Help with ovulation tests!

[MrsSatsuma]

We're TTC#1... Have had one cycle since coming off the pill which was 30 days, and during which I got some EWCM (sorry if tmi!). This month I'm charting temperature and using ovulation tests - but am a bit confused as to how to read them!

I got them from Home Health on Amazon (they're the 10 for about £4 ones). Can clearly see the control line but I'm not sure where to look for the test line! It seemed to be negative, then I looked at the plastic strip (that has 'mark' written on it) and there seemed to be a line under that. Has anybody used these and know where I should be looking?!

I'm really confused! Thought that charting and testing would help us to time it properly but I'm just even more confused... thermometer readings not a great help as it only arrived in the post a couple of days ago! I'm now on CD 14 so a bit worried that nothing seems to be happening - but then I don't really know what should be happening!

Any advice would be hugely appreciated to help me through this maze of TTC-ness!!

I could never work out the OV tests so I got digital ones, as a smiley face meant I was about to OV a non smiley face meant no, so I didn't have to interpret any lines. Sorry I can't help more, good luck x

I could never work out the OV tests so I got digital ones, as a smiley face meant I was about to OV a non smiley face meant no, so I didn't have to interpret any lines. Sorry I can't help more, good luck x

are you sure its not the word 'max' (the place where you musnt dip it any deeper in your wee?)

i had ovulation sticks... i found they were mostly -ve but when +ve (which for me was normally day 15) it was obviouse they were +ve

No it's definitely 'mark' - though, rather confusingly, this is indeed the place where you mustn't dip it any deeper. Stoopid things!

I thought these would make it easier! It doesn't help that people at work are getting pregnant left right and centre, and most were unplanned!! How did they do it?!

Now I can see why the more expensive are indeed more expensive. If anybody has any more words of wisdom please do let me know...?

mine were the cheap ebay ones and they were fine easy and obviouse

Hi, I used the clearblue digital ovulation test, has 7 tests in it and tells you the best two days to conceive, much easier and results virtually straight away. Have a look at a website called Pride Angel you can get them from there, thay also have other items that can help boost fertility etc. Good luck, let us know how you get on
Dawn x

There was me thinking I was doing well buying tests... now I'm just fed up! If we'd been ready earlier we would have planned better, but we didn't plan until we were ready, and now I feel uninformed and naive!! Thanks for your help though - may invest the clearblue one...

I wouldn't waste your money on expensive digital ones TBH, the cheap ones do exactly the same thing, and once you get used to interpreting them they are fine. I think the ones I got from amazon worked out at 17p a strip (as opposed to about £3 per digital one!!)

Just test at the same time every day (in the afternoon or early evening - not the morning). Hold your wee for 4 hrs before hand if you can, and certainly don't drink tonnes of fluids beforehand to make sure your wee is concentrated.

Dip the stick in up to the "mark" or "max"

The control line is the line furthest away from the wee wee end. You will sometimes get a faint line on the test line area as LH is present all through your cycle.

The test is only positive if the test line is as dark, or darker than the control line. That means the LH level is "surging" and chances are, you are about to ovulate.

Hope that helps.

Hi MrsSatsuma

I've been using the same strips as you - with the word Mark on them (max makes so much more sense!) and until today have not seen even the tiniest hint of a second line. However, I got distracted after testing today and it was near enough 10 mins later before I looked at it - lo and behold the test line was there in all its glory!

When I test the control line comes up instantly - so when there was nothing else after a few seconds I binned it. I think I've been chucking them away too soon as I dug out yesterday's from the bin it was the only thing in the bin, honest! And when I threw it away yesterday there was only 1 line, but today there were 2. Maybe these ones just need a few minutes to develop?

Hope that helps!

None of the tests worked for me. I did ovulatory tracking which clearing showed I had ovulation. Don't get disappointed if these do not work - just have sex! I got pregnant without using any tests - better this way - the pressure is off when you do not know when you ovulate . good luck!

Hi guys hope ye could me. I have just started using the clearblue fertility monitor and I got a high fertility reading on day 6 and my periods just finished 2 days ago could this be right?? should hubby and I start trying now or not Im so confused and worried xxx

Hi Shelly There's a thread devoted to the CBFM here. Pop over and join us if you want.

It is possible to get a high on day 6 with the CBFM. Highs are triggered when oestrogen levels begin to rise. Peaks are triggered when the LH surge occurs. Traditional OPKs only detect LH, so you get 1 - 2 days notice of ovulation. CBFM gives you more notice as it detects oestrogen too.

The CBFM does take a while to learn your cycles and often gives quite a lot of high days in the first couple of cycles as it works out what your personal "trigger" level should be to switch from "low" to "high"