Opk help

[LuckyFlash]

Hello!
I’ve started using OPk’s for the first time this cycle as my BBT is quite hard to read. My lines have been getting progressively darker over the last few days and I’ve been using Fermometer to interpret them. Yesterday I got into the ‘high’ bracket and early afternoon today the test line was almost as dark as the control. I thought I must be reaching the peak so tested again later this afternoon and the line was only very faint. Now I’m confused. The first test was at 1pm and second about 5pm.
Is it likely I could have missed the peak in such a small window? If not, are there any other explanations for this happening?

[SmileyT]

@LuckyFlash have you got a pic of the tests in your femometer app? Do you normally have a regular cycle? The peak is different lengths for different people and also some people never actually get peak on the app but still ovulate. Another consideration is that sometimes I think our bodies try to ovulate but don't quite manage so you could have a peak later. I'm by no means an expert but this is stuff I've picked up trying this month and from others.

[LuckyFlash]

Here’s a picture. Normally I have a 31-34 day cycle, it’s pretty regular. I started charting last month and FF thinks I ovulated on CD21 (although it’s not clear cut). Today is CD19 so it would make sense for my LH peak to be around now.

[babyG123]

I read that the peak can only be a few hours but can conceive in a 24 hour bracket

[babyG123]

I wondered if anyone could help too. My lines are pretty strong and supposed to
Ovulate in 3 days but the test says o.42 or
0.25 etc LH.... which is low on the app but what number would it be if high?

[SmileyT]

@LuckyFlash it's always hard to say if you have no history of what a positive opk looks like for you, but id say at a glance that they don't look like peak yet. They can peak in between tests though, I'd be DTD now but keep testing throughout the next week to see if you see a darker peak. I've attached my lh tests for you to compare to, but I also note that everyone has different lh levels so peaks look different.

[SmileyT]

@babyG123 I've never seen the scores on this app before but when your lines at the top looks stronger than below so make sure that you use your own opinion aswell as just the app. Also for the first month I'd DTD every other day/ every 3 days around expected ovulation to cover all bases. Good luck 😊

[babyG123]

@SmileyT thank you! Your pictures help to see how strong they can get. Fingers crossed. My kit says to test twice per day between 11 and 4 so I've now set alarms for this haha 🤪

[SmileyT]

@babyG123 yes definitely test more especially when you think it's near as sometimes you can miss peak in a few hours so when it gets really strong I'd ramp up the testing 🙌🏾

[Juno231]

Do you think you could have missed it evening of CD15? I notice you didn't test a second time that day and your reading dropped the following day. Only asking cause that sounds like a more likely time to ovulate than a late one at 18/19 unless you normally have quite long cycles?

[babyG123]

@juno I have no idea. Good job we're DTD daily 🤣

It still says low though. So confusing. My cycles have been like 34-36 days since I stopped breastfeeding which is the main reason for these confusing tests.

[SmileyT]

@babyG123 if you have a 34-36 day cycle then you'd expect to ovulate somewhere between cd18- cd26 so I think you're doing the right thing. Let us know how you get on this week with the opks (I'm a loser and find it quite interesting to see what different peoples look like 🙈)

[Minster2012]

I’m about to start testing so interested to know how long do you hold your wee for before & if you drink a lot of fluids does it affect them? (Drinking a lot of water is good right?)
@SmileyT can I ask did you test at nighttime too & at night with the clear blue?

[babyG123]

@SmileyT it's gone back up again today. I'll let you know. Wish I understood it enough to be a geek haha

@Minster2012 mine instructs don't hold wee at all as messes it up. Also to test between 11am and 4pm as this is the peak time then 10 days around ovulation is due take 2 tests between these times. I only read this yesterday 🙈

[Minster2012]

@babyG123 oooo I might need to consult the instructions 😂 god it’s complicated!! I mean we are going to keep DTD a lot so 🤞🏻But seeing as I don’t know what my cycles are then I was hoping to actually use them to work that out then forget about them a bit 😂

[babyG123]

@Minster2012 sounds like we are in the same boat. Curious and hopeful lol xx

[SmileyT]

@Minster2012 I am by no means an expert I've only done one month but the more people's I nosey at the more I get a sense of what good looks like 😂 my CB arrived half way through the cycle and I saw my cheapies were stronger so tried it and it was peak first time. With the cheapies if I saw it was getting stronger I would check a few times out of curiosity, and yeah I wouldn't wee for a few hours before x

[Minster2012]

@SmileyT I see thanks! 🤞🏻I will get the hang of it too (or get pregnant before there is need!)

[babyG123]

@SmileyT thought I'd give a update and anyone else using test.

Apparently according to my cycles today is ovulation day 🤷🏻‍♀️ still says low!

[LuckyFlash]

Thought I would send an update too. After a couple of days of up and down between high and low I got my peak so I guess the answer is just to keep testing! I definitely noticed that when I got very low readings in the last couple of days was when I had very clear, hydrated urine. So definitely hold off drinking.
Trouble is I’ve heard that hydrating helps the production of cm so a bit of a vicious cycle! I’ve been testing once at lunchtime-ish and once in the evening.

[SmileyT]

Keep DTD and keep testing @babyG123 mine came and went so quickly it surprised me. You could definitely still get a peak in a few days as you have had 36 day cycles. Sometimes the apps work on your shortest cycle so that they cover all bases and then they'll move them back a day after you load your opks on.

@LuckyFlash yay to getting your peak and it's a nice strong one so you know that's what you need to look out for next time, so you'll be ovulating today or tomorrow and then it's TWW time 🙌🏾

[babyG123]

@SmileyT will keep dtd.... not much else to do lol! Thank you... your like the tracking guru 🤣

[babyG123]

Well that's solved all ovulation test confusion here xx

[Minster2012]

Yay to big peaks for @LuckyFlash & @BabyG123!

Here’s a laugh for you here’s my chart 😂

[babyG123]

@Minster2012 what tests are you using?

[Minster2012]

Femometer tests, those show CD8 to CD10 today I drink a lot of fluid but today have not drink much & done well on holding wee