# Need your experience, ladies - evaporation line or faint positive?



## LadyMarmalade

I'm not sure if I'm putting this in the right place - I thought it might be insensitive of me to post this on the TTC board because I'm actively trying NOT to conceive. But my period is late and I'm feeling the same early pregnancy 'feelings' I've had before. There wasn't a time when we had unprotected sex while I was fertile, though (but I know that's no guarantee ... this is why I'm worried - 'whoops' is something we've said before). I'm trying not to worry. I know I'll come around very quickly if I get confirmation, but while it's all still unknown I'm a mess. We tried for baby #3 for a LONG time, had numerous miscarriages, then finally decided that our family was finished - we've even made an appointment to make it permanent! And now ... I'm holding a test which I can't interpret. I did it first thing this morning, and it looked negative at first, but when I looked at it again later there was a faint line. I know that it's probably an evaporation line - since I'm already late I'd have enough HCG in my body to register a strong positive. So my questions are - how many people here did a test which was negative, but had an evaporation line? Does it happen often? How many evaporation lines turned out to be faint positives? How many turned out to be nothing more than a line of dried wee?????

Please help me to be rational here, and tell me the 'feelings' are psychosomatic!


----------



## Artisan

When you say you looked at it later, how much later are we talking? Five minutes? Two hours?


----------



## Spark

Here's the general rule of thumb with evap lines -- if you saw the line while taking the test (and the 2-3 mins) afterwards AND the line had the same color (although not as dark is fine) as the control line THEN it's a positive. If you waited longer than the box said OR the line is gray or white or a different shade entirely than the control line then it's an evap line.

Hope that helps.

Best wishes to you!


----------



## KoalaMommy

I can't tell you about your line, but I can tell you I've never seen an evaporation line. When I took the test with this babe (feeling like you described) I really hoped that very faint line that showed up after the 3 minutes the test said was just an evaporation line or something, but it wasn't. And the line the next day was darker.


----------



## wendy1221

I had a very faint line on my first test. It was the same color as the control line, but so faint I could barely see it. I went out and bought a double pack of ept brand b/c they're supposed to be a little more sensitive (the first was a store brand.) I took 1 ept right away and got the very very faint +, but I had to rip open the test to even see it. LOL! So I did the next one w/ my morning pee and it was clearly positive. We were also actively trying NOT to conceive, but I hadn't been keeping good track of my cm and we bd'd 5 days before I o'd and here I am!


----------



## savannah smiles

I've had an evap on an equate test. It was pink, but the line was very skinny. I've also had the greyish, shadow-like colored evap lines on other tests.


----------



## because

Can you post a picture somewhere? Some enhancements on a photo editing program can give clues.

The PPs basically said it all:
1. test same color (even if very, very light) as control = positive
2. waiting many hours or days before seeing a line = negative
3. #1 & #2 together = retest later

Check out www.peeonastick.com for test sensitivity levels and lots and lots of pictures of different tests.

Good luck!


----------



## wasabi

The cycle before I conceived DD#2 I either had a chemical pg or three false positives/evaporation lines. As the test was going I saw a line where it seemed like the test line should be. I could definitely see a line later but it was very faint. Same thing happened for the next two days but the last of the three was much fainter than the others. When I tried another brand I got a perfectly plain BFN. AF didn't show for the bettter part of a week later so I lean towards the idea that I ovulated later than my software thought (had some issues with switching thermometers) and that these were evap lines. I've never had it happen with any other kind of test no matter how long afterwards I looked at it. These were the little strip kind that you can buy cheaply online. Good luck!


----------



## Milkymommi

YES YES!!!! I was just gonna say www.peeonastick.com That is a great site for pictures and info to compare your test with.

I have had 2 apparent eval lines. One on a test about 3 years ago and one a few months ago. The strange thing is that both lines were pink but very light. The FRER was so obvious and visable immediately that I was sure I was pg. I got my period on the exact day that I was supposed to, I only tested one day before my period out of sheer curiosity because we had BD the very day I O'd and were'nt actively trying. Still not sure what that was all about but I suppose it was an evap line. The other one was an ever so faint pinkish little line that only had color half way up. That was evap or faulty test. I also got my period as planned with that one.

Rule of thumb is the timing. However that isn't always accurate because I know several people who got true positives after looking at a test that had appeared negative after many hours only to find that faint little line. My friend just this week had that happen to her.

Test again tommorrow with a good test. FRER has a great reputation for accurate results even though you'll find stories of evaps with all brands. I think that sometimes tests are SO sensitive that they pick up hormones from babes that just may not have wanted to "stick" around. I think that may have been the case with my last test.

Anyway, keep us posted!!!!!!!


----------



## JillChristina

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Milkymommi*
Rule of thumb is the timing. However that isn't always accurate because I know several people who got true positives after looking at a test that had appeared negative after many hours only to find that faint little line. My friend just this week had that happen to her.


This happened to me with this baby. I took a test one day, it appeared negative. Something (hope, probably) made me fish it out of the trash a day or so later. There was a line. Now I know better than to rely on an old test that's been sitting in the trash for a few days but I was intrigued. I took a test the next day, faint positive. Took one the day after that, faint positive. Here I am almost 13 weeks pregnant!

Good luck to you. I hope you get the result you want.

Jill


----------



## LadyMarmalade

Same thing today, except the line is darker. It's pink, just like the control line. It wasn't there when I checked the test after the 5 minutes the box said - but when I went back about an hour later it was easy to see. The test I did was 100mIU. I've sent my DH out to buy a 25mIU.

I'm so worried.


----------



## Artisan

Keep us posted, mama!


----------



## because

Um, 100mIU is pretty high. First Response Early Result picks up around 15mIU (for example)...

Also, there may be a positive line on any test before the time limit that is so faint that you have to take the strip out of the case or get it in certain lighting to see it but it will darken quite a bit as time passes. It's positive in that situation. Others (I think Equate or Answer) are super faint during the time limit but get really dark afterwards.

Good luck! We're all thinking about you!







again


----------



## Milkymommi

um, Mama, it's not likely that you would get 2 tests with colored evaps in the same day with two different brand tests. I'm thinking it looks like a bfp... however testing with a super sensitive test will give you the sure answer you're looking for if those are indicitive of what they sound like.







I hope you're ok keep us posted


----------



## LadyMarmalade

Thanks for the hugs. I'm so darn confused ... I don't know what's going on. DH got me a sensitive test - so starkly negative there was no room for doubt. Not even an evaporation line. So I'm no closer to knowing what's going on! Looking at the first test I took this morning it looks distinctly positive. But the second test (used the same urine sample) looks blatantly negative! And it's meant to be the more sensitive test. Argh!

My cycle is screwy - I'm not even sure how late I am, but I do know it's just over a month since I got my last period. I used FMU for the tests - if I was pregnant surely the line would be darker - every other time I've had a positive I've tested at about this stage in my cycle, and the line was clear and dark straight away - no room for confusion. But I've got no signs of AF about to show up, and like I said, I've got those early 'feelings'. Usually I spot for 4-7 days before getting my period, then I'm mega heavy for a couple of days, then I spot for another 4-7 days. I did have two periods in July - perhaps that's why I'm late this time? I really have no idea.

Thanks again for the hugs


----------



## Artisan

No advice, just







. Would you consider getting a blood test?


----------



## Milkymommi

That sounds like a good idea to me. Those are without mistake.

If you don't mind, what brand tests did you use?


----------



## MrsMoe

With my first the test was negative- at 5 months the line was VERY faint. Hope this helps.


----------



## Heavenly

You can't use the same urine sample for two tests. The negative is probably wrong. My sister did that (dipped more than one test in the same urine sample) and the first positive but all the rest were negative. My neice is 6.5 now. Try the more sensitive brand with a fresh urine sample.


----------



## MrsMoe

I used the digital _pregnant/not pregnant_ with this pregnancy and it worked like a charm. I also used early morning urine which has higher more easy to detect hormone levels.


----------



## citizenfong

Another possibility is that the first, supposedly less sensitive test, is actually MORE sensitive than the second one you bought.

What I've read is that some tests are marked to be sensitive to, say 100mIU, but will often pick up hCg in smaller quantities. I guess they are maybe only *consistant* at the 100mIU level, or for whatever reason the company does not choose to market them as more sensitive.

Just a thought. Good luck to you!


----------



## LadyMarmalade

Quote:

You can't use the same urine sample for two tests. The negative is probably wrong. My sister did that (dipped more than one test in the same urine sample) and the first positive but all the rest were negative.
Oh gosh, I had no idea about that. I'd convinced myself I wasn't pregnant until I saw this.

Maybe it was a false positive and my cycle is just whacked because last month was so weird? I got out my diary last night - I'm not as late as I thought (I thought I was over a week late). I had a period from July 8th to 16th, then another from July 27th to August 9th. I ovulated August 11th or 12th (the last period I had was light spotting from July 27th to 31st, the heaviest I've ever experienced from August 1st to 5th, then it tapered off ... August 8th and 9th barely counted as spotting, but I added it to my diary just to be diligent). But considering that I usually have a 26 day cycle ... it does seem a bit suss.


----------



## because

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Heavenly*
You can't use the same urine sample for two tests. The negative is probably wrong. My sister did that (dipped more than one test in the same urine sample) and the first positive but all the rest were negative. My neice is 6.5 now. Try the more sensitive brand with a fresh urine sample.









Where did you hear this? I've got lots and lots of tests from single samples and I know many women online at fertility websites who commonly test with various brands of tests with one sample. There is nothing that would change the urine to make a false test and I've never heard of anyone having a problem until this.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Citizenfong*
Another possibility is that the first, supposedly less sensitive test, is actually MORE sensitive than the second one you bought.

What I've read is that some tests are marked to be sensitive to, say 100mIU, but will often pick up hCg in smaller quantities. I guess they are maybe only *consistant* at the 100mIU level, or for whatever reason the company does not choose to market them as more sensitive.

Now, this is true. Like I said in an earlier post, FRER claims to be sensitive to 15 or 20 mIU or whatever but I've heard of people getting a beta done the day that they got a faint positive and only have a beta level of 7 or something.

OP: If you're only 15 days past ovulation and you've used diluted urine or non-FMU, then a negative result is likely, especially with less sensitive tests.

If you're not concerned that you're late at this point, then don't worry yet (easier said than done, I know). If you're still thinking something is up, then use FMU with FRER, Answer or Equate. Good luck!


----------



## LadyMarmalade

My husband gave me a talk about denial today. He said I need to stop looking for reasons to explain the positive test away ... and then he took me to visit friends with a little baby and gave her to me to hold all afternoon. This isn't going to be so bad


----------



## citizenfong

What a darling fellow your dh is!









Congratulations!


----------



## Artisan

So you're pg, then? Congrats!


----------

