Sensitivity of First Response

[The_Berry]

Hello everyone,

I was wondering if anybody knows what levels of HCG First Response tests actually pick up? I've seen studies that say 6.5, and I know for a fact that they detect at least 8 as I've had faint positives on the same day as having blood HCG of 8. I even read a post from one woman saying that she got a positive First Response when her blood HCG was 2!! That seems somewhat unlikely, though.

The reason I ask is that I am going through a miscarriage and my HCG is dropping pretty slowly. I'm taking a First Response test every day and still getting faint positives. My blood HCG on Monday was 8, and it's being tested again this coming Monday. I'm very scared that my HCG might have plateaued or gone up

So far:
8 Sept - HCG 150 (GUESSTIMATE BASED ON CLEARBLUE)
13 Sept - MVA - scan confirmed womb clear
16 Sept - HCG 20 (GUESSTIMATE BASED ON CLEARBLUE)
17 Sept - 3cm chunk of tissue comes out which MVA and scan somehow missed!
18 Sept - HCG 19
21 Sept - HCG 19
27 Sept - HCG 11
2 Oct - HCG 8

I just want this over.

Thank you everyone.

Jenny

 

[3boys]

I'm sorry for your loss. It took forever for my last mc hcg to drop. I don't have an exact answer but didn't want to read and run x

 

[The_Berry]

Thanks for replying. How long did it take for you?

 

[Excalibur]

I'm so sorry for your loss

 

[sevenofnine]

I got a + with FRER and my blood hcg was 2. Ended with a MC but it was a second pink line, not as faint as I’d expect for only 2!

 

[3boys]

Thanks for replying. How long did it take for you?

It took about 6 weeks. I didn't conceive that cycle but I did the next and he's 5 now.

 

[The_Berry]

I got a + with FRER and my blood hcg was 2. Ended with a MC but it was a second pink line, not as faint as I’d expect for only 2!

That's crazy! Did you take the FRER on the same day as the blood test? How long ago was this? Perhaps it really is true that they're crazy sensitive, then! I hope this means that my HCG is still dropping even though I'm still getting positive FRERs...

Really appreciate your response on this, has given me a bit of hope.

 

[sevenofnine]

I got a + with FRER and my blood hcg was 2. Ended with a MC but it was a second pink line, not as faint as I’d expect for only 2!

That's crazy! Did you take the FRER on the same day as the blood test? How long ago was this? Perhaps it really is true that they're crazy sensitive, then! I hope this means that my HCG is still dropping even though I'm still getting positive FRERs...

Really appreciate your response on this, has given me a bit of hope.

About a year ago, and yes same day! The doctors test was glaringly negative. I showed them the frer and that's why they did a blood test... because I got the + right before the appointment! Yikes!

 

[becsboo]

a week for me but hcg fluctuates different times throughout the day as well sorry for your loss

 

[The_Berry]

I got a + with FRER and my blood hcg was 2. Ended with a MC but it was a second pink line, not as faint as I’d expect for only 2!

That's crazy! Did you take the FRER on the same day as the blood test? How long ago was this? Perhaps it really is true that they're crazy sensitive, then! I hope this means that my HCG is still dropping even though I'm still getting positive FRERs...

Really appreciate your response on this, has given me a bit of hope.

About a year ago, and yes same day! The doctors test was glaringly negative. I showed them the frer and that's why they did a blood test... because I got the + right before the appointment! Yikes!

Wow... I guess perhaps HCG in the urine takes longer to 'catch up' with HCG in the blood, so if you'd had a chemical pregnancy perhaps your urine actually had more HCG in that your blood at that stage. Still, there's no denying that FRER is more sensitive than advertised. Perhaps a little too sensitive... Thanks for sharing your story.

 

[doggylover]

I'm so sorry for what you are going through. It took me almost two weeks to get a negative HPT after my mc. X