HCG trigger shot + HPT

misspuppychow

I received my HCG trigger shot (Novarel 5000IU) 10 days ago (Monday, November 9). I'm 9 DPO today. I got the bright idea to take a HPT today (FRER) and it was faint but positive. I also took a less sensitive test and it was negative. That means my HCG is between 25 and 50. What are the odds this is my BFP versus a false positive from leftover Novarel? I will obviously test again in a few days but I'm going crazy today.

The Internet seems to agree the half life is around 24 hours but nobody seems to know how the levels remaining correlate to HPT sensitivity. In addition, Micromedex (the resource pharmacists and hospitals use) state the half life is 5.6 hours.

Any help? I don't want to be a crazy person all day! Thank you!

bsckgb7

We have no way of telling you.  Some ladies never turn a test negative before their BFP.  Some ladies "test out" and it's done 7-8 days after.  Did you use the same urine to take the second test?  Have you ever "test-out" before to know about how long it typically takes?

ESchreinerWrites

I am 5 weeks now and I used an HCG trigger. I tested at 9 or 10 dpo -- can't remember -- and got a BFN. Tested at 13 and gotmy BFP. If I were you, I would give it to more days an test again. If it gets darker, its almost certainly not the trigger.

misspuppychow

This was my first go around with infertility treatment. I didn't even know testing out was a thing! @ESchreinerWrites, was your trigger 5,000 or 10,000 IU?

KidShrink

I tested at 8dpo, and got a faint positive, at 9dpo, it was gone, but at 10dpo it was back. We all process it differently. I'd wait a day or two and see if it's still positive then, you got a BFP!

misspuppychow

The half life of hcg is only 5.6 hours. Thus, I see where 5 days for a 5000IU shot comes from. You only have 1 IU remaining in your system 5 days after the shot. This is from Micromedex, the resource pharmacists and hospitals use. This is not public info so it's the most reliable source I've found. It links to several peer reviewed studies. Although that doesn't explain individual reports of hcg being in the system 8-10 days after the shot...

And yes, I know this is all making me into a crazy person It's been a very long and bumpy road trying to get pregnant with lots of setbacks (the biggest being the discovery I have a unicornuate uterus).

bsckgb7

But right below says 29 hours.  Whats the difference in the 2 HCGs on the screen shot.  The one you circles also denotes a difference for subq shots vs. IM shots.  So there are lots of variables.  The only thing you can is what 2 days and test again.  

Did you use the exact same urine for both tests?  If not, the urine on the second false test could have been more diluted.  

misspuppychow

@bsckgb7 the 29 hours is for the Subcutaneous version. The version I circled is the intramuscular version.  The IM version can be given SubQ (it just is 25% slower to metabolize). 

Yes, I used the same urine for both tests. 

tripledaggerWed95976

Unfortunately this is why you are supposed to wait til your beta. There's no way of knowing if it's positive from your trigger shot or not. I know some women who have tested out as early as 7 days, and some that it took the full 14 days.. for me personally it took 10 days. Everyone has different rates of metabolism

misspuppychow

I don't have a beta scheduled. My RE told me to take a HPT after 12 days of progesterone and if it is positive, keep taking it and if it is negative, stop taking progesterone. 

misspuppychow

@tripledaggerWed95976 was yours 5000IU or 10000IU? My RE told me ~5 days for it to be out of my system. I'm wondering if the people who took longer to test out had a higher dose maybe? Ugh. I wish I would have known to test out so I'd just know!

tripledaggerWed95976

Mine was 5000iu.

LizzieJ13

Hi @foreverlaur, I had my (Ovidrel) trigger shot the same day as you. I've been using Wondfo sticks in the morning to test it out for the past 4 days, and I'm still getting a faint line. I'm just assuming I will take the full 12-14 days to metabolize it and won't count a positive as "real" until I test on the 25th.

ETA: Unless the line starts getting darker!

ESchreinerWrites

I don't remember the dosage, unfortunately.

misspuppychow

So yesterday morning I had a very faint line and this evening I had a line that was noticeably darker. Is it safe to assume it is not the trigger shot or still too early to tell? 

LizzieJ13

Well, that seems promising to me! Mine continues to get lighter. Do you know exactly when you O'd?

misspuppychow

@LizzieJ13 yes, I do! I received my HCG trigger shot in the morning of Nov 9 and I ovulated late on Nov 10! So I am 12 DPO today and 13 DPT!

cmm012

@misspuppychow I hope you get your confirmed BFP soon.  I am new to infertility treatments also, so I can relate to everything being very confusing.  Thank you for sharing your questions, as I will also have my first trigger shot sometime this week.

misspuppychow

So I spoke to my RE's nurse this morning. She scolded me and said that I should not have tested until AT LEAST 16 days after my trigger shot and that my BFP was just the trigger shot still in my system and that I got myself excited over nothing. They won't even order serial betas until it has been at least 16 days which is Wednesday. But they are closed Thanksgiving and the day after so I won't know anything until next week. But she told me to prepare myself for the test to be negative by then since my odds of getting pregnant are so slim.

LizzieJ13

Aw, I'm sorry to hear that. How do they expect us to wait so long? :-P As much as I tell myself I won't test early, I always do. FWIW, I got a BFN this AM at 12 dpo (I don't know exactly when I ovulated, so I'm just using 36-hours post-trigger.) I figure I'll test through the holiday weekend and call my RE Monday if AF hasn't arrived. I hope I have an answer either way by Thanksgiving, though.

misspuppychow

Well what is frustrating is that my RE told me to test tomorrow, but said the trigger shot will be gone in about 5 days from my system. His nurse clearly has a different idea of how things go. I wish they would just do the beta today or tomorrow so I'd know something before the holiday. I find it hard to believe that a drug with a 5.6 hour half life is still in my system 14 days later. 

Sorry about your BFN Always so hard to see. I have seen so many of them! Hopefully your body is just a delayed implanter and you'll have your BFP in a day or two! I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

LizzieJ13

Thank you It is so frustrating to hear conflicting information. And yes, they should give you a beta on Wednesay -- that's a full 16 days after your trigger! 

misspuppychow

Part of me wants a beta on Wednesday and part of me doesn't want to have to wait until Monday to get the results! It's almost easier to get it drawn Monday and get results the next day :-P. I feel like waiting is harder when you know it's already been drawn!

bsckgb7

You won't get the results the same day from a Beta on Wed?

LizzieJ13

Oh, sorry, I missed that you wouldn't get the results till next week. I'm also surprised they wouldn't give you results the same day! If that's the case then I'm with you - I wouldn't want a test till Monday either.

misspuppychow

My RE is sending me out to the lab of my choosing and I usually go to the outpatient lab at the hospital just up the road from me. I have always gotten results back the next day from there. They do not run them in-house.

misspuppychow

bsckgb7

FWIW - My RE lets me POAS as 14 DPT.  I triggered on the 11th and they told me to POAS on the 25th.  (13DPO, but 14DPT)

KLake42

On some boards here, they'll tell you not to pose your pee sticks, but I certainly won't fuss if anyone around here (struggling with infertility) does.

And I think your pee sticks are very encouraging!  That looks like positive to me.  I don't want to jump the gun with congratulations, but I'm very happy for you, that you have such encouraging pee sticks!!!

I definitely think you allow yourself some hope. 

misspuppychow

I deleted them just to be safe ). I just feel like if I post them on a regular board, people won't understand the trigger shot versus BFP dilemma and just start in on the congrats. And I'm just worried it's not real or worried it's a chemical or worried I'll miscarry with my high risk. So hard to be excited.

LizzieJ13

I missed it the pics - still getting darker? FX for you. It's so hard to manage being hopeful yet wanting to brace for bad news.

I think AF is on the way for me (teeny bit of spotting), which would be early based on my normal LP length but who knows, this is my first cycle w a trigger shot. (And quite possibly first cycle ever ovulating.)

misspuppychow

@LizzieJ13, see attached pic  

misspuppychow

First cycle ovulating? Wow! That is, in a way, exciting! I'll be interested to hear if AF does indeed show up early or if it is some GOOD spotting! I'll keep my FX for you! 

::cherish~love::

Last cycle the trigger stayed in my system 14+ days, I was still getting BFP the day I started my period. I was a real mind *uck. FX for you!!!

misspuppychow

Was your BFP line getting any lighter as the days passed, getting stronger, or staying the same?

dreamcatch-her

Yours looks very promising @misspuppychow my trigger shot positives have NEVER been that dark especially that far along. Looks great!! Congratulations!!!

misspuppychow

Thank you @alqizwik! I may be going a little crazy, but I think the line is even a little bit darker today! At $4 a piece, I wonder what kind of bill I'm adding up with all these FRERs!

LizzieJ13

@misspuppychow Thanks! I haven't noticed anymore spotting but still got a BFN this morning. I suppose it could have been the "good" spotting if I ovulated later than 36 hours after my trigger shot,  but I think that's unlikely. My husband and I are feeling a little down, but are looking forward to a nice long holiday weekend which now could probably include some wine

I have had cycles with some signs of ovulation before, but the symptoms this time around (w Letrozole & trigger) are much different, so maybe this is what it's like to actually ovulate? 

Your tests look great btw! I haven't used FRERs this cycle because I knew I'd be testing like crazy... Wondfo strips are a lifesaver.

misspuppychow

@LizzieJ13, sorry to hear about your BFN. I've had many and I cried every single time. Sending you some extra love and hugs this season. I'm glad you're seeing a doctor who is doing what needs done to help your body do everything it can to make a baby, though!

I have tested on Wonfos as well. I just hate how they look. And I have to wait 2 extra minutes for my result... I'm not the most patient person

misspuppychow

So I convinced my regular OB to do a beta hCG! At 3 weeks and 5 days, it was 188! I'm having another one done on Monday!

Drove2u

Yay @misspuppychow congrats!! That's so exciting!! Whoo hoo!!