Low HCG, slow progressing tests and bleeding in early pregnancy, any similar experiences?

[Mamajpt]

Hello - looking for people who’ve experienced the same please!

LMP 8 April. Ovulated around CD15 on 22 April. Tested very faint positive on strip test and digital clear blue 3 May. Tests were progressing but extremely slowly and faintly. Bleeding started 6 May when my period was due. Early Pregnancy Unit advised I went to A&E so I could be sent up to them. Tested negative in A&E and HCG blood level was 15. Told I was miscarrying and to go home. Kept testing, tests getting darker. Rang EPU on 8 May who asked for more bloods done. Results were:-

6 May - 15
8 May - 42
10 May - 107

doctor said all is looking good, no more bloods needed and ultrasound booked for when my hcg should be around 1500 at 6 weeks on 19 May.

im currently 5w2d and feel like my tests are just not progressing at all. They got darker and now seem a little lighter. My bleeding only lasted for two days 6-8 May and I haven’t had any at all since.

completely confused and just waiting on my ultrasound now in 5 days but does anybody have any experience of similar please

Your numbers are doubling that’s all that matters and my easy at home never got much darker than how yours are showing. I know is gut wrenching but you will have to just get through the next 5 days until your scan. For me it was positive and I’m now 30 weeks

Thank you so much for your response. It puts me at ease a little. I’m using a mix of wondfo & easy@home but my wondfo tests were so much darker and quicker with my last successful pregnancy.

Early pregnancy is such an anxious time isn’t it! I really feel for you, it’s so difficult but bleeding is very common and isn’t always bad news, especially as it’s stopped now.

Remember the test strips aren’t designed to be used for tracking like this. They are meant to just give you a yes/no answer and the darkness of the line can change for all sorts of reasons, like time of day or how hydrated you are. The HCG blood test is much more accurate, and they were all doubling, which is really positive. All you can do is sit tight and wait for the scan, but I’ve got my fingers crossed for you!

Thank you so much this makes me feel a lot better. You’re so right. I think I’m going to bin the tests to be honest. The stress is probably doing more harm than good in all honesty!

I would, honestly! If you’re anything like me they’ll just stress you out more. What will be will be, but right now you are pregnant, and all the HCG tests were going in the right direction so🤞🏼🤞🏼xx

Yes absolutely! It’s causing more harm than good for sure. Thank you so much. I will come back with the ultrasound findings on Tuesday. This is going to be the longest 5 days ever!

No advice but just wanted to say I’m in a similar boat with similar dates! Started getting faint positive tests from 3/5. Not 100% sure when I ovulated as I had a miscarriage in April and conceived with no period in between- counting CD1 as the date of my miscarriage (8/4) I should be 5w1d but suspect I’m probably earlier (or at least that’s what I’m hoping to make everything make sense!) . Lines are progressing but rather slowly, had HCG bloods done on 6/5 which came back as 19 then they’d rose to 276 when I had them repeated 13/5- back tomorrow for a third set. It’s so stressful isn’t it 😩 I hope your scan goes well x

Thanks everyone. I went for my ultrasound today at 6w and there was nothing at all. No sac, nothing. My uterine lining was thin and showed no evidence of a recent pregnancy, miscarried or not. My HCG levels today were 204 (last ones were 107, 9 days ago). They think the most probably answer now is an ectopic but just waiting to hear back from the doctor. Super sad

I’m so sorry to read this OP, my scan is on Thursday morning. Sending lots of love x

Thank you. How did yours go? Hoping all went well xx

@Mamajpt Not very reassuring unfortunately! So everything is in the right place in the sense that they could see a gestational sack and a yolk sac but I’m measuring behind so not looking good sadly! Back for a rescan on 1st June but I’m not holding out much hope 🥲 xx

How behind are we talking? I measured behind in my last pregnancy and by 12 weeks everything had caught up beautifully! She’s not 13 months.
My hCG levels have decreased by 20% today and I have started bleeding & cramping again so is looking more in favour of a very slow resolving miscarriage. I have never been so happy over something so traumatising! So relieved it’s looking less likely that I’m having an ectopic. Xx

A whole week behind 😪 this is exactly how my miscarriage started last time sadly so I’m feeling very disheartened. I’m glad it’s looking like it’s not ectopic for you, that must be such a relief in a weird way. Still an awful situation though, sending you lots of love xx

Did you hear anything further since? Been thinking about you and hoping everything turns out okay. I had confirmation on 26th that I was having an ectopic pregnancy and I needed to have methotrexate injection to end the pregnancy. I went back in on the 27th for it and had bloods done at the same time, miraculously my hCG levels had dropped by 65% and I didn’t have the injection! They agreed it looked like I was miscarrying the ectopic and to come back on 29th for bloods. I had them and my levels had again dropped 65% and I’m now discharged! I need to do a pregnancy test in 2 weeks to check all negative but so relieved it has resolved without the need for surgery or the injection xx

Thanks for checking in @Mamajpt! I was back at EPU this afternoon and unfortunately there were some abnormal areas on the scan so I’ve been admitted to the emergency gynae ward as they’re worried it’s a molar pregnancy that requires surgery. Currently waiting on the on call doctor coming round.

Oh bless you, how stressful! I’m glad things are resolving for you without the need for methotrexate or surgery though that must be a relief for you in a weird way! How are you feeling now? Xx