too early for home pregnancy tests to pick up a positive?

Hi,
Welcome to ehealthforum,
After you stop with your birth control use, your normal fertility to return can take few months to 1 year’s time. Sometimes, it can get back to normal immediately after stopping with birth control use (depending on type and duration of birth control used). Chances of pregnancy are possible if your ovulation has returned and if you have had unprotected intercourse during ovulation time. The recent symptoms that you describe (missed periods, sore breasts, increased tiredness, abdominal pain/cramps, frequent urination, feeling gassy) could also suggest pregnancy possibility. Look out for development of any other new symptoms if pregnancy is suspected. Urine pregnancy test kits usually start showing positive results after about 20 days post-conception (roughly corresponding to about 1 week after your missed/altered periods). The test should always be done on early morning first urine sample to get accurate results (pregnancy hormone HCG is believed to be in highest concentration in this sample, and you should avoid lot of fluid intake and caffeinated beverages in the night before taking the test). The urine pregnancy tests done very early in pregnancy can show you false negative results as the kits are calibrated ones, so unless the hormone levels in urine reach a certain level, they do not show positive results. If you suspect chances of pregnancy, consider visiting your doctor/gynecologist at the earliest for thorough examination (to confirm pregnancy related changes/signs in body) and blood/serum HCG level test (to confirm/rule out pregnancy accurately). If pregnancy gets ruled out, further evaluation would be done to look for the underlying cause for your symptoms and absent periods. Treatment as appropriate (based on examination findings and investigations results) would be started to help you control the symptoms and regulate your periods. Be in regular monitoring and follow-up with your treating doctor/gynecologist and report any new/abnormal symptoms immediately. Take adequate rest. Drink plenty of water. Maintain healthy diet.
Take care.