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When's the best time to get pregnant? Use our interactive ovulation calculator to work out when you're most fertile and most likely to conceive.

When's the best time to get pregnant? Use our interactive ovulation calculator to work out when you're most fertile and most likely to conceive.

Conception

help - are these faint lines or not

20 replies

insania · 12/06/2008 08:56

Hi

Right, I'm driving myself mad hence the name. Has anyone got very very very very faint lines with Asda cheapies and then been pregnant. I tested last night and got a very very very faint line, and I mean very faint - couldn't say whether its coloured or not and then again at about half 5 this morning I got an even fainter fainter line, almost imaginary. Both lines have turned up within the first 10 minutes but the second one in particular is hardly even a line. MY DH has seen the first and reckons its a shadow of where the line would have been if I were pregnant.

Thing is, I am not trying, I am bfding and have not had a period back so thought I was safe to have unprotected sex about 22 days ago now. I was safe (or so I thought) as I had had no twinges no CM nothing since the birth. But about a day or two after the sex I started experiencing cramps EWCM etc etc and all sorts of symptoms similar to my first two.

I have a bad back and need to take very very strong painkillers which are not okay when pregnant. I had got 2 BFN's last week and presumed my AF would arrive but nothing yet. I had only got these other two last night so I could put it out my mind and take the painkillers without worrying.

I can't get another test today as 2 wee ones and barely able to walk. If I took painkillers I could make it to shop. Arrghghgh.

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lulumama · 12/06/2008 08:59

breastfeeding is not always 100 % effective contraception and oyu can get pregnant whilst breastfeeding.. you need to be exclusively breastfeeding every 2 hours i think for it to be effective..you need to test with first morning wee for it to give an accurate result....a faint BFP is a BFP but you really need to test with the first wee of the day to ensure you get the most concentration of HcG in it, if there is any there

lulumama · 12/06/2008 09:00

obviously, no contraception is 100 % safe.. but breastfeeding can be less reliable than other methods

belgo · 12/06/2008 09:02

I understand your predicament - I would usually suggest waiting three or four more days before you do a test but I understand why you want to know because of taking the pain medication.

From the tests you describe, if the line doesn't clearly have colour, or if you have to squint/hold it up to light/ or take the test apart to see it, I probably wouldn't believe it - I would say they could be evaporation lines.

Sorry if TMI, but could the EWCM you experienced a day or so after having unprotected sex, have been semen, not EWCM?

belgo · 12/06/2008 09:03

22 days after having unprotected sex should be long enough to get a clear positive result if you are pregnant.

insania · 12/06/2008 09:10

Hi thanks for getting back so soon. No the EWCM was not of the semen variety, it was and is sporadically very much EWCM. Last week I had 2 BFNs and just presumed it was the return of my AF. Looking back I cannot believe how stupid I was, I had started weaning so of course it was likely. I'm so pissed off at myself.

I reckon its more likely to be evap marks - are these common, when I was ttcing in past I was a crazy tester and would have loved one but never ever got one. This time when I really would rather not be I have effin 2!!!

I also agree re faintness and dates - especially as my other two were clear as a bell.

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belgo · 12/06/2008 09:14

I'll try and find the link about evaporation lines.

BTW? I think it is possible to EWCM without actually ovulating - sometimes the body prepares for ovulation, but it doesn't necessarily happen at that moment.

I've had an evaporation line btw. It was definitely an evaporation line as period turned up two hours later. I spent those two hours analysing that test though desperately hoping I was pregnant!

BlaDeBla · 12/06/2008 09:20

I spoke to the manufacturers of some pg test about the faintest of faint lines, so faint as to be almost invisible. They said that if you are not pg, there should be no shadow of a line at all, and to do another test in a few days time. I've just done a pos pg test despite being quite old, all sorts of health probs, and a coil.!

belgo · 12/06/2008 09:20

there's loads of stuff on google but I can't find the link I wanted.

insania · 12/06/2008 09:33

well the asda ones say that a faint line could be left outside the 30 minutes but these were there within 10 minutes.

I'm thinking I'll just take these painkillers. I'm just in too much pain to function without them and it is only a theoretical risk I think, more problematic with the last trimester. Anyway, its just so unlikely. This is awful.

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belgo · 12/06/2008 09:34

can your dh pick up a test for you to do in the morning with your strongest wee?

insania · 12/06/2008 09:44

he won't as he thinks I'm mental and I should just take the effin painkillers.

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belgo · 12/06/2008 09:46

so less then helpful response from your dh!

insania · 12/06/2008 10:00

yes just a little less than helpful, unreformed mans man with only experience of ttc being the delivery of swimmers. No help

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tink08 · 12/06/2008 10:04

hi i would say a line is a line it might just be a low level of hcg at the moment get another test and test again . it also depends on how sensitive the pg tests your using are did you use asda tests with your first two ?

BlaDeBla · 12/06/2008 10:23

Idon't think it makes any difference how much a pg test costs! They all test for the same thing. Do another test in a few days and see what happens. I've done a 2nd test and it was + again. Have appt with EPU on Mon because of lots of health issues. DH and I are not really talking about it at the moment. He will be with me on Mon though.

belgo · 12/06/2008 10:26

Bladabla - hope it goes alright on monday. What a difficlut situation to be in.

Some tests are far more sensitve then others, in that some can detect tiny amounts of hormone, while others need higher amounts of hormones. Some tests are very prone to showing evaporation lines,; other tests won't. There is a load more information on the web about it.

WorzselMummage · 12/06/2008 10:29

www.peeonastick.com is a great site for hpt questions.

Hope you get the result you want.

Theoreticially if you had sex 22 days ago the sperm could have survived for 5 days and if you didnt get ewcm till a few days after you did the deed then there is a chance you didnt ovulate for a few days either. It could be that you are pregnant, sorry. Not everyone gets dtrong positive results at bang onn 14 days.

i have only ever had a evap line ont he cheap ebay one step tests.

You could do a digi ?

belgo · 12/06/2008 10:33

that's the site I wanted WG!

WorzselMummage · 12/06/2008 10:36

its great isnt it !

The women is even more or a poas addict than me and thats saying something

insania · 12/06/2008 11:07

excellent - just had a look at peeonstick and I'm pretty sure they are evap lines, I am going to stop obsessing and sigh a big sigh of relief. Thank you all so much.

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