Stealth/cryptic pregnancy

[BuddingBaker]

Not massively sure if this is the best place to post this but here goes;

I have been having what I would describe as morning sickness for the last 8 weeks - bad nausea, sudden d&v, bad heartburn. Very much the same as the morning sickness I had during my last pregnancy. I've also been struggling with my sleep, sometimes only managing to sleep for 2-4 hours a night for about a week, and when my sleep is better I find I'll not feel at all tired then literally 10 minutes later I'll be struggling to stay awake at 6pm which is not like me at all (though my partner has said I was the same during my last pregnancy). I've been getting really thirsty, particularly overnight where I have to wake for a drink and a wee - this reminded me of when I first started breastfeeding but my LO is 10 months now and I'm feeding her less every week so it cant be my milk supply making me wake up for a drink.

Of course, all of this would make you think pregnant but I've done 5 urine tests and had blood tests all coming back negative. I've been to my doctor and have had more tests done to rule other things out but I am starting to wonder if I'm pregnant. I know it is possible to get false negatives if you've recently had a baby and am wondering if anyone else has experienced anything similar with a second child so close to the first? I've found an article on this type of pregnancy but it isnt massively helpful;
www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/cryptic-pregnancy#symptoms

As some background info I have only had 1 period since the birth and that was in August and last had unprotected sex in November. I'm breastfeeding maybe 4-6 times a day, sometimes more but it's always just a short drink rather than a long feed. I keep feeling something but not sure if its movements or just gas? When I stretch it feels like I have something weighing on my bladder area but I'm not sure if I'm just imagining it because of this damn nausea and heartburn (I never get heartburn aside from during my last pregnancy).

That's what I thought but I've found quite a few blogs and articles about people who have had bloods back and been 17 weeks pregnant because the pregnancy hormone decreases after about 8 weeks and can be missed. It's still very unlikely, but the GP has no idea what else it could be.

Have you been tested for diabetes?

Not yet, but I have had some blood tests recently that I'm seeing the GP about on Monday so I'll ask

If you’ve had a negative blood test it’s EXTREMELY unlikelythat your pregnant. It’s more likely to be hormone changes after your previous pregnancy. My periods came back about eleven months after my son was born (I was still breastfeeding) and I had all sorts of changes/symptoms at the time.

Bloods are pretty certain. Yes, HCG decrease (although not at 8 weeks, it keeps on rising to 12 weeks, then drops) but it doesn’t disappear. You have HCG in your blood the whole way through. If a blood test is negative, your about 99% not pregnant. Why not go for a private scan if you really need to put your mind at rest. If you last had unprotected sex in November, you’d def be pregnant enough to see a fully forming baby at this stage!

Otherwise, sounds like you might have some digestive issues. Especially the heartburn, possible gas feelings, nausea. Sounds a bit like my IBS! Or a hormone imbalance causing you to feel weird.. possibly linked to breast feeding less?!

Darkstar - What sort of changes or symptoms did you have? I do think hormones could be the cause and GP agrees but is unsure.

Bol87 - GP did think digestive issues but not sure due to the lack of any other symptoms and I've made various diet and lifestyle changes over the past 2 months and it hasnt affected the nausea etc at all. Not sure about the breastfeeding less which is why I posted here - I want to see if anyone else has experienced something similar when reducing feeds. The doctor things it's unlikely but it's been going on so long I just want an answer.

I've been off work for 8 weeks because of the d&v which is frustrating because I'm now going to be on half pay for a month before no pay at all for long term sickness if it continues. The only thing the GP can prescribe to help is extra strong gaviscon and paracetamol doesnt seem to touch it - always used to take paracetamol for nausea, cramps etc when I had a period and it worked really well. I've just been woken up at 4am feeling very sick and then stuck in the toilet for 45 minutes, which has been happening quite a lot so I'm really hoping I can find the cause and treat it soon.

Hey, I’m not in the same position as this is my first. I was testing negative until a few days ago. There is definitely a fully forming human baby going on, at almost ten weeks
Hope you get the news you want xx

That's intesterting, thank you and congratulations! I havent done a test in over a month so may try one just to be sure.

@BuddingBaker You’re not pregnant if your hcg blood test has come back negative. Here is a chart to help you understand the levels in pregnancy up until 3 months.

I’m a bit confused why your doctor isn’t taking v&d that is causing you to be off work for 8 weeks more seriously?! Assuming he/she is signing sick notes for you?

They should really be referring you for more investigations. A sudden change in bowel habits is cause for concern. Nausea alone, not so much. Unfortunately, nausea can be a bit of an unknown. The GP could def offer you an anti-sickness though or you can buccastem over the counter (tell them your GP recommended it for migraine) which is a really effective anti-sickness. Your GP could also prescribe omeprazole for your heartburn. It’s advisable to not be on it long term but a few months to see if things settle are fine. I’ve been taking it my whole pregnancy.

But if you have actual v&d that’s going on for weeks, go back & push for some further tests. That’s not normal. Could well be IBS, it can be tricky to treat. V with IBS isnt common but D is. It could well be hormones, again probably tricky to treat while you are breast feeding. But there are more options your GP could offer to make life a bit easier & help support you back to work!

Well, I've had 4 weeks of several blood and stool tests for many, many different things, changed my diet a couple times and still the doctor has no clue. My partner works at a hospital and a lot of the nurses have mentioned to him to ask about a cryptic pregnancy and two have even experienced it themselves - negative for blood and urine tests but 4 months pregnant etc and have said to ask for a scan. So you can be pregnant with a negative blood test, it's just incredibly unlikely.

The doctor refuses to acknowledge this though, says I definitely am not pregnant because of the negative blood test and wont book me on for a scan despite more and more symptoms that I had during my last pregnancy and never at any other point in my life. I get that it is still very unlikely but I want to be sure and cant afford a private scan as I'm now going into unpaid sick leave. My last appointment was yesterday and they literally just wrote me another sick note and recommended looking up home remedies online. I'm still waiting on the results for a gluten intolerance test so she wont do anything until that's back but I've completely cut gluten out of my diet since I had the bloods taken 2 weeks ago and no changes whatsoever so Im not that hopeful.

I was told cant have any anti sickness medication because I'm breastfeeding so I've been prescribed extra strong gaviscon for the heartburn and recommended imodium instant for occasional use when I'm waking in the middle of the night to rush to the loo. I get really bad cramps (like period pains) when its particularly bad and paracetamol doesnt touch them. I've also been very tired and achy, and not sleeping well because I cant stay comfy for long. This is very unusual for me as I can normally manage on 3 or 4 hours sleep really well if I have to but I am wanting a nap a couple hours after getting up from a 10 hour sleep now.

It's just very frustrating. I've been off work 10 weeks now, signed off for another 2 at least and have lots of birthday etc to pay for coming up over the next couple months with the prospect of no sick pay. Has anyone been through anything similar or got any clue what it could be?

@BuddingBaker hey! Did you ever get any answers? Going through a similar thing myself