Advice re OPK please-very early smiley face

[StrawberryMojito]

This is my second month using an OPK (clearblue digital that tells you when you are both high and peak fertility). Last month I didn't get a high fertility sign at all (flashing smiley face), it just went straight to peak fertility (fixed smiley face). This was on day 12 which was a couple of days earlier than expected but still seemed normal.

I only finished my period a couple of days ago but started using the opk straight away as my cycles vary a bit (26-30 days). Today (day 8) I got a high fertlity sign. Surely this is too early?

So, we had sex last night just for fun rather than baby making but now I'm thinking should we do it again tonight as I got the high (but not peak) fertility sign or shall we just start doing it every other day until I get the peak fertility smiley face. I don't want to exhaust DH and his swimmers but don't want to miss the window either.

Fingers crossed for today kabgab, has af arrived?

Well done missv it sounds like you've both done really well to cover your fertile window as much as possible. Haha! I think we can all relate to that comment at one point or another, it's so easy to lose steam towards the end of your window, esp after 4 days off the trot! I hope your 2ww goes quickly and you get your BFP at the end of it.

Well, today was a major let down! Apologies in advance if I babble and ramble on a bit here.

That leftover follie from last cycle never went away, and a new one decided to hang out with it (so now there are 2). When the Nurse showed me, I said "So, I never ovulated right?" and she says to me "Well, yes, you must have. You have your period now so that means you ovulated."....I sat there stunned for a minute..I mean, really? Even I (not a Nurse) know that you can have AF cycles, but that doesn't mean you've ovulated (if only life were that simple, right?) I was shocked something so basic escaped her. I was already feeling sad and annoyed about these damn follicles, and now I had this Nurse giving me invalid information.

Anyway, so the Dr. advised I take (another) month off, but this time, no meds. The goal is for these 2 Cysts to clear up during this next cycle on their own...and if they don't, then I will probably have to get a procedure done to remove them.

I plan to speak with DH today & let him know that I'd like to stop the meds 100% once these cysts are removed, and just keep TTC on our own, clean of anything in my system (we conceived naturally 2 years ago). I'm not saying it's the Meds fault at all, but I also know my body & believe they aren't helping me (they do indeed I'm sure help many women, but for some reason, I suspect since I have been on them for the past 6 cycles or so, I haven't been Ovulating...and now these damn follicles just hang around creating chaos...Ovulation is supposed to trigger them to rupture...)

It will be wonderful IF and when I can ever Ovulate again, and actually be in the exciting 2WW. Right now, I'm losing just a little of that Hope I was so positive about yesterday.

Sorry so long, just had to get it out....Hope all are well. xx

Hi kabgab, I'm sorry to hear that today didn't turn out the way you wanted it to. Big hugs!

How can you have ovulated if the follicle still remains? It sounds like your body is capable of gearing up for ovulation and is struggling to take it to the next step and ovulate (although what do I know!?) so don't lose hope, esp if you have already conceived naturally. Have the docs said that your body will get rid of these follicles naturally or would they be tempted to intervene at some point and get rid of them?

Hi BNmum - thanks... I was told to "wait out" this next cycle (today is my CD1) and not take any fertility medicine, to see if they go away on their own...If these old follicles are still there on my next month's CD1 or CD2, then they will have to perform a procedure to get rid of them ("drain them").... It's all just very frustrating, but I have no choice than to try and not focus too much on it, and get through (another) wasted cycle. It will be interesting to see if a clean month (no meds) helps my situation here or not...I hope so. I just want to at least start ovulating again. Between OPKs, the leftover follicles and irregular cycles lately, I sense I haven't Ovulated in quite some time (which is why I'd like to consider TTC with no medicine going forward to see if the clean approach gets my body back in synch....maybe my body is revolting against the fertility aids? who knows?) xx

Hey kabgab, so sorry to gear the news from today!! Must be totally frustrating for you!!! Hope the rant has made you feel better. I find a good old sulk makes you feel enter as it gets those emotions out when they are there and fresh, then you can look at it with a fresh pair of eyes, haves think about it and then start afresh. (Not that I think your ranting or sulking, just expressing, didn't want that to sound horrible
Did the doctors say this could happen?? I think after some mess our bodies need a recharge and refresh!!!
We could all do with a refresh button. It would make life easier. Lol
I think I'm in need of a holiday. Don't know about you girls!! Nice hot sun an a good book. Switch the brain off for a couple of days. I'm trying bit to symptom spot. But today I have some lower abdominal pain. Later on than last month by about two days. Not as painful as last month. Almost like mild af pains. its probably constipation or something completely the opposite to what I'm thinking.
I'm hoping you have a recharge and refresh this month kabgab. You never know, things happen when you least expect it!! X x x

Hey MissV - I agree re: Holiday! Thanks for your kind words too. Yesterday we went out for a bit and then to dinner near the beach, so it was great to get the mind off (another) throw away cycle....How are your symptoms today? I know it's soooo hard not to analyze how you are feeling and then go ready up on symptoms and signs, etc. It's not a bad thing to try and understand the body either way though, right? And good luck of course as this seems like a healthy, good cycle for you.

Well, even though this is another "no go" cycle for me, I am going to use OPKs though, because I am curious still to see if my body finally decides to Ovulate...although I'd never anticipate a pregnancy with these leftover follicles, it would still be nice to know my body is getting her engine running again the right way finally. So, I'm going to by the sticks (cheapies) and probably start using them next weekend.

I hope all of the others on this thread are feeling great and have updates to share too. Best to you all. xxxx

Hey kabgab, were hopefully booking a late honeymoon/family moon for next month. So that be nice!! things have been normal so far, but today I've had sharp not extremely painful lower abdominal pain and my bladder had felt painful, like I was coming down with an infection. Strange. Hard not to ignore those signs, felt the same last month and it was a couple of days after opk told me I was in high fertility stage. I've asked hubby if we can ttc tonight as I'm worried the opk is missing it and These pains are o'ing signs.

I think it's a good idea to use opk, like I said you never know. Our bodies work in strange ways. They have a habit of telling us one thing and then doing another. Will the left over follicles get in the way?? If there both in one side there's no reason why the other side won't do it's job!! Fingers toes and everything else crossed for you!!

Thanks MissV! Sorry about your pains and it sounds like a good idea to TTC tonight as insurance, for sure. How exciting about your honeymoon / familymoon...I hope it's fun and you can relax, etc. Yes, I'm going to def. use OPKs mainly to just see if I ovulate this time..but I will still TTC with the hubs as it can't hurt (just won't at all get the hopes up). Yes, I believe the leftover follies (most likely Cysts) get in the way and crowd the growth of new viable follies, and also hinder Ovulation. Just want them gone already...they aren't welcome here. lol. xxx

Hi all, I've had a few days away from the thread and haven't had chance to catch up fully. I'm sorry this is a no go cycle for you Kabgab, it must be disheartening but you are doing well to be so positive.

Well, I had my investigatory scan and it surprised me. The radiologist said she had to report back to my GP who would discuss it with me more but basically she told me that my right ovary is fine but my left ovary is mildly polycystic. She said my GP should get the results in 7-10 days so I will discuss it further with him. I am hoping he will refer me to a specialist. I don't really know what it means, I don't have any classic pcos symptoms, I'm a normal weight, no spots or excess hair and I do think that I am ovulating monthly so I don't know how this could be treated/dealt with. Lots of questions for the GP.

Hi strawbs, i'm pleased that all your investigations are underway and you are getting some answers (even if they're unexpected). It will be interesting to hear your doctors take on it all. It might lead to them taking blood from you at various stages of your cycle to ensure that your body is producing the current level of hormone or it could mean that they just note the finding down on your record and let you get on with it.
What stage of your cycle are you at now?

Hey that's good that there are looking into it. I had cysts in my ovaries when I was in my teens. Two symptoms, excessive hair, especially facial and odd cycles. It eventually cleared up with no help. But I am still left with excessive hair. It's coming back full force since I stopped the pill. Regular blood tests are great. Mine were showing my testosterone level were going down and estrogen was normal. Although testosterone is now on the up again whilst not on pill. So I'm hoping that it doesn't affect ttc.
Do all you girls live in America?? I only ask as it seems you get seen by your doctors very quickly. X x

Thanks both. I am on CD12 at the moment so the monthly shagfest is about to begin. How are you BN, hopefully the ms has started to get a little better.

Miss V, nope, I'm very much uk based, in the Midands. We've been trying since early this year half heatedly and then since May determinedly. I went to see my GP as my luteal phase is very short and my periods have become painful. He wasn't concerned about the short lp but referred me for the scan to check for pcos and endometriosis.

Hi Strawbs - I'm so sorry about your struggle! But the great news is that yes, you are in the right care now and the facts will soon come to light. Just stay positive and carry on as if you aren't facing a roadblock (that's what I'm trying to do).

Hi MissV -How are you? I live in the States. xx

Hi all, sorry for being away from the thread for so long. Just a quick hello for now. I'll read back and get up to speed this evening. Have a good day all :-)

Well this morning and yesterday morning, I was a bit wasteful and naughty but did another opk. Circle yesterday and fixed smile today?? I'm losing a little faith in these clear blue digitals

Are you using the cb advanced or the cb digitals missv? Could it be that you ovulated a couple of days ago and the OPK is now picking up your rise in oestrogen or progesterone?

Hi tea how's things? Is school ok?

I had a solid smile cd 11 tested yesterday cd10 with a new one and had an empty circle, then today solid smile again cd 19 which is a week+1 later and unused a new test stick holder clear blue advanced digital. So it can't be the memory on the old one. I did it out of curiosity. Now I'm totally confused. Thought these things were accurate!!!

Well an update, I've spoken to clear blue, they said obviously to cover themselves, that they are 99% accurate. So some tests can be inacurate. Or it's picking up early pregnancy. Yeh right!! Or I should see a doctor as to why I am having to LH surges in one month.

Without getting your hopes up, I thought it could be picking up early pregnancy hormones too. Either that or your body geared up for ovulation but didn't ovulate and a week later its doing the same. This happened to me but the I had about 14 days between the 2 peaks in the same cycle. Just keep dtd in case its the latter

I haven't got hopes up. Luckily. I'm feeling very relaxed. I had all the signs last week, I've been contraceptive free for almost 5 years and I've never had this before. No double cramping in one month. Although half the pain I'm in is over doing it in the swimming pool on Sunday. even slight brownish fluid miday and ovulation pains day after solid smile. I've asked hubby if we can ensure we keep today covered an tomorrow even though all I can think of is my bed and sleeping in it and nothing else!!!
How are you feeling BNmum??? How far now?? X x

Hi BNmum , I know i avent been on the thread for a lil while
Things are ok, Im looking to do IUI in october x

Ty Charleylarlie

Hi kabgab Im ok x Yea you should try IUI if nothing happens next cycle on the basic meds.

Oh that's exciting business, what have you been up to lately?

Crickey, that must have been some workout missv

I'm 14weeks now and still nauseous, other than that I'm fine. I've now joined a antenatal thread but I still like to keep in touch with you girls.

How's everyone else?

How exciting BNmum...what a great time, nausea aside of course.

Nothing new here all...bought some cheapie OPKs at the pharmacy today, will start using them Saturday (although of course I realize this is a useless cycle for me, I want to know if I actually Ovulate for once), so that's the only reason I bought them even though I know I have little to no chance for conception again this cycle.

MissV, how's it going with you? What CD are you on now?

Hey girls, hope your all well!! Hey kabgab I'm in cd21 1ww, feeling tired and irritable today, so I think period is on its way. X x

MissV- maybe, but you never know until you know...right? Day by day. That's the thing, the signs of early preg. & PMS are almost if not identical so it's hard to tell. Are you going on the Family Moon soon?