L.S. asks from Crookston, MN on November 02, 2009
Can a Test Be Positive and Then Change to Negative?
My last period came on Sept. 26th, I remember way to clearly because I was already 3 days late and I was in my best friends wedding when I got it. I bled very heavy for 1 1/2 weeks, then it would come and go very lightly for another week. This was a very odd period for me so I went to the doctor. He did a blood test thinking I had a miscarriage and it was negative. I then went in for a pelvic ultrasound and that showed nothing out of the ordinary. I havent gotten my period since and its now Nov. 2. I dont know if I am pregant or not but my gut is tossing the idea around. I have a lot of lower abdominal cramping, which i remember with my previous pregnancies, im also very tired and some days I feel a lot of nausea, headaches, lower back pain. Is my mind playing tricks on me? Ive taken 5 at home tests-all negative. Then this morning I took one with my morning pee and it showed a slight positive. I jumped in the shower and when i looked at it again it was gone. Is it possible the test is positive? negative?
So What Happened?™
still no period...now Nov. 6...I took a test on the 4th..negative...Im not under stress, no diet change, nothing out of the ordinary and Ive never been late! Im confused and starting to get mad at my body
More Answers
C.F. answers from Rochester on November 02, 2009
The tests are not valid after 10 minutes, so I would retake the test. Make sure you are doing the test exactly as the directions say them. Pee into a cup instead of peeing directly on the stick to make sure it is more accurate. Time it with your watch per the instructions. If you still aren't sure, get one of the more expensive pregnancy tests that actually say right on it with words, instead of using the blue lines. I've read that the blue line ones aren't as accurate, but I'm not sure if that is the case or not. The most important thing is to follow the instructions on the test exactly so you're results are accurate. Make sure that you either do it right in the morning with your first trip to the bathroom, or that you wait 4 hours after you've gone pee to test. Also don't drink a lot of water or fluids during that 4 hours or it may skew the results. I would test tomorrow morning (if you can stand to wait that long). If you still are not sure in a couple days and your period hasn't come, I would get a blood test at the doctor's office again. Good luck! I know the waiting is so hard!
S.B. answers from Minneapolis on November 02, 2009
I had this happen to me a few years ago - I took a pregnancy test and looked at it, saw the faint line for positive, then went back and looked at it a bit later and the line was gone. I wasn't pregnant, by the way, but it wouldn't hurt to try another one in a week or so.
Good luck :)
C.D. answers from Omaha on November 03, 2009
Sounds like you got a false positive on your test. I would wait another month and then you can check again if you are pregnant. False positives are fairly normal especially if your period is behaving oddly. If this continues I would check with your physician.
A.H. answers from Appleton on November 03, 2009
It's possible that you could be very early into a pregnancy.
I'm a med tech and do pregnancy tests all the time. Usually, when you are doing a test, there is a window of time that is ideal for reading the results. After time, the lines may fade, or the background may get cloudy. This makes it harder to read. You should always set a timer or look at a clock with minutes on it to make sure you're reading it within the time frame of the test kit. The rapid tests we do at the clinic are from 3 to 5 minutes.
Also, the steam from the shower could affect the quality of the test you left out.
M.W. answers from St. Cloud on November 04, 2009
Usually it says to look after 2 minuts and it it's NEGATIVE throw it away because it can change to positive after so long. I've never heard of a positive changing to anything else. So, I am thinking that you are NOT pregnant..... Especially if all the rest say no.
I PREFER the CLEAR BLUE tests because they SAY PREGNANT OR NOT PREGNANT. I had trouble reading the ones that are supposed to have lines on them. The ones with a plus or minus even work better than the lines. When I was pregnant with our first the lines were extrememly faint so I didn't know what to think. Get Clear Blue or just go in for a blook test so your mind can rest. I also think psycologically you can make your period off. I'm positive I've done it to myself.
Good luck.
T.C. answers from Minneapolis on November 02, 2009
They say no matter how faint the line is if its positive your pregnant. With my son i took the test and it showed a very faint line i could barley see and went to the doc and they said i was pregnant. I would go to the doctor and have them do a test to and see what it says, or wait a few more days. This time around i was a week late before i finally got a positive test. Mabye even buy one of the tests that just says pregnant or not pregnant instead of looking for lines. Those are nice. They line may have disappeared because you do need to read them in a certain amount of time or they can be wrong. I would just go to the doctor or take another one in a couple days. Good luck and keep us posted!
H.J. answers from Minneapolis on November 02, 2009
If you live close to a dollar tree get some of their dollar tests, Seriously same tests they use at planned parenthood, I tested 3weeks 4 days positive they test a very small amount of Hcg. Or just go in to the doctor and get tested. You can get a nurse visit and do a urine test most any time.
T.V. answers from Lincoln on November 03, 2009
They say after 2 minutes you shouldn't read the test. If it was a faint positive and you checked it again after the 2 minute mark the positive line might have disappeared.
Email