Am I having an ectopic?

[springmum]

I was sure I was miscarrying. Lot's of spotting brown/dark red over the last 3-4 days I should be 5 weeks 4 days.

I had my HCG #'s drawn.
17 dpo - 88
19 dpo - 158
24 dpo -459

So my #'s are low and rising between 2-3 days.

I don't have severe pain yet, but I'm analyzing all the twinges I feel in my ovaries.
My pregnancy symptoms took a drastic drop over last weekend, so I was very surprised to see that my HCG actually went up with all the spotting. I was fully expecting it to be down.

I keep reading that low, slow rising hcg's could mean ectopic.

I'm not sure what to do, since there won't be anything in an ultrasound until my HCG is over 1000 anyway right?

Something just doesn't feel right - I'm in between family dr's b/c mine retired and the one I've been seeing is useless. So it's either a walk-in with a stranger or the e.r.

If you've had an ectopic, what was your early pregnancy like? How did you find out it was ectopic?

Thank you

[JFTB1177]

I've never had an ectopic (although I have had 4 miscarriages) but at the beginning of this PG I was so worried I was having an ectopic- no spotting but I did have sharp pains on one of my sides where my ovary is. Something didn't feel totally right to me either but all has turned out well (23 weeks now)!

That said, if you REALLY feel like something isn't right, I would go get an u/s. I have had a few u/s's at your gestation in the past to verify I wasn't having an ectopic.

I had spotting with my first 2 children, and with 3 of my 4 miscarriages so spotting to me means very little! With my 2nd son I had dark brown spotting with gushing bright red blood between 5 and 7 weeks, and he was just fine.

As for your HCG levels, it sounds like they are doubling every 2-3 days like they should! I found this on http://www.advancedfertility.com/earlypre.htm.

In general, the HCG level will double every 2-3 days in early pregnancy.

85% of normal pregnancies will have the HCG level double every 72 hours.

I wouldn't read too much into HCG numbers. Only ONE of my losses had "bad" HCG numbers. Likewise, I know women who had "bad" HCG numbers and all was fine.

GL and I am crossing my fingers all is well and you have a sticky in there!

[CherryBomb]

I had an ectopic pregnancy, but I didn't know I was pregnant until it ruptured, so I can't really say what the pregnancy was like before that. I didn't suspect I was pregnant, though (but i had had bleeding around the time I should have had my period and assumed that's what it was). I didn't start feeling bad until I started having spotting. It felt like really bad gas or a uti at first.

[atpeace]

I had an ectopic a few years ago, and had the same symptoms and signs you are describing (not to scare you, as your situation might turn out very differently, but that is what happened to me).

My HCG was also rising, slowly, I had on and off spotting, and my pain didn't occur immediately. It developed slowly over about a week or two. At first it was a twinge/cramp feeling that was very localized, then it started getting stronger. I went to ER at the beginning when I suspected an ectopic, but the U/S didn't show anything yet. I went back two weeks later when the pain was so strong I was doubled over one afternoon (the pain was intermittent for days), and this time the U/S did show a sac in my right fallopian tube (no fetal pole, no heartbeat). It was "managed" medically (as opposed to surgically) with a methotrexate injection, and then my HCG levels started declining and were monitored for a few weeks until they reached 0. I've had no issues since then, and have had two healthy pregnancies (the good news!).

As for pregnancy symptoms, I didn't have any. I went to the ER since that was all that was available to me at the time (our Canadian health care system isn't perfect, after all!). Perhaps you should go get an ultrasound done...I don't think my HCG ever went over 1000.

[turtlewomyn]

I had an ectopic in 2008. I was on progesterone as I had previously miscarried that year. I had brown (I have seen prune juice colored as a description for ectopic spotting) spotting between 5-6 weeks. I also remember feeling little twitchy feelings (almost like baby kicks, but I knew it was too early). I think that was my fallopian tube starting to come apart. At 6w4d I had severe back pain, I took my first trip to the ER, the nurse was told to "look for a heartbeat" so she used a doppler on me, found my heartbeat, and told me the pregnancy was ok. They gave me pain meds for the back. Around 7w3d or so, I am pretty sure the fallopian tube ruptured. I had sharp pain on my left side (DH and I watched my abdomen vibrate) and then had pain in the shoulders all night long. Sadly, I thought it was all related to my back pain and didn't go to the ER again until I was almost 8 weeks and that was because I was passing out.

I would try to get an U/S sooner rather than later, your options for treatment (if it is actually an ectopic) would go down after six weeks or so. Early on they can treat with methotrexate, but if it gets too late they generally need to do surgery of some sort.

Good luck.

[Phantaja]

I've had two ectopics. My hCG with the last one was 8 at 4w2d and the one before that was 56 at 7w4d. The numbers did rise steadily, but my doubling time was 4-5 days. I would've been thrilled to see those numbers.

With the first one, in 2008, I never got a positive htp. My blood work was inconclusive at 23 dpo (5-10, probably) and the ob was able to confirm my pregnancy at 25dpo.

I had a lot going on during that time, so I might've ignored some warning signs, but I clearly remember shooting pains in my left leg and shoulder, where my ovary and tube are. I had dark brown spotting the week before my pregnancy was confirmed which did stop, but progressed to bright red blood the day that my ectopic was discovered. I had some cramping before that, but had no idea that it might be a sign of something wrong. I went to the hospital, hoping to be diagnosed as a nervous mother to be and sent home, but the ultrasound tech first saw my baby in my ovary, then later ultrasounds located her (I decided it was a girl) in my tube. It was treated with methotrexate that night and I was sent home the next day.

The second ectopic, the second I felt cramping and those familar pains I was at the ER. I wanted to catch it as early as possible in case it was a repeat ectopic and it was. There was nothing in my womb and my numbers were low. They never found the baby with that one, but given my history, the pregnancy was terminated, again with methotrexate.

With those numbers, I'd watch carefully, but not panic. An ultrasound would be a pretty good idea.

I wish you all the best.

[an_aurora]

I had an ectopic. I got a BFP at 15 dpo and had intermittent gushing of brown and/or bright red blood for weeks afterwards. I had a u/s, they said m/c, but later was called and told it was ectopic. Checked into the hospital, and my levels were drawn every 2 hours. My levels were very, very high an increasing. Turned out to be an ectopic with twins at 12 weeks. I never had a smidgen of pain but had a 'slow leak' in the tube that was causing all the bleeding.

[TXmom2]

I had my ectopic in 1998. I finallly got my BFP on my 5th round of Clomid and was excited. Didn't do any blood tests or anything because my doc wanted to wait and see me at 9 weeks.
At almost 6 weeks I had horrible cramping pains in my left side and back area which felt very much like a kidney stone (which I'd had before) I went to the ER and the sono tech very coldly said "well, looks like we have a tubal here, gonna have to get that out"

They gave me the Methotrexate and sent me home. I followed up with my doc.
I didn't have any bleeding or real cramping (other than what I thought were normal growing pains) until the night it had me doubled over.

I hope it all works out for you

[springmum]

wow - thank you for sharing your stories - I'm so sorry

I'm in Canada and will definitely head to er for a scan to be sure.
My spotting is now bright red with clots, but still "light" and on/off. I'm having lower back pain too on/off.

Unfortunately methotrexate isn't an option, as I am still nursing my toddler.

Fingers crossed it's nothing serious.....

[Ola_]

Sending lots of vibes for your mama!

[springmum]

I went to the e.r. It's confirmed that I will miscarry, but they don't see it anywhere right now.. (my hcg is too low to see anything)

My hcg did go up since Tues to 622 though, which means if it continues to rise I will need another scan to check my tubes.

I will go Mon for bloodwork to see if it's going up or down.


Good luck and a happy & healthy 9 months to all

[Blanca78]

I'm so sorry. I hope the follow-up scan shows that it's not ectopic.

[atpeace]

Oh that stinks, springmum! I'm sorry to hear that. I hope you heal peacefully and take care of yourself. Good luck.