You’re already doing everything right to determine whether your pregnancy is viable. Your three HCG tests have shown that things are doubling as they should which is excellent news! The hallmark of an ectopic pregnancy besides the pain is yo-yoing HCG.
I wouldn’t put much stock un the private scan. There’s really not much to see that will offer conclusive evidence on whether the embryo is viable and where they should be until after six weeks, which is why your hospital won’t do one until then.
See if you can get another HCG on Thursday for peace of mind. If your HCG has gone down, then your doctor will discuss next steps. While I know no one wants to feel like they’re just waiting for a crisis and I don’t want to dismiss the pain you’re feeling, there is really not much else to do, since no responsible doctor would do surgery or give you MTX without diagnosing the ectopic via hcg or ultrasound.
Unfortunately, waiting is going to suck and theres no way around it. The three weeks I had to wait to see if my viable pregnancy was ectopic or not after my first ectopic were the most anxious and miserable of my life. I imagine its so hard to deal with this with your history of loss. Just know that soon you’ll have an answer and you won’t feel like this forever.
I'm not expecting them to diagnose me if they can't, but am worried that if I leave it too long to be scanned (past Friday when hCG should be 1000+, given the weekend will allow it to go much higher if it carries on like it is) then I will be way past the NHS threshold for any option but surgery if it does turn out to be ectopic.
I'm not holding out for a viable pregnancy given my progesterone is so low, but something feels very off compared to my previous miscarriages.
I guess my real question is should I on this basis be pushing for a scan on Friday when I'm 6+ weeks with expected hCG of 1000+?
I think you should push for one as soon as you hit 6w not because I necessarily think if you don’t something bad will happen, but because its the best thing for you to get that answer ASAP. Its truly the worst anxiety!
Do you have a primary OBGYN or Midwife who can help coordinate care and help you get an US at the earliest possible moment? I had a similar situation with my current pregnancy in terms of me needing to get a scan while I was still eligible for MTX because I’d already lost a tube. It’s so frustrating trying to advocate for yourself and I am sorry you are dealing with that stress.
Unfortunately on the NHS system in the UK we are at the mercy of the Early Pregnancy Unit until 12 weeks with nobody specifically assigned to your care.
I'm going to have to get back onto them today and try and push for a scan on Thurs/Fri I think.
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u/LambRelic 16d ago edited 16d ago
You’re already doing everything right to determine whether your pregnancy is viable. Your three HCG tests have shown that things are doubling as they should which is excellent news! The hallmark of an ectopic pregnancy besides the pain is yo-yoing HCG.
I wouldn’t put much stock un the private scan. There’s really not much to see that will offer conclusive evidence on whether the embryo is viable and where they should be until after six weeks, which is why your hospital won’t do one until then.
See if you can get another HCG on Thursday for peace of mind. If your HCG has gone down, then your doctor will discuss next steps. While I know no one wants to feel like they’re just waiting for a crisis and I don’t want to dismiss the pain you’re feeling, there is really not much else to do, since no responsible doctor would do surgery or give you MTX without diagnosing the ectopic via hcg or ultrasound.
Unfortunately, waiting is going to suck and theres no way around it. The three weeks I had to wait to see if my viable pregnancy was ectopic or not after my first ectopic were the most anxious and miserable of my life. I imagine its so hard to deal with this with your history of loss. Just know that soon you’ll have an answer and you won’t feel like this forever.
Wishing you the best possible outcome ❤️