How long to get a +, what else could it be?

I am nearly 3 weeks past the day I expected AF. I have been taking pregnancy tests every few days since that date, and no BFP yet. I am wondering if I'm not pregnant, what else could be going on? Please, if anyone has any ideas, please let me know. If I could be pregnant and just not have a positive yet too, let me know. I really don't know what's going on. My period isn't always timely, but has never been this late.

[countrymomma]

I'm right there with you, this is actually the second time this has happened to me.  The only thing that I've been able to find that can cause a long luteal phase, other than pregnancy, is a corpus luteum cyst. Here's what I found:

"One of the main causes of a delayed period (extra-long luteal phase with high temps) with negative pregnancy tests is a luteal cyst. In a nutshell: when you ovulate, your egg ruptures from a small follicle. This follicle is known as the "corpus luteum" (literally means "yellow body," named for its color, and is the origin of the term "luteal phase.")

"Anyway, the corpus luteum produces progesterone. In the event of pregnancy, this progesterone will support the growing embryo until the placenta takes over and makes enough progesterone for itself. Then the corpus luteum shrivels up and stops functioning.

"In the event that there is NO pregnancy, the corpus luteum also shrivels up and stops functioning-- ending the luteal phase. The drop in progesterone causes your period to begin.

"SOMETIMES, however, there is no pregnancy, but the corpus luteum turns into a small cyst and continues to secrete progesterone long after it's supposed to stop. This is called a luteal cyst, and is responsible for too many false hopes!"

Don't know if that helps you at all.  I suppose it's one possiblity.  On the other hand, I've heard of women who didn't get BFNs until 30 DPO.  I think that maybe I'd put a call into your OB/GYN at this point though.  While corpus luteum cysts generally go away on their own, they can continue to grow and rupture if left too long.  They are easy to treat, a single injection generally does it.

[krissybeanie]

Unfortunately, I can't get in to see my doctor for some time, so I'm going to be waiting no matter what. I hope in the meantime that I get a BFP on a test, or even AF just so I know what is going on - I'm going to go crazy waiting and trying to figure out what is going on. If I keep looking up online what causes you to miss a period I'm going to end up diagnosing myself with some little known and bizarre disorder. I just hope that I soon get a BFP, if it is possible to still get one??

[girlyredhead]

I don't know if this helps you, but with my 3rd pregnancy, which was a total surprise by the way, I was late, and kept testing and for a couple weeks w/ nothing.  I had a weird 3 day period that came and I thought that my body just went through a weird spell there.  Anyways, a few weeks later I was feeling some weird nausea, so for peace of mind I took another pregnancy test which came out as a BFP.  Needless to say I was freaking out quite a bit, but anyways, after I gave the doc the date of my last real period it was three weeks off from the ultrasound measurements.  The ultrasound measurements correlated exactly with my "weird period" which was implantation bleeding.

Suffice it to say, my ovulation was three weeks off, which was why I fell pregnant.

Good luck to you and be patient.  Like you, my period were not like clockwork, which definitely has its downsides.

[taysmommy]

i had something similar happen to me when i was trying to concieve (conceive) (now 7 months prego) i was a whole month overdue for af when i finally got my BFP,

(it may sound weird but i still remember the dates so ill explain them to you so you can get a better picture)

ok started AF of january 12 2007, ovulated 14 days later (according to the positive ovulation detector, and it was clearly positive for 3 days) so that would put my "O" date approximatly january 26th, well i was due for AF somewhere around the 10th or so of Feb. never came, i took HPT's all the time, still no AF, finally on March 10th I got my BFP

at my first US we found that the baby measured 2 weeks behind, my doctor explained that i must have ovulated twice, two weeks after i did the first time, making my ovulation date when i expeced AF (feb 10th) so that explained the negative HPT's i spent so much on

anyways i hear that its not too comon to ovulate twice in one month, but clearly it does happen from time to time, it may be the case with you as well


also there are herbs you can take to try to bring on your period that will not harm the baby if you are indeed pregnant, i tried one of them, its parsley tea, (yuck i know but i was despirate to get af so we could continue trying) they do sell parsley tea some places, i couldnt find any where i live, so i boiled dry parsley just like i would to make regular tea, and drank a few glasses a night, its actually not as bad as it seems, i added a bunch of sugar and actually got used to the taste,

good luck i know how frustrating this is....trust me i kno

good luck with ttc! baby dust!!

[krissybeanie]

Thank you so much for your input. It's a relief to know I could still get a positive, too bad I can't know right now! But patience is a virtue right?! Too bad I'm not that virtuous ;)

[krissybeanie]

Just thought I'd update all. I got AF today, no luck this time, wish me luck next month! Hopefully, one of these days it will be a BFP!!

[girlyredhead]

Thanks for the update!!  Hopefully you'll get your BFP soon :)

[KraftyMommas]

This may be a little late late... But my 3rd PG I KNEW I was. I did 7 pee tests and all were neg. I finally had to convince my OB to do a blood test, as he was convinced I was NOT PG, but I WANTED to be. The blood results showed POS.
When in doubt with the pee, get the blood!!

[countrymomma]

I'm just wondering.... when this happened  with you guys, were you charting??  I think a lot of times, people aren't so they just assume they know when they ovulated, but that was actually late, you know what I mean??  
Anyway...  my chart and my body both said I O'd 23 days ago.  I noticed that my temp has come down just a hair since it turned triphasic, but it's still high.  Should I be expecting AF within the next couple days??  Here's my chart if anyone wants to offer their opinion.  We are at the point where we just hope that AF comes so that we can start trying again!!  
I'd love to have an outcome like some of the rest of you that actually did get BFPs, but I've pretty much given up on this cycle.  Aarrrgghhhh....
http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/1b9b9cC

[RainbowSmiles]

''We are at the point where we just hope that AF comes so that we can start trying again!!   ''

This is so me right now