PCOS and OPKS?

[JellyCurls]

Dear learned ladies of mumsnet, before i embark on another month of baby making i am thinking about using OPKs? But I am sure i read somewhere that they dont work if you have PCOS, does anyone know if this is true?

I have been using a saliva monitor up till now and do have a fertile window, it just seems to be about 20 days before my period is due so not sure how accurate it is. Also got long cycles, averaging, 40 days so thinkng OPKS might be an expensive pee hobby. Any thoughts?

Have conceived two healthy children naturally, so it is possible, it just took a long time (over a year both times) and i can't face that journey again

[AttilaTheMeerkat]

Would not use OPKs at all if PCOS is an issue. This is because these kits measure LH and as many PCOSers have an excess of LH to start with, the kit measures that.

Saliva monitor is likely not to be fully accurate either so would refrain from using that now as well.

Save your cash for something else and have blood tests done instead to see what your hormone levels are really like. An important test for you to have done would be the day 2 to check and compare your LH level against that of your FSH level (in PCOS there is an excess of LH to FSH).

[DingDongBelle]

I have pcos too, and opk's were very unreliable for me. I had a lot more success with temp charting. Also, your Ewcm can appear more than once in a cycle as your body tries and fails to ovulate. For me, temps were more reliable as your temp only rises when you have actually ovulated. Fx for you x

[EuroShagmore]

I was also diagnosed with PCOS and found that OPKs did work for me. I get one LH surge about 2 weeks before my period comes. My PCOS is well-controlled by diet though, and my cycles are pretty regular. You can only give them a go and see if it works. On the internet you can buy cheap batches of OPKs which might be better if you think you are going to get through a lot of them. You might also consider temperature charting, although this is only helpful for detecting ovualtion once it has happened - it doesn't warn you that it is coming. It is a lot cheaper though - the thermometer you need can be picked up for less than a fiver and there are online charting sites (e.g. fertilityfriend) that you can join for free.

The blood test Atilla mentions is for diagnosing PCOS, which you already know you have of course, but it would be the first step towards getting some assistance (perhaps Clomid) if you want to go down the assisted conception road.

[JellyCurls]

Thanks ladies. All was very regular after dc1, now 6 until a recent cp at 5 weeks. Since then cycles getting longer and longer, now averaging 40 days. Everything else is fine and follow a low gi diet which helps.

Think i will stay away from OPKs for now x