TTC after Methotrexate shot

[HerdingMomma]

My story is giving someone hope! That makes me feel good, thank you.

I have also experienced weight gain since my rounds of MTX and now I'm curious if it's related! Will be off to google that after this post.

Hang in there, hon. It took me almost a year to get pg again after my first ectopic, and then another 5 months after the second.

AFM: Most of my time the last few days has been reading up on subchorionic hematomas. I'm feeling ok about it most of the time, but still that nagging worry. I've not had any bleeding, which is supposed to be a good sign, but it is quite large in comparison to the size of the gest sac, which is scary, however, since it's so far away from the gest sac, it's possible it's not an SCH at all, by definition. It is a hemorhage of some sort, but subchorionic means between the chorion layer and the uterus, and the chorion layer just is not that big. I'm wondering if it might be where the baby had started to implant and tore away and implanted further away, or if I lost a twin.

 

[beemeck]

My story is giving someone hope! That makes me feel good, thank you.

I have also experienced weight gain since my rounds of MTX and now I'm curious if it's related! Will be off to google that after this post.

Hang in there, hon. It took me almost a year to get pg again after my first ectopic, and then another 5 months after the second.

AFM: Most of my time the last few days has been reading up on subchorionic hematomas. I'm feeling ok about it most of the time, but still that nagging worry. I've not had any bleeding, which is supposed to be a good sign, but it is quite large in comparison to the size of the gest sac, which is scary, however, since it's so far away from the gest sac, it's possible it's not an SCH at all, by definition. It is a hemorhage of some sort, but subchorionic means between the chorion layer and the uterus, and the chorion layer just is not that big. I'm wondering if it might be where the baby had started to implant and tore away and implanted further away, or if I lost a twin.

I remember looking up SCH when I was bleeding during my pregnancy (before I found out it was ectopic). I don't know much about it but from the looks of your scan it seems that everything is heading in the right direction... I am definitely keeping you in my thoughts. I know how scared I am going to be when I get another chance at being pregnant....

I google everything too lol. Let me know if you find anything about the weight gain. I remember them telling me my hair might fall out, but I didn't experience any hair loss until 3 months post shot so that's what is concerning. maybe I'll get some answers at my appt today too!

 

[HerdingMomma]

I remember looking up SCH when I was bleeding during my pregnancy (before I found out it was ectopic). I don't know much about it but from the looks of your scan it seems that everything is heading in the right direction... I am definitely keeping you in my thoughts. I know how scared I am going to be when I get another chance at being pregnant....

I google everything too lol. Let me know if you find anything about the weight gain. I remember them telling me my hair might fall out, but I didn't experience any hair loss until 3 months post shot so that's what is concerning. maybe I'll get some answers at my appt today too!

From my time on Google I *think* it's heading in the right direction, too. The fuzziness in the SCH I think indicates it's healing? It's not just solid blood anymore, anyway. I've posted in several SCH support groups, and haven't yet gotten any responses from those who have studied/lived with this longer. I can say for sure, that I haven't seen any other u/s images with a SCH that far away from the sac, which is part of why I'm thinking it's something different. More and more I'm thinking it's implantation blood.

As for MTX and weight gain.... There are a LOT of posts where people are asking if it's related, but nothing that indicates it is. Most "doctor" responses say MTX should cause weight LOSS due to how it works, but since it can damage kidneys that it could cause edema, and therefore weight gain in the form of water retention. Until I got pregnant I didn't feel bloated, though, just fat. LOL

 

[HerdingMomma]

Just found this quote on another site....

"At 12.5 weeks, a perinatologist looked at my ultrasound and said the SCH was beginning to "organize itself." That is, it had a more definite line around it and was a mix of fluid and solid rather than being all fluid."

I think that's what mine is doing already! I PRAY that's what I'm seeing, anyway! I wish these people would post pictures.

 

[HerdingMomma]

The bleed is GONE!!! Baby measured spot on at 6w1d and had a strong HB of 117-119bpm. If I remember right, that's about 20bpm higher than my first angel's was at about the same point. I'm going to try to remember to ask the nurse at my next scan next Monday.

https://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/y420/June2014/HerdingMomma/BabyD6w1d2_zps0lo3zq5x.jpg

 

[beemeck]

herding - that's great! what a beautiful picture continuing to wish you a H and H 9 months. I believe today is my O day so FX the egg has been met

 

[Dtrisha]

Hi ladies! I had my ectopic on sept 6tg which was treated by methotrexate as well. I'm not TTC just yet but I thought I could join to get some insight and hear positive stories. I just finished my 1st AF and now just counting down days till my next AF so we can start trying again. I'm excited but also very nervous. I started bleeding at 5 weeks and I'm glad that i took my instinct and went to the ER. I was devistated but again happy they caught it so my tube was not removed. They said the MTX shot worked really great for me. And in 2 1/2 weeks my numbers were at 0. So now it's just more and more waiting. It is also our first child so I think that's what hurt the worst. But I'm very happy to have found this thread it gives me hope !

 

[beemeck]

Hi ladies! I had my ectopic on sept 6tg which was treated by methotrexate as well. I'm not TTC just yet but I thought I could join to get some insight and hear positive stories. I just finished my 1st AF and now just counting down days till my next AF so we can start trying again. I'm excited but also very nervous. I started bleeding at 5 weeks and I'm glad that i took my instinct and went to the ER. I was devistated but again happy they caught it so my tube was not removed. They said the MTX shot worked really great for me. And in 2 1/2 weeks my numbers were at 0. So now it's just more and more waiting. It is also our first child so I think that's what hurt the worst. But I'm very happy to have found this thread it gives me hope !

hi D!
sounds like things are going pretty well for you all things considered. That's great you got to keep your tube and great that you've already had an AF! it seems like the faster you get to 0, the better. and the earlier you find out, the better too. I also had an ectopic my first pregnancy (but it was cervical), so I can really relate to how truly devastating that is. the three months they told me to wait after my surgery felt like it dragged SO SLOWLY. in fact, I only waited two months before I started trying again. My periods regulated right away and I felt like I needed to be able to start trying again for my mental health! I haven't had any luck yet but I'm glad to find threads like this one to give me hope. stay with us on your journey - the support is much needed!

 

[Dtrisha]

Bee- ya as long as my next cycle comes on time I'm going to start trying. I'm pretty sure it will be. It just feels like my body is back to normal but I don't think I should try this month (as much as I want to). If I start regularly I'll still be trying like 2 weeks early but I think it'll be ok because I've been taking folic acid like you're supposed to. I got lucky and we got pregnant on cycle 2 last time so hopefully we are lucky again. In so sorry to hear about your experience though. It's just so terrible. I just want our first child. It's so hard to see close friends and family so happy and you're just stuck in a rut. Baby dust to you!! Are you temping or anything? I didn't do anything last time we just BD a lot.

 

[beemeck]

Bee- ya as long as my next cycle comes on time I'm going to start trying. I'm pretty sure it will be. It just feels like my body is back to normal but I don't think I should try this month (as much as I want to). If I start regularly I'll still be trying like 2 weeks early but I think it'll be ok because I've been taking folic acid like you're supposed to. I got lucky and we got pregnant on cycle 2 last time so hopefully we are lucky again. In so sorry to hear about your experience though. It's just so terrible. I just want our first child. It's so hard to see close friends and family so happy and you're just stuck in a rut. Baby dust to you!! Are you temping or anything? I didn't do anything last time we just BD a lot.

I was the same way. I felt back to normal pretty much right away but I think I've learned that that can be deceiving. I don't think there is any harm in trying earlier though because I feel like when your body isn't truly healed, it won't happen. I got pregnant the first month trying! and did nothing except notice EWCM and hit the bedroom 2 days in a row. that's it - bam. and now, nothing. each month I add more to help so yes I'm temping, using OPKS, charting, the whole deal. I started to worry that I wasn't O'ing. I finally went to drs last week. I am O'ing but he said some women really get set back from the MTX. I've been all about the folate since June too so I just don't know every month, I'm hoping this is it! tons of to you too

 

[Dtrisha]

I wonder why you get set back by it? Like what is it that's keeping us from conceiving? I hope I get right back. And now I know signs of pregnancy I'm hoping they stay the same so I'll know earlier. Because before I had bloating and peeing a lot and I didn't think it was because of pregnancy but I was. So hoping end of November /December it'll be signs again lol. Sorry if my messages are all over the place lol. I'm on my cell phone and I'm trying to minimal it so I don't have to type as much lol.

 

[beemeck]

I wonder why you get set back by it? Like what is it that's keeping us from conceiving? I hope I get right back. And now I know signs of pregnancy I'm hoping they stay the same so I'll know earlier. Because before I had bloating and peeing a lot and I didn't think it was because of pregnancy but I was. So hoping end of November /December it'll be signs again lol. Sorry if my messages are all over the place lol. I'm on my cell phone and I'm trying to minimal it so I don't have to type as much lol.

no you're fine - it's def complicated on the phone lol. I wonder that too - I never get a straight answer - just "give your body time to heal". I'm always like heal what, specifically?! When they told me to wait 3 months I asked why. Just the healing answer. He even said it wouldn't be the end of the world if I got pregnant before then, but just to please wait. I'm a very rational person - I wanted a concrete answer! I still want that concrete answer. My situation was complicated and I hemorrhaged and could have died. Lost 25% of my blood and had to get transfusions/emergency surgery. so they always just tell me that my body went through a lot and it's getting back on track? yet I have gotten my period every 29 days on the dot since...???

 

[Dtrisha]

Yeah I want to know too. Like please tell me what has to heal and how it has to heal. I know they say well the MTX does a big toll on your body and I get that. But that's the only answer they told me too. It's our body's and I want to know what happens. I've heard that you can have birth defects from MTX and I think that's what scares me the most about trying this month. Because it's only been 6 weeks and I've only been taking folic acid for about 4 weeks. They never told me how much to take so I'm taking 800 mcg.

 

[HerdingMomma]

A lot of people are told to wait three months to give the body time to build folic acid levels back up, but that recommendation comes from long term use of MTX, not the tiny dose needed to take care of an ectopic. My RE told us wait one cycle. It took longer than that each time, but that's what we did.

I'll have to double check to tell you the exact dosages, but I'm VERY confident that serrapeptase, natokinase and selenium helped me. I've got a very good friend who has also had multiple ectopics, and she did some research and found that serra and nato work together to dissolve scar tissue, which is a big cause of ectopics. Selenium supports overall tube health. I started taking it about 2 months before this BFP and it's intrauterine!! She started it long before I did and she's 25 weeks now! So both of us got our IUPs the first BFP after taking these supplements. Now that I've seen it for myself, I'm passing it on, too.

Just remembered I ordered the serra and nato from Amazon, so looked up the order... The serrapeptase I took 120,000 units once a day, the natokinase I took 2,000 fu once a day. The selenium I got at Kroger, so I'll have to look at it when I get home.

I was convinced the serra/nato combo was doing SOMETHING within a week of starting it. I had had a cyst on the back of my neck for YEARS, and within a week it was all but gone. It's completely gone now.

 

[HerdingMomma]

BTW, take folate instead of folic acid. It works better/faster. Plus, if you have MTHFR folic acid isn't going to work at all, and can make things worse.

 

[beemeck]

thanks for all of that info herding! and I think you're right about the MTX dosages. I did specifically ask my Dr how long it would be in my system and he said a week! it's long term that could cause birth defects... I know it depletes folate like crazy, but I don't think it takes three months to build back up. especially with taking folate and eating right.

 

[Dtrisha]

What is MTHFR? Sorry not familiar with the abbreviation. And I'm going to look up those to things you said and take them. Are they a combo in one vitamin or two separate vitamins?

 

[Dtrisha]

So folate not folic acid?? I didn't know this. Ugh

 

[HerdingMomma]

What is MTHFR? Sorry not familiar with the abbreviation. And I'm going to look up those to things you said and take them. Are they a combo in one vitamin or two separate vitamins?

It stands for methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase, and a lot of people have a mutation that means it doesn't work as well as it should. It's pretty complicated, but the end result is the body can't process certain amino acids.

Here's the links to the two I got:

Nat - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BD0RRM?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=od_aui_detailpages00

Serra - https://www.amazon.com/Doctors-Best...422&sr=1-1&keywords=serrapeptase+120000+units

 

[Dtrisha]

So ahould I take that for just trying to get pregnant or take it through the whole pregnancy as well? And should I take folate on top of that instead of folic acid?