Home pregnancy test questions

[Jen S]

Have any of you ladies had an experience with a home pregnancy test where you tested negative, but it really turned out you were pregnant?

I'm a week late for my period (and I'm never late, nor have I ever skipped a month), and have been having some nausea in the evenings. Since my husband and I have been trying to have a baby for over a year now, I began to suspect I might be pregnant. I went out and bought the EPT home pregnancy test. The first time I tried it I didn't get a reading on either line, so I tested again. This time it definitely came back negative.

I know when I ovulated and I know that I definitely should have started last week. I don't know, I've just got this gut feeling that I'm pregnant. I went out and bought another brand of test, and that one came with better instructions (i.e., don't drink a lot of water before testing and don't hold it in the stream for more than 5 seconds-both of which I did wrong the last time).

Before I test again, I was just wondering how acurate these things really are? Should I just chuck it all and go see my doctor and let him test?

Thanks for any help you guys can provide! I really don't want to ask anyone in my family because we don't want to get there hopes up yet.

 

[mus muris asinus]

Baby #1 -- five HPT's, three positive, two negative.

 

[jrmasm]

Have any of you ladies had an experience with a home pregnancy test where you tested negative, but it really turned out you were pregnant?

Yes. Listen to your body. Buy another type/brand of test and try again.

 

[Jenn Lynn]

What brand of test are you using? Are you using the first morning urine? It is the most concentrated. Some times it can take up to a week for the hormone levels to be high enough.

I use EPT. I think they are easy to use and you can test right away. mayeb take one more, and then go have a blood test done.

Good Luck!

 

[s&k'smom]

Maybe you just took the test too early. I would definately take anothersince it's been another week. When pregnant with DS I waited almost 3 weeks before taking the test and with DD I had no money and is was well over two weeks late. I literally scrapped together a few bucks bought the cheapest test I could find and it was positive. But I was so paranoid I made them give me a blood test that day too! Now go take that test and let us know ASAP!

 

[DD2Disney]

With my DS I had to take two. The first one was negative but then after the time alotted a line appeared. It said if a line appeared 'later' that it didn't matter. But I KNEW i was pregnant. So I took another one. and I WAS.

I would try it again. First thing in the morning with a GOOD brand. Good Luck, it sounds like you are hoping for a positive so i will send some pixie dust your way

 

[mtemm]

I used first repsonse for both pregnancies and got positives both times. One was around 3 days late, one was around 2 days before my period was due. With that one I was pg with twins, so maybe that is why I got such a positive early? Both were done with first morning urine, which is supposedly the strongest. Even if the test says you can test any time of day, try first thing in the morning anyway. Make sure you follow directions exactly as per time, etc.


I have heard stories of people who get negatives on HPTs for months, so you never know. If something is telling you you are pg, ask your dr. for a blood test.

 

[mickeyboat]

If you really feel like you are pregnant, please go to your doctor for a test. With my second child, I didn't know I was pregnant until 6-7 weeks along and the first home test came back positive immediately. Three years before that I had negative pregnancy test results but went to the doctor because I really thought I was pregnant. I don't want to scare you but it was an ectopic pregnancy. The hormone levels did not increase steadily as they are supposed to so they knew that something was wrong. Two years after that I experienced similar testing ambiguities and I was pregnant again. This time the HCG levels were o.k. but the progesterone levels were not so I had to take progesterone for four weeks until they could confirm a heartbeat.

Don't be alarmed but trust your instincts and what your body is telling you. If you perform the test according to the instructions and it is negative but you still feel like you are pregnant, by all means, visit your doctor.

Good luck and take care,

Denae

 

[Shannon G]

Take another test - try First Response Early Result. I took this one and got a positive result, even though a urine test at the Dr.'s the next day came out negative! Different tests pick up different levels of HCG (this is the "pregnancy hormone" that the tests test for in order to tell if you are pregnant). Also, HCG levels increase as you progress, so if you are pregnant, your levels should be higher now that when you took the first test, and therefore more likely to show a positive result. As others have said, you might also want to take the test first thing in the morning - your first morning urine has the highest levels of HCG because you haven't gone to the bathroom or drank in hours, so it has built up all night. Later in the day, your urine is likely to be more diluted, and levels therefore lower for a urine test.

 

[Jen S]

Thanks guys, I knew I could count on you for some answers. I have a FactPlus test, and we're going to try again first thing in the morning. Please keep your fingers crossed. This would be a much welcomed Christmas present!

 

[DisneyObsessed]

 

[aunt lissa]

I don't think I ever took one that didn't come out negative first! I was really confused once because I took one it was negative, the hospital did one it too was negative, took another it was positive and then another that was positive, but the last one was negative. All those for one pregnancy!! But in the end I was pregnant!!

 

[Minnesota!]

EPT has really sucked as of late. They reduced the amount of ink they use, so the readings are harder. Are you sure the first was negative? It can take a while for a line to show up.

With this current pg. I used a Kmart generic brand - was positive I wasn't pg, and didn't want to spend $16 on a negative test. Well, slap me silly, it was ++ before I put it on the counter. Also, a better method, instead of holding it in the stream, is to go in a dixie cup or what not, and then dip the test in there for 10 - 15 seconds.

I have never used first morning urine, so I don't know about concentration. Just make sure you hold it for 2 hours before you go...

GOOD LUCK! I wish you a very BRIGHT positive!!

 

[sha_lyn]

With this current pg. I used a Kmart generic brand - was positive I wasn't pg, and didn't want to spend $16 on a negative test. Well, slap me silly, it was ++ before I put it on the counter. Also, a better method, instead of holding it in the stream, is to go in a dixie cup or what not, and then dip the test in there for 10 - 15 seconds.

That sounds like me. With DD I was 2 days late for my period, really didn't think I was PG. I was going to Walmart anyway and on the ya sneezed and wet myself. Well I knew right then I must be. I bought the walmart brand,went home and used both. Both were positive within a few seconds

Our niece on the other had has a problem with low pregnancy hormones and when depending on home test they think that a few times she was PG but didn't have enough hormones to support the pregnancy. They thought it was a "getting PG" fertility problem, but with her it she has a problem staying PG. So now she goes to the Dr as soon as she is late and has a blood test done. With her DD her levels stayed low so they had to put her on pregnancy hormones

 

[Alice28]

With my second son I had a test come up negative..I took it the FIRST day I was expecting my period cause I wanted to be preggo quite badly (DS1 was a surprise- that preggo test came up positive right away, but I was also 2 weeks late). So, five days went and I started feeling "pregnant" but since I had had some spotting (sorry for being graphic) the night before I just "knew" I couldn't be. The day after the spotting went by and still no official period so I bought another test and it was POSITIVE! And when a test is positive you ARE pregnant- as a previous poster mentioned, it has to do with how much HCG is in your bod. Luckily the health insurance I have also has free urine pregnancy tests which are very accurate, so I went there to get it confirmed both times. Many, MANY positive pixie dust wishes to you that you ARE pregnant! Keep us posted!

 

[wuv tigger]

I agree with the advice to listen to your body. I think the home tests react differently to some people. We had false positives and false negatives with the home tests. The only way we were really sure was through a blood test for HCG.


David

 

[floridafam]

Call your doctor.

I had a negative reading the first time.

 

[Jen S]

Well, I did two more tests first thing this morning and both came back negative again. I'm still skeptical about the negative results as my period still hasn't started and I've been quite nauseous every night this week. I don't know, for some reason I'm just sure that I'm pregnant. I'm going to go ahead and see my doctor and have him do the blood test. Hopefully then we'll get a definite answer. Thanks to everyone that responded. You've all been a great help!

Jen

 

[DisneyObsessed]

Oh man I was hoping for a different post this morning. Please keep us posted. Got my fingers crossed for you

 

[ahutton]

Jen S - Keep the faith, and have the doctor do a blood test. With my first DD I went to the doctor's office and did a "tinkle test" and it was negative. I figured okay, I'm not. Then 3-4 weeks later I was totally exhausted, and actually feel asleep in a movie theater watching Star Wars Episode 1 - I had been waiting to see that for YEARS! I did a home test then and it was positive. Went back to the doctor and she did her check, and I was 12 weeks. So for some reason at 8 weeks I did not get a positive on a urine test, no idea why.