Help! Test line lighter at 20dpo

[katpw]

Hi all please help. Test line seems to be lighter at 20dpo than previous days. All taken with FMU and read at 5 mins. What should I do? Really worried. Thank you ❤️🙏🏽

@katpw the lines can only go so dark and then they start working in reverse because the HCG gets so high 😊 if you dilute the urine with water then your lines should be dark again. have you used CB digital weeks indicator? X

Thank you! Ahh I hope that’s the case. I got the 2-3 weeks at 16dpo and wanted to wait a few more days to hopefully get the 3+. Was shocked to see the fainter line this morning 😣 maybe a silly question but do you mean dilute the urine by me drinking water, or literally add water to the urine sample? If so, what sort of ratio? 😂 will try that in a minute!! Thanks so much x

@MummyT13 replied to you- forgot to tag ☺️

@katpw it's up to you which way around you do it. You can either test later in the day when you've had a lot more water to drink or After peeing in a cup, add a few tablespoons of water to your urine so it becomes lighter in color.
This might work because it reduces how much hCG you have in your urine. You’ll still have enough of this hormone for the pregnancy test to “read,” but not so much that it’s overwhelmed.
😊 x

@MummyT13 thank you so so much. I definitely should’ve stopped testing after the first positive! I’ll have a drink and then also add some water to the test! 🙏🏽🙏🏽 Thanks again I’m terrified x

Why on earth are you still testing when you've got a very clear positive? Just stop.

What in god's name are you testing every day for? You have a clear positive, that's all the information the tests can give you, you're pointlessly stressing yourself. Stop.

@Fafafafabetter it was my first positive and I have health anxiety. I know not to do it in future..

@AquaticSewingMachine it was my first positive and I have health anxiety. I know not to do it in future..

It’s a clear positive. Stop testing.

@Scoobyblue my worry is that it’s lighter than previous days. It’s got darker daily up until now.

@katpw you do whatever makes you feel comfortable 🤷🏻‍♀️ not everyone has had the same experiences. I tested 3 times and mine got lighter and I then started bleeding and assumed I miscarried so I carried on with life.. 2 weeks later I was really emotional and tested again and it was BFP.. if I hadn't continued to test then I wouldn't have been prepared to miscarry and I wouldn't have found out that it was Ectopic with the test a couple of weeks later. It's really each to your own really but you do what makes you feel comfortable. For some people it helps and for others it creates more anxiety 🤷🏻‍♀️ if you've have multiple or previous losses then for some people it helps to know what's happening. X

Thank you @MummyT13 - completely agree ❤️I’m really sorry to hear you had an ectopic. X

Pregnancy tests cannot give you the kind of information you are seeking. Once they have told you "you are definitely pregnant!", they've done all they can for you.

Get rid of your tests. You just have to take it one day at a time and see what happens.

For your own sanity, just stop resting.

Testing!!

@katpw I kept testing every day when I got my bfp and started to have similar lighter tests here and there. As a few people said, you've just maxed out how dark the tests can get. At that point, you're looking at how much dye a particular test was manufactured with rather than your HCG levels. Here are my tests from 9dp5dt to 18dp in order from top to bottom. You can see the bottom 4 are fairly random in terms of which is darkest. I'm 39 weeks pregnant now and have done the odd test through my pregnancy and found the tests to be varying darknesses. Pregnancy is hard and can be a pretty anxious time. I found going week by week or milestone by milestone helped.

Thanks you SO much @CycleGirl20 - really appreciate that. Congratulations on your pregnancy ☺️☺️❤️

This has just happened to me - any update op? Freaking out a bit.

@Hopingforrainbows this happened to me too recently,but I read about the hook effect, Google it and you'll be relieved! I diluted my urine half and half with water and line was sooo much darker again! With less urine,the hcg is too high otherwise for the test to cope with.

That is a relief. I'm only 19dpo so I though it might be too early for the hook effect. I did almost have a dye stealer two days ago.

@Hopingforrainbows forgot to add I'm now 8 weeks and had a scan today, all good with heartbeat despite the scary tests!

That is lovely to hear - congratulations. After three early miscarriages, it's really terrifying. I need to get my bloods taken but tbh I've been putting it off because I'm scared.

So sorry you've had a hard time, this is my first pregnancy so I've been horrendously anxious because its an ivf one after a long journey, waiting for something to go wrong every day. Must have spent a fortune on private hcgs and early scans :s hope all goes well for you x