Diet and Health FAQ

Tagged As: First Signs Of Pregnancy

Question:
That feeling that I might be pregnant has returned every now and then for the past 3 months--and lately it's concerning me more than ever. It seems as if I'm peeing more than normal (I go pee between 6 and 9 times a day--I wake at 11 normally and go to sleep around 1 am)......a few weeks ago I needed to pee even more than that, and I was constantly tired. I've been sick on and off for the last month and a half, and I just attributed my tiredness on that and started taking vitamins, but I still feel tired and a little off. Lately my stomach has been oddly upset--I haven't been nauseous regularly, but when I wake up in the morning my stomach's upset for about an hour or so, and after I eat it feels the same, just uncomfortable. A few weeks ago I was a little nauseous for awhile, but again, I attributed it to the fact that I was sick. I don't know what to do--sometimes I think I'm just imagining it, it's in my head. This is why I haven't done a home test, I'm a student and those tests are expensive.....and I'm kind of embarassed to go to the clinic, just in case it IS in my head. I haven't said anything to anyone about this......no one really knows--I don't tell my friends from home b/c I don't want to worry my ex boyfriend unnecessarily, and I don't want my friends here to think I'm being a hypochondriac or something...........but I'm getting a little worried-- Does anyone have any info/advice?

Answer:
There are clinics that give free pregancy tests or for very low cost. You might want to check them out in your area. Look in the phone book. They're not *that* expensive. I got three test for $9.99 a few months ago. They weren't the easier-to-use pee-on-the-stick sort (you pee in a cup, then pour it on the test), but they're quite accurate. If I were you, I'd fork over the $10 and find out for sure. I'd go to the clinic if I were you. You don't have to say anything to the nurses, so they won't know if it's all in your head -- you'll just have a negative test and that's that. Probably happens on a weekly basis. As for the embarrassment, well, believe me, if you're pregnant and planning to have the baby, this embarrassment will be the least of your worries over the next months. Between doctors doing internals and measuring your belly, then childbirth when it seems the whole world gets a good shot of your privates, peeing on a pregnancy test in the privacy of a bathroom sounds pretty good. The first question that comes to my mind is, have you been menstruating? If you've been having relatively normal periods, it is extremely unlikely that you are pregnant. If you haven't had a period since summer, or they've been very unusual (much lighter/shorter than normal) you could be pregnant. In any case, you might do a test. As has been noted, they really aren't that expensive. Or you could go to the clinic where you get your pills and ask for a pregnancy test. They will not think you are stupid or hypochondriachal. This is what they are there for. And if you aren't pregnant, I'd still go to see a doctor. It isn' normal to be constantly tired/peeing often/nauseus. It could be something as simple as a low grade urinary tract infection, or it could be something more serious. Whatever it is, best to get yourself checked out rather than agonizing over this for so long.