BFN 10 dpo. Test defective? When should I test?

The test: I was taking the super early tests all week. The expensive ones that make you feel like every BFN is throwing money directly into the trash can. But the test I took this morning was obviously defective as that type is supposed to have two control lines...one in the plus sign window and one in the tiny window next to it...and the one in the tiny window didn't even show up. The control line itself was faint. But I counted it as a BFN because there was nothing at all besides the horizontal line (Equate brand from Walmart).

I see so many people posting that they got their BFP at 10 dpo. I have been testing daily because I've been cramping since O day (or at least O day according to my charts. It could have been off by a day in either direction).

Had wicked diarrhea for a few days (TMI) which happened before my BFP last year. Yeah, this is only 7.5 months after the birth of my son. Yesterday, I spent the whole day cramping and being nauseous. There were a few sharp pains with the cramping. All week, I felt like AF was not only on the way, but already here. I kept running to the bathroom to check.

I saw some blood, but that could have been from a cut I had in that area (really rough toilet paper...holy cow!). It was bright pink. Soooo...has anyone gotten BFN every day up to 10 dpo and still been pregnant?

Today, I feel nothing but a very slight headache and weird lower abdominal twitches. The cramps are so dull, they could just be from the intestinal issues I've been having. No CM to speak of. In fact, it's pretty dry around there.

Hate to be a symptom spotter, but my body is usually so predictable and all the feelings I've been having this week felt the same as the first two times I actually was pregnant. I just can't imagine it's negative.

So when should I really test? Should I just wait the other 4 days until AF is due and forget testing every morning? Or invest in some Dollar Tree tests and keep it up?

 

OK, I did just check the box that said if there was nothing at all in the oval window, the results are invalid. Oddly, their picture showed nothing in either window, but I had a minus sign in the circle. Why is this stuff so confusing?