please talk to me about ovulation sticks

[secretid]

I am ttc #1 again after a miscarriage at the beginning of the year. I'd like to be clear about when i ovulate so was thinking about using those sticks for a month or two to find out. How do they actually work though? How acurate are they? What do they tell you about when to be having sex? and where is the best place to get them from??

Thanks!

[Tillyscoutsmum]

About 24-36 hours before ovulation, you have a surge of a hormone (not sure of its full name but is referred to as a LH surge) and this basically shows up in your urine. So you pee on a stick for a few days (if your cycle is 28 days, then ov would normally happen around day 10-14 so probably best to test from day 7 until you get your positive) and when you get a positive, you know you will ov in 24-36 hours and are therefore more likely to conceive around that time

The LH surge can sometimes only be present for a short while so you should test at around the same time every day (early afternoon is best apparently) The result can also be affected by drinking too much liquid. The digital ones are apparently better, but are more expensive. Lots of sellers on ebay do them - I think mine were from Fertility Solutions

[Tillyscoutsmum]

got mine from here It also explains how they work etc

[Longtalljosie]

I used them and am now 18 weeks pregnant...

I understand you can get them on the net but never bothered, I got them from Boots. They're about £15/pack.

The Boots own brand have quite clear instructions as to when you should start using them - there's a graph thingy which says on a 28 day cycle start on this day, a 29 one start on this day, etc.

The first month you may find you get through quite a few sticks and crucially, try not to freak if a few days go by and you don't get a pink line. It could be you ovulated earlier than you started taking them, or a bit later. From month two you should have a clearer idea of when to start stick-peeing!

The hormone surge it detects shows you're about to ovulate. Typically you get the surge in the morning but it doesn't show up in your pee for a few hours so you shouldn't test until 12pm at the earliest. I did so as I came home from work.

But don't rely on them too heavily - my weeks show it's possible I conceived the week before my positive OPK! Good luck x

[secretid]

Thats excellent thank-you.

[lucky1979]

I bought the Clearblue one from ASDA which gives you a digital smiley face instead of a line which is easier to read if nothing else. I did so for two months and, on the second month, conceived (have doctors appointment next week to confirm on two BFP on tests). I also used up a whole pack each time as my AF wasn't regular having just come off the pill, so it would have got really expensive!

I found they were useful as I really had no idea about when I would ovulate at all, but on the second month when I actually conceived we had done the baby dance the night before I got the positive sign from the sticks, and then failed to do it for three days as we had a row So I don't actually think they did much good in my case, just made me depressed that we'd "missed" our chance for another month. Except we hadn't so that was a waste of worrying!

I would maybe recommend it if you're regular, but keep up with the three times a week rule anyway, don't just do it on the days it recommends!

[Notquitegrownup]

I used them for a while, and discovered that I ovulate on day 4, which was quite useful to know!! Got mine off the internet as they were much cheaper, can't remember exactly where from and it took a while to find my ovulation date, so I needed quite a few.

[HaventSleptForAYear]

i would reccommend buying this book by toni weschler.

I bought it to conceive DS2 after 6 frustrating months and a miscarriage.

It teaches you ALL about fertility signs and now I know exactly when I'm ovulating.

Sticks didn't work for me at all.

[HaventSleptForAYear]

Day 4!!! I'm about day 19!

[Notquitegrownup]

Exactly! Most people do ovulate mid cycle - but not all of us!