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Conception

When's the best time to get pregnant? Use our interactive ovulation calculator to work out when you're most fertile and most likely to conceive.

Original poster

Random varying cycle, negative OPKs - wish I'd never started with the damned things!

30 replies

BabyValentine · 20/01/2010 09:15

Bit of background: DD conceived first month, 'normal' 30 day cycle, no random peeing on sticks (apart from the HPT).

Now TTC#2. This is our first month and I'e turned into a raving lunatic...

Over the last year my cycle has been 31, 33, 36, 34, 28, 32, 29, 30, 42!, 35, 33. Although I often feel ovulation pains, I decided to get the OPKs - both ClearBlue and wee sticks from eBay - due to my cycle being a bit random.

I clearly have no idea what is going on - according to the sticks I did not ovulate from CD13 to CD28. (I did a practice fum last month and ovulated on CD19 of a 34 day cycle (I think!) )

Today is CD29 and being more than a little obsessed with weeing in pots, I thought 'Ha! Last ClearBlue stick! I will use you up and get you out of the way and forget of your exsitence, you mean little fella!'. So I weeed. And I now have a smiley face.

What is going on? Am I ovulating at this late stage? Or were the sticks from eBay a bit dodgy? It certainly felt like I ovulated earlier in the month, and some EWM - but -ve OPKs. I'm sure DH won't mind a bit of shagging with intent when he gets home from work, but I'm a bit sick of all the sex, TBH. And well and truly confused. Wish I'd never bought the bloody things.

Can anyone shed any light on anything? I have a sneaking suspicion I should be ditching the sticks and relaxing with some regular sex!

OP posts:
Original poster
BabyValentine · 20/01/2010 11:26

Pinchme - Glad to hear I'm not alone! I've tried the fertilityfriend website this morning and it won't let me log in. I did take my temperature every so often just out of interest. No discernible pattern though - do you know if a C thermometer is accurate enough, or do I need a Farenheit?

Thanks SOH - I guess I'm just a little concerned with the doctor laughing me out of the surgery seeing as it is only my first month...

TBH, I thought that a 30 day cycle and pregnant first month was pretty freakish for DD and assumed that most other women had pretty varying cycles, especially after being pregnant.

OP posts:
ShowOfHands · 20/01/2010 10:19

It is normal for your cycle to vary very slightly sometimes and to have occasional anovulatory cycles. You are also right about the luteal phase remaining pretty much constant.

The sheer variety in cycle lengths you are seeing isn't characteristic of a 'normal' cycle especially if you've had a previously relatively predictable cycle. 28 at the shortest and 42 at the longest is a big difference. I'd pop to the GP just to see what's happening with your hormone levels at various times of the month.

OPKs alone aren't reliable as an indication of ovulation.

It sounds v frustrating!

pinchmeimustbedreaming · 20/01/2010 10:13

hello there crazy lady! yes i am in the same boat. my first child was concieved first month and my dh and i have been ttc for 8 months now. at about month6 i thought enough was enough and bought opks all negative too, left it another month still not pregnant. i then chatted to some very helpful ladies on here and they recommended fertility friend website, iv never looked back! you can chart everything from cm to temps. i only started half way through so havent seen a ful month yet but it really gives you a good indicator of whats going on. unfortunatly i was 11 days late this month, as you can imagine i was climbing the walls but hpts were negative.

not sure of the facts but i have read somewhere that it isnt so great to have sex all the time, apparently once a day or even every other day is better. more concentated if you like. like i said not 100% but suppose it makes sense. my dh is on strict instructions not to see to himself, i need his best swimmers!!!!!

Original poster
BabyValentine · 20/01/2010 09:28

Hi Geek, sorry about your MMC .

Hope you're wrong about the long cycles. I'm sure I read somewhere that your time from ovulation to next period is always the same (but differs for different women) - which means that if I ovulated on CD19 last month with a 33 day cycle, and I am ovulating today, then this month will be a super long cycle!

I also read that stress can delay ovulation - perhaps that is the problem. Must stop Googling. Hopefully someone with a bit more knowledge will be along soon...

OP posts:
GeekIsGood · 20/01/2010 09:23

No idea either but hope someone does as my cycles have been very similar to yours since my mc last March and still TTC no.1! I've just had a 40 day cycle, the longest one yet. But I've been going up and down - my last one was 28 days.

I think really long cycles (35 days+) may mean you're not ovulating during those cycles.