Symptoms and negative HPT...ideas?

[Anonymous]

I ovulated 10/27. 8 days later (11/4) I started spotting. I thought for sure it was implanatation bleeding since the timing made sense--it was too early for my period. The spotting lasted two days, skipped a day and then was really, really faint the day after that. I have also been nauseaus on and off since 10/31--which I realize is technically too easrly for that symptom but would've been after ovualtion. It comes in waves, usually based on smells. I thought maybe it was caused by my prenatal vitamin but it wasn't happening before this date. Tomorrow is 14 DPO when i shoud get my period. I tested this a.m. and it was negative but I can't seem to shake the meaning of the bleeding and the nausea. I'm so confused by my body's mixed signals and am looking for some ideas. Thoughts?

[Anonymous]

Unfortunately, I can only say for myself that I have experienced any number of "pregnancy" symptoms post-IUI that have not been a sign of pregnancy at all. I think that I was just highly attuned to every little stomach rumble and tiny cramp; things that I might have ignored or barely noticed in different circumstances.

But, that's just me. I hope very much that it's different for you!

[Anonymous]

Within hours of 6-24 hours of conception the fertilized ovum produces a protein called Early Pregnancy Factor (EPF) designed to prepare the mother's body for pregnancy. There's speculation that this EPF is the substance that's responsible for the earliest of pregnancy symptoms. The phenomenon is well-documented and there has even been discussion of developing pregnancy tests based on the presence of EPF but 1) it apparently would be a lot more complicated/expensive than the current HCG pee sticks, and 2) a significant percentage of fertilized embryos never implant, so it would be a lot less reliable in predicting actual live births.

So you could very easily conceive and have early PG symptoms but never make it to implantation, get a negative HPT, and then discount what you felt, thinking it was just PMS (or all in your head) when really it wasn't. I think this is one area where women have been taught to dismiss their own instincts much too easily. It's important to pay attention to your body. If this same pattern occurs repeatedly it could be an important sign that you have an implantation problem. That was my experience to a T.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the response. What you say makes sense except for the fact that I'm pretty sure I had implantation bleeding and am still feeling a little nauseous.

[Anonymous]

You can still have implantation bleeding and failed implantation. The embryo tries to implant (hence the bleeding) but the implantation is not successful and therefore, the quantities of hcg that would be necessary to turn an hpt positive are never produced.

Or you could just have a late implanter. Give it another day or two and test again.

Good luck!