1st Trimester

When did your HPT test line get as dark as the control line?

I'm just curious about this, because as many times as someone tells me not to obsess over the lightness/darkness of the lines on a pregnancy test, I cannot stop peeing on things and obsessing.  I'm 14 dpo now, started testing at 10 dpo when I got a faint positive, and the test line is still lighter than the control line.

After my miscarriage in November when the lines never got dark, I'm freaking out.  My doc won't take betas so I'm just left wondering. Thanks for your input.

Re: When did your HPT test line get as dark as the control line?

  • I am 11 weeks today and my test line was never darker than the control line. Good luck!
  • Are you taking the test the very first thing in the morning? The hormones are most concentrated in your first urination of the day. Even if you woke up in the middle of the night to pee, when you wake up it would be lighter.

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  • imageMissMusic:
    A line is a line.  Stop freaking out.  Tests can have different amounts of dye in them, even from the same package.  Just make your doctor appt and be done with it.

    Easy for you to say, someone who hasn't miscarried.  Like I said, my doctor won't give me a blood test.

  • image*city bride*:

    Are you taking the test the very first thing in the morning? The hormones are most concentrated in your first urination of the day. Even if you woke up in the middle of the night to pee, when you wake up it would be lighter.

    Yes, I've been taking them first thing, although I pee a lot during the night, so I guess it's not technically fmu.

  • imageMissMusic:
    imagelizal:

    imageMissMusic:
    A line is a line.  Stop freaking out.  Tests can have different amounts of dye in them, even from the same package.  Just make your doctor appt and be done with it.

    Easy for you to say, someone who hasn't miscarried.  Like I said, my doctor won't give me a blood test.

    Ooh yes, please do the "you don't know my situation" thing.  Its just logic, I'm not the one peeing on sticks every day.  Tests can have varying amounts of dye.  Sometimes its not as dark day to day.   Your doc wont do betas so you have to wait for an appt.  Whats wrong with saying that?

     Did your doctor do betas?  Did you know how the pregnancy was progressing?  Some of us are left wondering, and it can be difficult, at least for me it is.  I'm the type of person who worries about things a lot and unfortunately this is one of them.  I know about the whole variation in tests, dye, etc.  I was just asking how long it took others for their tests to reach the control line. 

  • imagelizal:
     Did your doctor do betas?  Did you know how the pregnancy was progressing?  Some of us are left wondering, and it can be difficult, at least for me it is.  I'm the type of person who worries about things a lot and unfortunately this is one of them.  I know about the whole variation in tests, dye, etc.  I was just asking how long it took others for their tests to reach the control line.  

    Uh, she WAS answering your question, just not the one you wanted to hear. 

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  • imagelizal:

    imageMissMusic:
    A line is a line.  Stop freaking out.  Tests can have different amounts of dye in them, even from the same package.  Just make your doctor appt and be done with it.

    Easy for you to say, someone who hasn't miscarried.  Like I said, my doctor won't give me a blood test.

    She gave you good advice, as have others.  Freaking out isn't going to help anything.

    We all get nervous and anxious from time to time. I had a mini panic attack yesterday because I had to lift heavy boxes.

    Your test may never be as dark as the control line, or it may be, or it'll be darker one day and lighter the next.

    The point is that your line darkness has nothing to do with how well things are progressing, so comparing yourself to others' will only worry you more.

    Try to relax and enjoy every moment of this pregnancy.

    ETA: typo

    And: Hi MissMusic!! I remember you from July BMB!

     

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  • My Pg test lines never got darker until after 24 dpo.But i used a internet cheapie so maybe its because of that.However i found out that using name brand tests gave me a darker line than the internet cheapies.But STILL the line was never darker that the control line until after i was further along.
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  • I took Wondfo's a few days in a row last week and sometimes it would be darker and other times it wouldn't.  I think it depends on the test.

    I tested on Friday and the test line wasn't darker than the control line even though my beta # that morning was 1,444.  So, it really means nothing!

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  • Having had two miscarriages that had tests that never darkened properly I can understand your desire for some kind of piece of mind. I too used A LOT of tests in the first week or two. I always had better lines in the evening. It was around 20 DPO that the lines were the same darkness and by 24 DPO the test line stole all the dye from the control. That was the last test I took.

     

    Good Luck! 

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  • imagesourapplemartini:

    imagelizal:
     Did your doctor do betas?  Did you know how the pregnancy was progressing?  Some of us are left wondering, and it can be difficult, at least for me it is.  I'm the type of person who worries about things a lot and unfortunately this is one of them.  I know about the whole variation in tests, dye, etc.  I was just asking how long it took others for their tests to reach the control line.  

    Uh, she WAS answering your question, just not the one you wanted to hear. 

    Uh, I never said she didn't answer my question.

  • 10 days to 14 days is not that long. At this point you are 4 weeks pregnant! Your tests are going to be very very light and they probably won't get significantly darker for a while. While I understand being nervous and worried (especially after previous losses) snapping someone's head off for their very valid answer really isn't a good call. You have no idea if her experience has made life easy or difficult for her in any area. If it's going to cause this much anxiety, I would definitely recommend holding off on testing more. If you've had previous losses and your doctor refuses to do blood tests, getting a different doctor is always an option.
  • imageScout2005:

    To be a little fair to OP, I get the tracking pee stick dye. I do it every pregnancy, well into the sixth or seventh week. And yes, even sticks from different boxes and batches get darker. It is an indicator of increasing HCG, if not a very reliable one.

    I predicted my three chemicals this way, and it's a small, insane thing that I do to work out my anxiety. It's not that unheard of, for loss mothers in particular.

    Healthy or smart? No. But understandable. I think you guys are being a little harsh here.

    OP - this pregnancy, the test line was darker than the control line a week after I started testing. My dates are a bit wonky for this cycle, so I don't have a DPO for you. 

    W/ DD, the test line was darker around 14-5 DPTrigger, if I am remembering correctly.

    eta: And while freaking out will naturally not "help" anything, it's easier said than done to remain calm sometimes. I'm a nut in early pregnancy, and there is little I can do about it. It's just part of being PGAL, and those that are able to remain sane during the process get my admiration. I've never managed it. 

    Thank you!

  • imagejudahsmommy1:
    10 days to 14 days is not that long. At this point you are 4 weeks pregnant! Your tests are going to be very very light and they probably won't get significantly darker for a while. While I understand being nervous and worried (especially after previous losses) snapping someone's head off for their very valid answer really isn't a good call. You have no idea if her experience has made life easy or difficult for her in any area. If it's going to cause this much anxiety, I would definitely recommend holding off on testing more. If you've had previous losses and your doctor refuses to do blood tests, getting a different doctor is always an option.

    I appreciate your response.  In all fairness though, I don't think typing "easy for you to say, you haven't miscarried" in response to her comment to "make your appt and be done with it," was snapping her head off at all!  I also do remember her from TTGP and that she struggled for a long time to get pregnant and I was thrilled for her when she did, believe me I have a lot of compassion for other people and their situations. 

    The comment rubbed me the wrong way, and I defended myself.  No one got their head snapped off.  With that being said, your response is helpful and you're right, looking into another doctor is probably a very good idea!

  • As someone who has had three losses, I would strongly recommend that you don't do any more HPTs. It's just way too nerve wracking to look at those every morning and be comparing the darkness of the line. For peace of mind, sometimes less information (when the "information" is unreliable) is a very good thing. 

    With this pregnancy, I took one HPT at 13 DPO and never took another one. I did have betas drawn though, which is the only reliable way to tell if everything is progressing well at this point. So, I would recommend that you either find another doctor who will draw betas, or call your doctor back and press them on it. After a loss, they should be willing to do it for no other reason than to put your mind at ease. If you can't get betas drawn and want some reassurance, maybe switch to digitals? That way, you can see that "pregnant" every morning, but you don't have to obsess over the darkness of the line.

    Good luck to you - I know how hard it is to be PGAL! 

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  • Easy!  There is no reason to be rude to those who are asking questions.  Whether you've experienced loss or not; whether you've tried for years or got a surprise BFP... taking that test is an exciting, scary, anxious time. 

    I had BFP's that were very faint.  My most recent BFP was incredibly dark. My doctor's appointment isn't for another week, so I will find out exactly how far along I am there.

     I just don't think there's a reason to be rude with your comments.  We're all here to support each other.  

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  • imageMissMusic:
    A line is a line.  Stop freaking out.  Tests can have different amounts of dye in them, even from the same package.  Just make your doctor appt and be done with it.
    Easy!  There is no reason to be rude to those who are asking questions.  Whether you've experienced loss or not; whether you've tried for years or got a surprise BFP... taking that test is an exciting, scary, anxious time. I had BFP's that were very faint.  My most recent BFP was incredibly dark. My doctor's appointment isn't for another week, so I will find out exactly how far along I am there.

     I just don't think there's a reason to be rude with your comments.  We're all here to support each other.   

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  • imageScout2005:

    To be a little fair to OP, I get the tracking pee stick dye. I do it every pregnancy, well into the sixth or seventh week. And yes, even sticks from different boxes and batches get darker. It is an indicator of increasing HCG, if not a very reliable one.

    I predicted my three chemicals this way, and it's a small, insane thing that I do to work out my anxiety. It's not that unheard of, for loss mothers in particular.

    Healthy or smart? No. But understandable. I think you guys are being a little harsh here.

    OP - this pregnancy, the test line was darker than the control line a week after I started testing. My dates are a bit wonky for this cycle, so I don't have a DPO for you. 

    W/ DD, the test line was darker around 14-5 DPTrigger, if I am remembering correctly.

    eta: And while freaking out will naturally not "help" anything, it's easier said than done to remain calm sometimes. I'm a nut in early pregnancy, and there is little I can do about it. It's just part of being PGAL, and those that are able to remain sane during the process get my admiration. I've never managed it. 

    Thanks for this response.  I've been peeing on sticks for a few days now too and freaking because the line is still so faint, so I completely understand where the OP is coming from.  Effing m/cs make us crazy!

    (Oh - and I think I know you from way back when under a different sn.  Hi again! )

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  • I had a new box of 30-something wondfos right when I got my BFP, and I chose to keep peeing on them just because I liked seeing the line get darker. I did it for a week or so. My first BFP was extremely faint and I think the lines matched each other by the time I was 5.5 weeks. I've since stopped peeing on them. 

    I didn't read all the previous responses because I don't care to see people freak out about someone's desire to keep using HPTs. Do what you want with your urine; I've seen women around the internet who have used a pee stick at many weeks pregnant, and the test line is so dark that there's hardly any dye left for the control line, which ends up being incredibly light. Pretty neat, I may try that in a few weeks. 

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