Conception Date?

[ShannonWonders]

Need help please. I was on birth control to regulate my periods and came off them in April. I started my period May 22, the next June 15, and my last period started July 6th.
I had intercourse July 13th, July 17th, and July 26th. This is my third pregnancy. I started eating a lot and getting cravings (which I've never had in my past pregnancies) around the 30th of July and it progressed from there. I also had heartburn for weeks and I've never had it before.
I got a blood test August 6th and it came back negative. The doctor said my hcg level was under 5 and there was no way I was pregnant. My cravings continued and got worse so I took a pregnancy test on August 11th. It was positive. Got a blood test the same day and my level yesterday was 194.
It seems to me that I conceived around the 26th of June because the low hcg levels on the 6th of August.
Is this possible? And is it possible to have cravings the next week conception?

Any help would be wonderful

[AnnieBrooke]

Shannon, I don't have an opinion to offer at this point.  I have yet to find a chart that is definitive that a certain size gestational sac means a certain age.  But the idea that 7.5 mm equals 5 weeks 3 days (and I cannot tell from what you say if the doctor was talking about 5 weeks 3 days from the first day of the last period or five weeks 3 days from the presumed date of conception) is hard to understand in either case, since the one chart I do have gives a 12 mm mean diameter associated with a gestational age of 5 weeks 3 days, and a whole lot bigger than that for a gestational age of 7 weeks 3 days.  In other words, you getting [something I can't understand for sure] from the doctor and then telling it to me, I can't understand and can't interpret it.  I was looking for the doctor to give you a gestational age (in other words, the length of the period from computed the first day of your last period) and a due date, but it does not sound like it happened.

[ShannonWonders]

My doctor wouldn't discuss my date of conception either. I would really appreciate your opinion Annie.

[ShannonWonders]

I really don't think I conceived on July 16th because I would have shown hcg in my blood by the 6th of August. I see my family doctor on Friday.

[ShannonWonders]

So I got an ultrasound today. The gestational sac was 7.5 mm.  Dated me at 5 weeks 3 days. I confirmed with the doctor that that is based on the time I conceived.

[AnnieBrooke]

If you can't get an ultrasound, you might want to consider the prenatal DNA test from Ravgen or the DDC.  I think you might pay $500 out of pocket for an ultrasound, versus maybe $1900 for the blood test, however.  That's why I'm angling for the ultrasound if you can get it.  

Years of experience here on MedHelp, is the answer to your second question.

[ShannonWonders]

Thanks so much for your help. How do you know so much about this?

[ShannonWonders]

I'll try my family doctor before I consider anything else. I'm not sure I can just get an ultrasound and pay for it without a doctor sending me however I'll look into that as well.

[AnnieBrooke]

I don't know how much I trust ER ultrasounds.  And I don't like having to lie to get the medical services you want.  My doctor will give me an ultrasound if I am willing to pay for it.  I'd take that tack first.

[ShannonWonders]

I think I may have come up with a solution to get an ultrasound. I can go to the emergency room however if I say I'm having pains do you think they will give me an ultrasound?

[AnnieBrooke]

Whether or not it is free, you still might need to pay for an early ultrasound, because the docs will be going by a standard set of timings and rules.  But you can get what you need if you pay.  And the thing is, once you are past your 7th or 8th week, it is not anywhere near as helpful, and you'll be facing the more expensive tests.

[ShannonWonders]

I live in Canada so it's free as long as I have his referral. I'm definitely never going back to him!
I should report him. I have read that it's common as well.

[AnnieBrooke]

And I would report his rude and insensitive remark about miscarriage to the Medical Review Board.

[AnnieBrooke]

Sheez, time for a new doctor!!!  What a snotty attitude!  I would definitely change doctors right now, lots of women get ultrasounds in their 7th week.  He didn't want to book the ultrasound because he thought insurance wouldn't pay for it, but you should let whomever you go to next know that you will pay for it out of pocket.  

[ShannonWonders]

So I just got back from my appointment. He wouldn't book an ultrasound he said you can't see anything until you're about 10-12 week's pregnant and there's no way of knowing. He wouldn't even discuss ovulation or anything :(  he said that my hcg has to be 5000 or higher. He gave me blood tests and said "maybe it will be lower and you'll miscarriage, problem solved"  I'm so upset.

[AnnieBrooke]

You may as well tell him what the problem is.  Offer to pay out of pocket, this is the best possible timing window and it really will help you to know.

[ShannonWonders]

Thank you so much! I have an appointment on Friday to see my gynecologist. Hoping he will send me for an ultrasound.

[AnnieBrooke]

Shannon, counting the first day of your last period as day 1, meaning you are in your fifth week now, see if you can book an ultrasound for your sixth or seventh week, no later.  (With a good ob-gyn, not the ER.)  When there, explain that your periods are a little off and you would like to have an estimate based on the embryo's measurements and developmental markers of how many weeks pregnant you are and when your estimated due date is.  You can use the e.d.d. to count back to the estimated conception date, or the doc might be able to help you do it.  You're lucky because you are still early enough that the estimate won't be wildly off.

[ShannonWonders]

Thanks for your responses everyone. I have been to hundreds of websites looking things up and it all varies.
There's no way of knowing.

Wish I acted a little smarter so I didn't put myself in this situation.

[Wolfeenix]

You may have ovulated later. The range for hcg levels per week is so broad so I wouldn't exactly say 194 is low.

[C_A_T_Chavez_2014]

Yes its possible. I went to the hospital and got a blood test they told me I was not pregnant and I had ovan cyst I went back exactly 8 days later and get told me I was 4 weeks pregnant. And I had all the symptoms of being pregnant since my period ended so its possible.

[ShannonWonders]

It is for that reason. I wasn't with my ex for 7 months. I was seeing someone for about a month. My ex and I slept together on the 13th. While I was still menstruating. My period lasted for 10 days and that never happens.  Does that make a difference when you are fertile?
I ended up going back to the person I was seeing and it happened with him on the 17th. BOTH OF THEM ARE AWARE THIS HAPPENED. I decided to work it out with my ex so he was the one I was with the following weekend. He's aware that it may not be his. The person I was seeing doesn't know I am pregnant.  The only thing that keeps me hopeful that if I conceived at the suggested time wouldn't I have already had hcg levels by the 6th of August?

[vikki170385]

I'm the same. I was on the implant for 2 years. Had It removed 9th june Never Had a period and on the 29th of July done a  Test was positive straight away. So between the 10th of June and with July I conceived I had a leep done on the 19 th June so I could have conceived before or 3 weeks later until the dating scan I won't know how far I am. Neither will u. So will have to wait for the scan which is taking forever lol. Congrats ;) xx

[jelarin]

Because your cycle seems shorter than the normal 28 day one, you seem to have a 21-23 day cycle) you could have been fertile earlier than expected. I would guess you were fertile between the 15 and the 22nd of July.  I started feeling pregnancy symptoms before I tested positive as well. About six days before I tested positive.

[AnnieBrooke]

Hi, is this because you need to elect between two different possible dads, or are you just randomly curious?