Readers Respond: Frustrating Pregnancy Symptoms When Not Pregnant

Responses: 17

Experiencing pregnancy symptoms when you're not pregnant is a common frustration for those trying to get conceive. We should probably put "pregnancy symptoms" in quotes, since you can rarely tell if you're pregnant, or just dealing with PMS, or just imagining it completely!

I like to think I've wised up to imaginary pregnancy symptoms, but I do still fall for them at times. Have you ever thought symptoms you were experiencing were signs of pregnancy, when they were not? Which "pregnancy symptoms" drive you crazy? And if you've ever been pregnant, could you tell the difference?

2 months since I last had sex

Ok, so it's been two months since I last had sex, and I have had two periods since then. My first period since I had sex was over a week late and was really heavy (for me, normally I have really light periods), I then about a month after I first had sex I started feeling sick for about a week then was fine, didn't really think anything of it just thought I caught something, and around the same time I started getting headaches a lot and heartburn. I have now been getting really tired very easily, I'm exhausted today for example and all I did was go out to eat and go to the Halloween store. I have also been really hungry all the time, and my breasts have been swollen and very tender for a little over a week now. I took a home pregnancy test yesterday just to make sure, but it came out negative. I don't understand what's going on.

—Guest Kirsten

Menstrual Symptoms don't Subside

I read these blogs b/c I am looking for someone to write something that will make me believe for certain that my symptoms will result in a pregancy this month. I have been pregnant once but it was an ectopic pregnancy discovered in week 10. I am now almost 36 and terrified that my time won't come and if it does it will be another ectopic pregnancy. I usually experience extreme PMS with really sore breasts and cramping a full week before my period. I am starting to think I am not going to know when I am pregant b/c the symptoms are so similiar. I am really hoping for a different outcome this month. A few days before my period is supposed to begin the PMS syptoms will subside almost completely. They have not yet subsided and I am 3 days out before missed period. I hope this helps someone out there who is scared and desperate. Best wishes to everyone and thanks for writing.

—maggiemurphy1

janet

Well what can I say; I get moments or months when I get some symptoms. But not change of taste or smells, but nausea and tiredness. Yes I would like to be pregnant, but would like to know what to do with this question, all the time, of "Am I or not?" Plus, the searching for extra symptoms that may confirm pregnancy.... I am upset and would love to know why or how to stop this. If I am pregnant, all is well and good. If I am not, then why do I have the symptoms?. I cope better when I feel nothing and have my regular period, but when these symptoms turn up, it makes me feel pregnant, and then I start hoping.

—Guest janet

Disappointed!!!

I'm trying to conceive for the last 8 months. I've even took some time to calculate my most fertile day every month. To date,I wasn't getting preggie at all. This had left me numerous times of disappointment. I felt sad each time when I got my period, because it means I had failed to become a mummy.

—siyap

Either I am pregnant or crazy!

I'm telling ya', all you can do sometimes is wait it out. I just got off the pill this past cycle. I finished the pack on July 11th, got my period a couple days later than usual on July 15th. Starting on the 20th, my DH and I had relations several times (and still are) over the past few weeks. If I based my calculations on a 28 day cycle, I should have gotten my period on 8/11. No AF yet! But I have taken several HPT and all BFN! The real odd part is that I am having LOTS of symptoms, some of which I never had with my first pregnancy. It's frustrating because how can I imagine a symptom that I've never had? How would I know what it felt like? And can I imagine my cervical position? It has been high and now closed since I would have ovulated. I tracked cervical postiion with my first, so it just becamse a habit to continue to track it. Helps me know when AF is due. So here I am, over 2 weeks late, numerous BFN but my symptoms are numerous as well! Ugh. I'll wait a week and test again.

—Guest Nutty as a pancake?!

Torture

I am so frustrated... I had issues with my period as a teen and was put on the pill until 2 years ago.. I haven't been on anything since and my husband and I are trying to concieve(9 months of trying) and my period had been on time, came once a month... But for the last 4 months it has been 2 weeks late.. and the last one was brown.. I feel like my mind is purposely messing with me...

—Guest Aj

Imagining pregnancy symptoms

I started spotting on CD21, very scant, CD22, again very scant (this is 6-10 days early for me as I normally have 28-30 day cycles, but allowed for potentially 6 days early because my last cycle, also wierd, was only 26 days). The spotting also occurred perfectly between 7-10DPO. Then nothing on CD24 (or at least nothing worth considering) and then CD25 a little more and this time brownish-pink to brownish-red, but still only on wiping after the toilet and no pms cramping or backache (which I usually get). Today, CD25 NOTHING! I was sure I would get my period. So I guess there is still hope yet, as I still don't have the usual PMS cramps (which I get the day before or on the day of AF). So now I must wait until next Sat to test (18DPO) to see if AF shows or I am pregnant. It's pretty hard to "imagine" spotting. So fingers crossed it is just implantation spotting and I am pregnant!

—Guest Caroline

All of the above

I started tracking my symptoms because I thought they were "pregnancy symptoms". Nausea, throwing up, sore swollen breasts, food aversion, increased cm, heartburn, headache, increased sense of smell..and on and on. Some was not in my head but probably caused by the stress of really wanting to be prego. Even after Aunt Flo (my period) came yesterday, I still thought maybe? UGH!I just need to calm down and let nature take its course.

—Guest kat

Not Ever

I have not had a period since May 2009, it is July and I have taken a blood test and two home pregnancy tests, they all are negative. I do not know what to do. My doctor says that the only way to get my period is birth control.

—Guest slim185

ALL OF 'EM

I have been trying to conceive for 6 months and not been able to. On at least two occassions I have had nausea, fatigue, food cravings, and even weight gain. I went to the Dr. and it was negative. That really hurt.

—Guest Kara

This is happening to me!

My husband and I just started trying for a baby. Every month I feel "weird" and get my hopes up, but then I have not gotten pregnant, yet. I even dream about being pregnant! After reading the article, I think I will realize the next time I feel "weird" that it is probably nothing. However, we will keep trying and hoping!!

—Guest Tiffany

i have

I also have had pregnancy symptoms but no positive tests. So I went to dr, and they took my blood, and I had them test for pregnancy and also thyroid problem

—Guest denisew

Jeanny

I have been on clomid 50mg, and about two weeks ago I really felt that I was pregnant, only to get disappointed when I did a home pregnancy test and it was negative, I have been trying for three month, I am still hoping.

—Guest Jeanette

Pregnancy symptoms that drive you crazy

I just had something that happened that threw me for a loop. I started spotting early and thought it was implantation bleeding. I have a fertility calendar that I follow and it was coincidental that implantation happens the same day that I started to spot. Therefore I thought I was pregnant. It played mind games with me for a couple of days. Unfortunately, my cycle started (5) days early this cycle. As much as you try not to let symptoms fool you they always seem to.

—Guest Trish

Nausea

I end up feeling slightly sick to my stomach when newly pregnant (it gets much worse, and then goes away, but that's another post). I'm also highly suggestible--I can imagine I have symptoms, and actually physically feel them! So there have been several times I've thought I had that 'early pregnancy sick', but it's just been nerves, or hope, or something else.

—Guest Isabelle

Menstrual migraines

When I am pregnant, I get terrible headaches along with nausea (it's just as bad as it sounds). After my last pregnancy I started getting premenstrual migraines -- bad headaches accompanied by nausea in the week before my period. It took me several months to realize what was going on. Every cycle, I thought I was pregnant.

—Guest catherine

Nauseated at night!

The worst "pregnancy symptom" for me is feeling sick at night... it doesn't happen most of the time, so when it does one month, I get really hopeful I'm pregnant! The last three times I've gotten a sick feeling at night, though, I wasn't pregnant. :(

—Guest Joan