One week late, inconsistent HPT's!!

[ProudMommyof One]

I am exactly one week late today. I have taken numerous pregnancy tests, actually, more than I want to mention.  Some are showing up a faint positive (within 5 minutes) and others are absolutely negative.  These tests that I am taking are supposed to be extremely sensitive (supposed to detect levels of 20). I've heard that you really shouldn't test until you are a week late. I called my doc and he said to come in for a blood test if I haven't started in one more week. He said I could be pregnant and still not have enough of the hormone to detect at this point. If I am a week late, shouldn't a test, especially the ones I am taking now be able to give me a definite answer? This is so frustrating!!

[Harleygrl]

I am currently ttc but I can tell you my sister and mother both had to be 2 weeks late for their tests to come up positive! I also had a friend who was a week late too, 4 tests and all came up negative until another full week passed and then she got a BFP.   Every woman is different and some do not produce the hormone as quickly as others. I would wait a few days and then test again.

[Christie2004]

Your doctor is right; your levels could just be too low to consistently pick up.  Are you testing each time with your first morning urine?  That is the most concentrated urine, and the most likely to be correct.  A blood test will tell for sure at this point.

There is a great site www.peeonastick.com with tons of good insight into the whys and wherefores of HPTs.

[ProudMommyof One]

Thank you for your comments!  It makes me feel a bit better. I've been feeling "strange" for about a week now.  Last Wednesday, I had a strange burning low in my stomach about 3 inches below my belly button and had pink spotting for a few days afterwards.  I'm HOPING that was implantation.  I've been nauseated off and on throughout the day and I also run for an hour everyday, but my endurance has really dwindled.  I can only run for about half an hour now before I am compeltely wiped out. Also been getting headaches every day now since Friday and I never get headaches.  I never had any symptoms with my previous pregnancy, so this is all new to me. I've got all the signs, just no positive results!  Too bad there isn't a test with bells and whistles instead of that damn line!  DH and I are keeping our fingers crossed this month.  He will be deploying in a few short months so we've got to get things moving!!

[JoAnnaRF]

BFP=Big Fat Postitive  
LOL Am I close?
You girls need a dictionary posting for all of us clueless dorks.LOL

[IWantToBeAMom]

AF = Aunt Flo (menstrual period)
AFNW followed by a date = Aunt Flo Not Wanted and the date of your expected but not wanted next period
AFSA = Aunt Flo stay away
BD = Baby Dancing (intercourse)
BBT = Basal Body Temp - temp taken 1st thing in am; BBT chart
BCP - Birth Control Pills
BIL = Brother-in-law
BFP= Big Fat Positive  
BFN= Big Fat Negative  
BPM = Beats per minutes (heartrate of the baby)
BTW = By the way
C# or Cy# = Cycle - how many cycles you have TTC, ex TTC, ex C#2 TTC for two cycles">C#2 TTC for two cycles
CB = Cycle Buddy (cycles start around same time)
CD = Cycle Day (CD#1 is 1st day of AF)
CF= Cervical Fluid (similar to CM)
CM = Cervical Mucous (similar to CF)
CP = Cervical Position
D&C = Dilation and curettage - it's basically a procedure that scrapes the lining from the uterus... it's a pretty common procedure after a miscarriage to ensure that the uterus is clear (it's like surgical intervention to do what nature does every cycle at period time)
DA = Dear/Darling Angel
DB = Dear/Darling Boyfriend
DD = Dear/Darling Daughter
DF = Dear/Darling Fiance
DG (or Dx) = Diagnosed
DH = Dear/Darling Husband
DPO = Days Past Ovulation
DS = Dear/Darling Son
DW = Dear/Darling Wife
EDD = Estimated Due Date
EPO = Evening Primrose Oil
EWCM = Egg White Cervical Mucous (most fertile)
FAM = Fertility Awareness Method (Charting BBT,CM, CP)
FH= Future Hubby/Husband
FIL = Father-in-law
FM = Fertility Monitor
FP = Follicular Phase - the first half of your cycle from the first day of your period to ovulation; it is the variable time of the cycle.
HPT = Home Pregnancy Test
HSG = Hysterosalpingogram
IUI = intrauterine insemination
IVF= Invetro Fertilization (mostly seen in the TTC Alternatives Section)
LP = Luteal Phase phase length of time from O day to CD1
LPD = Luteal Phase Defect - tell tale sign is less than 10 high temps after O and before CD1
MB = Mercy Boink (self explanatory)
M/C = Miscarriage
MD = Medical Doctor
MIL = Mother-in-law
NFP = Natural Family Planning
O = Ovulation
OC = Ovulation Calculator
OPK = Ovulation Prediction Kit
OPT = Ovulation Prediction Test
POAS- Pee on a stick (pregnancy test)
PCOS = Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
PCOD = Polycyctic Ovarian Disease
PG = Pregnant
RE = Reproductive Endocrinologist
Rx = Prescription
SA = Sperm Analysis
SAHD = Stay-at-home Dad
SAHM = Stay-at-home Mom
SD = Step Daughter
SIL = Sister-in-law
Spot = AF's little friend OR could also be implantation bleeding, which is when the blastocyst burrows into the uterine wall, causing spotting. This does not always happen. You can suspect implantation spotting if it occurs around eight days past ovulation or even around the time your period is due. Its timing varies, and not all women will experience this
SS = Step Son
TAB = Taking A Break (from TTC)
TTC = Tring To Conceive
TCOYF = Taking Charge of Your Fertility (book by Toni Weschler)
U/S = Ultrasound
UTI= Urinary Tract Infection
WTT = Waiting To Try / Waiting To Test
X-post=Cross Post (posted in more than one section)
2ww = Two Week Wait

[JoAnnaRF]

WOW. That must have taken a lot of work. Thanks so much for the useful info. Now I can follow along a bit easier without all the guesswork.
Much appreciated.
--J

[IWantToBeAMom]

I just copied it off some website.  I'm not that ambitious!

[mrswest]

I had read somewhere that a false positive was very unlikely.  False neg are the most common but if you have a line, even a faint one that means the test is detecting at least some hgc.