Help - is this actually possible ?

[MenopauseMaud]

I am feeling really stupid and confused....

Am 45 and went through what I assumed was peri menopause and then menopause in the last year... Blood tests confirmed peri and then my last period was in May. POAS then, just to be sure - was negative and just assumed menopause had arrived. Didn't go to doctor as was feeling really good (after HORROR peri symptoms everything just calmed down). Also important to add DH and I didn't have sex from May until September as he was posted overseas (army).

We married when I was 40.. Tried to conceive for 4 years and then when the peri started we both accepted it wasn't to be.

Anyway, last maybe 8 weeks upper abdomen has progressively grown in size and hardness making me LOOK seriously pregnant...like about six months gone. no weight gain anywhere else, no other pregnancy symptoms at all apart from this and I just stupidly assumed it was middle aged weight gain and have been trying very unsuccessfully to shift it.

So....it hasn't shifted...so tonight-just to rule it out - I POAS... A VERY old stick I found at the back of a drawer ...expired I think? And the result is below. Is that positive? How can it be positive if so? Can an expired test give a false positive? Can menopause hormones give a false positive? Can cancer? Am I just seeing an evaporation line?

Obviously need to do another (non expired) test/see a doctor ... But none of that can happen until tomorrow so I have turned to mumsnet. Honestly, I don't think i CAN be pregnant so what is going on?????

[ScottishLady7]

Wow what a shock for you but it looks positive to me.
Under the age of 50, contraception should be used until you have been period-free for 2 years as, even if your periods aren't regular, you may be sporadically ovulating.
If your abdomen is bigger there's a chance you could be reasonably far along so I would definitely contact your GP on Monday for a scan pronto.

Congratulations!

[MenopauseMaud]

Oh shit.... Maybe this is real now... Thanks scottishlady!

[Groovee]

I would get another test to be sure. But good luck x

[divadee]

It looks positive to me. But defo get an in date test and use the first wee of the day.

I too thought I was at the start of menopause (I'm nearly 40) last year. Dr told me to keep an eye on it as I'm young, but not overly young. Periods were weird and then stopped. Like you I did a test and here I am 38+5.

Congratulations to you. Hope it's not too much of a shock!!! Xxxx

[girlinleeds]

My grandma had my mum at 49, she thought she'd gone through the menopause, so it is possible

[CurlsLDN]

Could you not get to a supermarket for a digital test tonight? Then you won't have a restless night wondering (and we all want to know too!)

[teaandbiscuits18]

I would buy a new test to double check x

[CatsCantFlyFast]

Bump pic? I reckon it's a bfp

[Elllicam]

Looks like a bfp to me too :)

[SquedgieBeckenheim]

Looks positive to me. Definitely take an in date test and get to GP ASAP to get a scan to date pregnancy.
Scottish is right, you aren't considered through the menopause until 2 years with no periods under the age of 50. 1 year if over 50.

[picklemepopcorn]

How exciting!

[TheresABluebirdOnMyShoulder]

It definitely can happen - I know a couple of ladies who thought they'd gone through menopause who had surprise youngest children (who are all seriously spoiled and doted on by their grown up siblings) so good luck!

[Zippidydoodah]

Wow! This definitely looks positive to me! How exciting/shocking for you!

[ConvincingLiar]

I did some googling a few years ago after my positive test was out of date and it suggested that you can get false negatives but not false positives. Congratulations. Get on the folic acid!

[HannahLily2014]

Certainly looks positive to me! I'd get an in date test (or 20) then get yourself to the docs, congrats x

[GuinefortGrey]

That certainly is a positive and I'm not sure that the test being old would really effect it that much if it was still sealed in the packet.

As pp said, can you get to a supermarket today and get one of those digital tests that gives you an indication of how far along you might be? You must be beside yourself with shock and excitement. Everything crossed for you

[MenopauseMaud]

Oh my... I am really panicking now. It really has come as a shock.

Keep in mind this test was about 3 years out of date, although a bit of googling tells me an out of date test is more likely to give a false negative than a false positive... I honestly only did it because I realised I would need to see a doctor about this 'bump' and I just wanted to completely rule out pregnancy... Honestly I suspected it was a hernia...

Too shy to post a 'bump' pic but I know colleagues and friends have been eyeing it for a couple of weeks and have been too polite to say anything. (Can't suck stomach in...) Seriously though, if I posted it though you would be asking when I was due

The lack of ANY other symptoms is strange though?

No chance of getting a new test tonight - but I will update you when I do. Thanks for your responses x

[TeshiB]

Positive, how exciting for you

[CatsCantFlyFast]

Pic pic pic

[Ilovecaindingle]

So jealous (ttc at 45!)
Congratulations!!

[Foggymist]

So how pregnant could you be? Because your upper abdomen wouldn't swell until quite far along, your uterus only rises above your pelvis around weeks 12-14 when you get a hardening and roundness down low there, so if the bump is upper abdomen you'd be quite far along.

[blueskyinmarch]

Very exciting. Keep us updated.

[Northernlurker]

I had a false positive with an out of date test once. Scared me to death! I wouldn't get too excited just yet op. Hope it all works out.

[BagelDog]

False negatives are far more likely if the test is out of date... abdominal swelling is difficult to judge, I got bloating with the early progesterone surge so had a higher and more obvious 'bump' in the first trimester that then settled, at about 14 weeks my lower abdo wasn't bigger but very hard so waist bands dug in, and by about 16 was visibly a bit rounded. Definitely lower though. Defo test again in the morning and then to GP if positive so you can get checked out. Will likely have a scan asap as your dates are so uncertain. V exciting. Hope you are excited. Either way you need to know asap. Good luck x