20 DPO - Shadow of a Line

[words2inspire]

This is more of an FYI, rather than a question. I'm posting this because I looked for answers online and found some threads that contained information, but nothing exactly what I was looking for. I'm posting this in case this happens to anyone else.

I'm 34 years old (I know, a baby in this forum but I'll be 35+ soon enough).

I am currently 20 dpo.

3 Weeks ago, I started taking pregnancy tests. My husband and I 'played' on day 0 dpo planning, trying to conceive. This is my fourth child and our first attempt at our next child. I honestly thought it would take a few months, but I can't say I'm dissappointed by any means.

For weeks, every test has been very negative. I haven't been surprised but I'm obsessed with taking them. Why? Because I'm insane. :P

Three days ago (17 dpo), I had bought a 3-pack of the blue dye tests. All three came up with the very faintest, shadow of a line at about the 9 minute mark after taking the test. I've seen enough evap lines in my day to wonder if this was another one of those. I started searching online to find pictures of faint lines on blue tests to make sure I was on the right track. I saw many pictures of claimed evaps and positive tests to be at a total loss of being pregnant or not. The next day, I had my husband go buy three more dollar store tests (I should by stock in these testing companies), and took a test. This would be 2 days ago (18 dpo). The faintest of lines showed up at about 9-10 minutes after taking the test. Same boat, different cruise. I went ahead and convinced my husband to pee on the stick so I could see if he had an evap line. These lines of mine are hazy at best. You had to put them into the light to see them and then, making out a color was a guess.. was it pink? is it grey? who knows! His came out so crystal clear, no lines at all that I was convinced that he wasn't pregnant. I told myself I'd wait three days and take my last test. I couldn't wait (can you blame me?) After not sleeping through the night, madly searching the internet for pictures of real versus false I was still at a total loss. So, yesterday I took my last test. At that point, I was pretty much wore out and convinced that I probably wasn't pregnant and was starting to eyeball the beer in the fridge. I came up with the same kind of hazy line as before...  right at the 9 minute mark. So sad!! So today, in a fit of desperation, I went and bought a digital test. Just so everyone knows, these digital tests really aren't that expensive anymore. I was able to buy a two pack of digi for right around $9 at Walmart.

I came home, pee'd in a cup, counted to 15, and salivated over the beer in the fridge. I just wanted this to be done and confirmed that I wasn't pregnant once and for all. I figured that the other lines were so slight, that the digi probably wouldn't pick it up and perhaps I was having a chemical pregnancy and my period was impending.

The test read "Pregnant." No beer for me...  :D

So, there you go. The faintest of lines, many false positives have appeared more positive than mine and I'm way late. This time on my last pregnancy, the test read positive before the pee had finished running through the damned thing. Not this time.

I still worry something might be wrong, but overall I feel fine. I haven't drank since we played with the exception of one beer at a dinner party a couple of weeks back. I don't partake of any other negatives that could affect the pregnancy. I could still miscarry, but I've also read that the hormone that the tests pick up has a huge range of variance among women and among pregnancies. It's actually very possible to have too low of hormones for a test right now and still have a perfectly healthy baby. It just isn't as common.

Lesson learned? No more squinting or wondering if that's an evap for me. Digi all the way, accept the results and even a faint positive on a test will show up on the digi...

I hope it helps! and I hope everything's okay..  :)

Thanks for listening!
Stephanie

[mommyartist]

I am in same boat as you only my age is older. Can you tell me how you are doing?  I am worried about miscarriage since my lines on all my tests (3) are faint at 20 dpo.  --- and I am 4 days late.  

[rdh1981]

Wow! I totally agree great story and YES digital test should be mandatory!!

Happy 9 months!!!!!

[blueeyedtabbycat]

Congrats on your BFP!!! I think all woman should take manditory digitals!! Seeing is believing:~)