Pregnancy Tests and Early Symptoms

Hi C.,

I always waited until I missed my period. I bought a double pack of tests just so I could retest to make sure the results were right.

With my last pregnancy, I felt symptoms before my missed period (about 2-3 weeks pregnant). I began to be very sensitive to smells. I remember making spaghetti sauce and almost throwing up from the smell. That was the first sign I had that I was pregnant. I also began to feel queasy and I needed to drink Ginger Ale and eat Saltines to help settle my stomach.

Most people say that you don't feel pregnancy symptoms until 6-8 weeks pregnant. I know my body, and I'm very sensitive to my bodies changes, and I fully believe that your symptoms can begin as soon as you get pregnant.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that you will have a positive test result!!! Please make sure to update us:)

Hey C.,
I have a 2 year old daughter...I actually thought I had the flu, before finding out I was prego....I never had any of the normal pre period symptoms when I would get my period...but before finding out I was prego I had all of them....my boobs killed, I was sooo tired I could barely get out of bed and was nauseous beyond belief....When I first thought I had the flu, then thought hmmmm maybe Im prego I took a test and it was negative...my hubby and I had been trying to get pregnant, however my periods had been irregular for about 6 months prior to all of this....so I resorted back to my theory that I just had the flu....after another week and a half of feeling soooo nauseous I took another test...and it was positive....I was sooo happy to have an answer to all of my symptoms, not to mention how overjoyed we both were...sooooo in my lenghty post here my advice to you would be not to test unless you have some symptoms...or if you miss your period....you can make yourself crazy if you test too much, nevermind get yourself down if they come back negative....I wish you the best, and hope you will have a positive result soon!!
Meg :)

First off, my doctor told me is it virtually impossible to have a "false positive" with a home pregnancy test. When I conceived my boys we tested three days before my period and it was negative. We tested again four days later (one day after "missed period") and it was a STRONG positive. I agree with the other women that you'll make yourself crazy testing too soon.

As for symptoms, my big thing was I had to use the bathroom... A LOT! That and having a sensitivity to smells. I came home late one night and my husband had Thai food for dinner (something we love) and I thought I was going to lose it as soon as I walked in the door! I couldn't handle any strong food smells for pretty much the first trimester. My sister in law had the same thing. As for sore breasts, that didn't really happen to me until a few months later.

Good luck and God bless!!

I would wait unitl the missed period. Early pregnancy tests can only determine as little as 5% of pregnancies depending on how early you take them. The reason, you have to wait for your hormone levels to get high enough for the test to read them. I took a test once (-, about 5 days before my period) and then took another (+, about a week later)and was pregnant with my daughter. The sore boobs doesn't happen until around the missed period thing. Mine got so sore that it hurt to take a shower. Exhaustion, about the same time. But it slowly builds to the point where your in bed by 7. If you just started trying, I would relax and enjoy the ride. Make it fun.

Let me start out by saying that I have three children an the early pregnancy signs were different for all of them. With my first I just had a gut feeling. My periond were regular and I usually started it first thing in the morning. This particuular day it didn't start and right after work i did a test and it was positive. With my second I worked in my OB office, so after being only a day late I asked ont of the nurses to do a test and it was positive. With my third it was a different story. Now there tests available that say they can detect pregnancy up to 5 days before a missed period. In my case it was wrong. I tested 5 days before, negative; 4 days before, negative; 2 days before, negative, then the day my period was due, positive. It all depends on how fast your homone levels spike. My sister-in-law on the other hand did get a positive result 5, 4 and 2 and then she got her period 2 days late and considered it miscarriage. The doctor told her that most women have "miscarriages" and don't even know it. If I were you I would wait until you miss your period. you really don't want to get your hos up or down!!

I didn't even know I was pregnant until I missed my period. And I am 31, educated, and very in tune with my body. I waited 4 days after I didn't get my period to take the test. The only thing I can say, looking back, is that I thought I was getting my period because I had very mild cramping like you get right before your period starts. I didn't have much of those "pregnancy symptoms" except fatigue, I never had morning sickness or sore breasts. So everyone is different. I know you can get a false negative but you really can't get a false positive because it detects a special pregnancy hormone. I used clear blue easy, it was on sale at the time.

Hi C.. Congrats on planning for a baby.
I was also very anxious to get pregnant and tested way too early. It depressed me to see the not pregnant sign on the tests so I stopped taking them. I gave in and waited until I missed my period. You're better off waiting.

Early in my pregnancy I was tired, moody, and pretty sick. At first I didn't put two and two together. After not feeling well for almost two weeks I finally went to the doctor and was advised I was expecting. It was the best day of my life.