TTC after ectopic pg

[mumsluv]

Hi All

Have searched all the threads and can't seem to find anything related so here goes...

Had an ectopic pg in Jan 06 and had right fallopian tube removed. Have been told by drs that I have a 53% chance of falling pg in 12months following surgery, compared to 96% chance of 'normal' couples. Anyone out there who has had ectopic and gone on to have babies after? How long did it take ttc?

I have also read that you can work out which side you are ovulating from by a swelling lymph node in the groin on same side as o'ing from but I can't find it - any advice?

Thanks

Mumsluv:confused:

[TammyB]

Hi Mumsluv,

I had an Ectopic in Jun 05 and have FINALLY fallen pregnant with only one tube. It took me 12 months but we moved to Japan 2 mths after the ep; so I may have been under a little stress. When I finally sought some help they discovered that I was not ovulating (no follicles on a mid cycle u/s) so they put me on Clomid for 4 cycles to stimulate ovulation. When that did not work I finally resigned myself to the next stage - which would have been a HSG test to see if my remaining tube was blocked. And that very month we got pregnant. The Dr claims it can happen first cycle off the Clomid and called it the honeymoon effect. It could also have been that I finally relaxed about TTC. We had family visit in April then went on holidays in May and I had stopped charting so I had definitely relaxed a bit more which must have helped.

I found the US babycenter web forum an enormous support as it has multiple threads on TTC after ectopics. They even have a Grads thread for those pregnant after ectopics and another thread for mummies after ectopics. There is another website in the UK that is also good if you want to google The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust. Hopefully the mods won't mind me posting this info when there are so few bubhubbers that have experienced ectopics.

Some say having one tube doesn't lessen your chances of conceiving as the remaining tube can pick up eggs from either side. I have heard of girls with one tube getting pregnant even when o'ing off their tubeless side but it is certainly more likely to get pregnant when you o off your good side.

I have not heard of detecting ovulation sides through the lymph nodes. Other ep girls report feeling confused about which side; as we feel so many twinges after an ep and they can be on both sides in the same month. You can also have large follicles on both sides but only the predominant one will release an egg. I would think the only failsafe way is to check the follicles on ultrasound before and after ovulation.

I have written a few other posts about my ectopic experience if you want to view all my posts you should be able to find the relevant ones pretty easily by the thread headings. Have you written about your experience yet? I would be interested to hear your story. PM me if you want to chat.

Good luck with getting your BFP. Oh and relax if you can. Easier said than done I know!

Tammy

[wantagirl]

I just wanted to say I am sorry about your ectopic pregnancy. I have heard of women falling pregnant with just one tube. If there is an egg being produced there is always a chance! Keep your chin up and good luck on your journey to be a mom!:wave:

[shelle65]

Hi Mumsluv, so sorry to hear about your ectopic :hugs: I haven't had an ectopic, but I only have one functional fallopian tube after a laparoscopy confirmed the other one was destroyed by PID, which although nowhere near as traumatic as an ectopic, leaves us with the same result - only one tube. It took us 3 months to conceive, so it can definitely be done. I'm sure the drs have told you to get an u/s really early in your next pregnancy to make sure it isn't another ectopic - cos the earlier you diagnose it, the higher chance you have of saving your one remaining tube.

Best of luck TTC - I hope you get a BFP and have a happy healthy pregnancy really soon! :fingerscrossed:

[mumsluv]

Hi Girls

Thanks for your :hugs: . Congrats to Shelle and Tammy on your impending little ones. Its great to hear that there is hope after ep.

My own story is probably not unlike anyone elses really...I found out I was pg on 13/1/06 at 5 weeks. It was totally unplanned and a bit of a shock. I was a little apprehensive initially as I had only just returned to work in the previous Oct after being on mat leave with my DS (23/7/04) so was a bit anxious about how my employer would take the news that I was having another in Sept (EDD 19/9/06). My DH was also quite shocked and a bit :mad: , however, he came around pretty quickly and was excited. On 28/1/06, I woke with brownish spotting and rang the hospital. They said it was probably nothing and to take it easy and ring back if I started to get any pain. The pain started around mid-morning and so I went to the Emergency at the hospital. they did an u/s and coudn't see anything and said that I had probably m/c about 3-4 days earlier and that it was just starting to come away. They sent me home and made an appointment for me with my obstetrician for the following Monday. Well, that night, I got really bad pain and couldn't stand up straight, nausea etc. My DH called the hospital and told him to bring me straight back. When I got there, the ob came and said it was probably an ectopic and wanted to operate immediately. He also said that there was little chance that the tube could be saved.

The right tube was removed and he found endometriosis whilst doing the surgery. He told me the stats about falling pg again and said to wait for 2 cycles but then not to leave it long to try again as he was unsure if there was any damage to the remaining tube by the endometriosis.

my DH was quite upset and told me how keen he was to have another baby and that we would start ttc in July when DS turned 2. Well, I began to do a big detox etc and to prepare my body for pg. As the time came closer, Dh changed his mind and said that he had no interest in another baby and that he wouldn't consider it. On top of that, my best friend returned from 3 years living in London and announced that she was pg, due the day after I had been.

Despite attending counselling and explaining how important all of this is, Dh still won't agree to another baby. I feel time ticking away and pray every day that he will change his mind. As the EDD of my little angel gets closer (10 days to go) I feel more and more sad and my prayers bcome more desperate.

I am continuing to chart without DH's knowledge so that if and when he changes his mind, I will be ready to go!

Sorry to write a novel but it helps to get it out. With my dear friend's baby due in 11 days, I just don't want to rob her of the joy offirst-time motherhood and so don't want to keep going on about it. I am also trying to reamin very positive. My charts seem to indicate that I am o'ing at about the same time each month, I just can' figure out from which side!!

Fingers crossed that Dh will come to the party soon.

Thanks for listening. I appreciate your support and time.

:hugs: and :kiss: to all

Mumsluv

PS Tammy, where can I find your previous threads?

[MilkOnTap]

Thank you for sharing your story Mumsluv.

I have had two ectopic pregnancies and have been given an 8% chance of conceiving naturally. The details and 'story' of my pregnancies is in my TTC diary (there is a link in my signature.)

My husband and I are still TTCing, and hoping for a miracle. If we have had no success by the end of the year then we will probably opt for IVF. I have my right tube still - my left ruptured.

Best Wishes!
Pink Lady

[mumsluv]

Hi Pink Lady

My heart and prayers go out to you. Whilst not wanting to offend or downplay anyone's stories and experiences, ectopic pregnancy is so cruel as it robs you of opportunities that so many others take for granted.

When I think back to how 'inconvenient' the pregnancy seemed when I first found out, :crying: I feel so ashamed that I took conception, my baby and everything that goes with it as a given, a right. We forget all too easily what a priveledge these things are and how truly miraculous that are.

My best wishes to you and your DP for the rest of this year. I look forward to hearing positive news for you.

:hugs: :kiss:

Mumsluv

[my babyemmy]

Hi hun i just want to wish you heaps of :hugs: and :fingerscrossed: that everything works out for you.
I had 2 ectopics 1 in each tube but 3 years apart to the day. I now have to add i have my little ivf miracle who is now 14 months.

[MilkOnTap]

Whilst not wanting to offend or downplay anyone's stories and experiences, ectopic pregnancy is so cruel as it robs you of opportunities that so many others take for granted.
I couldn't have said it better. Its a shame that people like you and I, and all those who have also lost a baby via ectopic or miscarriage have had our 'innocence' stripped. Its sad that we realise that a double line on a pregnancy test doesn't always result in a baby.

As soon as I see a heartbeat I will be happy and accept that I am pregnant... (whenever THAT is!)

[TammyB]

Hi Mumsluv,

Sorry for the late reply to your question - you have probably already worked it out by now. But, to see my previous posts just click on my username in the heading of a post and you will see a 'drop down list'. View all posts is in that list.

Thanks for sharing your experience with your ectopic. They certainly are very frightening. I think it must be harder to deal with, when you know that you are pregnant. I found out I was pregnant in the emergency room so never got long to think about it as a future baby. My health was more important with a son to look after. Then with moving countries I didn't have time to grieve, I just put it behind me thinking I would get pregnant again soon. I never did work out the EDD of my ep baby so didn't really get upset by that; but after the anniversary of my ep surgery I was a bit upset. Especially when everyone around me was getting pregnant. I was starting to get very emotional. Especially when people tell you that atleast you have one baby. Which is true, but not what you want to hear.

I am sorry to hear your DH is not 100% on board with TTC yet. Perhaps he is afraid for your health (ie another life threatening ep). Esp if he was keen and now he is not. Sounds like there is a rational reason for the change of heart, so maybe its something he can be reassurred about. If it is the threat of another ep, I think he would be comforted to hear about the close monitoring they do to post ep pregnant women. One of my posts talks about the monitoring I have had in this pregnancy so have a read of that or PM me. Another girl on 'babycenter' is having the same issue getting her DH back on board so you should go lurk at what she says and what advice she gets. I hope he changes his mind given some more time. We're here if you need to talk in the mean time. :hugs:

Ally (Pink Lady),
I am cheering for you to get your BFP real soon! You deserve it after what you've been through. :hugs:

Oh and my thoughts on why eps are sooo difficult. Not only is it a miscarriage; but it threatens your future fertility. That's gotta be worse than just a miscarriage. But as I said above the longer you know you are pregnant, the harder a miscarriage must be to deal with. (so I do not want to downplay the horror of miscarriage.)