Late period or early mc?

[heliotrope]

I've had this happen twice.
I'm 5 days late (normally regular 28 day cycles), and really thought we'd done it this time - had unusual cramps around CD21 and before AF due, but didn't come on and felt seasick all day over the weekend - same as I was with my first pregnancy. So despite my best efforts had got myself excited... still felt the sickness this morning but then some light bleeding, so I tested (I figured that if it is an early mc it would be good to know, and there might be enough hormone left to show up...). BFN and definitely on period now, sickness instantly gone.

Same thing happened before in Dec08 - it's so disappointing, but do you think it is all in my head, caused by thinking too much about ttc and symptom spotting, or did we actually conceive but it didn't take...

I might have to start testing for ovulation so I would then know if AF likely to be late and avoid this torturing myself.

Would love to hear from anyone else in similar situation.

Hi there heliotrope, I've had similar experiences in January and in March this year where I've been a week and 5 days late respectively, followed by very painful and heavy periods.

I've never had a BFP so I don't know they were just late periods, or whether they were early mc. Also, since TTC my periods have gone kind of haywire changing from 28 days on the dot to 26 - 35 days.

I'm trying to think of it in a positive way, that if something has been happening, then at least I can get pregnant (I'm trying for number one). Also, I've been temping and charting which I've found really useful as it shows that I have been ovulating, and tells me when my period is about to arrive. Maybe you could try that as well as or instead of ovulation tests?

Good luck. I hope you get your BFP soon.

I had this two months before we conceived dd1 - didn't know what was going on because I was a "never late" person. 10 days in, it started really heavy, and even tho I was really TTC I just felt heart broken - it was like a completely hormonal reaction rather than a rational one, iyswim. I was sobbing in the loo in the most beautiful restaurant in Austria, and poor dp didn't know what to do!

But, as I say, two months on dd1 was on the way...

sorry, that should have read "not really TTC" - got flustered with the emotional memories, obviously!

Hello Pistachio, thanks so much for replying, it is very helpful for my sanity. I know I shouldn't get too excited, you'd think I'd have learnt by now, but I really did feel pregnant and it's difficult for your mind not to race ahead. DP just cannot understand that I feel upset about it, tells me I shouldn't get ahead of myself...

That is a good idea about the charting of temps, I have done it before and forgot about that. If I'd done it this month I might even be able to tell if it was a pregnancy as I know it always used to be 13 days between ovulation and period.

Good luck, maybe next month will bring us April (?) babies!

That would be lovely wouldn't it. Here's to April babies.

SLF, I know exactly what you mean about having hormonal reactions, some months I'm okay with not having conceived that month and others I'm absolutely distraught. Bloody hormones eh.

Congratulations on your pregnancy, hopefully Heliotrope and I will be joining the pregnancy boards soon too.

Thank you stickylittlefingers, it is good to know that I'm not the only one that got attached to a speck of a maybe-baby, and that you got pregnant with your little girl so soon.

Having the experience has made me feel so deeply for anyone who suffers a 'real' miscarriage later on in their pregnancy.

And shamefully I think that sometime in the past I have said 'oh an mc at 5 or 6 weeks is really just a late period'... before being in the situation I wouldn't have believed how upsetting it can be!

I have just had a similar experience...my period is 7 days late, but a visit to the doctor this afternoon confirmed that I am not pregnant. Really surprised as had nausea for the past couple of days and have had no period cramps which I would normally have had by now. Still no period but obviously one is on the way. Only second month of trying for dd2 so not too worried.

Weird isn't it. I'm promising myself that next time I will not get so excited unless I see a positive test, but it is really hard. I feel that I know my body and I really think I did conceive this month and it just didn't work out somehow - i may just be deluded though!
Good luck next month...

my experience taught me that it's not a case of "getting ahead of yourself" or not, it's your body that just starts doing things and the reaction to it stopping isn't a rational one, you just can't help it. And you're right - I was only half thinking I might be pregnant, so a mc later must be so so much worse.

Best of luck (I now have 2 dds so am definitely a happy ending!!)

i had this

was 5days late but didnt test as didnt relises i was late iyswim, then had af so on day 32

so was i late (normally 26/28days) or did i have an early mc?

guess you will never know unless you always test the day af is due

...Just wanted to give some hope to all those out there who have negative pregnancy tests when their period is late...as I said in my previous message, my period was 7 days late but all tests came up negative including a doctors test!! However, I did a further test when I was 10 days late and, yes, I am pregnant!! Went back to Doc and he says that sometimes this can happen!! Very pleased!