RE: question about ectopic pg-loss mentioned, TMI ment.

[Guest guest]

Does anyone know what common HCG levels are in an ectopic

pregnancy? What are the signs of an ectopic pregnancy? Just

looking for any personal experience? My mind is going crazy over

here.....could someone hit the remote control to my brain and shut

it off????

Jackie,

I've had two ectopic pregnancies. As for hCG levels, sometimes they can

double like any other pregnancy, and then gradually drop off around 7-8

weeks. Other times, they can be very low (this was the case with me,

even though one of my ectopics was a heterotopic pregnancy

).

My symptoms for ectopic one: I was at work and had a sharp pain,

doubled over and literally could not stand straight up for about 3

minutes. I hobbled to the bathroom and noticed watery discharge, was ok

though, and went home right after that. I didn't even suspect I was

pregnant at all, but didn't feel right about what was going on so went

in to the OB the next morning. My beta hCG was very low so a

miscarriage was suspected. I had an ultrasound and no uterine sac could

be found. My doctor was suspicious so he scheduled me for a

laparoscopy. Inside, he saw a distended left fallopian tube and

ectopic. He removed it and left my tube intact. In retrospect, I guess

I had experienced some colicky type of pains, but I was used to that

because of having PCOS.

Ectopic 2: One day had watery clear/bloody discharge (sorry if TMI!)

and being a busy mom, I guess I never really considered before that if I

could be pregnant. I had a pregnancy test on hand, took it and was

surprised to see that it was positive. The spotting stopped, I went to

the doctor and was told that spotting is normal sometimes in early

pregnancy, (which I knew). A few days later I was unable to sleep, in

some pain in my left abdomen and I basically just did not feel right. I

drove myself to the hospital where they did tests, though my beta was

too low (below 2000) and nothing was seen in the uterus. They wanted me

to stay a few hours in the ER before leaving and to let them know if I

had any shoulder pain at all. 2 hours later, I had shoulder pain and I

was then scheduled for a laparoscopy where they removed the pregnancy

but left the tube intact.

When I read your other post about having pain (just one one side,

right?) I was thinking maybe you have a corpus luteal cyst..I have these

a lot, and had it when I was pregnant with my daughter. They can be

quite painful.annoying, really. They go away though. Has your doctor

done a quantitative beta yet, or did I miss that?

Chele (also in MI!)

(mostly a new lurker, in beginning stages of trying to be approved for

WLS.also just finishing up infertility treatment cycle)

[Guest guest]

I did want to comment on corpus luteal cysts...

Everyone that ovulates gets one...and everyone that is

pregnant will have a corpus luteum (corpus luteal cyst)

for about 12 weeks of pregnancy. That's normal...and

necessary.

When your ovary is ripening an egg, it is inside a

follicular cyst. when the cyst ruptures is ovulation. The

follicular cyst then turns to a corpus luteum which

produces progesterone...the corpus luteum will dissolve

if hCG doesn't become present - if hCG does rise, then

the corpus luteum will continue to produce

progesterone to support the pregnancy until the

placenta is formed and can take over that role. No

corpus luteum means no pregnancy. If your corpus

luteum dissolves too quickly, that's when you have

what's called " luteal phase defect " , a relatively common

cause of infertility.

In other words..not only is a corpus luteum cyst normal

in pregnancy...it's necessary and needed. =)

Soderblom CCCE CD(DONA) CLD

Student Midwife - Mesa, AZ

CAPPA Board of Directors

Doula/CBE/Pregnancy/Birth Photography

Owner: Birth Story Diaries - real births, real photos

http://www.birthdiaries.com

Owner: SouthwestDoulas.com

[Guest guest]

Thanks Chele,

All the ectopic experience you shared were very beneficial to me.

I went to the doc yesterday and my Quantitative Beta HCG was 600 on

Thursday....I go back today and again on Monday for repeat levels.

They also did a trans-vag u/s which shows a cyst on my right ovary that is

draining---this is " possibly " what is causing most of my pain, but the

midwife said she wanted to prepare me that this " may " be a ectopic

pregnancy, but only my blood levels will tell us this for sure. So I guess

it's just a waiting game. I am keeping positive and know that God will

sustain me, no matter what the outcome. I'm feeling better today and the

pain is definately lessening, so I'm leaning toward this pregnancy being in

the uterus!

Thanks Chele!!! I wish you the BEST with your persuit of WLS!

Hugs and Blessings,

Jackie in MI

Open RNY 2/8/02

369 to 180

proud mommy of 2 blonde beauties

& 1 son who ascended to Heaven on 1/29/04

baby #4 due early 2005