Faint positive pregnancy test and then heavy bleeding, don't know what to feel

[Fudgie]

I've had my IUD for a while now and it's working fine. Recently had to start some meds that may make me ovulate (I usually don't ovulate). I didn't think much of it to be honest. My boyfriend and I have unprotected sex. I still think I would have trouble getting pregnant off the IUD because of what my doctors have told me.

 

I don't know I've been feeling rather...off? I was hurt recently at work and am still recovering so it's hard to know. My emotions have been everywhere but I suspect that's because of the physical pain I still everyday as I heal. Anyway, I ended up having a dream that I was pregnant. I sort of laughed it off but on a whim, I had a pregnancy test in the morning and it was a FAINT POSITIVE. I didn't believe it so I took another one and got the same result.

 

I don't remember what went through my mind at that exact moment but it wasn't good. I ultimately calmed myself down and thought "okay and wait and see".

 

Then that night (yesterday), I started to bleed out, a lot, very heavy. I haven't bled this much on the IUD before. (TMI warning) clumps and clumps. It was awful. I've been using pads and have had to change them a lot, which is very out of character for me, especially with the IUD.

 

My IUD strings are in place. Yet I am not having symptoms of an etopic pregnancy either (pain). My abdominal pain has now ceased completely.

I sent a message to my GYN so he will know.

 

I don't know what to feel. Confused? Weirded out? Mostly confused?

 

 

 

I don't know what to feel. How do I frame this?

[Batya33]

I'm glad you're feeling better! I'm not a doctor but if I had seen a faint positive I would have assumed I probably was pregnant and gone to the doctor for a blood test.

[Fudgie]

It all happened within the past 2 days. I was working and couldn't see my gyno but I did let him know what was going on (I have a messaging system I use to inform my doctor(s) about things that have come up). He has not gotten back to me but if he wants me to come in, I will.

 

Is it pretty safe to say that if anything was in there, it's not anymore? I've been bleeding a lot.

 

What should I do now?

 

Oh man, I just don't know. I am debating if I should tell my boyfriend. N and I agreed that pregnancy shouldn't be followed through but his attitude on whether or not I tell him if it happens was pretty non-committal "I'll leave it up to you, you should do whatever you feel is comfortable for YOU, I just don't want a kid."

 

He just went on anti-depressants and is having a weird time right now, adjusting to them, so I feel like if I told him, I'd cause him stress. I haven't told my parents either, although I doubt they'd get upset and they know I have the IUD, it just feels WEIRD and I'm worried my mom will get sad.

 

I don't even know if I am sad, relieved, or what. I am trying not to think about it. It's hard.

[Tanzi]

Pregnancy tests don't show positive, faint or otherwise, if you ARE pregnant (at least that is what I have always been lead to believe). We possess a certain hormone when we are pregnant that we don't otherwise, so it has to be present to show positive ... and there is only one reason it would be present. However, I couldn't possibly say what the heavy bleeding meant.

[Fudgie]

Yeah it tests for the hcg hormone. You can have a false positive if you do the "hcg diet" which I'm not. I'm taking any hormones. I'm just on a drug that happens to increase the chance I'll ovulate (not the reason why I'm taking it though, it's a side effect).

 

I sometimes miss periods but it's not a big deal for me cause I have a IUD. This one was just very heavy and it happened after I did the test.

 

I'm kinda bugging out because the IUD is supposed to be very effective.

[Tanzi]

I've never heard of he "hcg diet". Still if you haven't been doing it .................

 

Have you done a test since the heavy bleed ... though I guess the hormone would still be present for a while.

[greywolf]

Fudgie, my first few periods on the IUD were rather heavy, but not anything unusual. It wasn't till 4 or 5 months later that I noticed a real change in the length of my periods and the amount. I don't know why it happened that way. I was told that the first few months would be the heaviest. Anyway, I wouldn't worry just yet.

[indea08]

You may have actually been pregnant, and the heavy bleeding may have been a miscarriage, probably caused by your IUD. Even if you DID ovulate every month (which idk why you said you don't..why dont you?), IUD's are 97 to 99% effective. If you have a Mirena IUD then the hormones in that mixed with whatever new meds you took may have caused the bleeding.

If the pregnancy tests were indeed positive, I can tell you there's an EXCELLENT chance you are no longer pregnant after heavy bleeding.

[Batya33]

Were you surprised at your reaction? Given your desire not to be pregnant I think it's perfectly normal to experience conflicting emotions when you face the reality. I would tell N but maybe when he is feeling a bit better.

[Fudgie]

greywolf,

 

Yeah I've heard anything can happen. I'm opposite of you actually! I missed periods when I started but I'm weird like that. Then this happened.

 

indea08,

 

That's what I'm worried about.

 

I don't ovulate because I have ovarian cysts and my hormone levels are off...I stopped ovulating on my own a while ago, according to the doctor. When I do ovulate, it's usually painful and it's usually when I've had to take meds that have a side effect of making you push out an egg. That's why I have a tendency to miss periods despite not being pregnant. HOwever, I've never had a positive test.

 

My boyfriend and I have a lot of sex so I'm sure that doesn't help.

 

 

Oh man I don't know how to feel about this at all. It just weird. Like a knot in my stomach.

I"m not exactly sad it's just, I just feel...ick.

Look at me, I can't even put it into words.

[Fudgie]

Were you surprised at your reaction? Given your desire not to be pregnant I think it's perfectly normal to experience conflicting emotions when you face the reality. I would tell N but maybe when he is feeling a bit better.

 

Yeah! I am!

 

I thought I was going to be very relieved and "Ha Mother Nature I fooled you!"

 

Now I still don't want to be pregnant but I feel conflicted. I kind of wish this didn't happen. I keep thinking "THIS WASN'T SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN" I keep checking my strings and of course, they're there.

 

I keep telling myself "This is why the IUD is there and it did its job". Had I not checked, I never would have known, ya know? That feels weird.

 

I just didn't think this could happen to me.

 

I will probably tell N in a week or two. His affect is flat and he tells me his feelings feel "weird" right now but he's adjusting.

 

I don't know why I feel this way.

 

BTW, I can tell that maybe, at least on a deep level, this is upsetting to me, because I've been having IBS symptoms and I only do that when I'm stressed/emotionally upset.

 

I feel like I *Shouldn't* be upset but yet, I don't know. Just because I don't want a kid doesn't mean I want to have an egg implant only to come out later.

 

I think I need to avoid pregnancy tests based on whims. I wish I never knew, I really do. I wish I never knew.

[LoveSoDeep]

Fudgie I'm sorry to hear you are having a hard time with this.

 

I had a similar bleeding episode years ago....literally I had a friend buy me depends b/c I knew I would bleed through a regular pad just in the waiting room at my gyno's office. I didn't want to be pregnant either but it really freaked me out. The doctor did tests to see if I had been pregnant (in case a D and C was needed) but I never saw/got the results so I have to assume I wasn't or it was so early that no further procedures were necessary. I think a new medication caused my episode as well. Talk to the doctor who prescribed your new meds to you and check into the side affects I think mine actually said that rarely hemorrhaging was a side affect and maybe that's just what happened. I switched off that right away.

 

Everything will be okay.

[Seraphim]

Wow I am sorry love. It is hard regardless even if you don't want children. Hugs.

[Fudgie]

I'm really sorry to hear what happened to you.

 

I'm at home and since this started, I've been off at work so I can change the pads frequently without an issue. I have had to use depends in the past for heavy bleeding when going somewhere (my sister too, genetic?) so I understand that very much.

 

I don't know what my gyno will say but like I said, if he wants me in, I will go in and do whatever.

 

Oh man this is awful.

I wish I could tell my mom but I think it would make her sad and I don't want her to be sad.

 

What's weird is we were JUST having a convo about pregnancy and she told me "I know you've been saying since you were 4 that you don't want kids but you have always surprised me sometimes so maybe you'll change your mind". I just rolled my eyes and said "Mom don't worry you'll get a grandkid from my brother!" Now this.

 

*sigh*

[lavenderdove]

It is fairly common for women to get pregnant and then have a very early miscarriage that they think is just a late or heavy period, both with and without birth control. But IUDs as a method do prevent pregnancy by agitating in the uterus and make a hostile environment for the egg and copper IUDs act as spermicide.

 

I think if your BF is in a bad state of mind these days, and you take a test in a week or so and it is negative, there is no need to tell him because you really aren't pregnant and there was no decision making inolved. If you are still showing pregnancy in a week or two, you need to go to a doctor to get checked to see if this is some kind of an odd hormone imbalance or other medical condition, or if you are still pregnant.

 

I also think if you genuinely don't want children, it is better to find a method that totally prevents ovulation or implantation, or double up and use both spermicide and an IUD. Or perhaps switch to a different IUD, perhaps one with copper where the copper helps prevent implantation and is a natural spermicide.

 

The thing is that unless there's been a surgical vasetomy or getting your tubes tied, there is always a chance of pregnancy. So if you really don't want to have a child, you are better finding the most bullet proof method you can. Perhaps your partner will get a vasectomy if he really doesn't want to be a parent.

[Fudgie]

You are right Vic. I was wrong. I thought this wouldn't be a big deal for me cause of my position.

 

It sucks. I wish it didn't happen.

 

I think I am going to see about those meds, like LoveSoDeep said. I am going to continue the IUD if my GYN agrees but I don't want to be on something that makes me ovulate. Time to do something else.

[Fudgie]

lav,

 

I'm thinking a diaphragm? I can't use a cervical cap due my strings but a diaphragm would be good. That way oral won't taste bad from spermicide.

[Seraphim]

You are right Vic. I was wrong. I thought this wouldn't be a big deal for me cause of my position.

 

It sucks. I wish it didn't happen.

 

I think I am going to see about those meds, like LoveSoDeep said. I am going to continue the IUD if my GYN agrees but I don't want to be on something that makes me ovulate. Time to do something else.

 

I am sorry you are hurting. If you ever need to talk about it I am here. I understand how you feel.

[Fudgie]

This just really, really wasn't supposed to happen.

 

Here I am, being responsible, having an IUD inserted even though it hurt a lot, because I'm sure of my choice and I had to get off the pill.

 

I had doctors tell me when I was 19 "better start having them now because your ovaries/hormones are in bad shape!"

 

This just wasn't supposed to happen. Not to me. Pregnancies are supposed to happen to people who want them or those who are reckless. I was careful.

 

Perhaps I'm selfish but I worry I'll tell N and then he'll psychologically not want to ejaculate inside of me anymore even if I take precautions. Maybe this will make him fearful or sad. And I don't want to make him feel bad because it wasn't his fault.

[Jetta]

My daughter was a faint positive but if it's followed by heavy bleeding you have probably miscarried. Check in with your OB just to be sure things are all ok but sorry for your loss.

[Snny]

I never had an IUD (can never get it), but I have met women who have had them and still got pregnant.

 

Go see a doctor and get checked out. They have more accurate tests than a pharmacy pregnancy test. Discuss your options with your boyfriend. My prayers are with you.

[Fudgie]

N and I made an agreement before we started to have sex that if I got pregnant, I'd terminate it quickly. My choice on this hasn't changed. I know I don't want a child and I'm pretty confident that a kid from both of us would get bad genes and be in a bad position. In a way, I am relieved because this really sucks regardless but a termination would suck more. Would I go through it? Yeah but it would leave me with a worse feeling than now.

 

I'm more motivated to stop it. I am going to ask my doctor about getting off this drug or lowering the dosage. I'm sure I would have been fine had I not taken this drug because I didn't have an issue before. I need to make sure I stay off of things that will make me ovulate.

 

Once I lose weight though, I may start to ovulate again. Maybe I should just go back on hormones at that time.

 

Haven't heard yet from my gyno. Still bleeding some but it's lessened. I'm pretty sure if something was in there its gone now. I am not having pain other than my back injury. I'll see in a few days and update.

 

Feeling a bit better today. Still haven't told my boyfriend and I'm still debating. Maybe I'll tell him once I get the negative so he can rest easy.

[lavenderdove]

Yes, doubling up on methods has shown to be the most effective form of preventing pregnancy. You could use an IUD, but when you are in that week that surrounds your fertile time, double up on methods during that time.

 

btw, i've known people who wanted children and were told they couldn't have them, and had unprotected sex for 10-20 years, then turn up pregnant at 40 as a big surprise. You just never know because there are so many factors that go into ovulation and the ability of an egg to implant or sperm to penetrate an egg, that as conditions change, there can be a time which it does happen in spite of everything.

 

So if you really don't want kids, then double up on methods during your fertile times to increase the odds of not having it happen.

[Fudgie]

Yeah that seems like the wise thing to do.

 

I'm thinking of doing hormones again and keeping the IUD just to be safe.

[Fudgie]

I know it's only been a few days but curiosity got the best of me and I decided to test again.

 

No faint positive, just negative. I'm still bleeding some it's tapering off now, which is good. Whatever it was, I think it's gone.

 

Not sure if I'm going to say anything, I may not. I'm feeling a bit better about this but N and I, we're both dealing with our own health issues at the moment. My health is really starting to not be good and my mental state is reflective of that. N is still getting used to his meds and I know that my mood for the past month has been affecting him adversely. He has needed to help me a lot with household chores that I would do otherwise. I don't want to burden him anymore at the moment. We're both struggling.