Hospital visits

I thought I would update with what's been happening. This entry does have a good ending. 

Last weekend I had some discomfort in my left side. I don't even know if I would go as far to say it was painful. I noticed it and was worried (of course). I made an appointment with my GP on Monday afternoon. I just really spoke about what was going on and she tried to reassure me. She felt my stomach and said it felt soft which was a good sign. I left feeling slightly better about it. 

It was a bit worse on Thursday (when I was at work). Although it would go away when I got up and walked around I just sort of panicked. I phoned my GP practice again but the receptionist was very helpful. After that I spoke to the maternity unit at the hospital here (just over the phone). The midwife I spoke to said she was concerned and was happy to see me in person to make sure I was ok. She asked me to go up to see her in twenty minutes. I had to tell my manager about the pregnancy but he was fine with it all and arranged the time off. He also said it was confidential and would go no further. My mum was able to come with me to the hospital which was a relief. 

When I got there I spoke to the midwife again (who I spoke to over the phone) and she wanted to try a scan. She did say I'm really early on so might not see much. The woman actually doing the scan tried an abdominal scan first but couldn't see much (didn't help my bladder wasn't full) she pointed out something that could be the gestational sac but she wasn't sure. I was asked to empty my bladder completely and have the transvaginal scan (lovely!). It took her ages to actually see anything but she did find the gestational sac but couldn't see anything inside it although when she moved a certain way there was something there. She made sure she really scanned both sides, I have a small cyst on my right side but she thinks that could just be the follicle the egg came from. She couldn't find anything else. Even got a shot of my left ovary and there was nothing there. 

After the scan the midwife took blood and asked me to come back in 48 hours for another sample and then 48 hours again so they could monitor my HCG levels. 

The last thing that happened that day was seeing the doctor up at the hospital. (I can't even remember her name). Anyway, she felt my stomach again and said it was soft (same as my GP said). 

After that I left and went home. 

The next morning (Friday 26th aka yesterday) the doctor from the hospital phoned me at work and said she suspects an ectopic pregnancy because my HCG levels were too high. I asked what she meant by too high and she said at those levels there should have been more to see on the scan yesterday. She said it was suspicious of an ectopic pregnancy and wanted to admit me to hospital and have a laparoscopy to rule out an ectopic pregnancy. I asked her what happens if I have a laparoscopy and everything is fine. What are the risks? She said she is sure it's an ectopic pregnancy. When I pushed about the risks *if* the pregnancy was in the right place she only said well we won't be touching the uterus. (when I had my laparoscopy in Sept 08 I had really bad bleeding and cramping for over a week. Did that mean if my pregnancy was fine and I went under general anaesthetic and had the lapatoscopy I would miscarry anyway? I never really got a straight answer from her)

This meant I had to go to the RAH which is better equipped than the one here. My friend, P, was able to drive me up yesterday morning. I didn't know what to do and I was a complete mess when I left work. I couldn't stop crying and my breathing was all funny. I just couldn't believe this was happening. I some how managed to drive home from work. I kept asking why in the car (to whoever was listening). I left my car at home and P took me from my house to the hospital. 

I had to go through Accident and Emergency (A&E). It didn't take too long. The doctor in A&E was so much nicer. I explained I didn't understand why it's ectopic based on one hormone level and when they seen the gestational sac. She explained the hormone level was much higher than what they would have expected based on the scan so I might be further along and implantation was outside the uterus. My HCG levels were above 2000 (whatever units) at 5 weeks-ish. In the end she decided to take my blood again in the morning to see what happens. If it doubles then it's a viable pregnancy. If it stays the same or doesn't increase enough then it's ectopic and they would want a laparoscopy. 

Last night was horrendous and was truly one of the worst nights of my life. I couldn't sleep. I couldn't eat. I could only lay there and stare at nothing. 

It was just before 10am this morning the doctor came to check on me. No pain. No bleeding. She took my blood and said I would find out later this morning. 

More waiting. 

Eventually another doctor came to see me. Doctor Yusef. Again he asked if I was in pain - no. Was I bleeding - no. The only discomfort I had was in my arm from the saline drip. He felt my stomach and said it was soft (I know - again). He then said to me it's probably nothing but we'll do a scan. 

There was no attempt at an abdominal scan this time. Transvaginal it was. I seen the gestational sac right away and I could see the fetal pole before he even pointed it out. The first thing I asked was is it in the right place? It was. I just filled up again. Doctor Yusef did again check way to the left and the right (ouchie) and there was nothing there to suggest ectopic. The nurse who was in the room must have seen the discomfort on my face with all the pressure from the scan so she took my hand. 

After the scan Doctor Yusef said I could just go and didn't need to wait on the HCG results from the second blood. 

I have a repeat scan on Friday 3rd July. 

I think it was 2 hours later I finally left. My friend came to get me and take me home. 

Scary stuff but it did have a happy ending. (This entry might be a bit incoherant because my mind is still racing)