Freaking out!! UPDATED...

[jodieanneanton]

After a good week of strong BFPs, I tested myself yesterday and got a BFN.  Woke up this morning...  another BFN. 

No cramping, no  bleeding. 

So sad I may be leaving you ladies! :(

We shall see.

[jodieanneanton]

Ok, the more I look at this thing, the more I see a faint line... very faint.  Hubby saw it first, so i am not imagining it.  Is the strength of the line indicitive of the hormone level? 

[Kyamo]

Originally Posted by jodieanneanton 

Ok, the more I look at this thing, the more I see a faint line... very faint.  Hubby saw it first, so i am not imagining it.  Is the strength of the line indicitive of the hormone level? 

Well, if you had 1000 tests and made a graph of strength of line vs HCG level, there would be some correlation for sure.  But the tests are only meant to be qualitative, not quantitative, (meaning a yes/no result, they aren't intended to indicate the strength).  So you can't trust the strength of the line to accurately measure the amount of HCG.  Different brands or different batches in the same brand may have slightly more or less dye, your pee may be more or less concentrated, etc, etc.  That being said though, you shouldn't be getting negatives after positives if the HCG is rising.  Maybe wait a day or two and try again.  I hope you aren't leaving us.  

[zubeldia]

oh no, so sorry for this anxiety. I am a serial tester and I had a fainter line on Tues - two times - and I thought that that was it for me. The next day - and on different tests - the line was increasingly darker. Can you get in to see your Dr so that they can do a quantitative test to see what your levels are? Or, to put your mind at rest immediately, get a digital test so there is less ambiguity?

Hugs, mama. I hope you're staying with us.

[jodieanneanton]

zubeldia,  I went to get more tests and got the digital "pregnant"  "Not Pregnant" test.  Figured that would mean less anxiety.  Took test right away, got "pregnant" result.  For a quantitative test, my midwife said I would need two tests 48 hours apart.

However, the office closed early and will not reopen until Tuesday which is when I leave to go on vacation.  By then, however, I will know (hopefully) what this is all about.

Kyamo, Thanks for the info.

[zubeldia]

False negatives are pretty common but NOT false positives, so I hope you can feel some relief. I had HCG testing my last pregnancy and it was very reassuring. I meant to ask you if the tests with the faint lines/negative result were from the same batch?

[bcblondie]

I agree that in general you'll see a general trend towards darker test lines. But they can vary a lot. Some tests just haev more or less dye/reactive enzyme, and sometimes your pee is more or less concentrated. I also think that whether you catch the first/middle/end of the stream of pee affects the HCG concentration.

To be honest, if you were getting good lines for a week you shouldn't be having trouble seeing lines now. :( I admit I'm nervous for you. :(

[jodieanneanton]

Well, it's been over 24 hours and I am still testing positive on the digital tests I am taking.  No bleeding, no cramping still.  Just wanted to give you all an update.

**Zubeldia, the very faint lines were on Answer brand pregnancy tests, which I never usually use but sort of inherited from a friend. So maybe it was just the brand? 

Sheesh!  Still feeling like I am in limbo, though. 

[Kyamo]

Originally Posted by jodieanneanton 

Well, it's been over 24 hours and I am still testing positive on the digital tests I am taking.  No bleeding, no cramping still.  Just wanted to give you all an update.

**Zubeldia, the very faint lines were on Answer brand pregnancy tests, which I never usually use but sort of inherited from a friend. So maybe it was just the brand? 

Sheesh!  Still feeling like I am in limbo, though. 

That's great!  Are you saying that the brand of the tests that were giving you negatives or faint lines was different from the brand of the tests that gave you strong lines?  If so, that's a great sign, as the other brand may just be less sensitive.  

[jodieanneanton]

Just to update everyone...

Got a BFN today with the digital test.  The words "Not Pregnant" just glared at me in the test window.  This is the first time I have lost a pregnancy.  No bleeding or spotting yet, though.  In your experience, when can I expect that to start?

I am too numb for words, so I am gonna try to go back to sleep.

Good Luck to all of you ladies.  I really enjoyed getting to know you.

[Harmony96]

I'm so sorry to hear that.  :(

[zubeldia]

oh, I am so sorry to hear that. I don't have any experience of baby loss but I am sure you will find some wise advice from others

Take care, Mama.

[Kyamo]

Oh no!  I'm so sorry.  

[JunebugsMom]

oh no, I am so sorry :(  I'm not sure about what you can expect--my losses always started with the bleeding.

[bcblondie]

I am so sorry for your loss. With my 5 week pregnancy I only had very light lines for a few days. Then I stopped testing, and a few days later I woke up to essentially my period so I tested and it was negative. So I assume now that it's negative, you might just have to wait a few more days for the progesterone to come down, but you'll probably start bleeding soon. There's an awesome thread on MDC called "what EXACTLY to expect with a miscarriage". It helped me a lot through both my losses.

Hugs.

[cameragirl]

I'm so sorry. I lost my last pregnancy at 6w1d. I woke up to soaked panties, and had light bleeding for four days. I recommend that thread, as well. It has a lot of great information from women that were at all different stages in their pregnancies.

[Dandy Lion]

I'm so sorry :(

[MrsSurplus]

I'm so sorry also! 

[freelancemom]

So sorry to hear this. :( I always had spotting with my losses and cramps and then serious bleeding around 6-8 weeks. I think everyone is different, but you will probably have some bleeding within the next few days. If not, see a doctor and get an ultrasound. I am really sorry you have to go through this. :(

[jodieanneanton]

Thank you all for your thoughts, prayers and comments.  The advice to visit the pregnancy and birth loss forum was/is really helpful!  Hopefully I will be in a DDC soon.  Good luck to you all!

Jodie