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Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Original poster

Faint lines

30 replies

S999 · 18/03/2010 12:11

Hi there
Wondering if I could call on you for help please.
can't believe I am here. this is number 3 for me, the other two were IVF so totally different kettle of fish.
Fell pregnant naturally last year, miscarried, no heartbeat at 9 weeks.
Pregnant again now, naturally and every time I do a test, the lines are quite faint. They are getting darker but not significantly. I guess my AF was due today, rather irregular cycles and only "indulged" once this month (2 kids, 3 and a half and 2).
My question is, should the lines be getting darker by say 14, 15dpo? In the past, even with m/c pregnancy, they were really dark by now.
Is this a bad sign?
Would my GP give me a blood test?
I just can't face sitting here for 2 weeks praying that something is going on down there and not knowing adn going cross-eyed looking at these lines.
Few symptoms: full boobs, headachey, tired.
Thanks so much

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peanutpie · 18/03/2010 12:23

Congratulations!

I think I have faint lines until I'm actually about 5 - 6 weeks pregnant.

However I can't remember how my miscarriage pregnancy lines compare to my non-miscarriage lines.

I do know that for a successful pregnancy in my body, the earlier the symptons the more likely I am to miscarry. The longer I don't notice the better. However I don't know how this would relate to the colour of the lines on the pregnancy test!

Original poster
S999 · 18/03/2010 12:24

Hi! thanks for your message, that does give me reassurance.
well last time I didn't have symptoms but dark lines, this time symptoms (a few) and faint lines!
Who knows?
No way GP will give me a blood test.

OP posts:
Stickhasgrownup · 18/03/2010 12:41

I always start off with really faint lines... I stand holding the test to the light wondering if its really there or not!

Currently 16 weeks with number 3 and this time I took a test 3 days before AF and got a very light line... so waited until AF due and used first wee of the day and line was even lighter!

With DD my mum saw the test and wouldn't believe I was pregnant as she said the line was hardly there!

But if a line is there, its there... no matter how faint!

Original poster
S999 · 18/03/2010 13:01

Ok, you are right, a line is a line...even if it's under UV type lighting!
You'd think by number 3 I'd have calmed down a bit.
I have to sit around and wait for scan at 8 weeks, praying nothing negative happens until then. And of course I can always start stressing about the scan.

OP posts:
ttcbabyno3 · 18/03/2010 13:08

Hi s999 are you me lol .. i was just logging on the write the EXACT same thread, my 3rd child, i am due on this saturday, been testing since about Monday, that one was very faint and now they are a tad darker, they are def a positives i have done about 10 and all the sam, i also was exspecting a darker line too and was worried, but i have also heard that pregnancy test do not count how pregnant you are or hormones only a blood tets can do that

what test did you use???

Original poster
S999 · 18/03/2010 13:28

oh god what test haven't i used?! DH jokes there will be no money for the kids we have the way I am buying tests.
ClearBlue - very faint, DD's magnifying glass had to be used
First Response - better, much better and FMU
today, cheapie Boots - not bad and after drinking a cup of tea (stupidly)
but nothing like the darkness i had with my other pregnancies.
If you are due with AF on Saturday then this is really early so you would be right on track if they are getting darker.
Good luck!

OP posts:
Stickhasgrownup · 18/03/2010 13:53

My orginial faint ones, this time, were from sainsburys.
I then got one from superdrug... it was a few days later, but def darker... and I do remember reading somewhere that the superdrug are the most sensitive tests - so maybe thats why!

ttcbabyno3 · 18/03/2010 15:06

I have done all the tests as well was getting "not pregnant" on tuesday but positives from FR ha ha i have spoent farrrrr to much but im so nervous that there being a faint line means there is something wrong? i had really dark lines with last pregnancys too and with my DD i tested 4 days early and gor a dark line :-( i dont feel like i can be happy cause im scared now :-( anyone had this and all been ok?

goood luck to you too, hopefully we can both get a nice dark line soon.

also my mum and Dh said there not gonna celebrate till they see a darl line :-( i know myself i am i have had loads of lines but not dark.

xxx

Original poster
S999 · 18/03/2010 15:14

What is with these tests?
well i had dark lines and miscarried so there really is no theory here that holds!

OP posts:
ttcbabyno3 · 18/03/2010 15:17

hold on i have found this ill copy and paste it, it's very reasuring :-)

The positive line is really faint. Is this okay?
An HPT tells you exactly one thing: your urine either has detectable pregnancy hormone in it, or it doesn't. The darkness or lightness of a line doesn't mean much. Generally speaking, a very light line can mean there is a small amount of hCG in your urine, and a very dark line can mean there is a larger amount of hCG in your urine. This is why you may get a faint positive at 10 DPO but a darker positive at 18 DPO. However, this is not always true. Tests are all different, and even tests in the same box may differ in sensitivity. Comparing light/dark lines will just drive you nuts. If you see a line in the "results" window, you're preg!

queenofthehouse · 18/03/2010 21:49

This time my lines were faint and then i bought a clear blue digital and u dont see the line it just says pregnant or not pregnant on it-maybe if ur worried do one of those? I think false positives are rare. O and my pregnancy test in my last pregnancy had a dark line but then it was a different make. Was it the same test brand? I really wouldn't worry about the faint line, it is just the level of hcg and every pregnancy is reguarded as different. I had implantation bleeding last time and not this time, i would go to the doctor if you are concerned and they'll advise you. Congrats anyway

Original poster
S999 · 19/03/2010 09:30

Thanks, i really don't know, am not even having many symptoms so not overly hopeful.

OP posts:
mumsie123 · 19/03/2010 20:36

s999 most woman dont get any syptoms till about 6 week's.

Have you done anymore tests. I'm not got a line its positive thats that lol i have read uo soooo much about "lines" the last few days im gonna be dreaming about them!! I asked my doctor he said that HPT cant tell you how much hormones is in your urine just if its there. and that a faint positive is nothing to be concerned about, infact it seams to be norm!!

Original poster
S999 · 22/03/2010 09:42

Hi there, i haven't done one more test on First response and lines were really dark but now obssessing over symptoms.
Am going to GP tomorrow.
How many weeks are you?

OP posts:
mumsie123 · 22/03/2010 12:14

hi, unfortunetly i think im having a MC been bleeding since friday :-(

Cozie · 30/03/2010 18:21

Mumsie

I hope you are okay

xxxx

PJen · 30/03/2010 18:40

My lines are very faint too and I have tested 8 times with different brands... all faint. I went to GP and the unfriendly nurse tested me and said "you are not pregnant!"... You can imagine how I felt, as it is my first and I have been waiting for it for so long! So I went and took the test from her and showed her that there is a faint line! She accepted me as pregnant! When I asked her what does it mean that my lines are so faint; she waived her hand and said " a line is a line! you are pregnant!"... So that reassured me. However, I am testing every morning and my lines stay almost invisible! Does it mean that the hcg amount in my urine is not high enough? What does that mean? I am a bit worried too...

PJen · 30/03/2010 18:51

Just saw this scarry article in net:
"Pregnancies with complications also produce hCG but in lesser amounts, so that could be causing the faint line. If your test is faintly positive and then a few days later turns completely negative, you may have had a very early miscarriage.

Experts estimate that about 50 per cent of fertilised eggs don't make it, and a further 15 per cent of recognised pregnancies end in miscarriage, so unfortunately this is very common. It is only since pregnancy tests became so sensitive that people have realised how often early miscarriages can happen. In the past, these very early losses might not even have been noticed, and the woman would never have known she had been pregnant. "

Hoping for the best!

mumsie123 · 30/03/2010 19:36

Hi sorry i names changed, i was ttcbabyno3, i posted at the start about my faint lines, only realised that imforgot to mention my name change, sorry xx

Original poster
S999 · 08/04/2010 11:20

Hi Mumsie, I hope you are ok. What happened in the end? Fingers crossed that the bleeding was not serious...

I am trying to get an early preg scan from my hospital, earliest date they gave me is 4th May which makes me 12 weeks. Can't believe I have to go private for this.

Anyway, what about you Pjen? How's it going?

OP posts:
mumsie123 · 08/04/2010 20:34

Hi s999 as i said above my laines were really faint def there but faint, so i waited till Friday sis a digital clear blue and got a "pregnant" was thrilled no more lines!!

But that night i had brown spotting, which eventually turned into to a heavy bleed. because it was early i the doctor said to take another test which i did and it was negative so i had a early MC.

I can't believe they are not willing to give you a early scan!! have you spoken to your midwife, my sister who was 2 weeks ahead of me got one at 6 weeks. they should always help to reasure mothers.

I really hope you get your scan :-)

xx

Original poster
S999 · 09/04/2010 10:01

Hi, I'm so sorry, fingers crossed you will get pregnant again soon.
I can't believe this fiasco. I now have a booking appointment for 10th May, have no idea what is going on. Meanwhile, I am sitting here in the dark not knowing how this is going to turn out. I hate waiting! More so, I have going private and having to spend £300 on a scan when I know my GP could have been more helpful.

OP posts:
mumsie123 · 09/04/2010 11:42

£300 that is such a lot of money, you can get a reasurance scan for £80 here.

I dont think i will try again, i hateed going through that the upset and the aniexty has really put me off :-(

How are you doing in your self?

Original poster
S999 · 09/04/2010 14:20

Hanging in there, sometimes I feel very hopeful, when I have symptoms basically. Otherwise I think negatively, largely because both my kids were by IVF so a natural conception was always a long shot for me.
Got to hang on until Wednesday...whatever will be will be but that makes waiting even more excruciating.
I'm sorry you are put off having a third. time can be a great healer...

OP posts:
mumsie123 · 09/04/2010 17:08

I have had a bit of a day of it myself, been feeling so sick and tired and genrally "pregnant" after my bleeding was done i was told to do a pregnancy test which i did a digital one which said "not pregnant" but that was about 2 weeks ish ago and i feel sick etc, so i called doctor and they said just to take another test if owrried so i did, got a FR one and guess what a fain but defenate line?! i wish i knew what was going on.

Oh no the waiting is a nightmare, maybe your 2 pregnancy's before help "sort" your body out, my friend was told she could not get pregnant by her self after her first ivf baby she has fallen twice by her slef, doctors said the pregnancy's help sort it all out :-)

xx

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