Immaculate conception ?

[RedMonkeys99]

I'm perimenopausal and on HRT (patches + utrogestan continuously).

I had a positive pregnancy test at a hospital lab, but I've not had sex for a year so I'm completely certain it's a false positive.

The hospital ward ran two tests - one an instant dipstick which was negative, then had procedure and went home, later in the eve the lab result came back on the app as positive for pregnancy.

I assume the lab test is more sensitive so there is a very small amount of Hcg it picked up.

Google says this can be a perimenopause thing. Has anyone else heard about it or had any experience? I stopped reading Google before it started talking about cancer. My hormones are bonkers at the moment so I'm sure it's related to that.

I'm sure your healthcare providers will be able to guide you as to next steps. I'm surprised they gave you the lab results without any discussion at the time. If you are discharged now, perhaps best to call the consultant you were under on Monday, or try your chances calling the ward today.

Definitely follow that up asap

Likely caused by hormone changes and is nothing to worry about but it can be a sign of a more serious issue so definitely get it further investigated.

Why did you do a pregnancy test anyway?
If this was done by a hospital were you admitted for something else?

Because they often insist on it even though you tell them there’s no way you could be! Been there, peed in that pot.

It can be a perimenopause thing. Or they’ve mixed up your results with someone else’s.

Is there a chance you've been raped without you knowing?

One test was negative so it’s more likely a false positive due to hormones

Much more likely to be false neg than false positive

In this situation though?

It's a possibly, hence the question. Pelicot was abused for years....

But OP isn’t pregnant so it’s a false positive

How does she know? Has she had a scan? No. Hence the question. These things do happen

She hasn’t had sex in a year, She is perimenopause and on HRT, it’s very likely she’s got a false positive

I'd be asking for a blood test to confirm or deny. But it's more than likely hormonal fluctuations I think.

I worked in a lab, test samples get mixed up far more than people realise! Get a second test

Dude did you read my comment? I asked if there's a chance she could have been raped... Context is everything

Of course I read what you wrote! Reading the context Op gave that doesn’t seem a likely reason

Hello, apologies, I didn't realise I had all these answers.

I had the test because I had a procedure done under fluoroscopy, which is basically continuous xrays, so they check for pregnancy as standard on the ward.

I didn't speak to anyone about it because the results from the lab are released automatically on the hospital app. This was after I'd got home when the ward was closed at 10pm. I think they will also be released to my consultant who did the procedure, but I'm not sure she's the right person to talk to about it. I probably need to ask my GP to repeat the lab test.

I am absolutely certain I'm not pregnant, I've had no sexual contact at all in over a year, there is no feasible opportunity in which I could have been raped and not know about it. I do appreciate the concern though, I understand where you're coming from.

3 weeks ago, I accidentally forgot to replace my patch for a few hours. I then had several days of very light spotting and my period didn't arrive when due (usually extremely regular on HRT). Since then I've had very extreme hot flushes and other symptoms which were largely controlled by the HRT previously, and now this positive pregnancy test.

I feel sure they are linked somehow. There is some hormonal chaos going on inside my brain.

Google only offered me:

Receiving a false positive pregnancy test in a hospital laboratory while in perimenopause and on HRT is rare but scientifically documented. During the menopause transition, the pituitary gland can produce low levels of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)—the hormone tested—or the test can misinterpret other fluctuating hormones, such as luteinizing hormone (LH), as hCG.

I will ask my GP next week, I just wasn't sure if it was a common phenomenon in perimenopause and would be dismissed out of hand.

Thank you for all the replies!

Years ago I had a positive pregnancy test, confirmed by hospital test a few days later, but had a normal period/bleeding about 2 weeks after. I went for a scan to be told there was nothing there. Spoke to GP who said it was rare for hospital test to be wrong, it was possible my hormone levels were out of sink.

OP I would get some pregnancy tests yourself, if it’s still shows a positive you will need to contact GP.

Hope no-one minds if I ask a follow-up question...

What is it like when you are reaching the end of perimenopause? I've had such huge volatility of hormones recently I really feel things are ramping up (or down maybe).

My Mum said that both her and her Mum (my Gran) never had a change in their periods, one day they just stopped and never came back. But she also says she neither of them ever had a single hot flush, and I certainly have.

Thanks for this. The urinary dipstick they did at the time was negative, I think the lab tests are much more sensitive.

I think it's possible there was an error in the lab, but you're right - I know it is rare, I have a friend who works in a lab.

I suspect if it is not an error then it's a very tiny amount of HCG produced, perhaps in response to my pituitary desperately trying to get my ovaries to work because I've not had a period this month, which might explain why I feel quite so crazy hormonally right now.

I also usually get menstral migraines, they've really increased since I started peri, but suddenly they have vanished. I've had none this month, which is utterly bizarre.

So I think blaming the test on hormones seems reasonable... I will find out and update the thread!

My menopause went from missing the odd period in my late 40s to 2 months without then 2 months regular etc for a year and then they just stopped age 51. Had hot flushes at night for about 6 months then they stopped. I am 55 now and feel great. Some vaginal dryness but nothing major so now on estriol cream but never taken systemic HRT.

@RedMonkeys99 Have you asked Chatgpt?
They aren't always right but I'm pretty sure that I've read about your situation before- not on Chapgpt but elsewhere online.

I honestly don't think it's worth worrying over.
You're not pregnant and if your HRT is working as you'd like, I'd forget it.

Everyone is completely different .

Whatever anyone says is unique to them and if you're different, that's not an issue.

If you're on HRT and have 'huge volatility' of symptoms, is your HRT the right type and dose? It should really deal with all the ups and downs of peri.

I noticed shorter cycles and less flow from around 50. No real physical symptoms up to then. I missed a couple of cycles in my early 50s, then had a 4-month gap before the last one. They stopped just before 53. I went onto HRT almost immediately as I was having hourly flushes, night sweats and insomnia. I'm still on it.