False Positives, a true story

[BastiBee]

Hi everyone! I’m new here, but not new to your site. The threads have always given me a lot of help and support. But I decided to post to finally bust this myth about “impossible” false positives.

Here’s my story: I was on BCP for over 10 years and now have been TTC for about 6 months. My cycles are pretty regular (28-30 days) and I have regular periods. I’ve also been using OPKs. Now, prepare yourself for this!

23 April CD 1
5 May CD 12 +OPK
21-22 May – very short period
31 May (?CD10) brown discharge begins, BFP (very clear, not faint)
1 June brown discharge, BFP
2 June (today) brown discharge, BFP

So I went to the OB/GYN this morning. She found a 14mm cyst with the vaginal ultrasound, and diagnosed me with PCOS. There was absolutely nothing in my uterus. Also, she took blood to determine the exact cause (will find out Friday).

I am truly devastated. I always read how people insist a “positive is a positive”. Bull!!! I am an example of 3 BFPs on 3 different tests, and have nothing, no miscarriage, no chemical pregnancy, nothing.

I read on other internet forums: "a cyst doesn't cause a BFP in an HPT, imposiible!". Well, then how can this be explained?

 

[moxie08]

Don't be devastated yet. Ultrasound is not an exact science, and there still is a chance it is growing there inside you.

Only certain types of cells create HCG. It's possible you have an ectopic pregnancy somewhere in your body. Your OB/GYN is checking your bloods and if they continue to rise or if you experience any pain, you will probably be prescribed some medications to manage aka safely terminate the ectopic pregnancy. If they left it too long, it could be life-threatening and require surgery -- not good if they aren't able to identify where it is!

That said, there is still a decent chance that they just missed a viable pregnancy in your uterus! Did she explain what kind of cyst she found? You should have a luteal cyst still if you are pregnant. One cyst is certainly not an indication for PCOS, so if she said you had PCOS, she must have found a characteristic string of follicles of a certain size.

Keep strong and hopeful.

 

[Oneday]

Hi Hun
I'm sorry to say this but that sounds very much like an ectopic to me. Was the short period you had a bit different to the norm as you can have a bleed that looks like prune juice. I has an ectopic had 2 ultrasounds that never detected it just as you say no pregnancy until it ruptured I don't want to scare you but don't let them miss this. Are they doing a blood test to measure your hcg level? Hope you get this sorted quickly and can get back to ttc x

 

[MrsRH]

ovarian cysts can produce HCG which is detected as a positive in a pregnancy test, but it's unusual.

If you have a viable pregnancy your HG level will double in 48 hours

hope everything goes ok
xxx

 

[DragonMummy]

I had a very early mc a few months back, had i not tested i would have just thought it was a late period. but my hcg continued to increase for about 2 weeks after, even though there was nothing in my uterus. It could be something like that? x

 

[IzzyAnt88]

But if you are pregnant you would only be like 14dpo and there would be nothing visible from an ultrasound. Maybe she found the cyst but you are also still pregnant. Wait a week or 2 and then test.. maybe get a blood test done but the quantitative beta.

 

[Frindabelle]

I see it all the time on forums 'you can't get a false positive' you can!! although it is rare.

Would you believe I was due for my laproscopy and they tested me for pregnancy at the hospital and I had a positive test then a negative test and then had a blood test which was BFN.

And I have also experienced a False positives on a first response Early result test, which is a fault with their tests. very horrible.

All best wishes to you hun

 

[BastiBee]

Thanks so much for that info, Moxie. I always thought that ultrasound was accurate from early on. As for the cyst, she didn't explain to me exactly what kind it was, but rather it was most important to do bloodwork to determine the higher HCG levels.
I'm not feeling too much pain, actually, but I still have this light brown spotting.

Will keep you posted!

 

[BastiBee]

@Dragonmummy, I was thinking that as well. If that "short period" was actually some weird bleeding, then I would have been further along and losing the pregnancy. The strange thing is, all this time, there has been no heavy bleeding... !!

@Oneday, thanks for the info as I have no clue what is symptomtic of an eptopic pregnancy. That short bleed was pretty red, hence the reason I was convinced it was AF. The bleeding now is just very very brown.
Yes, they will be testing for HCG. Gosh, it is just nerve-wracking waiting for this news!

I will post back and let you know what the results are!

 

[dan-o]

Perhaps you are too early to show a pregnancy? Have they taken some hCG betas to see how they are multiplying?

I have had false positives on clearblue and FRER in the past, but they were never really dark.

Hope you get answers soon xx

 

[BastiBee]

Hi all! Thanks so much for your input! I just got the phone call... she's says the levels are too low so it looks like chemical pregnancy. The tests for my thyroid and progesterone levels are ok, but I said, what about the short bleeding period? Shouldn't there be more? Also (TMI) there were no clots or tissue. This is strange to her as well, so I have to go in again in about 10 days to monitor the HCG levels and to keep an eye on that large cyst, as well as the others. That still could be the cause.

And some additional info: during April I didn't have any symptoms. So when I got my 2-day "period", I just assumed I was out.

I'm sorting leaning towards it's that rare kind of cyst. Huh, it's a cruel joke.

Either way, you all get lots of baby dust from me and anti-cyst dust, too! Lol.

 

[moxie08]

It's awful not knowing. I hope it gets sorted soon.

14 mm doesn't sound like a large cyst to me, but I guess it depends on what it looked like in the scan. My follicle was measured at 27 mm at ovulation this month, just to give you some perspective. =)

 

[DragonMummy]

I know how you feel hun - I had the same with my mc in april. I was in limbo for a fortnight. We were actually going to stump up the £100 for a private scan at 6 weeks but the hospital actually sorted out my bloods before then to confirm. But if youre still in limbo, might be worth booking one x