Will this put my mind at rest or be a waste of money?

[justpoppy]

I got my BFP last tuesday. It was a faint positive after about a minute which hasn't got darker with subsequent tests. I have no symptoms and have convinced myself that its a blighted ovum. Have had a MMC before so don't want to start planning and really get my hopes up to find out at my first scan there's nothing there. Am thinking of going out now and getting one of those Clearblue digital tests that tells you how many weeks have gone since conception as I'm certain of the exact date and this would surely give me an idea if the hormones are strong enough for it to be a viable pregnancy. Am I throwing good money after bad? I can't get to the EPU for another two weeks as I work full time but just feel I need to do something to give me an idea either way.

They aren't particularly accurate, so personally I wouldn't in your situation - if it showed you as less pregnant than you think, it would make you stress even more! How many weeks gone do you think you are at the moment?

I had a MMC earlier this year (found at 12 week scan) and my EPU have been fantastic this pregnancy - they suggested I have a scan no earlier than 7 weeks as that way I'd definitely get to see a heartbeat whereas if its earlier then it may not be visible which would be far more stressful than no scan! I had scans with them at 7 weeks and 9 weeks, just waiting for my 12 week scan now next week. Until that 7 week scan I didn't let myself believe I was really pregnant, once I had seen the heartbeat I began to relax and allowed myself to get excited.

Good luck, and congratulations :)

I'm driving myself mad rockchick. I'd been thinking that if I tested and showed me as less pregnant than I thought then I'd know for sure. Clearly though I'm still going to need to go to the EPU to confirm it anyway. It could all be fine but like you I just can't let myself believe that it is until I see that heartbeat. I'm pretty sure I'm 6+3 so still quite early to scan. Lost last one about now - symptoms tailed off then had a slight bleed at about 9 weeks.

Congratulations on your little heartbeat and good luck for the next scan.

hello justpoppy first of all i know how it feels to lose a pregnancy i had a mmc september 2012 i am now expecting a healthy baby boy to begin with my tests where faint but they darkned with in days also a digital showed up right away i was a bag of nerves untill they confirmed their was a heartbeat then i still worried incase i mc again before the 12 week scan i feel blessed this time has been great with no issues im now 28 weeks what id suggest is going to your gp to request a test off them and maybe a beta bloods test then a repeat with in 48 hours to check your levels are doubling i wish you the very best of luck take care

In the pregnancy I miscarried, clearblue digi said I was 3+ when I was only just 2 weeks since conception (they date from conception rather than LMP) so I was panicking it was twins, spent loads of time googling researching then how accurate they are. Mine wasn't a blighted ovum, just stopped developing around 8 weeks. This pregnancy I had the other clearblue test stick and it matched up with my dates, I honestly wouldn't have wasted the money buying another one though if I didn't already have it in.

princess that's one of my worries - the tests don't appear to be getting any darker. In previous pregnancies the test line has gone dark pink immediately with no wait. That coupled with having literally no symptons other than slightly sore nipples makes me think the hormones aren't strong enough because there's nothing there.

rockchick I'm not going to bother with the clearblue tests. I really would be just wasting my money. Am going to call the EPU in the morning and see if I can get a scan next week. My boss is away on holiday so I might get away with an appointment. Otherwise I'll just have to wait it out until I'm on annual leave from Bank holiday week.

As others have said, the digitals aren't exact. With this pregnancy I got 2-3 at exactly 4 weeks, but I didn't go up to 5+ until I was 5+3. I panicked thinking I was going to mc until I read the instructions: they are 92% accurate with a range of 5 days. So they can cause a lot of unnecessary stress and worry.

I was looking at their website earlier and I'm sure it said something along the lines of "as accurate for date as an ultrasound scan". Thats a bit misleading if you ask me. Glad I didn't act on impulse earlier and waste even more money on tests.

I stocked up on boots value ones. They seemed to do the trick.

CBDs can apparently be up to 10 days out.
Not every pg is the same. Hormone levels can vary wildly. The sensitivity of tests can vary greatly. Speculating is the way to madness. A Beta hCG bloodtest will help, and a scan can tell if everything is ok at that precise moment.
There's a great thread in 'antenatal clubs' for those pg after MC. Everyone is in the same boat and know all the worries and stresses involved.
Sadly IME being pg after MC is and continues to be very stressful. Any test or scan only allays fears for a small time. Our mantra over there, 'today I am pregnant' helps a lot. Just take each day as it comes and come and join us.

hi again justpoppy hope your okay ? try not to panic though some ladies never get a dark line and have a healthy pregnancy id go ask your gp for a Beta hcg test soon to put your mind at rest please take care (hugs)

Hi Poppy,

The digital ones can only date at 1-2 weeks, 2-3 weeks, and 3+ weeks. So even if you were to pee on one it wouldn't be accurate in terms of dating a possible 6 week pregnancy. Whether you were 4 weeks pregnant or 25 weeks pregnant, you would still only get the "3+ weeks" result.

I'm 7+2 today and since getting my BFP two weeks ago I must have taken a further 6 or 7 tests purely just for reassurance. I haven't used the dating ones though seeing as I'm long past the 3 weeks, but I just test with the normal ones and it makes me feel warm and fuzzy when I see the second line appear

Me and Hubby are treating ourselves to a Private Scan in 2 days time - and I can't wait to see my little jelly baby

I can understand why you feel anxious though and I think you should do whatever you fee you need to in order to give you some reassurance

x x

I've called the EPU this morning and have a scan booked for tomorrow at 10am. I guess I'll know for sure then.

Thanks everyone for your messages of reassurance.

Writer I hope your scan goes well tomorrow too.

Good luck tomorrow Poppy and Writer :)

Thanks Rockchick.

I'm actually dreading it a little bit. I just can't shake the feeling that something is wrong...

I know how you feel writer. Have u any reason to think something may be wrong or just general anxiety?

Just general anxiety really. I have had a few aches/cramps on the odd days and had some CM but nothing that is crying out 'miscarriage'. I'm still knackered all the time, my boobs still have a mind of their own and I'm still experiencing other pregnancy symptoms but I'm still panicking. I keep reading posts about missed miscarriages and women going to scans, expecting everything to be ok, but to then be told the baby stopped growing weeks ago. I'm just going to cross my fingers and hope for the best x x I hope yours goes ok too.

Good luck with your scan today, justpoppy.

If it makes you feel any better, I never used a CB Digital, but I tested with cheap strips most days until about 10 weeks. The line never got properly dark until about 8 weeks.

Hope everything is ok for you, too, Writer. I was very crampy in my first trimester. Everyone will tell you it's normal, but you won't believe them.

Thanks TobyLerone. I've pretty much convinced myself that its not going to be good news. I know some people would say I should be more positive but something just doesn't feel right and I don't want to get my hopes up.

writer I will be thinking of you too. Really hope it goes well.

Thanks Poppy - I will keep popping back to check for an update, I'm sure it will be fine for the both of us x

Good luck with your scans ladies.

Hope so writer. What time is your appointment?

Thanks wifey.

Not until 12.30pm - AGES away!!!

I've been awake since 07.15am and the clock hands are turning SO slowly...

Now the day has come my anxiety has eased a little though and excitement is taking over. That may change when I actually get there though .

Is this your first dc writer? Mine is at 10am thankfully so not so long to wait.

Is this your first dc writer? Mine is at 10am thankfully so not so long to wait.