My name is Jeannie.
I have been lurking around for a couple of weeks and decided to formally introduce myself. The middle of July, I found out I was pregnant. I was very excited. This being my fourth pregnancy I figured everything would go just as the other three did. Boy was I mistaken. I started having cramping on my right side up into my back and decided to call the doctor. Something just didn't feel right. They did an u/s and found nothing in my uterus but they did see a mass on my right tube. They did some bloodwork and realized that my HCG was still fairly low at 890 so we decided to wait, do bloodwork every couple of days to keep a check on my hcg (check doubling time)...it could possible be a corpus luteal cyst and just too early to see a sac. The first bloodwork that I had my hcg levels doubled. That was a good sign. I had a really good feeling that everything was going to be okay. 3 days later I started spotting. I went back in for another hcg count and although it was still rising it did not double again. They did another ultrasound and the mass had grown and there was still no gestational sac. At this point my HCG was high enough that something should have been visible. We decided then to go ahead with the Methotrexate shot. I was so very sad and confused. A couple of days after receiving the shot I started to get very nauseous and had severe cramping. They told me all of this would happen but I didn't think anything of it. The cramping was much worse then I thought it would be. I went back in on day four and my hcg levels climbed...again just as they told me it would. By day 7 my levels should have dropped by 15% or they were going to give me another shot. Day 7 rolled around, I went for bloodwork and it didn't fall as it needed to. There was only about a 5% drop bringing them down to 4800. I went back to the doctors office and received another round of the Methotrexate. The second round I had very similar symptoms but they came on quicker and didn't last as long. When I went back on day 4 from the second shot my levels had dropped to 2500 and by day 7 they dropped to 1300. I started having really bad cramping on day 8 so they brought me back in for another u/s. The mass has grown, yet again, but my hcg levels are down to 850. I am really confused as to why the ectopic is growing yet my levels are dropping nicely. I just wish it would all be over with.

I would love to ttc another little one when this is all over but I'm a little nervous, since the chances of having another ectopic are greater now. I have no clue why I had an ectopic. I have had none of the risk factors, it is just an unexplained occurance.

I'm really glad I found this site. I have so many questions about the Methotrexate and just can't seem to find much on personal experiences with it.

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I'm so sorry you have to go through this. My last ectopic was unpredictable, too. My levels would rise slightly or stay level, then take a dip, then rise a bit more. I hope the MTX finally does the trick for you. I wish I had more info. on why that can happen, but I don't. My doctor told me that it was pretty rare.

I think many of us here had unexplained ectopics. From everything I was told, in the vast majority of cases if the cause is unknown, you still have a great shot at a subsequent successful pregnancy. Your doc would probably recommend an HSG to check you out once you've healed from this experience.

I hope you are feeling better soon and again, I'm very sorry for your loss. I'm glad you "de-lurked," though. Everyone here is very supportive and helpful. Please let us know how things go. You're in my prayers.

Karen

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Hi Jeannie,

I'm really sorry that you are going through this. I wasn't able to do the MTX route, so I don't have any experience with it. There are other girls here that can offer you advice. I hope that your numbers drop as they are supposed to very soon.

It is very normal to be worried about TTC again. My EP was unexplained also. I went on to have 2 normal PGs (with only one tube). I think I know you from the September 2003 board, and I am about to have my second in a couple of weeks.

I'm glad you've found us and please keep us updated. Feel free to ask any questions and to cry, vent or whatever you need.

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Hi Jeannie!

Like you, I experienced an unexplained ectopic in July. I also had the MTX shot, but only needed one dose. I was very early into my pregnancy, so my HCG numbers never made it past 500.

I hope this second shot did the trick for you. It sounds like your numbers are dropping nicely now!

Thank you for the welcome!
Cindy, I remember you from the September 03 board too. Congrats on your pregnancy!

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