for your loss.
Post # 4
Member
608 posts
Busy bee
soontobemrs1011 : Thanks – I wasn’t sure what to expect because my understanding is that you won’t ovulate with HCG over 5, so I’m unclear on how the body determines when to have a period. Glad to hear your periods have been somewhat normal – I’m hoping it’s the same for me. We will be waiting to TTC to allow time for my body to heal from the surgery, especially because they saved the tube, and of course because I had the methotrexate. After all of that I’m ok with waiting for a bit.
whitums : My doctor explained that when they remove the tube, there is no need for follow-up HCG monitoring. In my case, they saved the tube, so it’s important to monitor HCG to ensure they “got everything” for lack of a better term, as apparently sometimes there can be tissue remaining on the tube after surgery. I don’t know the technical details, but my limited understanding is that HCG will remain higher when there is tissue remaining on the tube. That tissue eventually reabsorbes into the body, but they don’t want you to get pregnant in the meantime because of the high risk of repeat ectopic.
When you said your period came relatively on time, do you mean according to your original cycles before you were pregnant or were you counting post-surgery? That’s the part I’m trying to figure out – whether the post-surgical bleeding would be considered a “period”. Thanks again
Post # 5
Member
2899 posts
Sugar bee
I had a d&c rather than an ectopic, but I was temping and tracking my cycles, and for me it seemed like once my hcg dropped to zero, my cycle kind of started again. So if the d&c was “cycle day one” then I bled for a few days, had temps all over the place until day 17, when I finally got a negative FRER. I ovulated fourteen days later, on CD 31 and got my period twelve days after that.
Post # 6
Member
608 posts
Busy bee
KatieBklyn : Thanks for sharing and I’m so sorry for your loss. It sounds like following the D&C it was about a 6-week cycle before things returned to “normal?” Since we are waiting to TTC again, I’m not worried about jumping on the bandwagon again quickly, I’m moreso just wondering what to expect. I have a feeling it will be close to what your experience was though. After the heavy bleed following my surgery, I’m not sure what else is really in there to “shed” if that makes sense. It would make more sense to me that I would have a normal-ish cycle once my HCG gets down to zero.
I haven’t temped in a long time as I began to find it really stressful (we are almost 3 years of TTC), but I may temp this month just for some clues about what’s going on in there. Thanks again 🙂
Post # 7
Member
474 posts
Helper bee
Classing my D&C as day 1, I got my period on day 34. It took nearly 3 weeks for me to get a negative pregnancy test, and I ovulated pretty much the same day, with my first period coming about 12 days after that. My next cycle was 33 days and this month is on track to be about 29.
So sorry to hear about your loss xx
Post # 8
Member
2899 posts
Sugar bee
BeeBlake : I’m so sorry for your loss, too. I was following along on here and my heart really broke for you. I hope you have the easiest possible recovery and the fastest route to your rainbow baby. I’d definitely recommend temping if you can! I felt like it was super important for me to be able to reassure myself that the waiting wouldn’t go on forever. And because your first post-loss period may be extra heavy (mine was) it was nice to have a bit of warning that it was coming.
Post # 9
Member
1188 posts
Bumble bee
It took some time for my levels to drop as well, and I had low levels to begin wtih. I only had one round of mtx. It is a strange feeling when your body still feels pregnant. I would think now that your levels are at a 6, your levels should drop under 5 very shortly. For me, my period came about two weeks later after my levels dropped to 0. It was around the time I would have expected it to come that month if I hadnt had an ectopic. I have heard some women have their period as soon as numbers drop. I was concerned my period would be very heavey and bad cramps(I normally have bad cramps anyway) But I was surprised I that it was actually lighter than usual and hardly any cramps. I hope it is this way for you.
I have commented on your last post and again my heart goes out to you. I know it is so hard to resume normal life while you are waiting in limbo for numbers to drop. Once mine did things got better. I hope you are surrounded by people and things you love and feel free to keep posting here!!!
I wish you a speedy recovery!!
Edit- Also FYI my numbers were so low they thought I had a chemical at first. They scheduled me to get my levels checked a week later. My period came a week late so I assumed I it was a chem! I was sad but anxious to try again next month! However, when they checked my HCG levels they had raised signifigantly but they werent doubling. Thats when they suspected Ectopic. They were so surprised I could even have a period with my numbers rising and kept asling me if I was sure??(I was like well I think I have had periods long enough to know!!!) Since I thought I had a period I figured it was all over so I was ever so shocked when I found myself in the cancer center to get the MTX bc it was a chemo!! I was alone, I didnt think I needed any one to come with me bc I had no idea it was ectopic. It was awful I cried right in the doc offices. The nurses and docs were so kind to me. It was awful and my heart aches for any women to have to go through it.
We were told to wait at least 2 full cycles befoe TTC again. We ended up waiting longer bc I needed a break. Just started back up again in sept. Scared it will happen again, since now I have a 15% chance of it happening again, but RE reminded me that is an 85% it wont. That made me feel better.
Anyways I know it is an awful time for you and DH especially bc you have been triyng for some time. If you ever want to chat private message me. I know for me talking about it helped.
My prayers are with you.
Post # 10
Member
608 posts
Busy bee
candy08 : Thank you so much. So sorry to you for your loss as well. I am so glad that the nurses and doctors were kind to you. It makes such a difference! Ours were great also. I can only imagine how much worse it would have been if the nurses/doctors would have been insensitive or even indifferent to what we were going through.
The fear that it will happen again (whether miscarriage or ectopic) is a side of loss that is often unacknowledged or maybe just not known/understood by those who haven’t experienced it. I am also scared that I’ll have another ectopic. I had to seriously ask myself whether or not I could do it again – and by that I mean whether I could go through with the hospital visit to diagnose/treat with methotrexate and then with surgery, etc. For now, my answer is yes, it’s still worth it to keep trying. But I can see that for some it might be too much.
And thanks for sharing your experience about getting your cycles back. The challenge that I’m having is figuring out when to expect to get my period again. I was almost 8 weeks into my pregnancy by the time I had my surgery so I was already quite a ways off of my usual cycle by then, but this experience has taught me that I really really have no control over any of this, so I’ll just wait and see what my body does!
KatieBklyn : Thank you, and good points! It’s strange after all these years of TTC and knowing exactly what to expect with my cycles that I find myself in this strange situation where I don’t really know what’s going on in there.
Soton85 : Thank you and I’m so sorry to hear of your loss as well. My fingers are crossed for you that you get another BFP soon and that this one sticks!
Post # 11
Member
1202 posts
Bumble bee
My bleeding stopped after the surgery. I had been bleeding for weeks off and on before the surgery. I got my next period about a month after surgery. Ilost a tube in the surgery. My doctor recommended having an HSG done before resuming TTC. I had that done 3 months after surgery. My other tube is clear.
As far as emotionally goes, I held it together until about 6 months after surgery and then I lost it. My husband and I started fighting a bunch and having trouble. The stress of the loss, our TTC struggles, our toddler, and our demanding jobs that don’t pay enough, we hit a very bad place. We started therapy together and me individually and we are doing much better. We are still TTC and we get to evaluate our options in February 2017, so that is nice at least. For a while I was terrified of another ectopic, but I know that I will get early monitoring so that is reassuring.
Post # 12
Member
172 posts
Blushing bee
I had no bleeding prior but had a rupture tube that required surgery. Â I bleed for a few days following the surgery and then got my period about a month after the surgery. Â They didn’t track my HCG numbers, but, I don’t think you necessarily get your period right when it hits zero.Â
After ectopic, they did the HSG (10 days or so after first period) as well. Â I got pregnant about 5 months later and then it took about 3 months the next time. Â With both pregnancies after, as soon as I get a positive test I let my doctor know and they track my numbers until I get about 6 weeks and then do a sonogram to determine embroyo location. Â
Post # 13
Member
608 posts
Busy bee
MrsBG : I’m so sorry for your loss and also so glad to hear things are improving for you and your husband. Life can be really friggin hard sometimesbut good for you for working on your marriage and trying your best to balance it all. Praying for you that you get your BFP soon!
Post # 14
Member
1202 posts
Bumble bee
BeeBlake : Thank you. It really has been a bad year, and I’m ready for this bad time to be over… I hope you get your BFP soon too!
Post # 15
Member
608 posts
Busy bee
Mrs_Em : Thanks for sharing. Hoping all went ok with your subsequent pregnancies?