Nurse Said HCG Was Low, I'm Worried It's Too High

[second.time]

Hi everyone! I had my betas done on Friday at 3w5d and my levels were 426.5. Then I had them done yesterday, at 4w1d, and the nurse just called to say my levels today were 2,200. To me that seems quite high, and like a really quick rise! But she said I should expect my levels to be at 4,700 at four weeks and that I was probably only two or three weeks pregnant. This doesn't make any sense since I've been getting positive tests for over a week, and if I was only 2-3 weeks pregnant I'd have been testing positive the moment I ovulated.

Do you think these levels sound normal? I never was tested with my son. Of course now I'm worried about a molar pregnancy -- but I don't have any cramping or spotting and no nausea. Seriously, zero symptoms. What do you think? What's going on with me?

 

[maryanne1987]

Personally id request a different nurse. Does she have any medical training or knowledge of hcg? If you had your levels tested at 3w5d and they doubled in the preferred time range of 48 hours then you would be looking at a number of around 1500 ish with 3 days between tests. So yours is just slightly over which is perfectly normal. Although I'd say your numbers are high for your point in pregnancy. My bloods this pregnancy were still in double fingers until 5 weeks so I have absolutely no idea why she would say it's low. Could you have mistimed your ovulation and be a little further gone than you think? By two to three weeks pregnant I'm guessing she means since conception but nothing else she has said makes sense at all. Personally I'd be making a complaint.

I had a partial molar pregnancy and I became very ill from it almost needing chemotherapy but my numbers were tripling every 24 hours so I honestly wouldn't go thinking of that as a possibly just yet as your numbers seem to be climbing normally.

 

[second.time]

Thanks for responding! I'm so sorry you went through a partial molar; that sounds really difficult.

Honestly I just think this doctor's office doesn't have much knowledge of pregnancy and fertility. I'm switching to an OB-GYN soon, thankfully. I have no idea why they decided that 4700 miu/ml was the normal minimum for four weeks.

I used a calculator and it seems like the hcg is doubling every 30.4 hours, which seems fairly normal. I don't know why it's so high! I remember my tests with my son got REALLY dark REALLY fast, and he was measuring nearly a week ahead, so maybe it's just something about my body? I have short cycles and I know I couldn't have ovulated much later than I thought. It's confusing, but I'm just hoping it's an OK sign.

 

[maryanne1987]

I'm sure all is fine! Some ladies just get higher levels early on. Congratulations and h&h 9 months to you

 

[second.time]

Thanks! It's just really hard to find other women who had levels over 2000 at only four weeks, so I'm feeling anxious.

 

[Scout]

Mine was 18,762 at 4w6d when I was pregnant with daughter. There were 2 other ladies pregnant at the same time who had high numbers as well. At the time, my OB told me in all his years (20 something in practice) he's seen hcg numbers all over the place in healthy pregnancies. I thought mine was high (and according to online charts it was!), but he wasn't concerned at all. I had a healthy baby girl, btw. Congratulation and best of luck

 

[second.time]

Mine was 18,762 at 4w6d when I was pregnant with daughter. There were 2 other ladies pregnant at the same time who had high numbers as well. At the time, my OB told me in all his years (20 something in practice) he's seen hcg numbers all over the place in healthy pregnancies. I thought mine was high (and according to online charts it was!), but he wasn't concerned at all. I had a healthy baby girl, btw. Congratulation and best of luck

That makes me feel so much better! Thank you!

 

[lanet]

Mine were 4200 at 4 weeks 6 days with this pregnancy and it's just 1 baby. With my twin pregnancy they were similar but tripled instead of doubled in 48 hours

 

[lanet]

I don't think that nurse knows what she's talking about

 

[Wish85]

You're nurse is an idiot. Sorry to be blunt but it really frustrates me that so many medical professionals that we are supposed to trust with their knowledge can't even get it right.

My hcg was 150 at 4 weeks and as far as I know I'm still pregnant so I don't know what that nurse is going on about. It's ridiculous!

 

[lilmisscaviar]

That sounds really high to me! Here is a chart to look at about how much your levels should be depending upon how many dpo you are: https://www.betabase.info/chart/basic/single (as a side note there is also a comparison for multiples )

 

[Wish85]

OP is it possible you are further along than you think?

 

[charlottex]

My hcg was 192 at 4 weeks and he's now 11 months.
Your nurse doesn't sound like she knows what she's even on about!
xx

 

[second.time]

Thank you, everyone. I'm really confused and frustrated that the nurse would say 4700 is a normal level for four weeks. I did call the OB-GYN and gave her my numbers and specifically asked if over 2000 was too high for four weeks, and she said she didn't think so.

I couldn't really be further along. But I might have ovulated and implanted very early because I have crazy-short cycles. If I look at those BetaBase numbers, having a high number at 18 DPO isn't that rare.

I'm trying to let go of the anxiety and just wait for my next appointment.

 

[lanet]

I really wouldn't worry about being too high at all. There is such a wide range of normal. I always have crazy high hcg and therefore severe morning sickness too

 

[second.time]

I really wouldn't worry about being too high at all. There is such a wide range of normal. I always have crazy high hcg and therefore severe morning sickness too

In your case it seems like high HCG was a great sign - I'd love multiples!

I have poked around a little more and found more women who had high HCG at the same DPO. I guess I should just be happy that it's rising!

 

[lanet]

But with this singleton pregnancy it was really high too and just 1!

 

[melfy77]

With DD2 mine were 29 000 at 5 weeks, and one healthy little girl!😉 don't listen to that nurse!

 

[second.time]

This has made me feel so much better! Thank you!

 

[lesondemavie]

That's so weird. Certainly not low, and I think still in range. My betas are in my sig. my number tripled (exactly) in 48 hours. I went into a googling spin researching molars and then found that when under 1000 numbers climb faster and sometimes triple. We put ourselves through way too much stress sometimes. I'm 4 weeks today based on O.