HPT - False negatives?

dandi2014

I am 21 days past when I was supposed to start my period and 51 days since the start of my last period. I have taken 3 or 4 HPT's but all say negative. Can you get false negatives?

MamaBish

It's very rare to get a false negative. If you reach 60 days without starting AF, see your Dr.

Kristin712

Are you temping to know when you ovulated? If not, you likely ovulated later, which causes your period to arrive later. Cycles can change at any point. Lurk around this board a bit for similar questions and respondes.

MNturnsVA

I second the temping and that its possible you ovulated later.

PrimRoseMama

dandi2014 said:

I am 21 days past when I was supposed to start my period and 51 days since the start of my last period. I have taken 3 or 4 HPT's but all say negative. Can you get false negatives?

It's not common to have false negatives (meaning you are actually pregnant). What's more common & likely-- is late ovulation or none.

The later you ovulate the longer your cycle. My last cycle was 53 days. Long cycles can happen.

dandi2014

I wasn't temping but I am 31 yo & have never been this late. I am irregular however and have been since I got of BC. 

dandi2014

Wow....OK. That helps. I have never had a cycle this long in my life. I actually have an appt with my dr just to talk to her about the processing of starting to have a baby next Thursday so I guess I can also talk to her then. 

PrimRoseMama

dandi2014 said:

I wasn't temping but I am 31 yo & have never been this late. I am irregular however and have been since I got of BC. 

There is always a first time for everything. Bodies are weird. :-??

If you make it to 60 days from your last period then talk to your doc about what to do.

lalala2004

dandi2014 said:

I wasn't temping but I am 31 yo & have never been this late. I am irregular however and have been since I got of BC. 

Like they said, it happens. Pregnancy tests are quite accurate these days.

If you want to avoid future confusion, download Fertility Friend, do the tutorials, and chart your BBT. Then you'll better know when, and when not to, expect your period.

Taking Charge of Your Fertility is also a highly recommended book.

dandi2014

lalala2004 said:

I wasn't temping but I am 31 yo & have never been this late. I am irregular however and have been since I got of BC. 

Like they said, it happens. Pregnancy tests are quite accurate these days. If you want to avoid future confusion, download Fertility Friend, do the tutorials, and chart your BBT. Then you'll better know when, and when not to, expect your period. Taking Charge of Your Fertility is also a highly recommended book.

I have the FF app but I have no idea how to chart. I get super confused. I log my periods right now. When it comes to charting your BBT do you just take your temp every morning and log it? 

Sorry for the ignorance....I really have no idea what I am doing. 

PugsandKisses

Do the tutorials. They will make every make so much more sense.

lalala2004

dandi2014 said:

lalala2004 said:

dandi2014 said:

I wasn't temping but I am 31 yo & have never been this late. I am irregular however and have been since I got of BC. 

Like they said, it happens. Pregnancy tests are quite accurate these days.

If you want to avoid future confusion, download Fertility Friend, do the tutorials, and chart your BBT. Then you'll better know when, and when not to, expect your period.

Taking Charge of Your Fertility is also a highly recommended book.

I have the FF app but I have no idea how to chart. I get super confused. I log my periods right now. When it comes to charting your BBT do you just take your temp every morning and log it? 

Sorry for the ignorance....I really have no idea what I am doing. 

------quote box fail------
Their tutorials really are great, but the basic idea is to take your temperature before you get out of bed, after at least 3 hours of sleep. Ideally this would be at the same time every day. An overall temp shift up indicates you ovulated, and you will know it's generally anywhere from 10 to 16 days until your period after ovulation. It really relieves a lot of my stress and questions in that regard.

Hope that helps!

ETA: Also, lurking these boards is a great resource

MNturnsVA

Lots of ladies here use the Mabis BBT thermometer.  I got my thermometer from Target for $8? Its not a Mabis but the package specifically says basal body thermometer.  Its white and pink.  You take your temp at the same time every morning and put it into the app, just like you note in the app when you are having AF. Its a game changer.  Little confusing trying to "read" your chart at first, but very helpful overall once you see a full cycle in completion. 

TheBorg7of9

Hi! Like PPs said, your period is late because you ovulated later or haven't ovulated yet. You could call your doc at day 60 and they might give you provera to jump start your next cycle.

Your cycle length is determined by the day you ovulate. The day you ovulate may vary a lot from cycle to cycle and woman to woman. The time period after cycle day 1 until the day you ovulate is called the follicular phase. The follicular phase could be 8 days or 60 days, although the 'norm' is more like 12 to 24 (don't quote me on that).
From the day you ovulate to your next period is called the luteal phase and it is between 10-16 days on average. However, an individual woman's luteal phase doesn't vary by more than a day or two.
Say, for example, your normal luteal phase is 12 days. If you ovulate on day 12, then you'll get your period on day 25. If you ovulate on day 40, then you'll get your period around day 53. If you don't ovulate, your period may be very delayed and will happen just when the uterine lining builds up too much to sustain. And technically, it wouldn't be your period, it would be annovulatory bleeding.
This is why temping is awesome, it will tell you when you ovulated and therefore when to expect your period and when to test.

dandi2014

MNturnsVA said:

Lots of ladies here use the Mabis BBT thermometer.  I got my thermometer from Target for $8? Its not a Mabis but the package specifically says basal body thermometer.  Its white and pink.  You take your temp at the same time every morning and put it into the app, just like you note in the app when you are having AF. Its a game changer.  Little confusing trying to "read" your chart at first, but very helpful overall once you see a full cycle in completion. 

I noticed they have a BBT at CVS that I have seen. I guess I will need to pick up one this weekend. Does it matter when you start charting your temp? Or just the sooner the better?

dandi2014

TheBorg7of9 said:

Hi! Like PPs said, your period is late because you ovulated later or haven't ovulated yet. You could call your doc at day 60 and they might give you provera to jump start your next cycle. Your cycle length is determined by the day you ovulate. The day you ovulate may vary a lot from cycle to cycle and woman to woman. The time period after cycle day 1 until the day you ovulate is called the follicular phase. The follicular phase could be 8 days or 60 days, although the 'norm' is more like 12 to 24 (don't quote me on that). From the day you ovulate to your next period is called the luteal phase and it is between 10-16 days on average. However, an individual woman's luteal phase doesn't vary by more than a day or two. Say, for example, your normal luteal phase is 12 days. If you ovulate on day 12, then you'll get your period on day 25. If you ovulate on day 40, then you'll get your period around day 53. If you don't ovulate, your period may be very delayed and will happen just when the uterine lining builds up too much to sustain. And technically, it wouldn't be your period, it would be annovulatory bleeding. This is why temping is awesome, it will tell you when you ovulated and therefore when to expect your period and when to test.

Thanks for the info. That was helpful. I have just never gone this long before so it is really weird. I actually had made an appt to see my doc next Thursday just to talk to her about the process of starting to TTC and it will actually be day 57 by then. 

DutchLucyLu

dandi2014 said:

MNturnsVA said:

Lots of ladies here use the Mabis BBT thermometer.  I got my thermometer from Target for $8? Its not a Mabis but the package specifically says basal body thermometer.  Its white and pink.  You take your temp at the same time every morning and put it into the app, just like you note in the app when you are having AF. Its a game changer.  Little confusing trying to "read" your chart at first, but very helpful overall once you see a full cycle in completion. 

I noticed they have a BBT at CVS that I have seen. I guess I will need to pick up one this weekend. Does it matter when you start charting your temp? Or just the sooner the better?

It works best if you start temping at the start of your new cycle (new cycle starts on the first day of your period), but you can start straightaway so you can get in the habit of it. 

I started charting  towards the end of my first cycle off BCP (53 days long). I was going crazy not knowing what was going on. My previous cycle, so my second one, was 57 days but I was able to confirm I ovulated on day 51, so I didn't have to go through three weeks of "OMG am I pregnant" stress. Very good for your peace of mind.

ETA: And looking at the few temps I did have from my first cycle, I think I ovulated that cycle as well, because my temps that week were similar to my post ovulation temps in my fully-charted cycle.

bsckgb7

MNturnsVA said:

Lots of ladies here use the Mabis BBT thermometer.  I got my thermometer from Target for $8? Its not a Mabis but the package specifically says basal body thermometer.  Its white and pink.  You take your temp at the same time every morning and put it into the app, just like you note in the app when you are having AF. Its a game changer.  Little confusing trying to "read" your chart at first, but very helpful overall once you see a full cycle in completion. 

So, just a heads up that Target brand thermometer is known for "favoring" temps.  Basically, means it will give you the same temp for several days in a row.  I noticed it was doing that and then saw some people on here saying the target BBT was known for doing that.  I am still able to see a temp shift, but I still may get a new one (I could see it be a problem if you have trouble with rocky temps)

dandi2014 - you may want to get "splurge" and go with the Mabis (it's only 10 bucks) for the reason above about the "store brand" thermometers. 

dandi2014

DutchLucyLu said:

dandi2014 said:

MNturnsVA said:

Lots of ladies here use the Mabis BBT thermometer.  I got my thermometer from Target for $8? Its not a Mabis but the package specifically says basal body thermometer.  Its white and pink.  You take your temp at the same time every morning and put it into the app, just like you note in the app when you are having AF. Its a game changer.  Little confusing trying to "read" your chart at first, but very helpful overall once you see a full cycle in completion. 

I noticed they have a BBT at CVS that I have seen. I guess I will need to pick up one this weekend. Does it matter when you start charting your temp? Or just the sooner the better?

It works best if you start temping at the start of your new cycle (new cycle starts on the first day of your period), but you can start straightaway so you can get in the habit of it. 

I started charting  towards the end of my first cycle off BCP (53 days long). I was going crazy not knowing what was going on. My previous cycle, so my second one, was 57 days but I was able to confirm I ovulated on day 51, so I didn't have to go through three weeks of "OMG am I pregnant" stress. Very good for your peace of mind.

ETA: And looking at the few temps I did have from my first cycle, I think I ovulated that cycle as well, because my temps that week were similar to my post ovulation temps in my fully-charted cycle.

Thanks. I think I will start right away. From the sound of everything from everyone being so helpful with my question, it sounds like I am not pregnant - just a long cycle for me. And yes I have been going through the "well maybe I am" thing for two weeks now and it just sucks. 

dandi2014

kgbbsc7 said:

MNturnsVA said:

Lots of ladies here use the Mabis BBT thermometer.  I got my thermometer from Target for $8? Its not a Mabis but the package specifically says basal body thermometer.  Its white and pink.  You take your temp at the same time every morning and put it into the app, just like you note in the app when you are having AF. Its a game changer.  Little confusing trying to "read" your chart at first, but very helpful overall once you see a full cycle in completion. 

So, just a heads up that Target brand thermometer is known for "favoring" temps.  Basically, means it will give you the same temp for several days in a row.  I noticed it was doing that and then saw some people on here saying the target BBT was known for doing that.  I am still able to see a temp shift, but I still may get a new one (I could see it be a problem if you have trouble with rocky temps)

dandi2014 - you may want to get "splurge" and go with the Mabis (it's only 10 bucks) for the reason above about the "store brand" thermometers. 

Where can you get them at? I live in a small town and all we have here is CVS, Walgreens, HEB (grocery store) and Wal Mart and our Wal Mart is just awful. 

bsckgb7

Amazon!

ETA:  go ahead and order you a pack of Wondfos too.  It's like 50 OPKs and 20 HPTs sticks for 20 bucks.  You will become a POAS addict. 

dandi2014

kgbbsc7 said:

Amazon!

ETA:  go ahead and order you a pack of Wondfos too.  It's like 50 OPKs and 20 HPTs sticks for 20 bucks.  You will become a POAS addict. 

I saw some on Amazon but not knowing I was actually pregnant this go round I was waiting. They are way cheaper than buying the tests at CVS!! And my MIL have prime that I use

bsckgb7

Make you get the brand Wondfo as there are some imitation brands.  You can do a search on this site and look for the legit sellers. 

letyourheartbeyourguide

kgbbsc7 said:

Amazon!

ETA:  go ahead and order you a pack of Wondfos too.  It's like 50 OPKs and 20 HPTs sticks for 20 bucks.  You will become a POAS addict. 

This! Got my Mabis on amazon for $7. If I'm out this cycle, I'm totally ordering the wondfo pack.

dandi2014

letyourheartbeyourguide said:

Amazon!

ETA:  go ahead and order you a pack of Wondfos too.  It's like 50 OPKs and 20 HPTs sticks for 20 bucks.  You will become a POAS addict. 

This! Got my Mabis on amazon for $7. If I'm out this cycle, I'm totally ordering the wondfo pack.

Found  the combo pack and the Mabis! Thanks for the info....seriously!       : )

MNturnsVA

@kgbbsc7-  yikes! I'm glad you told me about the target thermometer!  I didn't know that.  I have had 2 days of the same temp but then it changes the next day.  And so far this cycle, 2 days were the same to start and then it changed. Guess I'll be getting a Mabis!

@dandi2014- temping really makes a big difference. It really made all of the pieces kind of fall into place this month now that I've gone through a whole cycle. Also, I had taken a HPT on 9 DPO and got a BFN.  That was a little hard for me and I was going to wait to take another test until 14 DPO if i made it that far.  On 11 DPO  my temp dipped a little, nothing crazy, but just a little bit.  Then on 12 DPO, my temp dropped even more and AF was here by lunch time.  I was so glad to not POAS again. So if you are not pregnant, your temp will drop.  Maybe not as significantly or quickly as mine did, for some, from my understanding its more gradual. And again, maybe this was due to my thermometer? But, your temp will drop if you are not pregnant.  So you don't have to necessarily even POAS depending on what your temps do.  And i would agree just start doing the temping when you get the thermometer so that you are in the habit for when AF does show.

Good Luck!

lalala2004

@MNturnsVA Not everyone's temp drops before AF. Mine stay high until after AF is over. Unless I'm a speshul snowflayke

bsckgb7

MNturnsVA - can you link you chart?  I'd be curious to see if I they favor the same temp?

MNturnsVA

@lalala2004- I had been told by another person that her temp stayed high through AF and when AF was over it dropped.  So I was kind of surprised myself on how it happened. I was fully expecting AF to show up on Wed not on Monday based on the other person saying that their temp would stay high through AF

Maybe I"M the speshul snowflayke that had a random AF show on the day my temp dropped the way it did and nothing at all like that will happen next month and my temps will stay crazy high till after AF has said goodbye!

MNturnsVA

@kgbbsc7- here are my charts

bsckgb7

97.6 and 97.58 would show up a lot for me.  Looks like 97.6 showed up last month for you too. 

VTKatie

I had a really long cycle this month too. I thought I ovulated on CD 21 and then it was another 21 days before AF.  I took no less than 25 pregnancy tests, just convinced it was a false negative....but I finally came to terms with the fact I either didn't ovulate, or ovulated much later than I had originally thought.  I am going to temp this cycle and see what happens.  Good luck!

Hopietaylor91

Yay for HEB! I haven't found any BBTs thee so I would stick with Amazon