the poetics of poas

Ok, a few days ago I talked about what kind of pee stick to buy. I like the fact that the two-liners are cheaper, but I find them impossible to decipher. Digitals cost more, but the results are clear: it's either Yes and Amen! or You Suck!.

I have always been under the impression that digitals were less sensitive than the 'two-liners,' and my previous RE said this to me, too, so I wasn't planning to go digital this time. But several of you folks commented to me that the opposite was true. I think you guys know more than my RE on this topic, since she herself is perfectly fertile, and has a bunch of kids. (I.e., so how much could she really know about the finer points of pee sticks?)

I wondered what to do, then, at this obviously critical juncture of my life. I need to know what to pee on! I must be more discriminating than, for example, the average fire-hydrant-fascinated-dog.

So I went to www.peeonastick.com, which is a wealth of information on poas, including a handy chart on the sensitivity level of many kinds of pregnancy tests. However, I'm leery of the results, partly because it seems to be an American site, so who knows if the Canadian equivalents are the same or not? Plus some of the Canadian brands aren't included on the chart, anyway.

I ended up trusting you guys and buying a First Response digital. This despite my annoyance with First Response TV commercials, which claim that "science is getting close" to being able to tell you "the moment you're pregnant." Bu!!shit, as we all know! There's a better chance of our belly buttons turning purple on successful implantation, in my humble opinion.

However, the First Response was cheaper than the Clearblue by $6, so my pocketbook won out. I was content, and stashed the stupidly neon pink box under the bathroom sink so that DH won't find it, since he most assuredly doesn't want me to test on my own. (Right, as though I'm going to wait until Friday for the beta. I need to know ASAP whether or not my body is harbouring mutant life.)

Now, I saw on www.ivfconnections.com - on the 2ww board - that a very trustworthy Canadian vet shared her experience with digitals. She got a positive on a digital when her beta that day was only 7 (and it was a chemical pregnancy). I thought all tests picked up between 25-50 units of HCG, so this was news to me.

I do not want false hope. I don't want a test to pick up such a low level of HCG, then get all excited, and then find out again via my beta that it's not viable.

I'm really glad I happened across that vet's post, though, so that I know this in advance. I will still use the First Response on Tuesday morning, but if I get a positive, I know now not to get too excited until the beta. I wouldn't have gotten that crazy, anyway, since I'd be too scared to be happy, but now I'm aware that I really can't go any shade of crazy.