My Painful Ectopic Pregnancy Story

Note: Long post ahead!

Circa June 8, 2017

Thursday night was as normal as the other days of the week. There was work, James (my husband) and I had decided to go to SM City Seaside so we can buy the things we will be bringing back to Bohol by Friday night. It would be a long weekend since Monday's a holiday in the Philippines and it would be the best time to go home for a three-day weekend.

We arrived at SM City Seaside at 8:15 PM and went directly to ACE hardware, bought a water dispenser and other important stuff but while we were on our way to the cashier, I felt a painful drop inside my abdomen. It was so sudden that I had to bend down to my knees. James then have to let me sit down first and wait for him as he paid the items. I bought mango juice to fill my stomach but the pain still won't go away so we had to go back home immediately. As we were on our way, I was just keeping the pain to myself but each time we pass by a bumpy road, the pain was unbearable but I have to hold it until we reach home.

As we arrived home, I immediately went to bed face down and find the best position to make the pain bearable. The pain stopped but after some time, it kept coming back. I was wanting to sleep so I can forget the pain but it didn't stop at all. I can't literally explain the pain. It was like something is pulling within whatever organ I have down in there at a point where I could no longer get up from bed when it attacks. There was also this feeling of wanting to go to the comfort room but whenever I get to sit in the toilet, nothing gets out and I would just be sitting there for some time.

That morning, the pain worsen. I had a hard time getting out of bed and I was already crying. James couldn't help but felt pity, he decided to have me checked at Chong Hua hospital.

We went straight to the Emergency Room, some available nurses entertained us, asked for details on how I am feeling and what were the things that had happened. After which I was brought inside and some more nurses started asking me again about my situation, pressing some parts of my stomach asking if that hurts or what until the resident doctor advised that I should go through a CT scan procedure.

We found out I was pregnant!

I had to have my urine test first. Although having a hard time walking, I had to force myself to go to the comfort room and pee. Gladly, I managed to fill the container and gave it to the nurse assigned.

We waited and the doctor surprised my husband, James and I that I am positive 4 weeks pregnant!

It was sure and the happiness seemed able to take the pain away temporarily. The CT scan can't proceed this time, instead they have advised that I should go through PAP smear and TVS to check on the baby's situation.

PAP Smear and TVS

This test is also called a PAP test. It is a screening procedure for cervical cancer. It tests for the presence of precancerous or cancerous cells on the cervix.

It was an embarrassing experience and it was my first time to go through this procedure and I thought I should face it because it is already part of life specially in this stage where I am married and is also pregnant.

However, during the TVS and IE procedure, I felt excruciating pain. There was no embryo detected! As per the doctor, since it is still 4weeks of pregnancy, the embryo is not yet visible. It is more likely a blood at this point and that is not yet detectable. She advised that I should go back for tests after two weeks. The resident OBGYN also told me that I might be having an Ectopic pregnancy.

Ectopic pregnancy, also known as tubal pregnancy, is a complication of pregnancy in which the embryo attaches outside the uterus. Signs and symptoms classically include abdominal pain and vaginal bleeding. Less than 50 percent of affected women have both of these symptoms. The pain may be described as sharp, dull, or crampy. Pain may also spread to the shoulder if bleeding into the abdomen has occurred. Severe bleeding may result in a fast heart rate, fainting, or shock. With very rare exceptions the fetus is unable to survive.

Ultrasound

This ultrasound is another option done to check the full abdomen for my liver and appendix. At six in the morning on my second day at the hospital, someone knocked hard on our room and told us it was my schedule for ultrasound. This was very early but I was glad it was early. I was on a wheel chair.

The doctor picked up her gel, she put some on the instrument which looked like a deodorant stick, and started pushing into my stomach. Note that the doctor let me also lie with my two hands up and asked me to inhale and exhale while she was doing the ultrasound test.

My stomach was not hurting anymore and she advised me that there isn't any problem with my liver and appendix so I should not worry about anything.

Two Nights at Chong Hua Hospital

What we planned as a vacation in Bohol turned out to be a hospital rest instead. There were pain relievers given to me and the pain had faded so on our third day, the doctor already allowed us to check out.

Our bill for the three day-two nights stay.

Pain Reoccurred

Being pregnant was what I thought would be the best part of our lives as married couple. My husband and I had been feeling complete despite how the announcement of our baby. I was admitted at the Chong Hua Private Hospital in Cebu when we learned that I was four weeks pregnant and that made us really happy and excited at the same time.

For two weeks, both of us had been looking forward for the things to prepare, what to expect when my belly starts showing signs of our upcoming baby, we had lots of plans both for us and our future family. Never in our mind that this unfortunate thing would occur but then, we don't own our lives and our fate so we were out of idea that the baby whom we thought would be our first born will be taken away from us that soon.

On June 23, I prepared our stuffs as we planned on going to Bohol again, I was excited to see my family! 

However, the excitement was changed with pain as I was feeling stomach aches again and this rectal spasm at the same time. I called James and told him about how I was feeling and he immediately advised his boss that he'll have to do under time work because of my situation. He went home as fast as he can and then reached home at past four in the afternoon and he found me lying in bed.

He was trying to give me comfort but the pain is not subsiding. What I was feeling was the same thing as how I felt two weeks ago when I was hospitalized. But since we don't want to spoil our plan of going home to Bohol, we decided that we will pursue the plan and we'll ask my parents for their help on this case.

I had to endure the pain while traveling, I had this feeling of wanting to poop but couldn't. I can't sleep as well that night while on board the ship and when we reached the Ubay Port, I was almost energy-less. I am just trying to endure the pain but I was almost passing out. Gladly, we reached home at four in the morning and my parents gave me essential oils to help me with the pain. They felt like it is gas trapped in my body and that needs to be passed out so I can be relieved from the pain but this didn't help.

Dr. Cero's Revelation

Since the pain is not fading away, my parents decided that we should go to a clinic. We went to Jagna at Dr. Cero's. She required that I undergo another Transvaginal Ultrasound since I am already six weeks pregnant. A gestational sac should now be seen which signifies the baby inside my uterus.

Her face showed very concerned while doing the procedure, she can't find the gestational sac and I was in pain. She did another abdominal ultrasound, still nothing. She did another TVS this time and she revealed that I am having an Ectopic Pregnancy and that I should go to a nearby hospital to get help on this situation as it could harm me.

I started crying as she told me I might need to be operated.

Facing Ectopic Pregnancy

The photos of the result was shown to me while the OB Doctor who was speaking in Tagalog at the Jagna public hospital explained my condition. As per the ultra sound results, there's a remarkable fluid inside my uterus, this could possibly be causing me pain like I was having my monthly menstruation. There's also a complex mass of three cm in size in the left part of my uterus and it is giving me a lot of pain when it is poked. The gestation sac is nowhere to be found but pregnancy test is positive. The OB can't conclude anything else but Ectopic Pregnancy.

She further discussed that Ectopic Pregnancy is a general term for all abnormal pregnancy where the gestation sac or the baby is not inside the uterus. The baby could be in the Fallopian Tube which is the usual case and that it is growing but the tube is not a muscle so it won't grow resulting to a burst and that would cost my life if that happens. So the only remedy is operation where the Fallopian Tube will be taken out and the baby as well.

This was explained to me while all eyes and ears were at me at the public hospital's lobby. I tried to be brave and not cry as there were hundreds of eyes in the lobby. The doctor asked the nurse to bring me to the OB area so she can do an internal investigation or IE. While at the area, the doctor spoke to my husband and my parents about my situation and told them that I need an operation immediately as there's already bleeding inside me.

The Doctor came inside the OB area, she wore the gloves and started examining inside me but I am feeling all sorts of pain while she examines. She stopped and told me if I have normal pregnancy, I won't be feeling any pain so she said I have to undergo an operation. I can't help but cry now as I was not ready about this. I can't let go of my first baby just yet so I asked James if we can go home but the doctor said she can't let me go home. Or if we insists, she'll ask us to sign a waiver stating that she won't be liable anymore of whatever may happen to me while outside the hospital.

We have to make a decision. James agreed with the operation but I had to ask him sorry about what had happened. He cried as well and I can't stop at all. This continued until the ambulance carried us to Tagbilaran City. Unfortunately, the previous hospital don't have an anesthesiologist at that time so they have to refer us to the city hospital.

Ramiro Hospital - The Operation

It was four in the afternoon when we reached the private hospital in the City of Tagbilaran. After my husband got a room for my admission and everything else were ready, they brought me towards the operating room where the doctors and an anesthesiologist were both waiting. Before I was transferred, the doctor in Jagna had already called the private hospital and scheduled me immediately for operation.

They got me dressed on a hospital gown, the doctor examined me again and when I confirmed the pain, she did a go signal for the anesthesiologist to give me anesthesia. Doctor Nazareno, the anesthesiologist together with her assistant shot me at my spinal cord a few anesthesia and after just a few seconds, I couldn't feel half of my body. Then I felt dizzy and a bit sleepy plus I feel cold but since I couldn't feel anything from my stomach down, my upper body was getting all the chills and the shaking.

I was still able to speak to Dr. Nazareno and she told me that shaking and chilling was part of the side effect of the anesthesia. It was normal but she was there all along during the operation monitoring my condition. They had inserted an oxygen for me too in case I won't be breathing.

During the operation, I can feel Dr. Lazaro slicing, pulling and doing something in my abdomen but I can't feel any pain at all. Also they had a catheter connected right inside of me so all that I pee can go straight there.

The shaking was too strong that I requested Dr. Nazareno to make me sleep instead. She agreed on getting another doze for me and I was shut down after a few minutes. When I opened my eyes, I can feel Dr. Lazaro stitching my abdomen, it seems the anesthesia was already subsiding by that time.

Then I slept again. The next thing I know, I was already out of the operating room and James and my parents were called by the nurse so they can transfer me to the room.

Abdominal Pregnancy

After the operation, my OB, Dr. Lazaro explained that the gestational sac dropped into the back of my uterus next to my stomach, it had burst already which caused me to feel the urge to poo. There was also scratches in my intestines so a surgeon has to cut part of my intestines to take away that part. 

According to Dr. Lazaro, this was a unique case of Abdominal Pregnancy and this could happen again but the good news was that nothing was taken out from my uterus or my Fallopian tube so I can still get pregnant!

Recovery Time

The operation was an experience I didn't imagine I would go through but at that time after the operation, I had to accept the fact that there's now a slice in my abdomen.

After spending five days at the hospital, eating almost nothing but just getting energy from all the dextrose, then eating soft diet after three days, I lost a few weight. I also lost my appetite after eating all soft stuffs, when I started eating hard, I began throwing up and I had LBM too.

This ran for three days but gladly, my body was able to get back into its normal.

This operation mark in my abdomen will stay forever, it will be a constant reminder that there was once a baby that had been conceived inside of me and that brought both joy for awhile as well as pain but nonetheless, it was something my husband and I wanted.

Our total bill at Ramiro Hospital was Php 130,000+