Negative Tests. Symptoms All in My Head?
QUESTION
Dear Midwife,
I am currently on my 38th day of my cycle -- no period. I usually have one at the 28th-30th day. I am having trouble with heartburn, urinating a lot more then usual, and I sometimes am dizzy with nausea. Am I pregnant or is it something else?
I've taken four home tests and all come out negative. When can I get tested by the doctor and is it all in my head or am I truly pregnant?
ANSWER
There are several possibilities in the situation you describe:
1. You are pregnant, and are one of the 10% of women who are having a perfectly normal pregnancy but who do not test positive until 14 days after a missed period
2. You have suffered a very early miscarriage, and got the symptoms but not the baby
3. You are missing a period for no good reason that we can ever figure out
4. You have another medical problem which is causing your symptoms and the missed period
I usually suggest to my clients (this is hard) that they wait until they have missed a second period. If they still test negative, then we need to run a bunch of tests to figure out what the problem is.
Good luck!
-- Cynthia, CNM
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Cynthia Flynn
Cynthia Flynn, CNM. PhD, teaches in the College of Nursing at Seattle University and is President of the American Association of Birth Centers. She also practices midwifery at Valley Medical Center where she cares for pregnant and birthing women, and practices well-woman gynecology, family planning, and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases.
Cynthia founded Columbia Women's Clinic and Birth Center, where she took care of pregnant women and infants up to two weeks of age and attended both birth center and hospital births. Before Cynthia earned her CNM, she worked as a registered nurse in labor and delivery and postpartum and is a certified Doula and Doula trainer.
Cynthia hosts a monthly "Ask the midwife" chat as well as answers questions via our expert section.
Listen to Cynthia live on Pregnancy.org Live: Before, During and After.
