Sainsbury's pregnancy tests?!

[ttc2yrs]

Guys, I was wondering if anyone had any experience of this? my husband and I have been trying to have a baby for 2 years now, and I did a sainsbury's test the other day and a faint line appeared in the 'pregnant' window! You can imagine how excited I was having been trying for 2 years! So I went to boots to get more, and the first response ones both came back negative. I've done another sainsbury's one tonight and it's got a faint line again?! I'm going to wait a few more days before doing another one - as I really don't want to get my hopes up - but my Dr said he's never seen a faint positive result?! argh!

[ttc2yrs]

I meant my dr has never seen a false positive not faint

[mawbroon]

Check the sell by date.

I bought one (actually it was a twin pack) in Sainsbos that gave me an iffy result a couple of months back. It expired in 2005!!!

I took it back and changed it, but noticed on the shelf that there were about a dozen tests which also expired 2004 or 2005. I had got the test with my online shop, which comes from a different store, so I would guess that there are thousands of out of date ones floating about.

I told the woman on the pharmacy, but I noticed that they were still there the next time I was in.

And it's not me going daft, it is definitely the best before date, not the date of manufacture.

[EnchantedWithEdwardCullen]

Maybe the sainsburies test is more sensitive than the other so IS picking up HCG but the other isnt?

[ttc2yrs]

Thanks enchanted - just checked the sell by date (on both packs) and they are in date till 2010?

[ttc2yrs]

nop - reading this wrong (can't you tell I'm a newbie I meant thanks mawbroon sigh...

[SneakerPimp]

1. Can I still be pregnant if the test is negative (have a "false negative")?

In a word, yes.

You could be testing too early (before your baby is making enough pregnancy hormone to be detected by the test.) And some women (this is fairly rare, but possible) never get a positive urine test even when they're definitely pregnant (for some reason the hormone doesn't make it into their urine.) I have a friend who didn't get a positive HPT until 25 DPO! (With her second baby, a test at 23 DPO was negative . . . but a test on 30 DPO was positive. Oddly enough, with #3, her positive test came at only 12 DPO.) If you get a negative test but think you might be preggo anyway, wait a couple of days (giving the hCG hormone time to build up) and try again. It's not over until the fat lady sings-- and your period crashes the party.

If you are not monitoring your fertility in any way (OPK's, charting cervical mucus or basal temperature, ultrasounds) it becomes extra-tricky. There are two parts to every menstrual cycle: from the start of your period to ovulation, which can vary quite a bit in length, and from ovulation to your next period, which is usually consistent in length. (This second half is known as the "luteal phase," and the normal range is 10-16 days. It's normal for your typical luteal phase to vary by a day or two. For example, mine is normally 11 days, but 10 and 12 are not unheard of either. I have also had a couple of longer ones by total fluke.)

Because ovulation can happen at any time, it's possible your egg was delayed for some reason (stress, illness, travel, excitement.) This doesn't mean your period is actually "late" (it could arrive within the normal 10-16 days after ovulation), but rather than your entire cycle was delayed due to a later-than-usual ov

[SneakerPimp]

1. Could I have a false positive?

Check out The Truth About False Positives for an in-depth look at false positives.

Essentially, it is possible, but it's unlikely. If you get two lines, you're most likely pregnant. Exceptions: if you have been taking certain fertility meds with hCG, the test may be picking up the hCG from the meds and not an embryo. Also, some tests develop "positive" lines after the time limit. You should NOT read the test after the time limit (usually 10 minutes, but check the directions that came with the test.) Yes, this means you should throw the test away and NOT dig it out of the trash in three hours to see if a line magically appeared. And, if the "positive" line is gray or looks like a "dent" in the test, it is an evaporation line and not a true positive.

Lastly, if you have been pregnant recently, it's possible that the test is detecting residual hCG. However, if a pregnancy ends early on, it's unlikely that hCG will remain in your system very long, so most women have nothing to worry about here. (It's extremely common for women to conceive immediately following an early miscarriage; the body is "primed" for pregnancy, so to speak, and elevated progesterone left from the miscarriage gives the next embryo a great shot at a healthy implantation. So, most women really are detecting a new pregnancy.)

However, the more hCG you had in your system when the pregnancy ended, the longer it will take to dissipate. HPT's can even detect residual hCG for up to 6 weeks following a full-term birth. It's a possibility you should keep in mind if you get positive HPT results soon after a previous pregnancy ended.

Check the HPT Overview page for up-to-date comments on various brands.

[SneakerPimp]

INFO TAKEN FROM HERE

[bekkaboo]

Hi mail me your address and ill send you my clearblue one I no longer need.

If it helps 3 first response i used came positive and all others neg till about 4 days after x

[mawbroon]

OK, well, if the sell by date is ok, then you should probably wait another couple of days.

But I know it is soooooo hard to do!!

I had a faint line when I was pg last year, but it was a few days before my AF was due, so perhaps they are quite sensitive.

I hope you get the result that you want!!

[ttc2yrs]

Hi Bekkaboo - I can't message you for some reason... could you email me? [email protected]

Thank you sneakerPimp

[ttc2yrs]

Each time I get my AF I cry so much.... 2 years of it. I am dreading this being a false positive, it'll break my heart. I've never had a positive before.. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

[mawbroon]

It is crap, isn't it.

I hope it happens for you soon.

Have you read this book?

I would thoroughly recommend it if you haven't.

[Issy42]

I either had false positives on Sainsbury's tests a couple of cycles ago or a very early mc. AF arrived on the right day after positive test the night before. Really hope yours is a real positive. Good luck!

[ttc2yrs]

guys - my bloods came back as a negative. had 4 + in the end... sainsbury's test = sh**e!!

[StealthPolarBear]

There have been a few threads on this recently and Sains tests seem to come up as false +ves
I had a positive a couple of weeks ago. Retested with another Sains one which was -ve and then a First Response which was -ve too.
Needless to say I was not pg

[StealthPolarBear]

Issy, the very early mc idea occurred to me - I hope it wasn't in both our cases. If that was the case though, people would report false +ves with a whole range of tests, whereas Sains tests seem to have a reputation for this. If they are more sensitive, then surely people would recommend them for that reason iyswim?

[Issy42]

Sorry you both experienced this ttc2yrs and PolarBear . Damn tests!

I had other symptoms consistent with early mc - I have hcg shots and use preg tests to check when leaves my system. I had positive tests 3 days later than usual on that cycle (not all Sainsbury's tests) and also had extreme nauseous reaction to paint fumes in my office which didn't affect anyone else. However, three of the Sainsbury's tests I used that cycle had a weird control line - dark but incomplete in length. I don't know whether anyone else experienced that. I think they may be supersensitive to splashing and their design being all encased in plastic makes it difficult not to splash. I'm not buying them again, but if anyone has any I would recommend piap and dip instead of poas.

[StealthPolarBear]

Sorry to hear that.
Yes I had exactly the same thing - the line was very clear and dark and appeared immediately, but was only halfway down the window! I still don't see how splashing would cause that though - surely the hormone's either there or it's not, and all that happens it that you wee on the end and it eventually soaks up the stick?
However, when I repeated it I did piap and got my -ve.
Won't be buying them again either!

[Issy42]

Thanks Stealth - on the last of the three weird tests the line was complete apart from a missing circle and it looked like somehow wee had got underneath the window about the same place, hence my splashing theory. I piap the next morning and got clear negative too. I know you're supposed to not wee on the window bit, but don't know the detail of how that impacts on the result.

Let's hope we all get a real +ve soon xx.

[biscuitnoodles]

hello, what does everyone think of 1st response tests? im 5 days late with sore boobs and nausea but have been having period type crmps too. i took a 1st response test today at 5 days late and it was negative. Are they a good brand?