Question about home pregnancy tests

Okay, I figured I'd come to this board because a lot of you that post/read here are already mamas or soon-to-be, so I've got a question. I've been late for almost two weeks now and I took one of those questionnaires online and answered 50% of the questions yes. So, tonight we bought the E-P-T brand pregnancy test and I took it and it showed negative. I waited 5 minutes to be sure, then I checked again after an hour. Still negative

So, my question would be, how likely is it that it's wrong and I really am pregnant and if any of you have ever gotten any false negatives? I also was wondering if anyone had heard anything about certain things making it less likely to show up positive, like trying after drinking a lot of soda or something.

I just want to be as sure as possible that I am not pregnant. If I don't start my period within the next week or so, I plan on getting another test, maybe a different brand, and trying again. Basically the only symptoms of pregnancy I've had is tiredness and the skipped period. If I don't start soon, I do intend on going to a doctor, but I want to avoid it, seeing as I don't have health insurance.

Any advice would be really appreciated. If I am pregnant, a baby would be extremely welcome and wanted, but truthfully, I'm still kinda young and want to be able to get my own life straight (get back in school, get a steady income that doesn't drive me crazy) before I bring a little one into the world.

 

I don't know the percentage of how possible it is that the test is wrong but getting a new brand name won't change the outcome. What will change the outcome (if I'm not mistaken) taking the test early in the morning when you first wake up, and I do believe that drinking things like soda can make it less easy to detect, though I'm not as sure on that one. Also there is a rare percentage of women who don't excrete the pregnancy hormone in their urine, so only a blood test will work for those women, and I would recommend going to planned parenthood. I don't know if they're free but I think they are and if not they're much cheaper than going to a doctor or something without insurance. So my advice is to take it again when you first wake up, read the directions well, the night before, and if it still comes out negative and you don't trust the results go to planned parenthood.

 

If you've only waited 2 wks after your missed period you may not be pregnant enough for the test to tell you... Take the test when you wake up and drink water the night before. Flush out your system and start fresh. The reason why those tests can tell if your pregnant or not is that there is a hormone that shows up in your urine that is produced during pregnancy. First thing in the morning is always the best time I've heard to take them. BTW is your urine cloudy? I'm not sure if that has anything to do with it but I noticed I had "cloudy" looking urine in my first trimester, for me that was always a sign. As Honey said, check out planned parenthood. Your 19 and you don't have insurance so they will work something out with you... being that its either free, on a payment plan or reduced. Good luck.

 

your urine hormone levels will be higher in first morning urine. Take the test when you first wake up, with the first pee of the day. But if your period is two weeks late, you should probably go ahead and schedule an appointment with a doctor anyway.

 

DON'T drink too much water the night before. It will dilute your HCG levels. You do not need to "flush out" your system, as the test is LOOKING for a chemical which can easily be diluted.

Most pregnancy tests are accurate to nearly 99% if you are about a week late. Some are accurate to 99% BEFORE you miss your period. (I think this is the advanced Clear Blue.) Use your morning urine, DO NOT drink too much the night before (enough for thirst, but don't try to "flush" anything out, or you will flush out readable amounts of HCG) and, if you have symptoms of pregnancy, take an other test in 3 days.

If you still get a negative result, and no period, please see a health care professional.

 

With this pregnancy, I had a false negative.

I waited over a week after I first missed my period, because I had been very sick and thought that might have thrown it off. When I tested, it was negative.

But after over another week with no period, I tried it again. First thing in the morning, I got up and tested. It was immediately positive.

But you should consider going to planned parenthood.

 

I just got a positive pg test on Friday. It was my fourth test, and all the others were not showing positive (but one had a faint line). It may just be too soon to tell that you are pregnant. Use your first morning urine, and drink as little as possible the night before or during the night. I got my positive using a dollar store pg test (faint positive) and a First Response (clear positive). Good luck, I hope you get some answers soon!

 

Thanks everyone for your advice...I'm still a little worried. My boyfriend seems to be under the belief that just because it turned out negative, we're in the clear. I'm not so sure myself though. And Earthy Mama, yeah, my urine has been cloudy, but only every now and then, which still seems a bit unusual for me. As far as stuff like morning sickness (or any sickness at all...though I did get a bit queasy yesterday afternoon, but I think it was a partial result of worrying), that hasn't showed up yet. I read somewhere that it usually doesn't occur until 8 weeks, so, I guess I still probably have a little while before I look for that. I've got a fairly bad chest/head cold right now, so I convinced my dad I need to go to the doctor for that. He said he'll see what he can do, and while I'm in there, I'll have her do a blood test.

Also...do you think it's a good idea to take Daniel (my boyfriend) along with me to the doctor or does it normally take a couple of days before they have those results? I want him to be there when we find out for sure. He's extremely supportive of me whether I am or not and he's letting me decide what I want to do if I am (which is keep the baby, absolutely. We've hit a rough patch right now, but since we got our tax refund, we've been able to start digging ourselves out of the hole we seem to have found). He said he's sad though, because he wants me to be a kid for a little while longer before I become a mom. He's a sweetheart...I'm lucky. If I am pregnant, it'll be okay, but I definitely will be hanging around here more, lol.

 

*hugs*

I'm not sure about blood tests, how long they take.

But if you are pregnant, definitely do hang around here. There's so much great advice around here, you'll feel okay with every decision you make. So much support.

 

Urine tests are immediate, I think the blood tests take a few hours (which means they usually are busy and call you the next day.) In my opinion, I like being alone with my doctor when I get a pregnancy confirmed. It's my body, my choice, and I can tell my dh when I get home. I get weirded out, with him and my male OB in there. I prefer to be alone with my OB, so he isn't focused on my dh, instead of what I need to know. JMO, though.

Do let your bf know that often test just don't pick up enough HCG when taken early. One really early negative test, if you still are not menstruating, doesn't put you "in the clear." Does he want the pregnancy? If he's using words like "in the clear" I am thinking, NO.

If he is at ALL ambiguous about the pregnancy, he is the last person to have in the doctor's office with you.

As for pregnancy nausea, some mothers get it, some don't some get a little some get a lot. Mine started around the day I missed my period with all the pregnancies I didn't miscarry (I got little illness from my miscarraiges) Most womyn, if they are going to get nauseous have it as a very early symptom, along with frequent urination, mild menstrual like cramps, thick vaginal discharge, REALLY sore breasts and nipples (I had to sleep in a bra in the first trimester with all my pregnancies) and severe fatigue.

I hope you get the answer that will work best for you.

Blessings.

 

like the other mamas said, take the test in the morning.
false positives do happen, as demonstrated by the mamas here. I never had one, but i waited until quite a few weeks after I was late. I was already about 6-7 weeks and sick to my stomach and so tired i couldn't move when I found out.
Keep trying. If it continues to be late and you still get negatives, go to the doctor, obviously....
good luck!

 

Well, I took another one, this time in the morning, another negative. I'm almost 100% positive by now I'm not pregnant, but we're going to go to Planned Parenthood next week sometime and see about a blood test to be completely sure.

 

I'm glad you're going to go to PP. If you want your period to come, just go camping and don't bring any maxi pads. It always worked for me.


In high school my friend completely missed her period right after she had sex for the first time. She waited a whole month to tell her folks that she thought she might be pregnant. She was so scared. They were so mad. She confesses to them that she had sex and might be pregnant, they freak out, she goes to the bathroom, there's her period!

You're sort of young. Maybe it's just a flook.

 

Funny, that happened to a friend of mine as well, except her period waited another couple of days after telling her mom, and when she got it she called me right away, so excited, then went and got on with her scatterbrained 15 or 16 -year old life, forgetting to tell her mother, until a few days later when mom drove her to an ob-gyn, and all of a sudden it occurs to her in the waiting room!
When she told me that all I could think was "oh, thank god, if you can't even remember to tell your mother your'e NOT pregnant, you probably aren't ready for a baby!"

Glad to know that you're on top of things - definitely go to PP if you aren't 100% sure!

 

when i was pregnant with Aydin the first 2 tests i took came out negative, a week or so later i bought another 2 tests and they came out positive.. best of wishes though

 

Sorry it took me awhile to get back to you guys, but I said I'd keep you updated and that I shall do. I actually started my period a week ago (it only lasts about 5 days, so it's done now), and confirmed that I am not pregnant. We're very relieved, seeing as both of us are struggling to find work right now (we live in a town where all the jobs are quickly taken by teenagers and we're trying to find the resources to relocate to Amarillo, about an hour away) and I really wanted to be able to go to college next semester. Not that a child wouldn't be loved just as much no matter when he or she decided to spring up, but we want to be able to provide a better life for our kids than being born to two kids themselves without college degrees. We're definitely being much more careful now. Thank you girls for your support and definitely expect to hear from me when we do have a little one of our own on the way!

And to everyone with their kids in their sigs, they are all sooooo adorable! Especially Mudflower's little Aydin...teeny tiny babies are soooo sweet.