Pregnant or miscarriage hormones? Positive test after negative test.

[stardust1994]

I had a mmc in October which was treated with medical management which didn't work and I ended up having a D&C 4 weeks ago on November 24th 2022. We were told to try again when we felt ready provided I had a negative test.

I only took one test following the miscarriage about 10 days later (around 3rd December) - it was a clear blue digital early one (the only test I had in the house) and it said 'not pregnant'. This was in the afternoon with very dilute urine.

I then had a peak OPK around 8 days ago.

Fast forward to today and I've been having cramps on and off for 2 days. For some reason (I know I'm crazy) I decided to test again. Also with very dilute urine and it came up faintly positive - similar to the time I got a bfp at 10dpo. Now I'm wondering whether:

1. This is a false positive caused by me still having some hcg in my system that the clear blue digital wasn't sensitive enough to pick up but the first response test is.

2. I'm pregnant again and somehow am already getting positive tests really early.

Any thoughts? I'll test again tomorrow and if it's a strong positive I'll speak to my GP to see what they think. I'm not hugely hopeful but it is a bit strange.

Thanks!

@stardust1994 can you remember if it was clearblue ultra early? And what pregnancy test did you use today? X

Hey @ChloeN, it was the ultra early one and the test today was a first response ultra early one. They were just the ones I had in my house leftover. Thanks for the reply :)

@stardust1994 i think frer is ever so slightly more sensitive, but nearly 2 weeks later I can’t imagine the little hcg you had left would still be lingering! What’s the line like on the frer? Xx

Totally possible to get a line on a FRER with an early implantation but then I have seen some convincing indents on this forum recently. Are you able to post the picture?

Obviously retesting in 48 hours will hopefully give you an answer but I appreciate it’s frustrating. I wouldn’t think it’s leftover hcg though. Good luck OP!

Thanks @ChloeN and @ChickinMarango . I've attached a pic here. My phone camera quality is terrible but hopefully you can what I can.. it's a thin line but it's pink rather than colourless. It came up within about 1 minute.

Was taken in the afternoon after a fair bit of water so interested to see what it will look like in the morning.

I've never noticed an indent line before so wouldn't have a clue if this was one or not really.

@stardust1994 i think it looks too noticeable and pink to be an indent, especially with it coming up so quickly! I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you xx

I was positive on a FRER for 9 weeks after ERCP surgery (no retained products or anything). The best bet would be to take one first thing every 2 days. If they get stronger, new pregnancy. If they get weaker, old hcg.

Thanks @IWillBeWaxingAnOwl. Good to know! Did you get your period during that time or have any signs that you were ovulating? Just good to know. Hope all is well with you now :)

No @stardust1994 but I have wider fertility issues (ovulation disorder) that will impact all that. You can ovulate when your HCG is low (which would still show on a FRER but not other tests).

If you want to compare tests over days you must use FMU and the same type of test as they all have different thresholds. Have you been having unprotected sex eg could you be pregnant?

@IWillBeWaxingAnOwl thank you and really sorry to hear about the fertility issues.

I did one this morning so I can compare it to one on Friday.

Yes, I’ve had unprotected sex a few times since I got the negative result on the clear blue early digital test. I also used OPKs which I know aren’t always the best after miscarriage but they gave me a peak 10 days ago so I think I’m 9 dpo. My temp has also risen.

However, despite this I do lean more towards thinking it’s leftover hcg because I know how sensitive the first response tests are and 9 dpo is pretty early for a positive (if that ovulation date is actually correct). I guess I’ll see on Friday.

9dpo is definitely possible for a positive on a FRER so I hope it is a true positive and continues to increase ☺️

So do I @IWillBeWaxingAnOwl but I don't think I'll be getting excited any time soon 😂I'm sure you can understand having been through the same experience yourself.

Will post the outcome in case anyone is interested/might be helpful for others.

So sorry to hear about your loss in October. It really is the worst.
I had a very similar situation to you! MMC in late August, MVA a week later, negative test after two weeks, ovulated a week after that, faint positive on a cheapie 8dpo! No period in between, just the bleeding from the surgery. I'm now 15 weeks along! Keeping all my fingers crossed for you x

Hey @RaliaMusca, thanks for your message and so happy to hear that everything is going well for you. I'm going slightly crazy to be honest but I know that the only way I'll know is on Friday when I do a repeat test and see if it's any darker.

Out of interest last did you find you can similar symptoms around the time you tested positive in both pregnancies? What gives me doubts is that I had really strong symptoms even before I tested positive with the miscarriage (constantly sore boobs, erect nipples, cramping etc.) whereas right now all I've experienced is on and off cramping since about 5 dpo.

Sorry typos, I meant did you find you had similar symptoms around the time you tested positive in both pregnancies.

These are the tests for the last 3 days, they all look pretty much the same so I’m sure it’s leftover hcg. What I don’t get is how I could have ovulated with hcg in my body.. but I know I did from various tests (opks, a progesterone test etc). I’m just so confused. Any thoughts?

Basically you can ovulate with HCG under a certain level (I think it's 10 but don't remember). FRER can detect HCG at 5, so they could still be positive when your HCG is low enough to ovulate

Thank you @IWillBeWaxingAnOwl. In that case can I still get my period next week? Because at this point I just want it to arrive in the hope that it finally flushes this last bit of hcg out.

So after successful ovulation, progesterone drops if HCG doesn't rise (eg if you don't conceive), that's what induces a bleed. I would hope that since HCG is low, then progesterone drops. Unfortunately I'm not sure if HCG at a low level would keep it too high to bleed? I'm sorry you're going through this, I hated the waiting period after loss when you feel you can't even physically move on

Hello,

I'm basically in the exact same situation…

I recently had a miscarriage at nearly 10 weeks in November. I had my op and tested negative with a strip test on the 7th December. Since, I thought I was pregnant again so had a blood test on the 9th December and my HCG level was 17 so had another blood test on the 14th and my HCG was 10, the doctor confirmed I wasn’t pregnant. Since, I’ve been showing more symptoms including very sore boobs. I did a home pregnancy test on the 22nd and used First Response 6 days early which showed a faint positive, since I’ve had 3 other tests with the same result. But, any other brand says negative.

@stardust1994 if the top test is the most recent I can see progression. Have you tested again since?

Thanks @IWillBeWaxingAnOwl. I’ve tried temping this month and today my temp has dropped really low so really hoping my period is on its way and it’ll finally feel like a fresh start.

@Nik84, thanks! Haha I wish.. sadly it’s the other way round so deffo leftover hcg. Just want it gone now.

@Gee94 - no idea! Those first response tests are crazy sensitive. It’s so annoying!

Hey @Gee94, just wondered how things were going for you? I eventually had my hcg tested last week and it was 20. Having another test tomorrow and I’m really hoping it’s gone down because I want my period back 😬frer tests still show an annoying faint positive.

@stardust1994 I was still having faint positive FRER tests on the day before I started my period. But, I’ve had it now and I will know when I’m ovulating so fingers crossed we can try again this month 🤞 my HCG took about 7 weeks to come down enough to have a period, I guess everyone is different. Hopefully yours comes soon! x

Thanks @Gee94, this is so reassuring. Thanks so much! Hopefully my bloods will be lower this week and then my period will come on a similar timescale to yours.

Also random question but are you both in 1994 as well? :) Also are you trying for number 1 or do you have kids already?