QuestionDear Doctor Rappaport,
Thank you so very much for ansewering my cry for understand of what my body may be going through. Today is the 11th of Oct.05 and my period has not showed up at all. There was two blood test taken, one on the 3rd and another on the forth and I was told that both was negitive. I was sexually active unprotected on the 8th of Sept. 05. What does a harmone count mean? Is it possible that I could be going through menopause and my cycles are stopping. This is so weird. This week thus-far I have not had a lot of tenderness in my brest but my cycle is still late. Are there any other reasons why I have missed two cycles and still not be pregant? Followup To
Question -
Dear Doctor Rappaport, I am 41yrs.old and will be 42 on 27, Oct.05. I have one child that was born November 25,1994 that was my first pregancy and only pregancy so far. I really would like to have another child. On Sept. 2, 05. I started my period and it lasted until the 6th of Sept. On the 8th I was sexually active and my cycle was due again on the 23rd of Sept. because I have been on a 21day cycle. It is usually always on time. I have not had a period since. On the 1st of Oct. I purchased a home pregancy test that read neg. On the 3rd, the doctor drew blood and it was neg. On the 4th, they redrew blood and it was neg. but I was told my harmone count was high at a 12, in the mean time by all account I would be around 4 1/2- 5 weeks pregant. I am having extreme tenderness in my nipples but no real morning sickness. This seems to be a big disappointment to me but I still would like to know what is going on with me. My next cycle is due around the 13th of Oct. but buy this time I would have missed two periods. What about my chances of getting pregant?
Answer -
There is always a possibility of being pregnant if you miss your period. However, you normally have a very short cycle and this can fluctuate often between the ages of 40-50. If your last period started on September 2, the earliest that you could have ovulated would have been cycle day #7 (with a 21 day cycle). Cycle day #7 was September 8. Therefore, you could have conceived on September 7,8,9, or 10 if you had unprotected sex at that time. If you did, indeed, become pregnant on one of those days, a pregnancy test would not show a positive result until 14-21 days later, or between September 21-28. I would recommend two blood tests for pregnancy (Beta HCG) 48 hours apart. If there is doubling of the results in 48 hours, it indicates a viable pregnancy. If there is halving of the results in 48 hours, it indicates a miscarriage. If the value is less than 5, you were never pregnant. You may merely have a longer cycle this month.
AnswerIf two blood tests for pregnancy (Beta HCG) are negative (less than 5) you are definitely not pregnant. Therefore, if you did not get your period, you probably have some hormonal imbalance this month (and perhaps last month). Your doctor should give you Provera 10mg twice a day for five days and you should get your period within ten days.
