breast tenderness

I have been having horrible breast tenderness since a couple of days ago. That is funny, because I have not been getting any breast tenderness for quite some time - years?

Hormonal imbalance? or.....I don't even dare to think about it.

The temptation to take out one of those sticks is so high!

Review: Cheap pregnancy test - worth it?

Product: Ultra Early Highly Sensitive 10miu Pregnancy Strip Tests

Price:

£4.48 for 25 tests, £14.19 for 100 tests ( correct as at 11th May2010). 

Free super saver delivery ( mine arrived in 2 days)

Quality:

CE marked and FDA cleared.  10mIU/ml sensitivity

Ease of use:

The instructions are clearly written with a diagram to show the how the test results should look like.

Main advantages:

1. Cheap! Less than 20pence per test, that works out to 5% of the cost of a typical test (around £6)
2. Sensitive (can detect early pregnancy), since it is at 10mIU/ml level, which is comparable and even more sensitive than most top brands. There are more information about sensitivity of pregnancy tests here: http://www.fertilityplus.org/faq/hpt.html#faq
3. Small,discrete individual package (12 x 6cm). Can keep in my bag, just in case I want to have sushi for dinner.
4. Discrete, fast delivery from Amazon.
5. Collecting urine in a small cup is easier than imagined after 1-2 tries.

Main disadvantages:

1. Short strips, about 6-7cm, and you should only expose the area of about 2 cm to urine. This makes it quite challenging "aiming". If you expose the area above the "Mark line" (see diagram), you may void the test. The easiest is to collect a small amount into a small clean disposable cup, and "dunk" the strip there. This is easy after 1-2 tries.
2. If you carry the test in your bag, be careful not  to fold the strips. 
3. Addictive. Because it is so easy and cheap, you might want to do it even before another ibuprofen for your headache.

Will I use/buy it again?
Yes! If testing is so cheap, I see no reason not too test.


It spares me from having to avoid "risky" behaviours such as having a glass of champagne or having a spa session which involves soaking in a jacuzzi or a nice meal of sushi. 


I was put off by the urine collection step, but learned how to do it easily after 1-2 tries. Very easy.  Worth the trouble for a fraction of the usual price.


I am going to buy the ovulation test kit next. 

Pregnancy test kits - what if you do not have a regular period?

I have no regular period, ie no indicator of "this is when you test".  Since I don't drink or smoke, I thought this was alright. However, I needed some medicines when I feel ill. Was I going to stop taking that just in case  I am pregnant? My job would be at risk if I decide to happily call in sick for so many days!  


Testing for pregnancy is an expensive business. Those test kits on the pharmacy shelves compete on the basis of their accuracy after X day of missing period. These are not relevant information for me. I have no regular period, so what is the value of a test that offer 99% accuracy after 1 day? Leading brands like Clearblue Pregnancy Test costs about £10 a pop in the pharmacy and offer fancy things like colour changing tip (so that you know your urine has hit the tip) or saying the results in English "Pregnant" shown  instead of crosses or lines (so that there is no way you misread your test). I concluded that their target markets must be teenagers who have regular periods and want to know if they are in trouble after some hanky panky in the school park. That is why they charge a lot more for than extra bit of accuracy and reassurance - price for a peace of mind.


Just for the sake of ensuring I am not pregnant whenever I pop some medicines or actually allow myself to indulge in some bubblies, I will have to test. How often would that be? Unlike lucky women who could do a couple of tests a month, I have no "missing period" as an indicator and needed cheaper options. Imagine my delight when I found Amazon sells a pack of Ultra Early Highly Sensitive 10miu Pregnancy Strip Tests (25 strips) for less than £5. I quickly bought a pack to "try", and have been using it for about 1 week. I am so impressed that I am posting a review on the pregnancy test.

The "I hope I am not pregnant because I did what I am not supposed to do" feeling....

That is a horrible horrible feeling, when you are trying for a baby.  I supposed that is only part of the stress for TTC marathoners, isn't it?

Family life had been tough recently, and I had been ill. I had to take some drugs to relieve the symptoms and carry on working. The terrible thing was, I was so scared of taking just in case I was pregnant. So, I went to the pharmacy just to take buy a test kit (even though I think I knew I was not pregnant), and tested myself before allowing myself to swallow all those pills!

The price of test kits are what I called based on an extortionist strategy. How else can you explain why it is so expensive, and one brand would sell for a lot more than another by professing it is the most accurate thing? For goodness sake, all come with a good degree of accuracy - it is about how early you can test.  It is an extortion to make (nervous/excited/anxious/soon to be disappointed again) women pay so much. When I got home, I did a bit of ebaying and amazoning, and my goodness, I found a pack of Ultra Early Highly Sensitive 10miu Pregnancy Strip Tests (25 strips) for less than £5 ( compared to Clearblue Pregnancy Test kits which usually cost £5-10 a pop in the pharmacy.

For someone without a regular period, the promised of even 100% accuracy on the day the period is due means nothing to me.  It means I have to keep on testing, when I have to take medication.