Pregnant?

[glittergoddessx.livejournal.com]

My period is exactly every 28 days and normally lasts 4-5 days. My last period started exactly on time on 28th of July and only lasted 2 days. I have not been on birth control pill since march and it has normal until now.
My period is not due until the 25th but I am having symptoms weight gain, cravings and my stomach has been hurting, and my hormones have been kind of crazy.
Could I have possibly been pregnant and had my period last month? Maybe I got pregnant after my period? I want to go get a blood test done should I wait until after the 25th or is it safe to do it now? I don't think it is from being off the pill since I stopped in march and these symptoms all started this month.

Any input?

Comments

[galadrine.livejournal.com]

I suggest you check out pregnant and fill out their survey.

[jennifer0246.livejournal.com]

I don't see a survey at pregnant; am I missing something?

[smokeline.livejournal.com]

It's either amipregnant or am_i_pregnant (both offer similar advice). Probably a typo in the comment.

[galadrine.livejournal.com]

Ag, sorry. I meant amipregnant.

[queensugar.livejournal.com]

First of all, as most doctors will tell you, it is impossible to diagnose pregnancy based on symptoms like you mentioned. This is because essentially, the symptoms associated with pregnancy like nausea or breast tenderness can also be caused by literally dozens of other things.

As well, there's a significant psychosomatic component to it: if you're nervous that you may be pregnant, you notice things that seem like pregnancy symptoms more. And since you're focusing on them, they can seem more noticeable.

Here's what I can tell you.

You will hear some anecdotal stories about women who had what appeared to be a normal period while pregnant; however, it's safe to say that this is at least an extremely rare occurance.

In general, you cannot have a normal period while pregnant, since during menstruation you shed the uterine lining where an embryo implants. It is possible to have spotting near the time of an expected period, but a normal bleed would be extraordinarily rare.

So since your last period was normal, it's a very good bet you were not pregnant at that point.

Given the dates you mentioned, I highly doubt that your current symptoms are caused by a pregnancy that happened between your last period and now.

To explain why -- if you say that you are normally on a 28 day cycle, that means you will normally ovulate on about day 14 of your period.

If your last period started on July 28, that means you wouldn't have ovulated until about August 11 (or three days ago), give or take a day or two, depending.

Now, during ovulation, if an egg is fertilized, you do not immediately feel "pregnant." It actually takes about 6-12 days for the fertilized egg to make its way to the uterus and implant in the lining.

Not until after it implants does it start producing the hormone that tells your body it is pregnant; you would not feel symptoms until this occurs.

Even after implantation, it can take some time for the level of hormone to rise to the point where symptoms are felt. Most pregnant women don't start feeling symptoms until about when their period is due, though some get them a little earlier.

So basically... these symptoms are almost certainly not caused by a pregnancy that occured since your last menstruation. Assuming you did ovulate near your normal time, and the egg was fertilized, it would almost definitely not have implanted yet.

Additionally, since you describe your symptoms as quite significant, I think it's safe to say they are not caused by a pregnancy that occured since your last period... even if you had conceived last week, it would be extremely unlike that you would already be exhibiting weight gain and stomach pain, since the egg would likely not even have implanted yet.

To sum it up: these symptoms are quite probably not related to a pregnancy. They are quite a bit too early and too significant to be from a pregnancy from this cycle, and it is extremely rare to have a normal bleed while pregnant if you had conceived last cycle.

If you're still concerned, a test will show accurate about 14 days after ovulation.

[queensugar.livejournal.com]

that means you will normally ovulate on about day 14 of your period.

Day 14 of your *cycle*. Gah, I need sleep. :)

[glittergoddessx.livejournal.com]

Yeah I was concerned because it was so light and only lasted 2 days last period and normally it is 4-5 days and not as light. My next period is due 25th but the dr told me I can get a blood test this week if I want.