Tuesday, December 05, 2006

The saga continues

I tested yesterday with a brand new AccuClear. I managed to wait about four hours before producing my sample. I put the test on the sink and took a quick shower. When I got out, I immediately saw a line. I've only seen a second line on an HPT when I was being silly and tested after my trigger shot.

Then I realized that test results aren't valid after 10 minutes. I don't know how much I believe this because I've thrown away stark white tests and come across them days later and they were still white. And my trigger-test is the same color now as it was when it registered positive. My shower was very quick, but I started thinking "Well, maybe I was in there 11 minutes!" So I decided to test again today.

After several minutes, I had another line. It was faint, but not something I had to squint to see. Again, I worry because the test says you get results in three minutes, but to disregard results visible after ten. This was visible in less than ten, but probably not in three. I decided to try a digital...it gave me a definitive "Not Pregnant". As far as I know, both of these tests have the same sensitivity.

I don't know what to do. I went in for another appointment yesterday and had more bloodwork done. When the phlebotomist was labeling my vials, I thought I saw that the bloodwork order was testing HCGQ and PROG as well as my hematocrit. When I heard back from the IVF nurse, she said my results were normal and that I should come in Friday for one last checkup because my doctor wants to make sure I'm still doing well before the weekend...and that I should have my beta done at that point instead of on Monday. Are they worried that my OHSS might come back because I had a positive bloodtest? Or do they see that there's no hope for me and want to put me out of my misery a few days earlier? Did I imagine that I saw that on the order?

So I guess I'm still in limbo for now. It's 8dp5dt and I feel like I would have a line by now if it worked. I'm going to have to get another brand of test sometime today and get ready to repeat all of this tomorrow.

3 comments:

Serenity said...

Hon, a line is a line, regardless of how faint it is.

Your levels might not be high enough to trigger the digital yet, or the concentrate was off, or something.

Call your clinic and tell them that you got a line on a HPT, and ask them if they tested you for HcG. It can't hurt to get more information from them!

I am hoping for you sweetie!!

Unknown said...

Hooray, you saw a line!!! This is exactly what happened to me - the first lines I saw took their time to appear, and I wondered if they were real. With every day, that line appeared sooner. I held off on the digital until the other tests were clearly positive (so, on the third day of seeing + HPTs, I took a digital) - I think they can be less sensitive, no?

I have heard that REs will test for HCG earlier than the official beta without sharing the results. I would be surprised if they did a blood draw and DIDN'T test for HCG - why not do it? And I definitely think it makes sense that they're worried about your OHSS if your beta was positive yesterday, and it makes sense that they would want to check on you before the weekend.

So - I think it all looks very, very good!!!! I know that the wait is agony, but I feel sure that those tests are only going to become stronger positives as the week goes on. Tentative congratulations!

Lollipop Goldstein said...

I agree with Serenity--tell them that you got a line. Because it's true--the ones that are negative have always stayed stark white for me. And my positive sticks have remained dark and positive for years (can we not talk about why I still am holding onto a pee stick?). I don't believe the whole testing time thing--I think it's something they have to write for legal reasons. But if a line shows up, I think you're pregnant!