5 DPO Symptoms: What to Expect and When to Hope

5 DPO symptoms might resemble that of pregnancy, yet they are not at all an affirmation that you are pregnant. I have personal experience of trying to conceive for 3 years, and I know how hard it can be to wait for the two lines to appear on that strip. If you are trying to conceive eagerly, then two weeks after ovulation can feel like an eternity.

Similar to my personal experience, if you are trying to conceive, then at 5 DPO, every symptom can make you feel that you are either pregnant or close to getting pregnant. You become hyper-aware of every single twinge.

In this blog, let’s dive into 5 DPO symptoms. What is the meaning of 5 DPO, and how can it be a sign of hope for many of you?

To know more about 5 DPO symptoms,s it is better to understand the whole egg journey. Believe me, nobody knows more about how you get pregnant than a woman who is actively trying to conceive. At 5 DPO, your body is in the early stages of the luteal phase. It is during this time that the fertilized egg is travelling down the fallopian tube towards the uterus. If you are going to be lucky, then after 5 days, implantation will take place inside the uterus.

Keep in mind that if you are feeling any pregnancy symptoms at 5 DPO, then they are not because you are pregnant. They are because of the rising levels of progesterone. Implantation happens between 6 and 12 DPO. 

To let you differentiate between pregnancy and 5 DPO symptoms, here is a list of common 5 DPO Symptoms that you might experience. Both increases in progesterone levels and the beginning of pregnancy can be the reason behind these. 

Let’s explore the most commonly reported ones:

Ok this is my personal experience as well. When I got pregnant with my first born, one night I felt extreme cramps in my lower abdomen. They lasted for a minute or so and were extremely painful. I couldn’t comprehend it at that time, and since I had been TTC for so long, I thought they were just another side effect of the ovulation meds I was taking. Luckily, I got pregnant. Although mild cramps at 5 DPO are too soon for implantation, cramps can be either due to rising progesterone levels or your uterus getting ready for implantation.

2. Fatigue
   
   • Fatgiue at 5 DPO is real. Again, progesterone is the real culprit behind it. Hormonal changes can drain your energy a lot. I remember when I was taking PCOS and ovulation meds, I used to have so much pain in my legs and fatigue every time.

3. Breast Tenderness

Breast tenderness is the result of hormonal changes. Therefore, hormonal changes at 5 DPO can cause sore and sensitive breasts.

4. Mood Swings
   
   • Once you start TTC, mood swings are your most sincere partner. I used to feel like crying every time. I became so sensitive and got angry about minor issues.  I couldn’t contemplate what was wrong with me until I realised those were the hormonal changes caused by the meds.
5. Increased Basal Body Temperature (BBT)
   
   • A sustained higher BBT after ovulation could be a positive sign that progesterone is doing its job.
6. Nausea or Dizziness
   
   • Homrones take a toll on everything. You might feel dizzy and light-headed. Although these, along with nausea, are common symptoms later in pregnancy, they can occur at 5 DPO as well.

7. Heightened Sense of Smell or Food Aversions
   
   • Hormones can do surprising things. Even at 5 DPO you can feel foo aversions and become incredibly sensitive to scents. I have been through this, and I can understand how sad you can become if you find out later that you are not pregnant. 

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Can You Get a Positive Pregnancy Test at 5 DPO?

hCG is the hormone that helps in pregnancy detection. This hormone gets released only after successful implantation. At 5 DPO, implantation hasn’t likely happened therefore, hCG hasn’t even started releasing yet. Even if fertilization has occurred and you are feeling pregnancy symptoms, they are most likely because of progesterone levels and not pregnancy. For more reliable test results, it is always better to wait until you miss your period.

How to Cope with the 5 DPO Wait?

The hardest part of the two-week wait is the uncertainty. Here are a few tips to help you stay sane:

• Avoid symptom-spotting too obsessively. It’s hard, but remember that most early symptoms are due to progesterone, whether or not you’re pregnant.
• Stay busy. Find ways to distract yourself with activities, hobbies, and self-care.
• Track your symptoms. Keep a journal, but don’t let it consume you. Noting changes can be helpful for future cycles.
• Connect with others. Online TTC (trying to conceive) communities can be a great source of support and reassurance.

At the end of this blog, we conclude that 5 DPO symptoms are not an indication that you are pregnant. However, that doesn’t mean that you cannot be hopeful. During my first pregnancy, I did feel all the 5 DPO symptoms such as fatigue, mood swings and lower belly cramps, yet I did wait to miss my periods to take a pregnancy test. I remember I took the home strip test on the 7th day of missed periods, and it came out positive instantly.

If you have a success story of 5 DPO and would like to become part of the 5 DPO success stories, feel free to post here.

Remember, your story is still unfolding, and hope is always worth holding onto.