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Can Propranolol Cause A False Negative On Pregnancy Test?
Question: Hi I was wondering if Propranolol could cause a false negative on a pregnancy test? Or cause pregnancy like symptoms.
Hi XXXXXXX,
Thanks for writing to us.
Propranolol, is a beta-blocker and is not shown to interfere with urine pregnancy test results. There are several drugs which interfere with a pregnancy test of the urine, essentially by determining the increased level of hCG in the urine. Some of them are anxiolytics, tranquilizers, anti-epileptic medications, anti-Parkinson medications, some diuretics, promethazine and treatment with hCG.
Tiredness, vomiting, loss of consciousness, sleep problems are some of the side effects of the drug that mimic a state of early pregnancy.
Pregnancy has to be contemplated with care while on Propranolol as it cannot be said for sure that the drug does not cause any side effects when used in pregnancy; in fact, some cases of birth anomalies have been reported due to whatever reason, be it the drug or the underlying condition.
Hope I have clarified your doubts. If you need further clarifications, please feel free to ask. I will be happy to help.
Regards,
Shanti.V.
Thanks for writing to us.
Propranolol, is a beta-blocker and is not shown to interfere with urine pregnancy test results. There are several drugs which interfere with a pregnancy test of the urine, essentially by determining the increased level of hCG in the urine. Some of them are anxiolytics, tranquilizers, anti-epileptic medications, anti-Parkinson medications, some diuretics, promethazine and treatment with hCG.
Tiredness, vomiting, loss of consciousness, sleep problems are some of the side effects of the drug that mimic a state of early pregnancy.
Pregnancy has to be contemplated with care while on Propranolol as it cannot be said for sure that the drug does not cause any side effects when used in pregnancy; in fact, some cases of birth anomalies have been reported due to whatever reason, be it the drug or the underlying condition.
Hope I have clarified your doubts. If you need further clarifications, please feel free to ask. I will be happy to help.
Regards,
Shanti.V.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Shanthi.E
I'm aware of those symptoms but I've missed my period since December and even then it was very brief. My boyfriend and I had had sex a few days before like 6 days. And I'm exhibiting excruciating migraines, back pain and pain around my uterus at times, yet I'm not bleeding. Also suffering from major depressive states which I think may be due to the drug but I'm not entirely sure. Any insight on this would be helpful. Could my body just think it's pregnant? Because the when I took the test I would've been around 6-8 weeks if I was pregnant. So it'd be hard to get a false negative? If at all.
Hi XXXXXXX,
Thanks for writing back.
If you have regular 28-30 day cycles, you did not have intercourse during your fertile days. Negative pregnancy test at 6-8 weeks of pregnancy is unusual.
The depression you are experiencing is most likely due to the drug. You have to exclude any stress situations also like a change of career etc. Propranolol has not been shown to cause migraines; in fact, it is used as a prophylactic in the treatment of migraine.
I think you should get investigated further for the cause of amenorrhoea, to exclude hormonal imbalances and any missed pregnancy. You should consult your gynecologist, get a blood test for pregnancy and a trans-vaginal ultrasound.
You may also ask your doctors to replace Propranolol with another drug if you find the depression hard to handle. This depression can affect the hormonal pattern of the body causing menstrual irregularities.
Hope I have made it clear. If you have further queries, please feel free to ask. I will be happy to help.
regards,
Shanti.V.
Thanks for writing back.
If you have regular 28-30 day cycles, you did not have intercourse during your fertile days. Negative pregnancy test at 6-8 weeks of pregnancy is unusual.
The depression you are experiencing is most likely due to the drug. You have to exclude any stress situations also like a change of career etc. Propranolol has not been shown to cause migraines; in fact, it is used as a prophylactic in the treatment of migraine.
I think you should get investigated further for the cause of amenorrhoea, to exclude hormonal imbalances and any missed pregnancy. You should consult your gynecologist, get a blood test for pregnancy and a trans-vaginal ultrasound.
You may also ask your doctors to replace Propranolol with another drug if you find the depression hard to handle. This depression can affect the hormonal pattern of the body causing menstrual irregularities.
Hope I have made it clear. If you have further queries, please feel free to ask. I will be happy to help.
regards,
Shanti.V.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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