Tag Archives: Temping

Will Lemon or Lime Juice create a false positive result on a HPT?

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If you happen to have a Facebook, you may be familiar with our TTC (Trying To Conceive) Group we have on there, basically tailored around the fascinating world of Pee Sticks! Well, we decided to conduct a little experiment with Lime and Lemon Juice to see if perhaps, (as rumor has it) either would create a false Line?!

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The TRUTH behind Evaporation Lines

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Image: www.wisegeek.com Graphics: Pee-On-A-Stick-Freak

 
Being an avid TTC’er (Trying To Conceive) while going through your journey, I’m sure you’ve come across the word evap – which is short for (Evaporation Line) ⇦ which you can get a good look at some actual ones here ★ especially if you’ve joined any support groups. Posting good HPT (Home Pregnancy Test) Pics is ultimately an art form nonetheless and I’ve even created a tutorial on (How to post GOOD HPT Pics) if you ever opt to get a second opinion on the results!

Posting pics can be great, the only downfall is the opinions and advice that ultimately goes along with it. Reading and interpreting results is not as easy as you would think.

First of all, (regardless of what test you’re choosing to take) you have to make sure that you read the instructions carefully beforehand. Not every test is the same, and most errors occur from not doing so. Some tests allow you to hold the absorbent tip in your Urine stream, while other tests require you to collect your Urine in a clean, sanitary cup beforehand. Also, reaction times can differ as well. Most Tests however, specify a certain amount of time to read the results and to disregard the test after that allotted timeframe. When taking a test, a Control Line should appear indicating that the test has been done correctly, and a Test Line will only appear if the Pregnancy hormone HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) is present inside of the Urine and has a high enough concentration for that specific test to pick up on as the hormone binds to the chemicals on the antibody strip – causing it to change colors. That would be considered a positive result and would mean that you are in fact pregnant! And Yes, even a very faint Line still means that there’s a presence of HCG in your system, even if it’s a very small amount. A faint Line should not be confused with an EVAP, (Evaporation Line) or an (Indent Line).

The problem is how so many people nowadays seem to misuse the word and throw it around without using it in it’s proper context, or by using the word without knowing it’s true meaning. Either way, I decided to once and for all clarify the term since there seems to be so much confusion behind it.

So, what is an Evap Line? And, how can you tell the difference? The true definition of an Evap sort of speaks for itself – it’s a Line that develops as the Urine evaporates off of the HPT. As the Urine dries, it can cause the antibody strip to appear slightly more visible, and in some cases can actually look like an indentation on the test itself. Most of the time they will appear shadowy, colorless or even grey. In some cases, they can however also develop a little bit of color. Although any Line that may look promising, (especially one with Blue or Pink) if it appears outside of the timeframe it should be considered invalid and disregarded. Since an Evap Line only occurs once the Urine has dried, it’s safe to say that any Line that appears within that allotted timeframe specified on the instructions would be considered a positive result no matter how faint the Line may be. If you’re strict on reading the test only within the timeframe per the manufacturer – the test should still be damp and no Evap Lines will have had time to produce. Most test instructions indicate that a test should not be read after the 3-10 minute time period.

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Image: www.pregnancyandbaby.com Graphics: Pee-On-A-Stick-Freak


 
Sometimes after we specify to others a pic we posted was snapped within the recommended timeframe we still come across those that say, “It looks like an Evap to me.” So, what if a faint Line occurs within the timeframe?

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Image: www.pregnancyandbaby.com Graphics: Pee-On-A-Stick-Freak


 
Again, more than likely that Evap Line your friend or co-worker thought they saw, really isn’t an Evap Line. Here’s a few examples of some actual Evaps I came across recently.

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Image: www.digitalmuze.net Graphics: Pee-On-A-Stick-Freak


 
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Image: www.justmommies.com Graphics: Pee-On-A-Stick-Freak


 
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Image: www.webanswers.com Graphics: Pee-On-A-Stick-Freaks


 
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Image: www.babybumpapp.com Graphics: Pee-On-A-Stick-Freak


 
If it’s a very faint Line, I always highly recommend to take another test in a couple days to track your Line Progression. Every 48 hours during early Pregnancy HCG will double as it should and over the course of a few days – you should start to see your test Lines get a little darker each time you pee on that stick! Of course with that being said, different Tests have different sensitivities that require different concentrations of the HCG in your Urine to produce a positive result. I highly recommend using the same brand and sensitivity to track your progress until you’re levels are high enough to be detected reliably on any test.

ALSO, something I felt I should discuss is the infamous, “Water Trick.” What is that you ask? Well, apparently somewhere along the wonderful internet we came across some topic or forum somewhere – where someone had mentioned that a great way to distinguish the Evap Line from a True Positive Result is by conducting the water trick. You simply put a few drops of water in the same place you would drop Urine and it’ll run across the test cleaning up the icky yellowish dried Urine on the test. This theory states that if it’s an Evap – than the line will wash away leaving the area pristine white again whereas if the line contains dye – then its a true BFP (Big Fat Positive) because any line with color even outside of the time limit MUST be positive according to some. Sorry to say that unfortunately that’s NOT always the case. EVAPS CAN HAVE COLOR and sometimes they DO NOT wash away! Here’s an example of just that, that actually came out of my personal collection recently! The line was very pink, and when I tried the water trick – the line stayed intact. So that myth has been busted! Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn’t. My best advice to you, is to toss the test outside once you’ve established it’s a negative result (within) the timeframe – and then proceed to run it over a few times! After that chunk it in a dumpster! Do whatever you have to do, but put the pee stick down and walk away. You can always retest later if you feel like you could still be pregnant!

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The next controversy we often encounter is the unwanted Indent Line, which is far too common and also can be misinterpreted as a positive result. More often than not, those usually appear outside of the timeframe – but not always! Occasionally they can appear within. But indent Lines unlike EVAP Lines, is simply the antibody strip. Indent Lines are usually completely colorless, or white when they appear within the timeframe. If you see an indent with color, or one with grey, than at that point it can then be considered an Evap if it appeared outside of the time limit. Here’s a few example those:

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Image: www.twoweekwait.com Graphics: Pee-On-A-Stick-Freak


 
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Image: www.twoweekwait.com Graphics: Pee-On-A-Stick-Freak


 
This however, is how you can distinguish the difference between an antibody strip or indent with the real deal below. The Line is Pink. It can be faint, but just Keep in mind the reagent in the dye binds to the chemicals on the antibody strip as the Urine passes over it when HCG is present. So a good rule of thumb, if it’s white or you need break the case open to see it, (which also makes the test invalid) than more than likely it’s not positive.

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Image: www.community.babycenter.com Graphics: Pee-On-A-Stick-Freak


 
One of the main reasons for seeing a False Line, (although rare) – is due to a dye run. That happens when the dye doesn’t run across the test smoothly and can get stuck on certain parts of the test. Whenever that happens, Sometimes it can cause a Line to appear where a true one would have had HCG been detected in the Urine. Although it looks very promising to the naked eye, it’s not considered to be a true positive. It doesn’t mean you’re not pregnant, it just simply means the result is unreliable since it was faulty  and if you suspect that you could still be pregnant, than you need to do yourself a favor and retest. Here’s a good example:

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Image: www.community.babycenter.com Graphics: Pee-On-A-Stick-Freak


 
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Then we have the famous, “Disappearing,” Line. Many of us get that confused with a true positive result. Although it, (again) seems promising, it’s not considered legitimate. This Sometimes happens when the dye is not fully finished running across the test. The dye can get stuck or may stall in the correct spot briefly, but then continues moving along. Per Most manufacturers – a true positive result will stay intact for at least 48 hours if not a whole lot longer! I definitely can vouch for that myself. I opted to save my Pregnancy Tests from both of my pregnancies (my son is now 4 and my daughter is 3) and every test Line to this day still remains as vivid as ever!

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Image: www.early-pregnancy-tests.com Graphics: Pee-On-A-Stick-Freak


 
And lastly, I feel the need to discuss the odd and unusual, (but not unheard of) test Lines that appear in the wrong spots on our lovely little pee sticks. Yes it happens. Yes it’s more than one Line. Does it mean it’s positive? No. Most of the time it occurs because of a dye run, and Sometimes the test is just faulty. The results should be considered (again) invalid and if you suspect your pregnant you should of course retest.

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Image: www.gaia.com Graphics: Pee-On-A-Stick-Freak


 
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Looks very odd, huh? And Yes it happens. But hopefully after reading this You’ll have a much better understanding of this and my goal more than anything else, was to hopefully reduce the phrase, “Evap,” from being so loosely thrown around as if any Line on any given test if faint enough or Maybe not even colorful enough in ones opinion – automatically means just that!

Moral of the story: Evap means that URINE actually EVAPORATED off of the test! And it also will ONLY appear outside of the time limit, so please use caution when using that term.

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Product Review SurePredict 10miu HCG Test Strips

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I ordered a pack of SurePredict 10miu HCG Test Strips and I decided to give my 2 cents on them for those of you who opt to use highly sensitive HPT’s (Home Pregnancy Tests) when testing early!

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Home Pregnancy Test DYE RUNS

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I’m sure by now if you’ve started your TTC (Trying To Conceive) journey, you’ve started charting your BBT (Basal Body Temperature), CM (Cervical Mucus), and possibly even your CP (Cervical Position). Some even opt to Take OPK’s (Ovulation Predictor Kits) in conjunction, to verify whether or not you’re in your Fertile Window! Once Ovulation has taken place, you can usually get a reliable result on a HPT (Home Pregnancy Test) when you’ve missed a period. But what does a true positive result look like? Also, sometimes it can be a bit harder to tell if the dye doesn’t completely run across the test like it’s supposed to. I decided to put together a Gallery of actual Tests that had, “Dye Runs,” that displays both Pink Dye and Blue Dye Tests, manufactured by different brands!

Do you have a Test you would like to submit? Email, Tweet, Post or DM them to us!

*PLEASE INCLUDE whether it’s a Positive, Negative, or Evap Line!

*ALSO – If you have submitted a Test and you notice it’s in the wrong category, PLEASE let us know so we can put it in the right category as soon as possible! Thanks

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Product Review! TARGET Brand (Up and Up) Prenatal Vitamins

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There’s a vast majority of Prenatal Vitamins that are over-the-counter or can be prescribed by your Primary Care Physician.

Whether you’ve found out you’re Pregnant or you’re actively TTC (Trying To Conceive) it is highly recommended to start taking Vitamin Suppliments before, during, (and in some cases) even after you’ve given birth if you’re opting to BF (Breast Feed). 

Some of the benefits from taking Prenatal Vitamins (just to name a few) include:

– Follic Acid (which is very important during the Early Stages of Fetal Development)
– Iron (which helps to prevent you from becoming enemic)
– Calcium (which helps strengthen bones and teeth)

So with that being said, which Brand is right for you? I’ve done some research myself on a well known Brand, (that you can find in Target) and have gotten some very good feedback on this particular Product!

One of the main things that most women complain about during Early Pregnancy is Nausea. And some Prenatal Vitamins can increase or even cause it to a certain extent. Another thing most have concern about is the actual size of the pill. (I remember those days. My prescription prenatals were monstrous to swallow!)

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Reviews suggest that the Target Brand are a whole lot easier to swallow, than some of the other over-the-counter Brands.

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This by far, seems to be a GREAT value, (they’re about $4 a bottle) and ABOVE ALL from what feedback I have gotten so far – it seems to work well with their bodies! I myself, would happily recommend this Brand of Prenatal Vitamins and give two thumbs up!

Click HERE for other Customer Reviews for this Product!

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What is the Purpose of Charting?

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Image: www.hubpages.com Graphics: Pee-On-A-Stick-Freak

 

Charting? Why yes once upon a time, (many many years ago) I didn’t even know there was such a thing! I simply kept track of my Menstrual Cycles by counting up 4 weeks from my first day of a regular Flo – (the lovely Period as most would call it) and then circling the day on my Calender. (This was of course BEFORE we had the luxury of smart phones where we could utilize Menstrual Cycle Tracking APPS) Sometimes I would put a frowney face on it, always knowing what it meant. But aside from doing it the old-fashioned way – it wasn’t until I had turned 21 and decided that I wanted to be a mother! This was back in 2004, the Internet had just started to be a huge thing! At that point, most everyone (including myself) had it. Needless to say after a few cycles of (NOT PREVENTING Pregnancy and unfortunately NOT ACHIEVING Pregnancy either) – that’s when I decided to do some research! (Good ol’ trusty Dr. Internet!) Ha Ha

To my surprise, there were all kinds of ways to improve your odds on achieving Pregnancy! Charting, was one of them. (I found this really wonderful FREE Charting website and you can view My Charting Homepage here) I started reading about BBT’s (Basal Body Temperature – your temp after a solid block of  at least 3 hours of sleep upon waking before doing anything else) Essentially I learned that when taking your temp each morning, you just want to open your eyes and immediately insert the Thermometer (orally or vaginally) with as little movement as possible since that can cause your temperature to rise and therefore wouldn’t be as accurate. You will also want to use a special kind of thermometer called a BBT (Basal Body Thermometer which are inexpensive and you can find very easily at a drugstore or even online). So for example instead of reading a temp that may be at 98.6° on a NORMAL FAHRENHEIT Thermometer that only reads (3 digits), it is a bit more sensitive and can read that same temperature at 98.63° (4 digits) and is able to record slight fluctuations. From the first day of your Menstrual Period until Ovulation has occurred, that is considered to be the FP (Follicular Phase). Your temps are generally a lot lower prior to Ovulation due to a Hormone called Estrogen.

I’m sure you’ve heard someone in your family tell you that Ovulation usually occurs on Day 14 of your cycle, about a week after your Period ends, right? Well – that’s ONLY on a 28 day cycle that would be considered practically PERFECT in every way! (Like Mary Poppins Ha Ha) Nope, every woman’s cycle(s) are different. Cycle lengths can vary significantly with each individual during the FP and although the LP (Luteal Phase) tends to be the same from month to month give or take a day or two, the length itself can vary from woman to woman! On average the LP tends to be between 10-16 days.

During your cycle, you can also record your CM (Cervical Mucus) as well as your CP (Cervical Position). The easiest way to check this is by observing the fluid once you’ve wiped while looking at your tissue paper. If you tend not to succeed with that method, (which isn’t uncommon) you can also do it another way! Once you’ve washed your hands with antibacterial soap (to avoid infection) – gently insert two fingers into your vagina, proceeding to scoop a bit of CM on or near your cervix. Once you’ve done that you can then begin to observe it. Feel the texture, is it stretchy by 1-2cm between your index finger and your thumb? Is it only slightly stretchy? Does it break easily? Does it feel smooth? Silky? Watery? Paste-like? Or Does it crumble easily? Also, note the color. Some of the most fertile EWCM appears to be tinged with pink or even with blood. Some can even appear to be brown! (Mid-cycle spotting is also common just prior to Ovulation). CM usually will appear to be dry or sticky following your Period. As Ovulation nears it will be a bit more fertile, watery perhaps, following with the MOST fertile which is EWCM (Egg White Cervical Mucus) the name itself is somewhat self-explanatory. It resembles raw egg whites! It’s very similar to semen so that they can journey from the penis to the Vaginal canal very easily while also being nourished. They can live up to 5 days in fertile CM! Not every woman may get EWCM, so it’s important to note your most firtle which simply could be watery and is very alkaline. Once Ovulation occurs you can expect to have a few days of dry or sticky CM again that will usually increase to a thick, lotion-like consistency which is extremely acidic and not considered fertile.

Onto CP (Cervical Position) it’s much the same as charting & recording your Cervical fluid patterns. (It is recommended to check your CP at the same time everyday as it can change positions throughout the day, and you can also check it at the same time you’ve checked your CM) although with CM you’ll want to check that several times a day while only recording the most fertile! Throughout your cycle the cervix changes. During your most non fertile times it will be low for menstrual flow, and feel a bit like the tip of your nose whereas just days prior to your Ovulation you may notice that it’s a bit higher and softer. You may also observe that it’s slightly open, and that’s to allow the sperm to enter into the cervix. It may feel like your lips and sort of spongy to the touch. Immediately after Ovulation it will usually go back to being a Low, Firm & Closed Position.

So that now brings us to the LP (Luteal Phase) the time from Ovulation until either you achieve Pregnancy OR AF (Aunt Flo) rears her ugly face. Yes, your next Period. You can usually confirm that Ovulation did in fact occur with a Temperature rise. So during your FP if your temperatures (say for example) ranged in the 97.00-97.50’s you could confirm Ovulation by recording 3 days of higher temps say in the 98.00-98.50’s range or even higher. So on the actual chart itself, you’ll see a secondary thermal shift! If you’ve achieved Pregnancy, you’ll usually maintain your higher temps due to Progesterone which is a heat inducing Hormone responsible for the LP. Sometimes between 4-5dpo you can observe a Temperature drop from the Corpus Luteum, sometimes around 7-10dpo (Days Past Ovulation) you can also see another Temperature dip known as an “Implantation Dip,” along with some spotting, (which can be rare) and on some you might see a 3rd shift in higher temperatures which is known as a “Triphasic Pattern.”

So now that you know the basics here are a few example Charts from your Royalties collection herself! Lol

This is an example of a Chart that shows the NORMAL BIPHASIC PATTERN!

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This is an Example of a Chart that resulted in Pregnancy! It had CLIMBING TEMPERATURES and no spotting, and I tested way past 12-13dpo.

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This is an example of another chart that resulted in Pregnancy, except it had a TRIPHASIC PATTERN!

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This is an example of a very PROMISING LOOKING CHART, that had some spotting and a dip 7-10dpo that DID NOT result in Pregnancy!

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Lastly, this is an example of a chart with very ERRATIC TEMPERATURES! Which is WHY it’s important to temp either orally or vaginally throughout your cycle the same way. Also be sure to do it at the same time each day!

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So as you can see, there are many reasons to chart. One of the main would be to TRY AND CONCEIVE A BABY! Another would be to TRY AND PREVENT CONCEPTION, as well as simply the best way to PINPOINT EXACTLY WHEN YOUR PERIOD WILL ARRIVE! Generally if you do not achieve Pregnancy, Estrogen will then kick back in and cause a huge drop in your temps which usually indicates you can expect to start your Period the day of, the following day, or possibly within a couple of days from that point!

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