OPK always negative advise please

[CarysC]

Hi so this is my first cycle trying, a friend of mine gave me some OPK sticks to try. I started using them about 4 days before I was due to ovulate (according to the app I’ve been using to track my cycle for about 3 months prior TTC (trying to conceive)) the sticks say that the second line needs to be as dark as the control line to indicate ovulation but the line never got dark and now it’s gone all together. Today is when I’m meant to be ovulating (according to the app). Have I missed my ovulation day? Or did I not ovulate at all as the OPK never had a dark line?

[NannyPear]

The apps are rubbish at predicting O day. They literally have no information other than your cycle length (and maybe some information you put in about symptoms/cervical mucus which is subjective). More likely you have yet to ovulate. Keep testing. Have they gotten close to dark yet? If so it's best to test twice daily at that point so you don't miss a short surge.

Also your opk will be positive BEFORE you ovulate, and will tend to be negative on O day itself.

[CarysC]

The line was getting darker but never as dark as the control day and then today there was no second line at all, today is my O day according to app. Me and DH DTD two days ago but haven’t been able to since due to work, I’m just worried I’ve missed the window now. Is tracking basal body temperature worth trying instead of the OPK?

[snowflakeeel]

Couldn't say whether you ovulated or not I'm afraid as I've never used them but let's be optimistic and say you did, then if you DTD two days ago then there is a still a good chance of conception so you won't of missed your window (if ovulation occurred that is).

[pinkstar01]

Are you using the one step ones? I was using those for a year and never got a true positive OPK so last month did some research and ordered a box of Wondfo ones from Amazon and this month I actually got a positive at the right time!

[CarysC]

Yeah they’re the one step ones, that’s reassuring to hear that you never got a positive with these, I did get a line but never as dark as the control line a few days ago and now none so I’m going to assume that I ovulated either yesterday or the day before as now the test is a complete negative. Luckily we’ve been DTD regularly so fingers crossed! Bring on the TWW.

[AliceRR]

I just used these tests for the first time today OP. I got a dark line but not as dark as the control line do assume negative, which is in line with the Ovia app (although note that’s not conclusive!)

I would agree that if you had a line and then it went you probably ovulated between your last test with a line and your test with no line.

I’m no expert but I have read some people test more then once a day or can miss the surge.

In that case if you DTD in your fertile period

I’m interested to see if I get a positive now based on what PP said about the One Step tests

[Comps83]

This is what my OPKs looked like when I got a positive on clear blue

[polkadotpixie]

I had no problems with One Step, always got a clear positive. However, I always ovulated later than apps estimated. I only have an 11 day luteal phase so I ovulate on day 17 of a 28 day cycle

Keep testing but definitely consider tracking your BBT too, I found it really helpful

[AllTheWhoresOfMalta]

Just my two penneth, I drove myself mad with OPKs when I was TTC DD1 and I never had a positive one.... but I did get pregnant. I would chuck them in the bin if I had my time again, they just stressed me out. Try and stay in tune with your body, listen to what’s going on with your body, have lots of sex (both times I got pregnant I had literally had sex every day of the month) and (as much of a cliche as it is) try and relax.

[AliceRR]

@Comps83

Oh that’s interesting as mine is probably as dark as yours

I’m on cycle day 13

[Comps83]

Might be worth investing in clear blue and using that when your lines start to go darker on the OPKs

[INeedNewShoes]

I had fertility treatment to conceive DD which relied on using opks to get the timing right. After a bit of trial and error I eventually worked out that I (unusually) tend to get my LH surge in the evening. I found this out by doing 3 or 4 tests a day during days approaching ovulation. You can easily miss your LH surge if you don't do the tests close enough together (I tended to do 10am, 2pm, 4pm, 8pm).

[AliceRR]

Thanks @Comps83

I’m not put off CB due to the cost but might be worth it to use as you say

[CarysC]

These are all mine over the last few days, negative on the 22nd, faint line on 23rd, darkest line 24th morning and then fainter in evening, faint line on the 25th and then negative again today. So I think I can probably say did ovulate on the 24th. It seems to all be a bit of trial and error and looks like I may have missed my LH surge. DH and I DTD late on the 23rd so I’m hoping there’s a good chance!!

[Whyhaveidonethis]

I'd say looking at those pictures that you haven't ovulated yet. I found that I ovulate on CD17 of a 28 day cycle. I get faint lines on these almost everyday but you can definitely see the dark line on the ovulation date. I also track my temperature which confirms it.

[AliceRR]

I’m not sure from those pics OP

I would say keep testing and see if you get a darker line. If you do, then you know you ovulate later. If you don’t, then perhaps you ovulated on 24th and you dtd prior to that so you dtd when you were fertile

Or you could do as PP suggests and try a CB one

It’s difficult to see from the pictures sometimes

[Bambamber]

Some women have a really short LH surge, so if you're only testing once a day it is possible to miss the surge. Many women need to test twice a day to catch their surge

[CarysC]

Yeah I think I'll keep testing but as long as DTD regularly I have a good chance at not missing my fertile period. It's just weird that I had faint lines 24th and then nothing at all yesterday, I haven't tested yet again today but will when I get home later just to see thanks for all your advice guys, just helps having a few other opinions

[AliceRR]

It’s my first time using them this month and it can be confusing

Let’s hope that in the next couple of months we may be pregnant or at least have got the hang of OPKs! 😃

I was confused this morning as Ovia thinks I am not in my fertile period til tomorrow and Flo thinks I’m ovulating today (I don’t think that’s right) so... 🤷🏻‍♀️

Good luck OP

[CarysC]

I tested again just now and a completely negative still, so I honestly think that I missed my LH surge earlier this week and have ovulated already.

Fingers crossed for all of us, here is hoping for some BFP this month

[AliceRR]

I just tested again too

Got a dark line last night and a really faint one today (did two tests each time) so not sure what that means

I tested at 5pm yesterday and 2pm today so will try again later

My advice would be just dtd as much as you can and hopefully everything will happen at the right time. Getting stressed about OPKs is counterproductive but easily done (I’m trying not to stress about it too!)

[INeedNewShoes]

It isn't a gradual build up so it's a red herring looking for the lines to go from nothing to faint to moderate to dark.

Every month without fail my lines would get darker to almost looking positive then wane to almost nothing before being a proper positive a day or two later.

Unless you get two lines the same darkness it's not positive (with LH there's no such thing as 'nearly positive').

[AliceRR]

Unless you get two lines the same darkness it's not positive (with LH there's no such thing as 'nearly positive').

But does it not indicate LH is high?

My line got darker yesterday so I had two days a dark line but not positive and today was lighter

[CarysC]

@AliceRR

I know it's meant to be as dark as the first line but how can it steadily get darker and then suddenly go to nothing? Surely the fact that there is a line at all means that there is some LH present. I've had no second line present for 3 days now. I'm so confused as to weather I've ovulated or not. I'm still assuming it was the 24th as this is roughly half way through my cycle and that was when I had the darkest line. I just think that I may have had a very short LH surge window and missed it with OPK

[AliceRR]

Yes I think that you ovulated and had your surge between your last dark line and the first time there was no line

I don’t understand how I have a faint line today unless I had maybe drank more today and my urine was more diluted? Or I missed it but then I shouldn’t have a line 🙄

I’m going to keep testing as I’m in my fertile window and see how I get on

If no luck might buy CB next month