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Pregnancy

HCG levels

25 replies

MountainBaby · 12/09/2013 16:37

Can't quite believe I'm posting here again but I'm 41, "infertile", overweight and pregnant.

I'm just over 4 weeks and have had an HCG test Tuesday with another one today - results due tomorrow. My results from Tues were pg with HCG levels suggesting being 24 days LMP. I'm actually 27 days LMP. Does this mean anything? Does it mean the HCG levels aren't strong enough?

I'm besides myself - I know I should wait and find out tomorrow but I'm googling myself into a state of panic. I'm terrified of having the baby and terrified of losing it .

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TattyCatty · 12/09/2013 16:48

Congratulations! Please don't panic over numbers. HcG levels vary hugely from pregnancy to pregnancy, and the only real indicator that they can give is if they double over 48 - 72 hours. My first HcG reading at 4 weeks pregnant was 89, and I was told that they look for over 100 at that stage. I was then thrown under the microscope (conceived via IUI after 2 years of TTC), and my HcG levels only just doubled every 72 hours, which is the bare minimum to indicate that all is well.

I was repeatedly told that my levels were too low, and then when they could finally visualise the pregnancy on a scan, that my embryo was "too small for dates". That embryo is now an extremely tall, extremely beautiful 7 year old DD

vaticancameo · 12/09/2013 16:51

Hcg levels vary wildly - have you done some googling and found what's considered to be "normal" range? It's a massive spectrum. Mine were always at the lowest end of "normal" but my pregnancy was fine and dd is now a healthy 5 month old. Also, no way can they predict to the day how many days lmp you are using hcg - they don't know when you conceived, for starters! As long as the levels are increasing, that's the main thing.

MountainBaby · 12/09/2013 16:55

Thank you both of you - I've been through all this before as my first child was IVF, but it seems a lifetime ago now .

I'm just so bloody scared - this was definitely not planned but definitely not unwanted IYSWIM. Having had 2 m/cs in the past, pg is not something I enjoy and I'm stressing myself out so much already .

Vatican, I can tell you exactly when it was conceived .

Will have to be patient and find out the next result tomorrow - scan booked for 24/09.

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vaticancameo · 12/09/2013 17:02

Ah, but you can't - you can tell me when you dtd, but there's no telling exactly when sperm met egg (could've been within an hour, could've been three days later) and then no way of knowing for sure when the resulting blastocyst finally made its way down the tube and implanted. The actual timing can vary widely, which is why to give you a precise "day" using hcg is nonsense - particularly as hcg has such a wide range of "normal". Best of luck

MountainBaby · 12/09/2013 17:05

Ah, thank you for clarifying that vatican - I see what you mean. That has helped me relax a little.

Nothing I can do but sit and wait now . . .

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CrispyFB · 12/09/2013 17:49

HCG has a HUGE range. Massive. There's obviously an "average" for any given day, but the range within that day is so big as to almost be pointless past a certain point. Mine were always above average for triplets yet I only ever had one in there, so there's obviously going to be people at the other end too.

What were your numbers? It is the doubling time that matters.

And as has been said - unless you were charting (and even then it's give or take 24-48 hours) you just can't know when you ovulated.

Congratulations on your pregnancy!

MountainBaby · 12/09/2013 19:03

Thank you Crispy - I just can't believe that at a time that I'm doing school runs and planning weekends away without the kids I might be back to a life of midwives and birth plans .

I know it's very early days though and so much could happen between now and next Spring. I can't believe I'm in such a state already though - could be a long pg .

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CrispyFB · 12/09/2013 19:18

Babies always have a way of surprising you! I'll be nearly 38 when I have this one so not far behind you!

I know all about anxiety in pregnancy, believe me.. good times!

Lots of luck for your beta result tomorrow - keep us updated!

MountainBaby · 12/09/2013 20:54

Thank you Crispy, I will do .

And good luck with your baby - 38 is a spring chicken though! I was 37 when I had my 2nd! Seems like a lifetime ago now .

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MountainBaby · 13/09/2013 20:12

HcG doubling appropriately .

Next blood test on Monday - eek x

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CrispyFB · 13/09/2013 20:37

Hurray!! That's great news!

Good luck for Monday - it's lovely they're giving you all these betas as it is quite unusual to get any, let alone two, and certainly not three! You have a great doctor

vaticancameo · 13/09/2013 21:39

Great news!! Xx

MountainBaby · 13/09/2013 22:17

Thank you .

Yes, my GP is being absolutely amazing - in conjunction with the EPU. My fallopian tubes are both blocked which is why they're being so cautious as obviously at risk of ectopic .

I will keep you posted x

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thistlelicker · 13/09/2013 22:20

My first hcg was 127, 48 hours later was 276, third one a week later was 3155 and I had one done on Wednesday it was over 5000! Today I went for a scan and saw my 6 week old embryo and heart beat! Numbers mean nothing all u need to know is they
Double! Good luck

MountainBaby · 13/09/2013 23:04

Thank you thistle .

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MountainBaby · 16/09/2013 20:52

Sadly my HcG levels have not doubled appropriately today and I'm in for an emergency scan tomorrow .

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vaticancameo · 16/09/2013 20:54

Sorry to hear that MountainBaby. I'll be thinking of you tomorrow and hoping for a good outcome

MountainBaby · 16/09/2013 22:02

thank you x

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MountainBaby · 17/09/2013 13:41

So went in and the hospital sent me straight home as my hcg levels aren't high enough to see anything on the scan .

My levels have been 48 (10th), 80 (12th) and then 167 (16th).

So I'm still none the wiser .

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CrispyFB · 17/09/2013 14:04

I'm sorry you're dealing with this. That last beta does not look great with a 96 hour doubling time and it is too low to see anything on a scan. Even if your beta levels were good I (think?) you're still too early to see anything on a scan anyway. Most times they'll only see something from 5.5 weeks.

I hope they're doing more betas? Hoping very much it is not ectopic!

MountainBaby · 17/09/2013 16:49

Hi Crispy, no I agree the last no is bad - I'm thinking that this will end in m/c tbh. My IVF cons (who is bloody amazing and despite not having had IVF for 6 years is still more than happy for me to email her!) has said she feels the levels are too low for ectopic but to keep an eye out for symptoms.

I have googled and about 15% of pgs with extremely low hcg go on to be viable - but then I was given only a 15% chance of pg with my single embryo IVF cycle which resulted in my now 5 yr old so stranger things have happened!

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MountainBaby · 18/09/2013 13:34

I've started bleeding and cramping this morning so looks like it's all over x

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vaticancameo · 18/09/2013 20:16

I'm really sorry to hear that MountainBaby. I've had a miscarriage myself and I know how sad and emotional you feel. Give yourself plenty of time to grieve.

CrispyFB · 19/09/2013 09:28

I am so sorry Very much thinking of you.

Sarahlou25 · 22/09/2013 20:23

Please can someone help me I'm driving myself insane I am 25 an found out I was pregnant on the 13th of September it was a planned pregnancy and we were very excited also very pleased to give my partners son from previous relationship a much wanted brother or sister!. On Wednesday of last week I had a bit of cramping so went to hospital was told to go to EPU next morning I did an first thing they said was likely ectopic but hasn't even ran tests, finally had a scan an there wasn't anything to see but at only 4wks I'm sure that was normal? There was however a cyst/sac on my left side outside the womb, My hcg level was 367 and 48hrs later only rose to 437 :( I no longer have pain I haven't had any bleeding but they have asked me to go in tommorow (Monday) so they can scan and confirm ectopic! I'm so confused as to what I'm to think and have got in a terrible state an I still feel all of the things I should be horrible smells sore breasts mood swings :s please someone reply even just with an opinion pls, sarah xx

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