I finally am at that stage where I can think about when to go for that oh-so-terrifying first ultrasound. And I was informed by my RE's office that it can be only once a week, on a Monday, between 7 and 9 am because that is the only time my RE will be in to do a pregnancy ultrasound. Seriously? Can't somebody else do it, if say, I want to go in on Thursday? Super strange rules at NYU fertility, I've have to say.
So I can go in this coming Monday (5w6d) or the following Monday (6w6d). For somebody with a history of pregnancy loss, I have to say, waiting until I'm nearly 7 weeks along is no picnic. The only reason I'm even agreeing to wait that long is it does not seem like the pregnancy is ectopic, so there is no reason to hurry to find out. And going in at 5w6d is so risky, you may not see anything and you will buy yourself a week of torture for no good reason. Plus, I'm terrified of the actual ultrasound itself. My cousin is coming in on the weekend of the 14th and leaves on the 16th (Monday). If this pregnancy has ended/looks to be in trouble, I'd rather find out at the end of her visit rather than immediately preceding it. Plus, its nice to have her for moral support through this, since I will be scared shitless.
But OMG, I'm going to have to wait for over 10 days for my first ultrasound. AArggh! I'm doing the right thing by not going in at 5w6d right?
Based on all of your own advice, and my own flickers of common sense, I was going to hold off on the u/s till the 6w6d point. Then this morning, post shower (and a workout yesterday which included girlie push ups), I start getting shoulder pain. Cue in instant low-grade freakout (this is a symptom of tube rupture in ectopic pregnancy, yes, Damn you Dr. Google, for giving me access to such information!!!). Now, I have no other symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy, no spotting, no pain, normally doubling betas, a fairly decent progesterone level, etc. But I still spent minutes trying to figure out if I needed to go to the ER today. My shoulder pain never escalated and went away, and more importantly, I have no signs of going to shock at blood loss, ie, I am just fine and my fallopian tubes are still hopefully intact.
Then I googled when tube rupture happens in ectopic pregnancy- its around 6 weeks apparently. I've seen the effects of a tube rupture happening to somebody in my family, even though she survived it, it ruined her quality of life, saddling her with a lifelong pelvic pain syndrome. It freaks me out, there is no way I'd consider risking it. Nor do I want to spend the next week getting nervous everytime a bodypart like my shoulder starts twitching. So I want to go in this Monday(5w6d), and a) be assured by a gestational sac in in the uterus and b) not be freaked out by no heartbeat, if possible. Argh..fear is a terrible thing, it only breeds more of itself, and its odious cousin, stress.
So I can go in this coming Monday (5w6d) or the following Monday (6w6d). For somebody with a history of pregnancy loss, I have to say, waiting until I'm nearly 7 weeks along is no picnic. The only reason I'm even agreeing to wait that long is it does not seem like the pregnancy is ectopic, so there is no reason to hurry to find out. And going in at 5w6d is so risky, you may not see anything and you will buy yourself a week of torture for no good reason. Plus, I'm terrified of the actual ultrasound itself. My cousin is coming in on the weekend of the 14th and leaves on the 16th (Monday). If this pregnancy has ended/looks to be in trouble, I'd rather find out at the end of her visit rather than immediately preceding it. Plus, its nice to have her for moral support through this, since I will be scared shitless.
But OMG, I'm going to have to wait for over 10 days for my first ultrasound. AArggh! I'm doing the right thing by not going in at 5w6d right?
Based on all of your own advice, and my own flickers of common sense, I was going to hold off on the u/s till the 6w6d point. Then this morning, post shower (and a workout yesterday which included girlie push ups), I start getting shoulder pain. Cue in instant low-grade freakout (this is a symptom of tube rupture in ectopic pregnancy, yes, Damn you Dr. Google, for giving me access to such information!!!). Now, I have no other symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy, no spotting, no pain, normally doubling betas, a fairly decent progesterone level, etc. But I still spent minutes trying to figure out if I needed to go to the ER today. My shoulder pain never escalated and went away, and more importantly, I have no signs of going to shock at blood loss, ie, I am just fine and my fallopian tubes are still hopefully intact.
Then I googled when tube rupture happens in ectopic pregnancy- its around 6 weeks apparently. I've seen the effects of a tube rupture happening to somebody in my family, even though she survived it, it ruined her quality of life, saddling her with a lifelong pelvic pain syndrome. It freaks me out, there is no way I'd consider risking it. Nor do I want to spend the next week getting nervous everytime a bodypart like my shoulder starts twitching. So I want to go in this Monday(5w6d), and a) be assured by a gestational sac in in the uterus and b) not be freaked out by no heartbeat, if possible. Argh..fear is a terrible thing, it only breeds more of itself, and its odious cousin, stress.
I think you're doing the right thing in waiting till 6w6d. Things will be much clearer at that point and you won't risk worrying yourself sick by going to the scan too early. I just had my first pregnancy ultrasound at 6w5d and was able to see and hear the heartbeat, which I'm not sure would have happened a week earlier. It's worth the wait to have that extra reassurance. :)
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ReplyDeleteWe had our first ultra sound at 7w5d and we were able to hear a heartbeat and see the little blob.
It was amazing.
I say go with your gut feeling.
You are the mama!!! You know best!!!
I think it's better to wait, even though it's so hard to wait the extra week. Being able to see more and get more reassurance is worth it. One day at a time!
ReplyDeleteSucks that you don't have another option. I've had ultrasounds starting at 5w2d with all my pregnancies...with a follow-up about a week later for heartbeat check. I'd probably go early, because by 5w6d you should definitely have yolk and beginnings of embryo to be measured, possibly even a heartbeat.
ReplyDeleteI think it's definitely better to wait. Anything before 6wks is just too early and can result in requiring another ultrasound a couple of days later. At 6wks6ds, you should definitely see a sac, yolk sac and heartbeat....anything before than would not bring definitive clarity and would likely cause you more anxiety.
ReplyDeleteYes! Wait for sure. The extra week of waiting will be easier to deal with than an inconclusive ultrasound.
ReplyDeleteI agree, wait if you can. I know too many people who have gone in for u/s before 6 weeks and been devastated to not see much of anything, only to find out a week or two later that all is well. I had my first at 6w3d, I think, and saw the heartbeat then (though she was measuring about 3 days behind, I'm assuming because of the late implantation).
ReplyDeleteI vote wait until 6w6d...5w6d is early & the results could be ambiguous potentially causing undue worry & stress...it sucks to have to wait longer but in the long run...my RE office wouldn't even consider doing an U/S until after 7w...hang in there...
ReplyDeleteI would wait too. Like you said 5w6d could be too early to see anything and then you would be torturing yourself.
ReplyDeleteEven if Gwinne makes an excellent point in suggesting you go in early to see the yolk sac, I too am of the opinion you should wait until 6w6d. I think not seeing much (and not seeing the heartbeat) would set you up for a week of torture. Might as well go on the facts that you have for now: great betas, suggesting a nicely emerging pregnancy. Have fun with your cousing and go in for the u/s after. Unless you think it will be more tortuous to wait that extra week. You know yourself self and you'll make the best decision for you.
ReplyDeleteI definitely vote for waiting! There's no sense going in too early if you may not be able to see the heartbeat. But if it were me, I would probably go in early, as I like to torture myself... :)
ReplyDeleteI would definitely wait if you can, i think you are making the right choice.... Hang in there.....
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