HPTs getting darker...meaningless according to doc

[wlovew]

So...why do the instructions and doctors say that the darkness of a positive HPT has nothing to do with the amount of HCG....when I (and MANY others) got a faint positive at 10 DPO and day by day it got darker and darker. Today I am 19 DPO and the test line is now darker than the control line. At 10 DPO my clearblue digi said 1-2, and at 15 DPO said 2-3. I'm just wondering why they say that doesn't mean higher HCG?? My doc won't test my blood, they said we'll do an ultrasound on January 28, and I'll be 7 weeks 4 days then. I am beyond frustrated because I want to know if it's progressing normally. I've had a miscarriage before and I am terrified. I have 3 weeks to wait So I take HPTs to make sure I'm still pregnant.... My symptoms are pretty much gone now, too. I've begged, I've cried. Nobody will do my blood levels Seems cruel.

 

[sg0720]

Well I would honestly stop taking the hpt's because yes at first your hcg does double and go up but at a certain point it will go down a little but that's normal further I. The pregnancy idk exactly the cut off but that may be why the doctors said that.

And I said to try and stop just incase it does get a little faint you don't freak out you know but I totally understand why you want them to do bloods

Good luck have a happy and healthy pregnancy

 

[cherrished]

Awwww Hun I don't get it either surely they get darker due to our hcg getting higher hence the faint ones early on and the darker ones further along, also the clear blue have hcg thresholds 2-3 is over 200miu and 3+ is 2000miu and over so the theory for that wouldn't make sense either, I get where ya coming from Hun my scan is on 27th jan and I'm nervous keep thinking I ain't guna make it till then, I'm dreading every day thinking please MS kick me in my face but no nothing, even the acid reflux has eased off for past few days too, my boobs ain't as sensitive as they were, only new thing I've noticed is more visible veins, not even had fatigue today 1st tri is so stressful I keep thinking the worst and even felt so bad that I fid another test and it's came back mega dark so I'm holding on to the hope of my hcg increasing xx

 

[maryanne1987]

Hun I know it's difficult after a loss but the best thing you can do for you little bean right now is to relax. Even if you did have an early scan right now it could just worry you more as sometimes all they can see is the sac at an early stage. Even bloods might not put your mind at rest. I had mine done last night and have spent the whole day worrying that they aren't high enough. The worrying is 100% normal. Pretty much every woman on here will feel the same. Honestly I'd try and relax and enjoy your pregnancy! I bet your little one is just fine.

 

[wlovew]

Right there with you, Cherrished!! I had major fatigue from 5-10 DPO and that's why I tested, and it lasted until around 14 DPO but now I feel completely normal!!! Just a little tired sometimes and my boobs hardly hurt but they do at least a bit. I think I'm going to go shopping today to get my mind off it. I am just going to be POSITIVE. Baby is there, baby is growing!! Lets just be patient and positive, girl!!! And THANKFUL that we DON'T have MS lol

 

[knobby]

He probably doesn't want you to stress about testing and told a fib.

They DO get darker as your hcg increases. That is how they work. It is why early tests are faint. It is how the clearblue digital weeks estimator tests are even possible.

If your tests are very dark now, then there is really no need to test further.

 

[cherrished]

Exactly Hun we have less than 3 weeks until we see our little beans on them little monitors, let's enjoy have a few days break from all the hectic symptoms, I read it's so common to come and go some days, I'm sure everything is fine, you enjoy ya self shopping abit of retail therapy and relax !!! Xxxx

 

[wlovew]

Xoxo

 

[Catiren]

it's not meaningless at first but it does become meaningless over a period of time for two reasons: 1. home pregnancy tests measure according to concentration of hcg in urine, which can vary in all kinds of ways and is in no way telling you of your hcg levels in numbers. you can hold in your urine and make it darker or you can urinate more often and have lighter tests at any given time in the early days of pregnancy.

2. the tests getting darker should only be a concern if you're worried about a chemical pregnancy. home pregnancy tests are meant to just tell you "you're pregnant' or 'you're not pregnant". that's what they were constructed and sold for, besides home convenience. the lines can alway vary test to test brand, too.

 

[wonders10]

I'm halfway through my 7th week and I'm finally not freaking out every single minute. I also had a miscarriage (mmc) so I understand that worry when you get pregnant again. I've decided to have the attitude that I am pregnant and if something bad is going to happen, I cannot do anything about it.

As for symptoms, mine were minimal initially - almost nonexistent. Then boobs would get sore off and on. Around week 6, some nausea started. Then pretty much went away for a few days. Now its back, still not horrible, but very mild nausea off and on during the day and slightly sore boobs as the day goes on. I literally saw my bean yesterday and its heart was beating away. At the Dr office, they told me not to worry if symptoms go away because your hormones level off and fluctuate - we all react differently so I just think I react well to them increasing. Its the same reason why some of us get really moody during PMS, and some don't. We all react differently to changes in our body.

So much easier said than done, but please try to relax and enjoy

P.S. I also asked at my first appointment if there was any testing that could be done early since I'd had a loss. She said the only thing they would do is test my progesterone, which I went with. Perhaps they would offer that for you at least?

 

[venapols]

Htps are qualitative not quantatative

 

[Zephram]

Htps are qualitative not quantatative

Basically this. This is why your doctor told you that. A basic home pregnancy test is a yes/no test, they can only tell you if you're pregnant or not, they can't tell you how pregnant you are. The darkness of the test line varies due to the amount of hcg in your urine which changes depending on how much you've had to drink, how long you've held your pee for and the time of the day you take your test (hcg is higher in the morning). The amount of dye in a test also varies which affects darkness.

I see a lot of people stressing about darkness of test lines on here, but it's largely an internet myth that test lines should always get darker the more pregnant you are. You simply can't control for all the factors mentioned above. The only way to tell if your pregnancy is progressing is to get your hcg checked through blood tests to make sure it is increasing.

In the meantime, stop testing - you're pregnant! That's all your home test can really tell you accurately.

 

[dairymomma]

As a mom who has had recurrent miscarriage, I find comfort in seeing my lines getting darker. HOWEVER, I also understand that an hpt measuring hCG in my urine and that number can vary quite a bit for a number of reasons and is not indicative of what your blood levels are doing. With my current pregnancy, my FRER lines basically stayed the same over 5 straight days (I didn't test every day either). Then they suddenly got really dark but the cb digi was still giving me a 1-2. Hcg testing showed that not only had my hCG jumped from 126 to 330 in less than 48 hours but 330 was well over the 200miu threshold for the digi so I should have gotten a 2-3. So when I test, I take the results with a grain of salt because I know they can be so off from what my levels actually are.

 

[wlovew]

Congrats on seeing the heartbeat!!! I will request whatever tests they can do to make sure it's all normal. I have my first prenatal appointment on the 28th and I don't even know if they will do an ultrasound for sure, I'm just assuming that they will because I will be 7 weeks 4 days by then!