I found out I that was pregnant with our second baby on 9 October 2023, the following day I began to bleed. The bleeding lasted four days, and I thought I was experiencing a miscarriage. I was advised to perform a home pregnancy test again in two weeks.
Over that weekend, I felt the most unwell I have ever been; nausea, stomach pains, chills, sweats. I rang the local MAC ( Maternity Assessment Centre) unit as I could not get through to anywhere else. They advised I probably had a bug as well as experiencing a miscarriage, but that I needed checking over if I was suspecting a miscarriage.
The following week I was seen at the early pregnancy unit, nothing showed on my scan, and blood work was taken that day, and again 48 hours later. These showed my pregnancy hormone levels had increased but not how they would expect in a healthy pregnancy, so I was then booked in for another scan 10 days later.
On Wednesday 25th October 2023, I was getting my little boy ready for nursery and felt a very intense pain up my right side along with experiencing an upset stomach. I went to work having taken paracetamol, but the pain got progressively worse. After a Google search I was convinced that what I was experiencing was an ectopic pregnancy, so called the early pregnancy unit to discuss. I was told to take paracetamol and call back later. I was sure it was more serious, so I pushed to be seen, the nurse went away, spoke with a consultant, and told me to get there as soon as possible.
I sat in the waiting room, crying, whilst other people around me had their pregnancy confirmed, were congratulated and handed ultrasound photos. The examinations that followed were the most painful thing I have ever experienced, and I still have flashbacks. A tubal ectopic pregnancy was confirmed, and things moved fast – immediate surgery was required as I had started to bleed into my pelvis. Having to sign consent forms and decide what I wanted to happen to my “pregnancy” and Fallopian tube, whilst in the worst pain of my life, worried for myself and my other little boy, was so hard.
I had my surgery and was sent home a few hours later. This is when I found The EPT page, and the stories shared on there and information I have gained since being part of it have really helped me. At the time I thought I would never feel normal or “ok” again.
Fast forward 6 months and we felt ready to try again. Those two faint pink lines appeared. We were half excited half terrified, as thoughts of what happened before lingered. We were booked for an early scan immediately. This time we were told there was a sac in the uterus – the right place!! No fetal pole was seen but the sonographer said it was too early and booked me another scan for 10 days time. We came away reassured and happy. Things would be OK this time.
A few days later I began to bleed and experience cramps, I feared a miscarriage. The day of the scan came, and it took an unusually long time. I was told there was no sac in uterus, but a mass in my remaining Fallopian tube. Another ectopic pregnancy.
I had a panic attack. I just couldn’t believe I could be this unlucky to be having another ectopic pregnancy in my one remaining Fallopian tube. An agonising wait for a doctor followed, blood tests, obs done (routine checks to monitor your body), and urine samples taken. I was then told they’d like to send me home and wait – ‘expectant management’ they called it. To me it sounded like “go home and wait for the worst to happen” so I requested methotrexate straight away and was refused. They wanted to see if things resolved naturally.
I had three blood tests over the next 10 days with my pregnancy hormone levels dropping slightly, then nearly doubling. I was brought back in to make a choice. I took the methotrexate injection but the day after I sadly had another rupture and this time the pain was even worse than before, but I knew what was happening. I went straight to the accident and emergency department and was taken into RESUS. The rest is a blur, but it ended in emergency surgery and the removal of my other Fallopian tube. I have now lost both tubes to ruptured tubal ectopic pregnancies.
I can’t begin to describe the immense trauma and feelings this has left me with – but I now shout about ectopic pregnancy, share my experience, share posts on social media, because I didn’t know what it was until it hit me hard, and sharing these things, making them less of a taboo to talk about, may raise awareness and could just save somebody’s life.
Thank you to Becki for sharing her experience. If you would like to share your experience of ectopic pregnancy, please visit our guide for more information.
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