By registering on our forum, you can view and contribute to more topics on ectopic pregnancy. Your details are confidential and we do not send unsolicited emails. For your confidentiality, you can choose your own forum name to protect your anonymity if you so wish. If you register, there is no obligation to post; you can simply take comfort from the words of others. It is entirely up to you whether you post a message or read others' experiences or do both.

So many unanswered questions

This is a welcoming place for you to ask your questions and share your knowledge and experiences of ectopic pregnancy.
To keep this as a safe space, before being able to post freely, an administrator will need to activate your account and authorise your first post.
Post Reply
Natkins92
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Jul 09, 2020 5:15 pm

So many unanswered questions

Post by Natkins92 »

Hello,

The last few weeks has been a bit of whirlwind. Found out I was pregnant on the first day of my missed period and we was over the moon as we had hoped we would fall with our second. After 3 days I started to bleed, I wasn’t concerned at the time because the colour, the bleeding increased and the agony started down my left side -my pregnancy was ectopic and I had to have emergency surgery on the left side.
The aftercare at the hospital I didn’t find was very forth coming with information, I’ve been home only 2 days and just hoping to get some answers.

How long will I bleed after the surgery?
How long does it take for periods to start after surgery?
When can I start exercising again after surgery?
Can I drive? (I haven’t atm because I felt too sore, but when am I technically safe to do so?)
When I’m ready to try again, what can I do to prevent this from happening again? (Im feeling heartbroken and the thought of trying again and having a second ectopic literally petrifies me, which I’m sure will ease in time)


Im spending most my days crying thought trying to stay strong for my DS I already have. I’m so grateful for him and he makes it all feel a little easier, but I so long for him to be a big brother and for our family to be complete, everything hurts atm and I know time is a healer.

Thank you In advance

Sanwars2206
Posts: 38
Joined: Mon May 25, 2020 11:14 am

Re: So many unanswered questions

Post by Sanwars2206 »

Hi Natkins92

So sorry you’ve been through this & not had great aftercare.

I’ve tried to answer your questions below:

How long will I bleed after the surgery?
I think everyone is diff I bled very very lightly after surgery & when I went home - max 5 days

How long does it take for periods to start after surgery?
Again I think everyone is diff, I had my 1st period 2 months after surgery.

When can I start exercising again after surgery?
The consultant told me anything from 2 weeks to 6 weeks for recovery. He said it was up to me & my body, I needed to listen to my body & if I felt ok to do things.
Can I drive? (I haven’t atm because I felt too sore, but when am I technically safe to do so?)
Again they said the same to me I didn’t drive for 4 weeks - 2bh I was in agony when I came home & that didn’t really let up for 2 weeks so I cudnt have imagined doing it anything sooner.

It is a heartbreaking time & position to be in. U will need time to get through this emotionally & physically.
My 1st ectopic u was ready to try again after the methotrexate. This time around I cudnt imagine ever doing it again 🤷🏽‍♀️
Take care, listen to your body & mind & morning that u feel is wrong xx

EPT Host 20
Posts: 3155
Joined: Thu May 31, 2012 10:58 pm

Re: So many unanswered questions

Post by EPT Host 20 »

Dear Natkins92,
I am so sorry to hear of your ectopic pregnancy and loss,
When we experience ectopic pregnancy we are suddenly faced with a life threatening emergency and it's treatment, reduction in fertility, concerns about the future and the loss of our babies. Experiencing any one of these is an ordeal, putting them together is immense and your feelings are completely normal.
I will try to answer your questions as best as I can and we have more information on recovery from ectopic pregnancy in our website
https://ectopic.org.uk/patients/your-bo ... pregnancy/

The bleeding following treatment for ectopic pregnancy can be clotty or like one of your usual periods and some women have bleeding/spotting for up to six weeks.
Your periods can take a while to re-establish - they can re-start anything between two and ten weeks after surgery and most women find that their period arrives sometime around week six or seven after surgery.
The first period may be more painful or less so than usual, heavier or lighter, last for longer or shorter than usual – there really is no set pattern. You should be able to manage the discomfort with over-the-counter pain relief and should not be soaking a pad in less than an hour. If this is not the case, you should seek medical attention

Regarding exercise after surgery, please allow time for your body to heal internally after the invasive procedure. If you had keyhole surgery, you could start gentle exercise within two weeks of the operation. If you had open surgery then you should wait six weeks for your abdomen to heal.
When resuming exercise, activities like gentle walking or swimming are usually safe as long as the wounds are healing or your hCG levels are low, as these are non-impact sports.

We generally advise that you should take it very easily for about six weeks after surgery. Your body will be using its energies to heal internally. It is normal to feel physically and emotionally exhausted during this time and please do be kind to yourself. Recovery can take time and some days will be better than others, one day you maybe ok and the next you maybe in discomfort or more emotional. This is perfectly usual and the healing process will go back and forth in this way for however long you need. It is important to listen to your body's signals and pain and feeling tired are your body's signs to tell you to rest. We suggest keeping a healthy balanced diet, drinking lots of water and resting. Once your wounds have healed, very gentle exercise such as a short walk can help, but please do take this slowly.
For driving, women are very usually advised by medical professionals not to drive. The length of time you are advised not to drive for will depend upon the surgery you had, you can discuss this with your GP. You will also need to check with your insurers when they consider it safe for you to drive after the more major procedure of laparotomy (open cut to the tummy rather than keyhole) because different brokers’ and underwriters’ policies vary.

Regarding ttc, sadly there is no way we can prevent ectopic pregnancy from happening and it is normal to feel anxious about the future. We experience a mix of emotions from wanting to try again to being petrified of what may lie ahead. We never forget our experience or babies but we can learn to accept what happened. It is a slow process that might be weeks or months ahead. In time, we can get to a place where we feel comfortable trying again. When this is, is individual for each person. There is no timeframe for recovery, take each day as it comes.
Importantly early scans avail. As soon as you know you are pregnant, contact your local EPU to inform them and book in for an early scan at around six weeks. Remind them of your previous ectopic pregnancy. This self refer route is the best route in our view. Hopefully you will have some comfort to know you are under the radar of medical professionals right away. If you cannot self refer, speak to your GP who will be able to do this for you.

The chances of a further ectopic after a first in UK is 10%. So that's 90% chance of the embryo being in right place next time.
While generally it is possible to conceive after an ectopic pregnancy, the amount of time it takes varies from couple to couple. Factors include age, general health, reproductive health and how often you have sex, among other things. It may be comforting to know that 65% of women are successfully pregnant within 18 months of experiencing an ectopic pregnancy and some studies suggest this rises to around 85% after two years.
Importantly, help is available if conceiving naturally has not yet been successful after some time trying - and the EPT advises that women under 35 should seek medical advice following 12 months trying to conceive and those over 35 should seek advice after 6 months.

As a gentle reminder regarding conceiving again, we and many medical professionals advise waiting for two menstrual cycles. It is important to allow time for your body to recover and emotions to surface and be worked through. This is so that you have some comfort that your body is returning to its natural rhythm and you have a last menstrual period date from which to date a new pregnancy - key information in checking you are not suffering from an ectopic pregnancy in the future. The first bleed soon after surgery for ectopic pregnancy is not classed as a period as it is the body's response to falling hormone levels.

Making the decision to begin trying to conceive is an emotional rollercoaster compounded by our sad loss. Again, you are not alone. We here emotional support whenever you need us. There is a specific Preparing for your Next Pregnancy board you can look at too whenever feel ready.

Above all be kind to yourself and allow time to grieve, to heal both physically and emotionally.
Sending much love,
Karen x

The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust
Registered Charity Number: 1071811
Ectopic pregnancy patient information suite: Highly Commended in the 2019 BMA Patient Information Awards
**************************************************************************
During the coronavirus outbreak, The EPT team is still working hard to provide crucial information and support to women and families experiencing ectopic pregnancy as quickly and efficiently as we can.
If we have been able to help you, are you able to help us with a small donation or by volunteering or fundraising?
Further information is available at ectopic.org.uk
Email us: ept@ectopic.org.uk
We provide a call-back helpline service: 020 7733 2653
Take a look at our newsletters and subscribe to our mailing list here: https://mailchi.mp/986bdd6091ee/ectopic-matters
Detailed medical information can be found on our website. Please remember online medical information is NO SUBSTITUTE for expert medical advice from your own health care team
***************************************************************************

Post Reply