feeling nauseous but negative pregnancy test?

Nausea and Other Pregnancy Symptoms With a Negative Test



The author is a midwife and a nurse working with women and newborn babies since 2003.
What do you do when your test is negative but you feel pregnant?

What do you do when your test is negative but you feel pregnant?

If you are reading this article, you are probably facing the well-known dilemma: "Am I pregnant or not?" You may be wondering why you're experiencing early pregnancy symptoms like nausea, tender breasts, minor cramps, or fatigue, but when you took a pregnancy test, the result was negative. We will discuss the various reasons why a pregnancy test came out negative but you feel pregnant.
Causes of Pregnancy Symptoms With a Negative Test

You are experiencing premenstrual symptoms, which are very similar to early pregnancy symptoms because they are both caused by the rise in estrogen and progesterone that occurs before a period as well as after implantation.
You took the test too early, and there was not enough hCG (the pregnancy hormone) in your urine. Wait at least a week after your missed period when hCG levels are high enough to detect.
You are pregnant, but various complications produced a negative test result, such as having twins, an irregular menstrual cycle, or an ectopic pregnancy.
You are not pregnant, and the pregnancy-like symptoms you feel are a result of a false pregnancy (called pseudocyesis or phantom pregnancy).
You are not pregnant, but you have a condition or illness that mimics pregnancy symptoms (see below).

Am I Having a False Pregnancy?

According to infertility specialist Dr. Mark Trolice, "Pseudocyesis (false pregnancy) is a rare disorder in which the woman who is non-psychotic believes she is pregnant and experiences signs/symptoms despite a negative pregnancy test." This occurs when an intense desire for pregnancy tricks the body into thinking it is carrying a baby when it is not. The body will respond to this psychological desire by producing all of the typical pregnancy symptoms, such as a missed period, weight gain, nausea, tender breasts, sore nipples, or even fetal movement. Some women may only experience one of these symptoms at first and may have such a strong assumption she is pregnant that her mind tricks her endocrine system into producing more pregnancy-like symptoms. Your urine test should be negative if it is a false pregnancy, however, an ultrasound is the only guaranteed confirmation.
Conditions That Mimic Pregnancy Symptoms
Nausea ("Morning Sickness")

Feeling nauseous in the morning is not unique to pregnancy, so if you wake up wanting to vomit and a pregnancy test shows negative, you could be afflicted with low-blood sugar levels, insomnia, acid reflux, post-nasal drip, or anxiety/nervousness. Keep in mind that "morning sickness" a.k.a. pregnancy nausea actually happens throughout the day and is triggered by a sensitivity to certain smells and tastes. Nausea caused by other illnesses are not food-related, but rather a sign that there is something wrong in the digestive tract or with one's equilibrium.
Tender Breasts

Swollen breasts are one of many symptoms that are common to both pregnancy and PMS. Because of this, having achy breasts or sore nipples is not a good indicator of pregnancy. Certain medications, such as birth-control pills or hypothyroidism medication can increase the production of estrogen, causing your breasts to respond in the same way they would if estrogen levels rise before your period or in early pregnancy. If you are taking medication that may have an effect on your hormones and your pregnancy test shows negative, then you are not pregnant.
Missed Period

Women with irregular cycles or PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) often miss their periods because of hormonal imbalance—some may even go months without a period if they have a severe imbalance. However, even women with regular menstrual cycles can miss a period or two due to stress, injury, weight gain, birth control, or any other anxiety-inducing reason that puts stress on the body and affects normal hormonal production.
Cramping and Spotting

Cramping and spotting a week before your period is usually a good indication of implantation, however, implantation bleeding and cramping may be confused for either early PMS cramping and spotting or ovulation. Ovulation, otherwise known as "mittelschmerz," occurs mid-cycle (about 10 days before your period) when the release of an egg might cause a sharp pinch or twinge on one side of the lower abdomen. Unlike implantation cramping (which lasts 1-3 days), ovulation cramping should only last a few hours at most.

Cramping and spotting could also occur if you have just started new birth control, you have uterine fibroids, or you have a hormonal imbalance (polycystic ovarian syndrome).
Fatigue

Feeling lethargic might be common in the first trimester of pregnancy, but it is also very common for a host of other illnesses and conditions, such as anemia, hyperthyroidism, kidney or liver diseases, obesity, etc. Feeling tired can also be a symptom of less serious causes, such as lack of sleep, having a cold or flu, or other lifestyle or diet changes that drain your energy supply. If you are suddenly feeling wiped out for no reason, but a pregnancy test shows negative, see a doctor right away to rule out any serious medical causes.
Mood Swings

Feeling emotional and antsy is another symptom that is common to both PMS and pregnancy. It could also be triggered by depression, hormonal imbalance, stress, anxiety, or other psychological conditions. Again, if you experience a sudden change in your emotional stability when you are usually in a good mood, check with the doctor to rule out any serious causes.
Constipation

Nearly half of pregnant women experience constipation during pregnancy because the rise in progesterone relaxes the digestive tract, which means food travels more slowly through the intestines. This symptom is not a good indicator of pregnancy alone, and if you're not pregnant, but you've been constipated, see a doctor right away. You could just need a boost of fiber, or it may be an early indication of serious gastrointestinal issues, such as colon cancer.
Frequent Urination

Urinary tract infection (UTI), overactive bladder, diabetes, incontinence, bladder stones, or ovarian cancer may be causes for why you feel like you constantly need to pee. However, this symptom is also common with PMS or menopause.
Weight Gain

Hormonal havoc is likely the cause if you are not pregnant. Women who suffer from polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) often gain a lot of weight as a result of a hormonal imbalance in the adrenal glands or the ovaries. A hormonal imbalance can also lead to diabetes and other conditions that also increase a woman's weight and body fat. If you notice accompanying symptoms, such as hair growth or missed periods, then you likely need to get a hormone test to see which hormones you have an excess of and how to alleviate the hormonal chaos.
Illnesses With Pregnancy-Like Symptoms
Stress and Anxiety

Nausea is a common symptom of stress or anxiety. Anxiety can cause stomach aches, cramping, and even vomiting. If you have these symptoms accompanied by anxiety, you might consider seeking professional help for relief of stress or anxiety.