Pregnancy symptoms or PMS?

[Anonymous]

We're trying to conceive actively right now, so of course every month I'm very anxious....

Just wondering, can you have PMS symptoms when you're pregnant? It's too early to take a pregnancy test, I had high hopes b/c this month I seemed to be ovulating ok etc. (my cycles have been all over the map after a miscarriage....) but now I started getting some of my PMS symptoms (bloating, backpain, headache...)

What have people experienced?

[Anonymous]

I know you are anxious, but I really think you will make yourself crazy trying to analyze every little symptom, because every woman, and even every pregnancy is totally different. Plenty of people (who aren't actively trying) don't know they are pregnant for weeks or even months!

For your own sanity, I would convince yourself it is PMS, and then if it isn't you'll be pleasantly surprised rather than bitterly dissappointed. Give yourself a firm date and don't let yourself test before that date! You wouldn't want a false negative either, which happens if you test too soon.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Sorry, I can't even remember my pregnancy symptoms. You may have better luck posting under the "expectant mom" forum. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Honestly the symptoms for pregnancy and PMS can be exactly the same. Unfortunately, every woman is different as well with the symptoms they do and do not have. There is really no way to know until a positive test tells you.

Sorry to be a downer....I do hope this is your month though! Are you charting or temping? If temping you can sometimes see signs by your temperature.

[Anonymous]

OP here : yes, I'm charting and temping. The pattern unfortunately has varied over the past year especially after having had a miscarriage...

[Anonymous]

For me, my early pregnancy symptoms were always the same as PMS, so I would wait until my period was at least 2 days late to test (didn't want to get my hopes up).

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

I had what I thought to be PMS and was so disappointed, not to mention being extremely grouchy - what I thought was PMS moodiness, that I had a nice glass of wine that evening. Low and behold I was pregnant. You just never know as the symptoms can mirror each other for some people.

[Anonymous]

My early pregnancy symptoms were the same as PMS -- cramps and very sore breasts. My breasts were maybe a bit sorer than usual. The cramps went away in 1-2 days, but the breasts got sorer. I took a test about 3 days after having very sorhttp://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/recentTopics/list.page;jsessionid=9A5AF56DC1DF18212DD0BC6A20918F76
e breasts and got a positive.

[Anonymous]

Yep same here. I didn't want to get my hopes up that pregnancy symptoms were really just PMS so I made myself wait.
I think the hormone release is the same for PMS and pregnancy, but change once there is conception (obviously).

I allowed myself to take a preg. test when I started feeling flu-like symptoms which I though could be morning sickness.

The preg. test line was faint so I waited a few (very long) days and took another one. The next morning I was on the phone making a prenatal appt. with the doc!!!!

Good luck and keep us updated!

[Anonymous]

YES, my period was a few weeks late but my "PMS" symptoms were so strong I was convinced i could not possibly be pregnant. I had sore breasts, bloating, and cramping. I kept rushing to the bathroom thinking my period had started... I finally took a pregnancy test and yes, I was pregnant.

[Anonymous]

I agree with many of the PPs comments. you can drive yourself crazy interpreting "symptoms."

my advice:

don't overthink it, and PLEASE don't take a pregnancy test until your period is actually late. as I'm sure you know, getting a negative result is such a downer.

having said that, I really didn't have symptoms at all. maybe breasts a little sore, but that's about it.

[Anonymous]

OP here: Didn't take the pregnancy test. And PMS turned out to be just PMS since I got my period...

I'm really trying not to overthink but after I had this miscarriage every month my cycle and 'symptoms' are different.

How are you supposed to not think about it all the time though... between taking your temp every morning, checking the cervical mucus and then whatever bodily changes you go through every month around your period, how can you NOT think about it every day... If anyone has any insight please let me know

[Anonymous]

(I'm the 9:44 poster.)

I'm sorry you didn't get pregnant this time. I know. It just sucks.

as far as how not to think about it all the time... maybe you can ease off all the charting, at least for the timebeing. I tried charting temps, and it made absolutely nuts. It was just too much thinking and thinking and thinking about it. some women like to chart, because they feel they want to know everything possible about what's going on in their bodies. for me, just keeping track of my cycles and counting 14/15 (whatever the number is) days back to figure prime ovulation time was enough for me.

good luck to you!