Hi,
I'm glad you wrote back, let's see how we can help!
Let's focus on the facts, first, then talk about the other emotional aspects of this.
1. Your LMP (last menstrual period) was November 7th
2. Today is January 19th, giving you 73 days since your LMP
3. Normal length of cycle is between 21-35 days
Possible reasons for abnormal cycle length; loss of menstruation:
1. Pregnancy
2. Dramatic weight loss/gain
3. Underlying medical condition
4. Excess stress
5. Recent illness
6. New medication
7. Other "unknown" factors
Your doctor will likely take more notice of your missed periods once you have missed three periods in-a-row (105 days since LMP), as this is a medical condition called amenorrhea. (click on orange hyperlink to learn more)
Your doctor will likely perform another blood test, to check for pregnancy among other things. An ultrasound may be performed, and this would absolutely prove/disprove any possible current, viable pregnancy.
Other facts to focus on, regarding your symptoms: You are experiencing a feeling of a ball rolling around in your stomach, on the left side; similar to bubbles or fluttering.
Fetal movement is typically felt by the mother between weeks 16-22 weeks, with the average for first-time moms being around 20 weeks.
If your LMP was November 7th, you would be at about 10.5 weeks...too early to feel significant fetal movements. Please know, however, that some women are able to feel slight fetal movement earlier than 16 weeks, but this is the exception not the rule. What is more likely being felt is anxiety, stress or GI symptoms (gas "bubbles"). How does this make you feel to read this information? I in no way want to doubt your symptoms or cause more anxiety, and am primarily providing information based on the most likely scenario.
Regarding the emotional aspects of what you are going through:
You are not crazy! :-) Just very excited, wanting something and are interpreting any/every symptom as a pregnancy symptom. That is very common, and is difficult NOT to do, as there are so many websites devoted to "early pregnancy signs" (as well as the overly dramatic "I didn't know I was pregnant" TV shows). These sites and shows are doing well, because they are playing into women's worst fears, anxieties, hopes and dreams. Women want a baby, want to feel pregnant...if they are not pregnant, then they second-guess that a test was wrong, a doctor's diagnosis was wrong, or there is a baby hiding somewhere where a test did not find it.
This does not mean you are "crazy", but you may want to choose carefully what websites you visit, as there is a "condition" that is common and medical students experience it: whatever disease/condition they are studying, they start physically feeling the symptoms of the disease. It is human nature, and completely normal response. If you continue reading possible pregnancy symptoms, you too, will start physically feeling symptoms, wondering if you are pregnant even though all the tests say you are not at this time.
Please know there are always exceptions to the rule, and you know your body better than anyone else. It is a struggle to be able to listen carefully to your body's physical, emotional, mental and spiritual "signals" vs. what your deepest wishes, dreams and desires are. Please trust your gut, seek a second opinion if you need to, but just know yourself and give yourself permission to say, "I may be wanting a baby so badly that I am interpreting my physical symptoms as a pregnancy, although it has been confirmed that I do not have a current viable pregnancy. It is OK to feel this way, and I will not call myself "crazy" or put myself down, but I will continue listening to my body, asking important health questions, seeking medical attention for absence of a period, with the outcome being unknown at the moment."
Does this help at all? I was in your shoes, too, wanting/wondering if any possible strange sensation in my abdomen was a pregnancy sign. You've had a rougher time, with some tests being positive; others being negative. You can focus on the facts right now, that you have not had a period for over 70 days, call your doctor and ask when you should be seen for amenorrhea. You can seek a second opinion.
In the meantime, it may be a good idea to have protected sex, so that you can have your medical condition resolved first, so that you will know what your baseline menstrual period is (it may be irregular for a time).
Please keep us updated, and let us know your thoughts.
Comment Reply
Hi,
I'm glad you wrote back, let's see how we can help!
Let's focus on the facts, first, then talk about the other emotional aspects of this.
1. Your LMP (last menstrual period) was November 7th
2. Today is January 19th, giving you 73 days since your LMP
3. Normal length of cycle is between 21-35 days
Possible reasons for abnormal cycle length; loss of menstruation:
1. Pregnancy
2. Dramatic weight loss/gain
3. Underlying medical condition
4. Excess stress
5. Recent illness
6. New medication
7. Other "unknown" factors
Your doctor will likely take more notice of your missed periods once you have missed three periods in-a-row (105 days since LMP), as this is a medical condition called amenorrhea. (click on orange hyperlink to learn more)
Your doctor will likely perform another blood test, to check for pregnancy among other things. An ultrasound may be performed, and this would absolutely prove/disprove any possible current, viable pregnancy.
Other facts to focus on, regarding your symptoms: You are experiencing a feeling of a ball rolling around in your stomach, on the left side; similar to bubbles or fluttering.
Fetal movement is typically felt by the mother between weeks 16-22 weeks, with the average for first-time moms being around 20 weeks.
If your LMP was November 7th, you would be at about 10.5 weeks...too early to feel significant fetal movements. Please know, however, that some women are able to feel slight fetal movement earlier than 16 weeks, but this is the exception not the rule. What is more likely being felt is anxiety, stress or GI symptoms (gas "bubbles"). How does this make you feel to read this information? I in no way want to doubt your symptoms or cause more anxiety, and am primarily providing information based on the most likely scenario.
Regarding the emotional aspects of what you are going through:
You are not crazy! :-) Just very excited, wanting something and are interpreting any/every symptom as a pregnancy symptom. That is very common, and is difficult NOT to do, as there are so many websites devoted to "early pregnancy signs" (as well as the overly dramatic "I didn't know I was pregnant" TV shows). These sites and shows are doing well, because they are playing into women's worst fears, anxieties, hopes and dreams. Women want a baby, want to feel pregnant...if they are not pregnant, then they second-guess that a test was wrong, a doctor's diagnosis was wrong, or there is a baby hiding somewhere where a test did not find it.
This does not mean you are "crazy", but you may want to choose carefully what websites you visit, as there is a "condition" that is common and medical students experience it: whatever disease/condition they are studying, they start physically feeling the symptoms of the disease. It is human nature, and completely normal response. If you continue reading possible pregnancy symptoms, you too, will start physically feeling symptoms, wondering if you are pregnant even though all the tests say you are not at this time.
Please know there are always exceptions to the rule, and you know your body better than anyone else. It is a struggle to be able to listen carefully to your body's physical, emotional, mental and spiritual "signals" vs. what your deepest wishes, dreams and desires are. Please trust your gut, seek a second opinion if you need to, but just know yourself and give yourself permission to say, "I may be wanting a baby so badly that I am interpreting my physical symptoms as a pregnancy, although it has been confirmed that I do not have a current viable pregnancy. It is OK to feel this way, and I will not call myself "crazy" or put myself down, but I will continue listening to my body, asking important health questions, seeking medical attention for absence of a period, with the outcome being unknown at the moment."
Does this help at all? I was in your shoes, too, wanting/wondering if any possible strange sensation in my abdomen was a pregnancy sign. You've had a rougher time, with some tests being positive; others being negative. You can focus on the facts right now, that you have not had a period for over 70 days, call your doctor and ask when you should be seen for amenorrhea. You can seek a second opinion.
In the meantime, it may be a good idea to have protected sex, so that you can have your medical condition resolved first, so that you will know what your baseline menstrual period is (it may be irregular for a time).
Please keep us updated, and let us know your thoughts.
January 19, 2010 - 3:31pmThis Comment
Reply