Late AF but only negative HPT??

[Mamandefille]

Hi everyone, I'm new here :).

A little background: DH and I are on month #3 of TTC #2, we got pregnant with #1 on the first try and have never had any fertility problems. My normal cycle is 30-33 days, I am not charting right now.

Last Friday was day 30, today I am on day 35. If AF doesn't come today, this will be my longest cycle in the 16 cycles I've had since DD was born. I always have the same physical symptoms before getting AF, and I have had none of them this cycle. Honestly, I feel the way I did when I found out I was pregnant with DD - slightly heavier breasts and nothing else. I've taken too many tests to count in the last week, and all have been as negative as they come, not even a squinter in the bunch.

I did something dumb yesterday and took and OPK and it was very, very positive. So now I'm completely confused, since I know that OPK tests can detect either the ovulation or the pregnancy hormone. It would be extremely unlikely that I am ovulating now, wouldn't it?? But if I'm pregnant, shouldn't it show up on a more sensitive HPT??

Ugh, so confused. What do I do now? Do I just wait and keep taking HPTs? Go to the walk-in clinic and ask them to do a blood test? I got my +ve with DD when AF was a week late (but I hadn't tested at all previously), should I wait until Friday (or after the weekend) to consider it a definitive result??? I know I've heard that if you're not charting, you should wait until 19 days after having unprotected sex to test for a conclusive result, the latest date that gives me is Friday. What is the latest I could realistically expect a positive test??

I'd really appreciate advice from anyone who has been here before! TIA :).

[crunchy_mommy]

I would give it a few more days and then test again. I sooo hate the waiting game! BTDT a few too many times.... one time I was 6 days late and had what I thought were only preg. symptoms not AF symptoms... but I ended up just being really, really late (and I was charting too so I did know about when I'd O'ed...) and having the worst AF ever. I do know that some people only test positive a few days after AF is due so you still have a chance.

[parsley]

Hi Mama,

I posted this info last month when I was late but kept getting negative pregnancy tests.  (Turns out I wasn't pregnant). 

Maybe this will help.  Good luck!

When in relation to your missed period did your pregnancy test first become positive?
3-4 days before	28 %
1-2 days before	17 %
Same time	11 %
1-2 days after	22 %
3-4 days after	6 %
About a week after	17 %
More than a week after	0 %

http://www.babymed.com/polls/when-did-your-pregnancy-test-become-positive

[Mamandefille]

Thanks for posting ladies . It's so much better to wait it out when I know that it's happening/has happened to others as well. I'm glad to see that there is still hope, I had no idea that so many people only get their +ve when they are a week late (although they probably aren't the peestickaholic that I think I've become, lol). Either way, I'll wait a little while longer before trying anything else.

In the meantime though, I'd love to hear about anyone who didn't get their +ve until AF was a week late, it gives me hope!

[Jaimee]

I know it's hard, but I would wait it out.  It's pretty likely you're dealing with delayed ovulation, which would delay AF and when you'd get a BFP.  I was reading up recently on using OPK's as pregnancy tests and it seemed pretty clear that in order for an OPK to give you a BFP you would already be very positive on HPT's.   Since the latter is not the case for you, I would assume the OPK is not telling you anything.  

The 19 day rule probably does work well for most people... assuming 5-7 days as the longest the sperm could live and then a 12-14 day LP... but there are still some women that don't get BFP's until after expected AF.  Much depends on how many DPO the embryo implanted as well as how quickly the embryo is increasing your hCG levels.

Are you using a sensitive test like First Response or another brand that only requires an hCG level of 25?

Good luck and keep us updated!!! 

[Mamandefille]

Originally Posted by Jaimee 

Are you using a sensitive test like First Response or another brand that only requires an hCG level of 25?

I'm using some cheapies, not the internet ones, but ones that are sold in a baby/parenting store here for $1.00 each. They are the ones that just have the test strip, no plastic case. I've got a First Response test and a ClearBlue digital waiting at home also. The First Response one doesn't say "Early Result",  but it does say it's good up to 5 days before your expected period. (Not sure if they are named/marketed differently in Canada?)

[Jaimee]

Check out this site for info on  HPT sensitivity: http://www.peeonastick.com/hpts.html

First Response (not early response) needs a level of 100.   Clear Blue Easy Digital has a sensitivity of 50.  Do you know the sensitivity of your $1 tests?   Just a regular CVS test has a sensitivity of 25.  Do you have those in Canada?

[Mamandefille]

Originally Posted by Jaimee 

Check out this site for info on  HPT sensitivity: http://www.peeonastick.com/hpts.html

First Response (not early response) needs a level of 100.   Clear Blue Easy Digital has a sensitivity of 50.  Do you know the sensitivity of your $1 tests?   Just a regular CVS test has a sensitivity of 25.  Do you have those in Canada?

Thanks for the site. I've looked at it before, but it doesn't help that much since there are quite a few of those brands that we can't get in Canada. I didn't realize the FR test needed such a high level though. I have no idea what the sensitivity is of my cheapie tests, I have a feeling that the store that sells them orders them online in bulk and then separates them in to packs of 10 in baggies, so there is no information that comes with them. Maybe I'll pick up a couple of "real" $ store tests on my way home today. We don't have CVS in Canada, but some of the drugstores here produce their own brands of tests. I've never seen the sensitivity listed on them though. Is that normally included in the information sheet that comes with the test or would I have to call/e-mail the company to get that information?

[Dov'sMom]

I don't know about statistics, but with my #s 2 and 3, I got my first positive at least three weeks after ovulating (two full weeks after implantation bleeding) and 28 days after ovulating, respectively. With #2 I tested every day after the weird bleeding started (no PP period); with #3, I tested the day my period was due, one full week after my period was due, and again two full weeks after my period was due. I didn't check in between because obviously I couldn't be pregnant with a stark white negative a full week after my period was due, right? But I was positive about my ovulation date, so I knew I had to start bleeding sometime -- but I didn't, and he's now a beautiful 15 month old.

[Jaimee]

Originally Posted by Mamandefille 

Thanks for the site. I've looked at it before, but it doesn't help that much since there are quite a few of those brands that we can't get in Canada. I didn't realize the FR test needed such a high level though. I have no idea what the sensitivity is of my cheapie tests, I have a feeling that the store that sells them orders them online in bulk and then separates them in to packs of 10 in baggies, so there is no information that comes with them. Maybe I'll pick up a couple of "real" $ store tests on my way home today. We don't have CVS in Canada, but some of the drugstores here produce their own brands of tests. I've never seen the sensitivity listed on them though. Is that normally included in the information sheet that comes with the test or would I have to call/e-mail the company to get that information?

Maybe take a look at this site, too and see if there are more tests listed that are available in Canada: http://www.fertilityplus.org/faq/hpt.html.   I believe the sensitivity is listed in the fine print inside the test.  You might also be able to ask a pharmacist, though I'm not sure... maybe they would open the box for you to look?  Otherwise, yes, you can call the company and ask.
 

[Mamandefille]

Okay, so I've checked the tests that I'm using and as best I can tell, the most sensitive of them should detect 20 miU and the cheap digital I tried yesterday should detect 25 miU. Tested again this morning and still nada.

I've taken a couple more OPKs since Tuesday though and none of them came up nearly as positive. I'm wondering if maybe I've just ovulated reeeeeeeaaaaaaaalllllllly late and I caught that surge on Tues when my OPK came up dark and very positive? I'm a full week late now (if I was going to have a 30 day cycle) - on CD 37 - so I think I'll give up on testing for a while. If I really did ovulate on CD 34 (Tuesday), then I shouldn't get AF for another couple of weeks anyway, right?

Sigh, I hate having to set the alarm to wake up on the weekend, but maybe it's time to start charting again....

[cygknit]

I hope it's all figured and and that gives you some peace. It is so frustrating when your body refuses to do what you want it to. It makes no sense why we can't control it.

KUP on what's going on. Fingers crossed for a BFP soon.

[Jaimee]

Originally Posted by Mamandefille 

Okay, so I've checked the tests that I'm using and as best I can tell, the most sensitive of them should detect 20 miU and the cheap digital I tried yesterday should detect 25 miU. Tested again this morning and still nada.

I've taken a couple more OPKs since Tuesday though and none of them came up nearly as positive. I'm wondering if maybe I've just ovulated reeeeeeeaaaaaaaalllllllly late and I caught that surge on Tues when my OPK came up dark and very positive? I'm a full week late now (if I was going to have a 30 day cycle) - on CD 37 - so I think I'll give up on testing for a while. If I really did ovulate on CD 34 (Tuesday), then I shouldn't get AF for another couple of weeks anyway, right?

Sigh, I hate having to set the alarm to wake up on the weekend, but maybe it's time to start charting again....

Certainly could be.   I agree that charting is the way to go! 

[Mamandefille]

Just wanted to update this thread - I've been taking periodic tests once a week or so and getting nothing, until I got a BFP this morning (faint line on a cheapy dip-strip and positive on a digital) . The digital says "1-2 weeks" pregnant, so I'm guessing I'm due in early March.

Edited by Mamandefille - 6/20/11 at 6:13am

[Jaimee]

Wow!  Congrats!!!  So you've been taking tests periodically since you posted on June 1st?  Certainly you could have had very delayed ovulation, but I wouldn't at all trust the test that you're 1-2 weeks pregnant. Remember that 1-2 weeks pregnant is considered the time prior to ovulation and right after ovulation. Three weeks pregnant is what you're considered around the time of your missed period.  So that timing probably makes very little sense... They go by the hCG level detected in your urine, which highly highly varies woman to woman and pregnancy to pregnancy.  The only way to find out at this point would be to wait until you know you're past 6 weeks and go in and get a dating ultrasound.  Prior to 6 weeks it is difficult to tell exactly what is there- sometimes you can see a sac, fetal pole, and heart beat, but at 6 weeks and beyond a heart beat should be detectable (though it is slower than usual right at 6 weeks b/c it has just started beating).  Keep us updated!!!

[JMJ]

Congratulations!

It sounds like you ovulated really late this cycle.  If you're 1-2 weeks now, you're actually 3-4 weeks gestation because you get 2 free weeks.  You're probably pretty close to 4 weeks since it's hard to get a BFP much before 4 weeks.

When you're talking about the positive OPK's that you had, you said that the one you had on May 31 was really positive and the others were not nearly as positive.  When you're talking about them being positive, is the line darker than the control line, or are you just talking about having a line there?  OPK's are not considered to be positive unless the test line is darker than the control line.  You can have a pretty dark line without it being positive.  I'm asking because I'm wondering if you did actually catch you ovulation on the OPK and then not get a positive test until almost 3 weeks later or if you ovulated even later.

Either way, I'm happy to tell you that you do not have to be pregnant all the way until May next year.  Your due date is in late February or early March.

[Inspired007]

Congratulations!! That's wonderful news!!

I was always an early ovulator so my BFP's showed up quickly!  Glad you finally saw the result you wanted!

[Mamandefille]

Yes, I've been taking tests periodically since late May. The one I took last Thursday (Friday? can't remember) was negative, this was the first positive I've gotten. According to the digital test, "1-2 weeks" is actually the time since conception, so 1-2 weeks on the test means 3-4 weeks pregnant. That makes a little more sense since my OPK was positive on May 31st, which was about 4 weeks ago.

[JMJ]

Jaimee, I cross-posted with you.

OP, if you want to do a dating ultrasound, go for it.  It's the most accurate way of knowing your due date at this point.  If not, we can guess at a date pretty well and be at least as accurate as the LMP method that most OB's use, and in this case, not far behind the ultrasound.  If you assume that you ovulated when you had the positive OPK, you can count 38 weeks after that to February 21 for your due date.  If you wanted to use a modified Prem Rule (First day of temperature rise minus 7 days plus 9 months), that would put you at about February 25.  If you want to assume that you conceived 2 weeks ago (that you're 4 weeks gestation), that would put your due date at February 27, and if you're not quite 2 weeks yet (though I don't think that is very likely, it wouldn't be more than a couple days after that.

Due dates have very little to do with when a child is actually born and more to do with how you are treated when the child is actually born.  If a child is born long before or after your suspected due date, your care provider may be more concerned about health risks, and there may be restrictions on how your baby is born.  For example, many places, a midwife may not be allowed to assist you in a homebirth that happens before 37 weeks or after 42.  If you give birth in a hospital, you may be under pressure to induce if they think that you are late, even if you are not.  In general, there is less of an issue with the baby coming slightly earlier than expected unless the baby is indeed really early and needs medical care.

I would tend toward a later due date for myself to be on the safe side because my family has a history of late births (I was 16 days late, my daughter was 6 days late from my late estimate due date).  I'm more concerned about naturally going over the 42 week "limit" than I am being more than 3 weeks early.  I'd rather have my EDD be late by a week than early by a week because if my baby came a little earlier than I expected, that just means that I don't have to be pregnant as long as I was planning.  Isn't everybody "done" by about 39 weeks?

If your previous child was early or late, you may wish to estimate your EDD accordingly.  Again, if you want an early US, go for it.  I just want to give you some options in case you were hoping to avoid an early US (or US in general), as some people here are.

[JMJ]

Originally Posted by Mamandefille 

Yes, I've been taking tests periodically since late May. The one I took last Thursday (Friday? can't remember) was negative, this was the first positive I've gotten. According to the digital test, "1-2 weeks" is actually the time since conception, so 1-2 weeks on the test means 3-4 weeks pregnant. That makes a little more sense since my OPK was positive on May 31st, which was about 4 weeks ago.

May 31 was almost 3 weeks ago.  Ovulation and conception happen at pretty much the same time.  The egg can only live for 24 hours, and often only 12, so we know that conception probably occurred the same day as ovulation.  If you ovulated on May 31, you'll be 3 weeks since conception (5 weeks gestation with the 2 free weeks) tomorrow.  If you are 1-2 weeks since conception now, you ovulated a little later than May 31.