[yarngirl]

Hi everyone, I just wanted to get a sense whether my experience now is normal.

I was diagnosed with an EP at 6 weeks and given methotrexate. I was immediately hospitilized that evening because of complications resulting from an undiagnosed kidney infection. Released, HCG was dropping. Then HCG rose again, and because of my reaction to the first dose of methotrexate, I was referred to an oncologist and given another chemotherpy drug. My HCG dropped and then rose again this week (ugg) back to 280. On Monday, I go in for another HCG draw to determine whether a third dose is necessary.

Today, however, I started bleeding heavily and I'm having the worse cramps of my life. I'm experiencing large blood clots and other tissue.

Now, my RE told me that the fetus would be reabsorbed and I should experience just spotting, until my HCG levels fall to zero. He said then three to five weeks after the HCG level is at zero, I should then get my period.

But, everything I've been reading online seems to say that (1) doctors tell their patients exactly what I was told, but that (2) a lot of women pass the fetus.

I'm kind of freaked because of how intense the cramps are that this is what is going to happen to me. (I'm not having pain, just intense cramping). This has been such a hard road -with everything going wrong each step of the way - that maybe I'm just expecting the worse.


But I'd really appreciate knowing how your ectopics resolved and when you started bleeding. How heavy it was, etc.

[mlyster]

I didn't have an ectopic but what you are describing sounds pretty much like my first miscarriage (and similar to the others but the first one had the most bleeding). I want to say this sounds like your body has registered the loss and is "cleaning" itself out like it would with a non-ectopic miscarriage. Maybe this is all happening becuase the tissue is all finally released from its implantation site and your body is doing what it needs to in order to restart itself. Hopefully one of the ladies who has had an ectopic can shed some light but I do think that Nina (TTC#1) had some significant bleeding with her ectopic last year.

If the cramping gets too intense or the bleeding is really heavy (more than a pad an hour) see a doctor as soon as possible.

[~InHisHands~]

I don't know since I've never had an ectopic but I just wanted you to know that there is a new ectopic sub-forum on the pg loss board. It's slow but maybe someone can help there.

[KDD]

Addie it sounds a lot like my m/c. Maybe your body is going to pass the fetus after all.

[yarngirl]

Thanks everyone. I'm frustrated because I feel like my doctor has not given me the full picture of all the possible outcomes. And so I'm not even sure what to expect. I'm really nervous about my hcg rising again, and I really don't want another dose of the meds. It's weird, it's only been four weeks today that I found out I had an ectopic, and it feels like I lifetime. I don't know where the time went. On one hand it went quickly, on the other hand, it feels like it's been months.

[mlyster]

I am sorry you are so unsure what to expect. I know my doctor did not explain anything to me either and I had a failry "simple" miscarriage. It really is frusterating that doctors don't do more to understand and help their patients understand what is coming.

[Augie]

I have not had an ectopic, but wanted to let you (and others know) that the Pregnancy Loss board now has a subforum for women who have had ectopic pregnancies. It is new, so I don't know how active it is yet, but you may want to check there as well.

[ldovey83]

My last one the Dr's considered eptopic and I to was given methotrexate.. So I can answer some questions.. I was already bleeding when they gave me the shots, but I bleed for what seemed like 3 wks after I got the injection.. I did clot some but not really big ones like you are saying.. Now you have to remember I was already bleeding when I had this shot.. I was told because my HCG levels were so high and they couldn't find the baby in the uterus they thought I it was eptopic. i think other wise, but i went with it.. The shot made me feel really icky for like 4 to 5 days.. I was really nauseated and what not.. My levels just dropped I didn't have them go back up and I didn't have to do another round... I wish you luck hun.. If you have any questions feel free to PM me.. I don't have internet at home so if i don't get to you right away just bare with me... HUGS hun I know it isn't easy.

[momof6lopez]

I had a partial ectopic in Sept. Baby was between the ovary and the tube. Kind of sitting on the tube. I did not need any meds at all, as my body recognized it pretty quickly and my levels dropped very quickly. The "mass" was about 3cm and my dr. told me that it would re-absorb on its own too. Three days into spotting, I had a huge gush with several large clots. I beleive one of them to be the mass as well. I think when your body gets close to 0 on the hcg, it just cleans whatever was left behind. Im hoping your levels have dropped drastically after experiencing this, I know mine were at 5 about 4 days after that big bleed.

Im sorry for all that you have gone through, what a horrible experience. I did not loose my tube either, and became pregnant within 3 months after, sussesfull uterine pregnancy. I know how scary it is to think about your odds being higher for another ectopic, I know I was. Praying for you to finally get some closure and get that healthy sticky little bean you so deserve.

Lori

[kristile1]

for me at 4 w 6d i was diagnosed with EP. i had horrible back pains and cramps... so they did an US to find nothing in my uterus. at 5w 6d they did another one to make sure and with my HCG levels being as high as they were and still nothing in the uterus they gave me two different drugs to take... i think one of them was the one you speak of but im not sure. i took one in the office and two or three at home the next day and by 24 hours after the last dose i had horrible cramping and then two weeks of heavy bleeding. my hcg levels were at 0 almost three weeks later... i didnt pass anything huge... nothing that scared me. and at 6 weeks for you im sure you wont pass anything huge either. your cramping sounds normal. and they told me to expect clots. as long as they werent anything bigger than a golf ball (scary) but with your levels going up again.. hmm i dont really understand why that is happening... did they explain why? what steps do they want you to take now? just wait it out? and i dont remember my dr telling me my body would absorb anything. they told my i would expell it all. honestly anything you are concerned about just call your dr. i wish you the best.

[Kary♥RN]

I have never had a tubal pregnancy... I just wanted to give HUGS... I am so sory for what you are going through... HUGS

[yarngirl]

Thank you all so much for the advice. The cramping is still pretty bad, but I"m not passing any more clots or tissue, which has made me feel a lot better. This whole process just sucks. I know it will get easier though. Thank you again for your support!

[amrysmomma]

My last pregnancy was ectopic. I was given two doses of Methotrexate and neither of them worked, my numbers would drop and then go back up again. I want to say, after about 3 weeks of the fun games, they didn't even consider another dose, the told me I was going into surgery that day. I did bleed several times during the pregnancy, the first my body was trying to terminate the pregnancy on it's own, but the bleeding only lasted a few days, the second time was the same week I had my surgery. They did tell me my body would reobsorb the tissue, because it was an abnormal pregnancy. Good luck, I'm not sure if I was much help, but I hope you don't have to have surgery as your next step.