HCG Levels

[Triss24]

OKay I am completley confused...Last Monday I went to see my doc and my HCG levels were only 139.  I went in this Wednesday to get them done again and I was told that they are now 6116.  I know they are supposed to jump but is that really high for only being a week apart in testing??  I have an app. with my doc on Monday to discuss everything so I just got the results from the receptionist, but I guess what I am wondering is, is it okay to have higher than normal HCG levels?  Any input would really ease my mind!!!!

[AnnieBrooke]

Are you saying the two tests were nine days apart?  If so, you are right on the money, they would be doubling every 46 hours or so.  If you are saying the tests were two days apart, that is a different story!

[AnnieBrooke]

Excuse me! I just checked my math, and see they are doubling about every 39 1/2 hours.  This is still in the range of normal.  (Mine doubled every 36 hours.)

[Triss24]

Ha ha no you were correct the first time they were 9 days apart.  So that seem right then???  Well thats a big sigh of relief.  I couldn't see my doc till Monday and I really didn't want to worry all weekend as I am a huge worry wart lately.

Thanks!!!

[AnnieBrooke]

The range of normal on HCG numbers is pretty wide.  At the low end, nurses will tell you they are satisfied if your numbers go up 66% in 48 hours, at first.  At the higher end, I was told that mine doubling in 36 hours is also perfectly normal.  Your numbers are between those, so you are doing fine.  When you look up HCG levels in early pregnancy, the ranges are so wide that it is sometimes hard to tell anything, that is why they say not to read very much into the actual number but instead to look only at the trend.  Also, as the numbers get higher, the doubling time slows down, something that occasionally freaks out women who then get all panicked and call their nurse in tears.  (My nurse told me she sometimes wishes there wasn't even a measurement for beta-HCG, for all the worry it causes. LOL)  Right now, based on those 2 measurements, your numbers are raising a little faster than the slowest acceptable pace, but not higher than the top of the normal range.  They sound like healthy numbers!  Any chance of twins in your family? :)  Annie

[Triss24]

Twins??  OMG no, none in mine or my husbands, but that would be pretty cool if we started the trend. LOL.  There is this woman in London, where I live that just had quads.  They had not taken any fertility drugs and multiple births didn't run in her family either.  Poor girl was in the hospital for so long but all her babies came on time and healthy as can be!!  So who knows what could happen.

[AnnieBrooke]

Some of the posters on this site have had amazingly high HCG numbers that went up really fast and still had only singleton babies, and others have had twins and the number started out at, like, 70 or something, so again, there isn't a lot of predictability in beta-HCG.  I hope I didn't put too much excitement out there with that comment, it's just that the reason mine were doubling rather quickly (but still in the normal range) is because at that time there were two embryos.  My doc says it is very, very common to start with two and then for one to fade away before 13 weeks, so I'm not allowed to get too excited either.  (This is called "Vanishing Twin" syndrome, and he made me read up on it because it is so very common, in something like 1 out of 6 pregnancies but nobody ever knew this until the advent of early, early testing; and he just didn't want me to get all excited.)  Anyway, worry comes with pregnancy, I guess, but this is one you can take off your list.  Your numbers are normal, not doubling too fast.  Hope you have fun talking to the doc on Monday!  Annie

[Child4]

Three weeks ago I went to the doctor after having severe abdominal pains and found out that I was pregnant and that my HCG level was 3,664.  Although, my husband and I have been trying to get pregnant, we were surprised of the results (menstrual cycle was normal).  Since then the following has happened:

First HCG testing 3,664 (no embryo in uterus/mass in tubes)
Second HCG testing 900 (")
Third HCG testing 549 (")
Surgery to remove ectopic pregnancy
(1 week) post surgery HCG levels 794

The doctor did not have an explanation as to why my HCG level went up after surgery as he removed the mass, which had pushed itself completely out of my tubes (shorter end of tubes).  His comments were that he expected my HCG to drop...perhaps not to 0, but definitely not elevate.  He plans to follow up with a methotrexate shot.  

Does anyone have any answers as to why my levels would rise after surgery???  

[AnnieBrooke]

Honey, I'm going to answer you down the list about 18 threads, under Friday's Open Forum heading, because it would be unmannerly to hijack triss24's thread to talk about something else.  Just scan down the list until you get to "Friday Open Forum" and look for your name.  Annie

[myproblem]

It really is not abnormal for hcg to more than double every 2 days in the beginning. Don't be too afraid of twins, although it is possible.

[cutiemama]

Your hcg is exactly where it should be if taken 9 days apart. You can do the math yourself and just double it every 2 days. Don't worry!

[lukiladi17]

Hi I'm about 7 weeks into my pregnancy and on friday I went to do my HCG test and it came to 68,000 and monday again to see if it will double and it was only 78,000 it only increased a little I'm worried because I already had one m/c and I wouldn't be able to bare another one I went for u/s last week and the doctor was having trouble finding the baby cause I thought I was about 8 weeks and she couldn't see anything but the ultasound finally found the heartbeat and the baby was about 6 weeks I was so relieve but my nurse Practionar keeps talking negative and is scaring me that my baby might not be able to make I need some advice.

[jmw4435]

HI-I AM NEW TO THIS SITE, BUT I CAN REALLY RELATE WITH WHAT YOU ARE GOING THRU.....LMP 4/24 APPROX..ON 5/31 MY LEVELS WERE 678... WENT FOR ULTRASOUND6/8- HAD EMPTY GESTATIONAL SAC, WENT FOR HCG THAT DAY ALSO, LEVEL WAS 7354.... THIS IS JUST PURE TORTURE, PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT HAPPENED WITH YOU... I AM ACTUALLY AN OB NURSE, AND BELIEVE ME, AT THIS POINT THEY HAVE NO IDEA..........I AM ALSO ON BEDREST ( I HAVE A SEPTATED UTERUS- SO THEY ARE EXTRA CAREFUL WITH ME)SO I HAVE TO SIT AND TORTURE MYSELF FOR ANOTHER WEEEK!!!