Well, I'm going to officially join the "could I be pregnant" posting club. Actually, the question is more geared towards when I should test, because I know there could be a chance I'm pregnant.
Here's my issue.
I have the Mirena IUD and as far as I know, it's placed properly. I make sure to check the strings once a month as advised. I had it placed in early April this year at my 6 week post-natal exam. Since then, I have not had a period that I'm aware of, but only twice have noticed some extremely light spotting. The last occurance of spotting was about two weeks ago and lasted for a day. I know this is a common thing to expect from the Mirena, as well as the fact that I'm exclusively breastfeeding. So I really don't know if that was my period or if it was just some random spotting. Or if it could have been implantation bleeding (but I never had implantation bleeding in my last two pregnancies).
Moving on to this week.
On Sunday, I was feeling really out of it; just very tired and a little moody. By Monday, I was beginning to feel sick with what seems to be a sinus infection, and my moodiness since Monday has been overwhelming. I feel depressed, overly fatigued, zoned out, and my patience for anything and everything is non-existant.
Also on Monday, my milk supply increased significantly by nearly two ounces per pumping session (I pump three times a day). Then by Tuesday, it plummeted to about an ounce and a half less than what I normally get per pump session, and has been holding steady at that rate since then. My milk supply increases and decreases from time to time, but not that drastically in a one day timeframe. Nothing in my diet has changed and I am not on any medication to affect the supply, so I don't know what to think of it.
By Tuesday, what seems to be my allergies and oncoming sinus infection began to peak. By Wednesday (yesterday), the flu-like feeling began to set in by the afternoon, along with nausea, which I never get with a true sinus infection. This morning, I swear I have morning sickness because I am nauseated, I threw up a little after taking my vitamins, and my head feels like it's swimming. I've also been yawning a lot since Tuesday.
So this is why I'm concerned about pregnancy: for my last two pregnancies, I got allergies/sinus infections with flu-like symptoms, nausea, and excessive yawning the week before I tested and got postive results. Also with my last two pregnancies, I got sore breasts, but now that I'm breastfeeding, my breasts are always tender, so I have that potential symptom too. However, with my last two pregnancies, I never got menstrual or abdominal cramping that early, and I do not have it this time, either. Just the tell-tale signs that I've gotten the last two times.
So my question is, when should I test? It was easy to determine when to test the last two times because my period was due but didn't come. This time, I don't have a clue where I am in my cycle.
I know the severe risks of becoming pregnant and having an IUD, so I know I need to test. I just don't know when because I have no idea if I'd be testing too early and get a negative result. Like I said, in my last two pregnancies, I got all these symptoms a week before I tested, which would have put me at about 8-12 DPO those times. Both times I tested before, I know I was at least 14 DPO.
I have a dollar store test at home that is not expired, but I don't know how reliable it is. Should I use it to test tomorrow morning with FMU or should I wait a few more days, or should I get a Clear Blue or First Response and test tomorrow morning?
I just hope I'm only getting sick and having mood swings from the Mirena. I can't afford another baby right now. :-(