Hi everyone, I am so glad to find this community
I am worried with everything that's going on with me cant even focus with other things
I have recently had an ectopic pregnancy and treated with Methrotrexate Injection.
On 6 feb tasted positive, 13 feb got brown spotting and rushed to the hospital, after some test and scan found I had an ectopic pregnancy and started medication the same day. after medication the spotting turned into light bleeding for 3 days then stopped.
my levels were as follows
Day1, 13 feb 1725(Injection day)
Day4, 16 feb 1229
Day 14, 27 feb 401, next appoint is after one month 27 march
on my first appointment I was told my period will come after 2 weeks i haven't gotten till today and on my last appointment I was also told to use condom whenever I have sex, I resume sex same day after advised to use condom (two weeks after injection) and I have been doing that.
My worry is that is it normal for period to delay? and is it possible to get pregnant even with hcg precent in my system because I also have sore breast for some days now and I am still testing positive. I am very much worried.
also could you please tell when my levels will hit zero
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Period after Methrotrexate injection
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Elephant+1
- Posts: 87
- Joined: Tue Nov 29, 2022 9:02 am
Re: Period after Methrotrexate injection
Hello Ma Hari,
Firstly sorry for your loss, it’s a horrible experience!
We’re all different and everyone journey will be different but I’ll tell you mine to hopefully give you peace of mind!
Started spotting 6th Nov
BFP 11th Nov
In and out of hospital for bloods due to bleeding and pain
28th Nov - identified ectopic
29th Nov - received MTX
I then bled consistently pretty much all the way through until mid Jan. i got a negative pregnancy test 15th and 21st Jan but this was after my bloods showed a much lower HCG level.
The ladies here will provide a more accurate response but my view is, you can’t get pregnant while your HCG levels are showing as pregnant. Your body is going through trauma and you’re naturally going to feel these symptoms especially as your MTX was so recent. The reason they’ve told you to use a condom is because the quality of your cells can be damaged due to the MTX injection (it’s a form of chemo) and if you get pregnant before the MTX has fully metabolised then your next baby is at risk of birth defects and your next pregnancy is a higher risk of miscarriage. The ladies here will also tell you to take folic acid for 12 weeks after your HCG levels go back to pre pregnancy levels to rebuild those cells.
With regards to my period I was told 6/7 weeks AFTER my HCG levels were below 10, my period actually came around 5 weeks later. So you may have a little while yet. I’m now coming toward the end of my second full cycle and my body feels pretty much back to normal (TOUCH WOOD)
I am unsure where in the world you are? Because I’m the U.K. they were taking my bloods every 48 hours and then weekly and then upped to 48 hours again to monitor how my bloods were falling (or rising in some cases!). It helped me knowing what was going on.
I hope the rest of this journey is ok for you! Xxx
Firstly sorry for your loss, it’s a horrible experience!
We’re all different and everyone journey will be different but I’ll tell you mine to hopefully give you peace of mind!
Started spotting 6th Nov
BFP 11th Nov
In and out of hospital for bloods due to bleeding and pain
28th Nov - identified ectopic
29th Nov - received MTX
I then bled consistently pretty much all the way through until mid Jan. i got a negative pregnancy test 15th and 21st Jan but this was after my bloods showed a much lower HCG level.
The ladies here will provide a more accurate response but my view is, you can’t get pregnant while your HCG levels are showing as pregnant. Your body is going through trauma and you’re naturally going to feel these symptoms especially as your MTX was so recent. The reason they’ve told you to use a condom is because the quality of your cells can be damaged due to the MTX injection (it’s a form of chemo) and if you get pregnant before the MTX has fully metabolised then your next baby is at risk of birth defects and your next pregnancy is a higher risk of miscarriage. The ladies here will also tell you to take folic acid for 12 weeks after your HCG levels go back to pre pregnancy levels to rebuild those cells.
With regards to my period I was told 6/7 weeks AFTER my HCG levels were below 10, my period actually came around 5 weeks later. So you may have a little while yet. I’m now coming toward the end of my second full cycle and my body feels pretty much back to normal (TOUCH WOOD)
I am unsure where in the world you are? Because I’m the U.K. they were taking my bloods every 48 hours and then weekly and then upped to 48 hours again to monitor how my bloods were falling (or rising in some cases!). It helped me knowing what was going on.
I hope the rest of this journey is ok for you! Xxx
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EPT Host 20
- Posts: 3176
- Joined: Thu May 31, 2012 10:58 pm
Re: Period after Methrotrexate injection
Dear ma hari,
I am so sorry to hear of your ectopic pregnancy loss,
In the UK, we would monitor your blood hCG levels every 3-7 days until they reached pre-pregnancy levels, which is generally below 5. Although methotrexate works well for most, it sometimes doesn't work and hCG levels can begin to rise. I do not wish to alarm you but sadly with medical treatment, there is a risk that your fallopian tube could rupture causing internal bleeding and this can happen even with low or declining levels. We therefore advise to avoid heavy lifting or strenuous exercise of anything that would increase intra-abdominal pressure such as sexual intercourse, until your levels have reached pre-pregnancy levels
With regards to trying to concieve, it is important to use additional contraception such as condoms as we and many healthcare professionals advise to wait until your hCG levels have reached pre-pregnancy levels (your doctor will tell you when this is) then take folic acid supplements for 12 weeks. This is because the Methotrexate may have reduced the level of folate in your body which is needed to ensure a baby develops healthily. The Methotrexate is metabolised quickly but it can affect the quality of your cells, including those of your eggs and the quality of your blood for up to three months after it has been given. The medicine can also affect the way your liver works and so you need to give your body time to recover properly before a new pregnancy is considered. A shortage of folate could result in a greater chance of a baby having a neural tube defect such as hare lip, cleft palate, or even spina bifida or other NT defects. This is why the "wait" and then taking folic acid for 12 weeks before trying to conceive is so important.
This also gives chance for your body to recover from the ordeal of an ectopic pregnancy, it gives your periods to return to a more normal cycle. This can be key when dating possible future scan dates.
We have more information on methotrexate treatment on our website here-
https://ectopic.org.uk/treating-an-ecto ... thotrexate
Periods can take a while to start, following Methotrexate your period will begin, in average, at some time in the four weeks after their hCG levels have fallen to below 100 mIU/mL.
If you have any concerns about the level of care you are receiving, I would certainly speak to your medical team.
We will be here for you for as long as you need,
Sending much love,
Karen x
The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust
Registered Charity Number: 1071811
The EPT is awarded the PIF TICK as a Trusted Information Creator, the UK-wide quality mark for healthcare information
*************************************************************************
If the information provided here or through the EPT website has helped you, you can donate towards our support services, volunteer, or fundraise to raise awareness.
Further information is available on our website.
Email us: ept@ectopic.org.uk
We provide a call-back support line: 020 7733 2653. We are able to provide support in multiple languages including British Sign Language.
Take a look at our newsletters and subscribe to our mailing list.
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
*************************************************************************
I am so sorry to hear of your ectopic pregnancy loss,
In the UK, we would monitor your blood hCG levels every 3-7 days until they reached pre-pregnancy levels, which is generally below 5. Although methotrexate works well for most, it sometimes doesn't work and hCG levels can begin to rise. I do not wish to alarm you but sadly with medical treatment, there is a risk that your fallopian tube could rupture causing internal bleeding and this can happen even with low or declining levels. We therefore advise to avoid heavy lifting or strenuous exercise of anything that would increase intra-abdominal pressure such as sexual intercourse, until your levels have reached pre-pregnancy levels
With regards to trying to concieve, it is important to use additional contraception such as condoms as we and many healthcare professionals advise to wait until your hCG levels have reached pre-pregnancy levels (your doctor will tell you when this is) then take folic acid supplements for 12 weeks. This is because the Methotrexate may have reduced the level of folate in your body which is needed to ensure a baby develops healthily. The Methotrexate is metabolised quickly but it can affect the quality of your cells, including those of your eggs and the quality of your blood for up to three months after it has been given. The medicine can also affect the way your liver works and so you need to give your body time to recover properly before a new pregnancy is considered. A shortage of folate could result in a greater chance of a baby having a neural tube defect such as hare lip, cleft palate, or even spina bifida or other NT defects. This is why the "wait" and then taking folic acid for 12 weeks before trying to conceive is so important.
This also gives chance for your body to recover from the ordeal of an ectopic pregnancy, it gives your periods to return to a more normal cycle. This can be key when dating possible future scan dates.
We have more information on methotrexate treatment on our website here-
https://ectopic.org.uk/treating-an-ecto ... thotrexate
Periods can take a while to start, following Methotrexate your period will begin, in average, at some time in the four weeks after their hCG levels have fallen to below 100 mIU/mL.
If you have any concerns about the level of care you are receiving, I would certainly speak to your medical team.
We will be here for you for as long as you need,
Sending much love,
Karen x
The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust
Registered Charity Number: 1071811
The EPT is awarded the PIF TICK as a Trusted Information Creator, the UK-wide quality mark for healthcare information
*************************************************************************
If the information provided here or through the EPT website has helped you, you can donate towards our support services, volunteer, or fundraise to raise awareness.
Further information is available on our website.
Email us: ept@ectopic.org.uk
We provide a call-back support line: 020 7733 2653. We are able to provide support in multiple languages including British Sign Language.
Take a look at our newsletters and subscribe to our mailing list.
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
*************************************************************************
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ChaoticBlues
- Posts: 126
- Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2023 10:17 pm
Re: Period after Methrotrexate injection
Hey
I feel like the key words are "after two weeks" not precisely two weeks. Everything I read says a period may come two to six weeks after your HCG gets to 0.
I bled for 12 long weeks. In those 12 weeks I got to a HCG of 16 eventually, then got discharged from the hospital. I've not bled for nearly 2 weeks and haven't had my period yet. I've not had a period in 5 months.
If your hcg has been decreasing (not increasing after decreasing) then your body is doing what it's meant to. Unfortunately it can take a long time.
I feel like the key words are "after two weeks" not precisely two weeks. Everything I read says a period may come two to six weeks after your HCG gets to 0.
I bled for 12 long weeks. In those 12 weeks I got to a HCG of 16 eventually, then got discharged from the hospital. I've not bled for nearly 2 weeks and haven't had my period yet. I've not had a period in 5 months.
If your hcg has been decreasing (not increasing after decreasing) then your body is doing what it's meant to. Unfortunately it can take a long time.
Re: Period after Methrotrexate injection
I thank God for giving me patient and this forum for giving me every possible information throughout this journey....
It was really a long and painful journey but finally God has healed me, I'm now testing negative with hcg zero and I'm in mid of my second full cycle
I pray to everyone in need to be saved and healed.
Amen
It was really a long and painful journey but finally God has healed me, I'm now testing negative with hcg zero and I'm in mid of my second full cycle
I pray to everyone in need to be saved and healed.
Amen
