Help with frer! Hook effect or bad test?

[Alittlegoesalongway1990]

I have irregular periods but missed mine last week I’m about 8 days late and had spotting.

Had various other symptoms like gas stomach pains weight gain aches and even vomiting and no breast changes even though I always do with pms! My periods are irregular and I’ve had a lot of squintiest but never fully missed a period.

I’m literally worried I have a cryptic pregnancy, I dialuted my urine today and got a squinter on a frer but bfn on one without diluted urine? This also appeared within the time and I believe pink dye doesn’t give evaps.

Why am I getting a stronger positive on a test I dialuted my urine? If I was so far ahead wouldn’t I have had a strong test by now? So confused I could either be dying, not pregnant, pregnant by a week or having a full blown cryptic!

The top is normal wee the bottom is with added water! Can anyone help me? :)
Also I’m a poas addict and I’m really not gonna buy anymore in the next few weeks, spent so much money!

I don’t know but I can appreciate why you’re frustrated, it is strange. You’d likely need to be more than a couple of weeks pregnant for the hook effect, dates definitely correct? Have you tried other tests or all FRERs?

Another photo of the two tests from today guys

That’s the thing I’ve had irregular bleeding periods for months! I’m just certain that this month is the first I’ve missed so yeah I’m so unsure

I can definitely see a line on the bottom one but not the top one, so I’d say negative because I don’t see why you’d get a negative on a test that you tested pure urine in but a positive on a diluted one ?

But FRER are very very rarely wrong so I’m confused too 🥺

My FRER always used to be stronger in the evening. Having said that, that’s very faint for 8 days past expected period, so - 22dpo?

The only reason the second could be stronger is if it was the hook effect and my hcg was so high that it overwhelmed the test with only urine not added water. But that means I’m super far ahead and I’ve not had a strong positive so assumed I wasn’t at all! I’ve literally just had scenarios like this and spotting/irregular periods and have assumed chemical every single month. I’m starting to think it may be cryptic which honestly is making me question my sanity even though I know it happens lol. Thank you for the help everyone as well I’m super lost!

I think if it was hook effect you’d have a far stronger line with the dilute.

The way that FRER typically behave when your HCG is high is to pull dye from the control line so the test line becomes darker. Then they equalise. All of that happen with HCG in their thousands so unless you’re 6 months pregnant (which is commonly when I’ve heard of hook happening) it’s not that. There is definitely a line on the second test though. Very odd.

I could never get a good positive on ANY test that I used first morning urine for. I found that using second urine of the day always showed a good positive.

Could you do a clear blue digital?

Do you have any OPKs? From about 6 weeks pregnant I got a really strong line that came up immediately.

You're completely clutching at straws here and introducing all sorts of incredibly unlikely things like hook effect and cryptic pregnancies. By far the most likely scenario is that you're getting negative tests because you're simply not pregnant. I know that might not be what you want to hear but you're a self-confessed poas addict and I think you're getting carried away. You need to take a step back.

It’s not letting me reply to comments somehow but in reply to optical delusion I don’t think I am, ive missed a period and been unwell and get a faint positive

I’ve had irregular periods in terms of length and spotting however I only had spotting this month barely any blood and feeling very achy (I couldn’t bend over to do anything) and feeling stabbing pains clearly somethings going on so to tell me to back away is insensitive and everyone seems to agree it still showed positive. I’d also said I’ve had faint positives and irregular periods for months you don’t get a positive unless you’re producing pregnancy hormone.

Did you say you’ve been having faint lines for months? Have you been for a blood test? It might be an idea.

@Alittlegoesalongway1990 Hi OP, I know this thread is a few months old but do you mind if I ask how things turned out for you?

I know this is an old thread, however just in case you happen upon it I would like to clear up some posters that are incorrect. The hook effect indeed is real and more common than once believed now that more and more POAS addicts are testing later and later.

With that said, the sticks indeed have issues when HCG levels approach 100,000 or higher, maybe a little lower too. BUT- what maybe some seem to be unaware of is that HCG drastically falls around week 12, and wventually level off but usually for most well under 100,000. So as it was implied that at 6 months your HCG would be 500,000 is not correct. So, some have these false negatives or squinters that can start as early as 6 weeks and then after 12 weeks will stop, as the HCG falls.

It is said that the HCG will drop way down after 12-14 weeks back to around 10,000 where it plateaus and remains. It is theorized that the placenta takes over parts of its job. Hence the drop, and thank goodness, usually coincides with stating to feel less deathly too.

So yes, hook can happen but will stop.

Just a little clarity. Best, Cadie