Tips on how to not test before missed period

[Laria19]

I tested early on my two pregnancies before and had two successful pregnancies then I had an early miscarriage and a chemical miscarriage last year and I was trying my hardest not to test early because of the heartbreak I experienced from the last two times. I’ve been trying this month and hoping I get a positive next month but I don’t know how I am going to stop myself from testing early, I worry so much after having the miscarriages anyone else finding it hard not to test so early x

Definitely, it's so hard. This month I have no tests in the house to try and stop from testing. I'm hoping if I can get through one month without testing the rest will be easier.

I’m doing the same thing this month, no OPKS and just DTD during fertile window then not taking a test until the day I’m due AF. I’ve done the same as the lady above and made sure there are no tests in the house. This will be my 6th cycle trying since I had a MC in Nov 2023 so I’m really hoping it happens soon!

sending you baby dust xx

It’s so hard isn’t, I’ve used opks this month, I usually know when I ovulate but since the miscarriages I think my hormones are out of all sorts 😪 @LucyLou0527 @Wednesdayonline

It's almost harder not to use opk for me because then I don't know what day my period is supposed to be so it's just endless waiting it feels like!

Hoping this is our month girls 🤞thanks for being so open about your experiences, Being able to open up more about what I have been through has been helping me thank you 😊 x

I have had 2 chemicals and MMC at 9 weeks. I tested early and the chemical lines were just feint and gone by 2 days after I was due then my period came. My MMC I tested early and the progression was great and thought it was all good signs. Early testing can be reassuring but the heartbreak to see the lines disappear is awful. I promised myself that I wouldn’t test last cycle early because I become obsessed starting at blank tests convincing myself there is a 2nd line not throwing them away and returning later. I hide the fact I’m testing early to my partner because he can’t take the rollercoaster of emotions. That then dictates my mood for the day and it isn’t good. So this month i have no tests in the house and I am not going to test until at least one day after missed period, my periods are clock work so it would be so unusual for AF not to arrive unless I was pregnant.
where are you in your cycle ?? I am only CD4 so a long way to go. X

@Joleyjojo I have pregnancy tests but might put them away, Out of sight out of mind hopefully 🤞 your chemical miscarriages sounds like what happened with my chemical. I tested with an early test the day after my period and got a positive and two days later I got a negative and then started bleeding that evening.I do feel like I don’t want to bring up testing because my husband knows how upset it makes me when I get a negative result. I am on cycle day 17 and I usually have a 29 day cycle so even though it seems close it’s still so far away if ye get me 😪x

I'm trying to hold off on testing. I took way too many last month knowing it was negative but couldn't help myself.
I've told myself that I've peed on my financial allowance for test last month. And knowing it earlier just means more stress for me so I'm going to try to keep busy (yay for house renovations and half term) and see how close to being due on I can get.
I'm tempted to not even test at all this month though, I almost didn't the last pregnancy (absolute surprise) just so I can pretend everything is fine and not worry about yet another mc for a few extra weeks....

@LaTable I totally get you when you say trying to keep the mind busy can be helpful. I’m gonna try my best to put my focus into other things untill the the time comes to test x

There's a picture somewhere that states how far along the egg would be at various DPOs, which makes the point that implantation isn't until 6DPO at the earliest etc. It's good to look at if you're itching to test. Still doesn't stop me mind....

The other thing to remember is how damn hard interpreting early tests can be. Exhibit A - the Boots tests I took today at 9dpo - shows how tricky it is to see if it's an actual line or an indent. I have no idea and should really have waited a couple more days....

No real advice but just a squeeze of the hand in solidarity - resisting the tests is so very difficult. Your post brought all those feelings back for me from well over a decade ago (1 chemical, 2 MMC, 2 TFMR, 2 gorgeous thriving DC, all in the space of 6 years). I remember so clearly the absolute, overwhelming urge to just have a little pee on a stick, just in case.... My maddest moment came when, whilst doing a 3 day trek on the Pennine way, I actually packed a test in my rucksack, and squatted behind a dry stone wall to take it!! (it was negative on that occasion, I hasten to add 🙄).

Maybe hearing that totally barmy story will help remind you that it really is crackers, expensive (and also pointlessly worrying) to test too early. But I'd be the last to judge if you did 🤗

Save yourselves a lot of grief and test when you’re a week late, as we had to do in the early 2000s.

@curliegirlie I can definitely see a faint line on both tests but yes on the other hand it is hard to tell what kind of line it is 🫣Best to wait as close as you can to your missed period. Seeing lines like that would drive you crazy

@Laria19 yes, that's the thing, isn't it? I did indeed get another faint line this morning but I'm very well aware that anything can happen, so whilst it's exciting (and I've never had a positive as early as 9dpo before) it's highly anxiety inducing. At least if you wait until you're late you've got over one hurdle and should be seeing a nice dark line. I don't even feel I can tell DH yet just in case it all ends as soon as it has begun. AF due on Monday, so will see what happens by then...

Just joining the thread because I also have no will power.

I just had a chemical pregnancy this month. Got a positive at 10 dpo and by 13dpo I got a negative and bleeding started the next day. The limbo between getting the positive and watching the line fade until the bleeding 4 days later was heartbreaking. Ironically my period ended up coming right on time at 14dpo so if I had just waited I would have saved me and DH all that heartbreak.

After saying all that. I still don't trust myself not to test next month!!! It's in my nature to try and control everything.

I'm around 8dpo and have managed not to start testing. My LP phase is only 11 days so at least only 3 days until period either comes or I can consider buying some tests 😆

@EMC2022 Im so sorry about your loss. I to had a chemical in October and an early in July, The chemical actually upset me the last because I was so excited to have been able to conceive again but then 2 days later it was all gone 😔I to struggle with not being able to hold off on testing but I am gonna try hold out untill at least after my missed period x

Sending solidarity and baby dust to you all.

I don't have any real advice beyond 'try to keep busy' but I've been there myself and was much better off mentally once I managed to stop the early testing.

It took 4 years to conceive DD2 and I went through every stage and emotion during that time from being completely obsessed and repeatedly testing, symptom spotting etc to finally getting my BFP when I was 5.5 weeks (hadn't tested prior to this).

Ultimately, early testing doesn't change anything. It doesn't suddenly make you pregnant. If you are pregnant and it is viable then you'll still be pregnant next week or the week after etc. If it's not viable and it's a chemical which hasn't 'stuck' then I'd rather not know. Also, the first trimester is so long and stressful anyway, why would I want to prolong it by finding out at less than 4 weeks?

The conception boards on here are full of 'line eyes?', 'is this a false positive/ evap?', 'is it or isn't it' etc etc. It's so detrimental to your mental health. I didn't want that. I wanted an unmistakable 'dye stealer' and I wanted to test once and never again.

I have long and irregular cycles and had got to the point where I wouldn't test until I had missed a period according to my 'longest cycle'....this was cd56 with my current pregnancy (I'm now 35 weeks). I was in the middle of an all inclusive holiday and only sent my husband out to get a test because I suddenly couldn't face any alcohol which was weird and then threw up at breakfast one morning.
I had reached the point after years of disappointment of not even thinking about it each month and certainly not testing and it worked out so much better for me.

Morning ladies. What's everybody's distraction today?
We've been clearing the shed today. One of my least favourite jobs!

Long hike this morning so I'm too tired to stress over it 😅 I have started symptom spotting though, I'm trying not to but it's so hard!

A hike sounds like a lovely way to pass a day @Laria19 .
The dreaded symptom spotting not so much! When is af due?

AF arrived today, early :( onto next month. Good luck everyone fingers crossed for you.

@LaTable af is due Monday/Tuesday fingers crossed I don’t get my periods 🤞How about yourself? When are you due x

@Wednesdayonline Aww sorry to hear that, don’t give up it will happen for you one day 💜😊xx

@Wednesdayonline sorry to hear, that sucks! One cycle closer to it all though!
@Laria19 due on the 5th ish so got a handful of days to go yet. Will this be your first ?