Help - is this actually possible ?

[MenopauseMaud]

I am feeling really stupid and confused....

Am 45 and went through what I assumed was peri menopause and then menopause in the last year... Blood tests confirmed peri and then my last period was in May. POAS then, just to be sure - was negative and just assumed menopause had arrived. Didn't go to doctor as was feeling really good (after HORROR peri symptoms everything just calmed down). Also important to add DH and I didn't have sex from May until September as he was posted overseas (army).

We married when I was 40.. Tried to conceive for 4 years and then when the peri started we both accepted it wasn't to be.

Anyway, last maybe 8 weeks upper abdomen has progressively grown in size and hardness making me LOOK seriously pregnant...like about six months gone. no weight gain anywhere else, no other pregnancy symptoms at all apart from this and I just stupidly assumed it was middle aged weight gain and have been trying very unsuccessfully to shift it.

So....it hasn't shifted...so tonight-just to rule it out - I POAS... A VERY old stick I found at the back of a drawer ...expired I think? And the result is below. Is that positive? How can it be positive if so? Can an expired test give a false positive? Can menopause hormones give a false positive? Can cancer? Am I just seeing an evaporation line?

Obviously need to do another (non expired) test/see a doctor ... But none of that can happen until tomorrow so I have turned to mumsnet. Honestly, I don't think i CAN be pregnant so what is going on?????

Good luck OP

Good luck OP

Oooh, good luck!

see a doctor, why are you bothering with tests? totally meaningless at this stage, and at this time of life. The tests are for early pregnancy only, and for woman nowhere near menopause, there is no point, you will not get a result reliable enough to mean anything from anyone but a doctor

I didn't want to say but I'm sure after a certain point in pregnancy tests don't show up positive.

And tbh if op was 5/6 months pregnant I'd expect a much darker line on the test.

Goodness! Is your DH there to freak out with you?

Wow. Must be quite something to see that result!!

The, and not wanting to be negative, I would see a doctor. I did some research on tests recently as I'd had a false positive (from a brand that I subsequently found out had a batch of false positives at that time) and discovered some women in perimenopause can have a very small amount of hcg in their system even when not pregnant. More scarily, and not that this is at all likely in your case, there were also some tumours that can cause a false positive.

Good luck OP! Is there even a doctor on Sundays where you are,

Zero - yes that must be the case as menopause predicted kits are just like pregnancy kits and show a line but maybe they measure something else?

Hopefully it's a baby tho faint line , tho also out of date test

Poas of in date stick or call clinic and get scanned to make sure

Op needs a scan to see what's going on
Please update us, I know we are just random people on the internet but I'm concerned 💐

Shameless placemarking, hope you get the result you want op

Thanks all - 2nd test was positive too (stronger line) so doc appointment tomorrow. Feeling more than a little freaked out by ALL possible outcomes so going to step away from Internet for a bit.... Google is not my friend today! Just wanted to update and thank you for the support

I hope you get the answers you want at the doctors.

Good luck OP

Been following with interest. Of course there could be other reasons for the positive test but I would of thought that the most likely is the obvious - you are pregnant! Really hope it all goes well for you and will keep watching.

Hope you get the news you want at the GP.

Best of luck OP

Good luck op

Congratulations

Thank you for the update, and I hope you get the answer you want tomorrow at the GP x

Ooh I was coming on to say not to trust the test as so out of date but if a second test was positive you might just be!!

Is a baby still what you want after years of trying?

Place marking 👍💕

Fingers crossed for the result you want OP!

Fingers crossed OP. Pregnancy would seem to be the most likely explanation .

I hope the Dr can reassure you tomorrow - and organise an urgent scan.