By registering on our forum, you can view and contribute to more topics on ectopic pregnancy. Your details are confidential and we do not send unsolicited emails. For your confidentiality, you can choose your own forum name to protect your anonymity if you so wish. If you register, there is no obligation to post; you can simply take comfort from the words of others. It is entirely up to you whether you post a message or read others' experiences or do both.

First period - weird pain

This is a welcoming place for you to ask your questions and share your knowledge and experiences of ectopic pregnancy.
To keep this as a safe space, before being able to post freely, an administrator will need to activate your account and authorise your first post.
Post Reply
Bookworm
Posts: 28
Joined: Wed Jul 28, 2021 6:26 pm

First period - weird pain

Post by Bookworm »

Hi all,

It’s been a while since I’ve posted here. I’m just over 5 weeks post surgery. I had the c section type cut. It has healed really well in terms of my wound and by just over 4 weeks I was generally feeling like I was getting better. I was able to manage a 20 minute walk and go upstairs without stopping on each step, washing a few pots etc. This Friday I was bang on 5 weeks post op and woke with my tummy feeling very tender above and around the wound. About an hour after waking up my period came. It’s not been particularly heavy or painful in terms of how I would expect period pain to feel but this tender bruised feeling is getting worse everyday.

I basically feel like I’ve gone back to the beginning of how it felt post surgery. If I bend slightly, put my knees up, get on and off the sofa, walk anywhere, laugh, cough or sneeze it’s excruciating but only on the right hand side (my left tube was removed). I thought I’d seen the back of this pain but now I feel like I’m back at the beginning.

I actually moved house last week to a new area so new GP, new hospital. I’d had a bit of a nipping pain on the right which was caused by a stitch that hadn’t dissolved and the practice nurse removed that for me on Wednesday last week. I called the GP today and she saw me in person to examine me because of the pain. I confirmed I’ve had 2 negative pregnancy tests, she tested me for a water infection all fine there. Pulse, temp and other vitals are fine but I am very very tender when she examined me on the right (no pain on the left even when she pushed down quite hard). Also when she pushed around my belly button the pain was bad on the right again. She rang gynae at the new hospital for advice and they just said it’s post op pain and to keep taking pain relief and resting. She has booked me in for a blood test to check for inflammation markers as well.

I just want to know I guess, (sorry this has been so long winded) if I should expect this sort of pain with my first period. I know a lot of people say the first period is painful after ectopic but I expected stronger period pains not a completely new pain similar to post op.

Any advice much appreciated.

EPT Host 20
Posts: 3142
Joined: Thu May 31, 2012 10:58 pm

Re: First period - weird pain

Post by EPT Host 20 »

Dear Bookworm,
I am so sorry to hear of your ectopic pregnancy and loss,
Pain following ectopic pregnancy is quite normal and it certainly can still be the post operative phase, coupled with your period. The first period can be more painful or heavier than normal.
Unfortunately I am not medically trained so cannot give you specific advice on your symptoms, however it sounds as though your GP has been very thorough.
I would advise taking regular pain relief as advised and resting and hopefully it should settle soon. If it doesn't settle, I would advise keeping a diary, noting the intensity on a scale of 0-10, anything that worsens or relieves the pain and revisit your GP, for further investigations.

Sending much love,
Karen x

The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust
Registered Charity Number: 1071811
Ectopic pregnancy patient information suite: Highly Commended in the 2019 BMA Patient Information Awards
**************************************************************************
During the coronavirus outbreak, The EPT team is still working hard to provide crucial information and support to women and families experiencing ectopic pregnancy as quickly and efficiently as we can.
If we have been able to help you, are you able to help us with a small donation or by volunteering or fundraising?
Further information is available at ectopic.org.uk
Email us: ept@ectopic.org.uk
We provide a call-back helpline service: 020 7733 2653
Take a look at our newsletters and subscribe to our mailing list here: https://mailchi.mp/986bdd6091ee/ectopic-matters
Detailed medical information can be found on our website. Please remember online medical information is NO SUBSTITUTE for expert medical advice from your own health care team
***************************************************************************

Post Reply