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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

Ovulation sticks - what am I doing wrong?!

29 replies

Hessy · 18/12/2013 21:09

Hi, hope you can help.

My periods have always been irregular/long cycle. I miscarried in October and am desperate to conceive again so am using ovulation sticks. Using the One Step Ovulation Test sticks from Amazon.

Because periods are irregular and uncharted since my miscarriage, I took first test six days after first day of period (one day after end of period). I assumed this was safely early as previously had long cycle. Peed in a pot around 6pm, allowed ten mins for pee to reach room temp. Held stick vertically into pot, up to Mark Line, for ten secs. Laid it horizontal and waited five minutes. Test line much darker than Control line = 'positive' which I took to mean I was ovulating. Fantastic. DtD.

All good except I've repeated exactly this process for four nights now and each time the Test Line has been darker than the Control Line?

Have I done something wrong?!

Or have I been randomly ovulating for four days? And the exact four days I happen to be doing these tests??

V confused... But hopeful Smile

Any ideas?

OP posts:
Bedsheets4knickers · 18/12/2013 21:29

It may just be a wonky batch. Keep dtd and keep testing for a few more days . I bought all my opk from a site called access diagnostic. X

Thatssofunny · 18/12/2013 21:31

Did you check that your pregnancy tests come up as negative? Mine was still positive several weeks after my mc in July. This might cause a little confusion. I've only just started to use ov sticks again this cycle, but judging from my periods in the last few months, I seem to have ov'ed at rather random times.

That said, I've never really used the ones with the lines. I find a smiley face (or lack thereof) much easier to cope with. It also means I don't have to go through the "collect wee, make it adjust to room temperature, etc.'-stuff...I just poas and then check for the face after a few minutes.

Original poster
Hessy · 18/12/2013 21:47

Hhhhm they were cheap! But in my defence v good reviews. Wink Will check out diagnostics and smiley faces... Thank you!

I haven't taken any pregnancy tests since mc. But have now had two AF so assumed I'd be back to normal. Trying to stay sane and keep the balance between a healthy understanding of my ovulation and obsessing.

Feel like getting pregnant may be the only way to heal the pain of the miscarriage.

OP posts:
ImaginaryHat · 18/12/2013 22:31

Sorry to hear about your mc hessy.

I'd also say take a cheapie pregnancy test. Ive just had a chemical pregnancy (well two actually) but last time we dtd was 4 November and I got af at end of November and I'm still testing positive on pregnancy tests. Blood test today showed hgc at 53 so it shows that it can take a while for the hormone to clear your system. Im getting positive opks while Ive still got positive pg test so that could be why.

Hope you're doing ok.

Original poster
Hessy · 19/12/2013 19:45

Thank you Imaginary. I've just taken a pregnancy test and it says positive. Ovulation test just now also positive.

I've just looked up to confirm my miscarriage date and it was 21st September. Could I really still have the pregnancy hormone from the miscarriage pregnancy? Three months later?

I can't be pregnant because I had AF from ten days ago, only DtD five days ago so wouldn't show up yet surely from current cycle?

I'm feeling really stupidly distressed by all this. My mc was relatively quick (natural, managed at home) and I had thought that I might be able to conceive quickly. I'm really upset at the thought of still being 'pregnant' with the baby that died.

Do I see my GP? Do I need a blood test? Any advice really welcomed.

OP posts:
Mummyinpink1289 · 20/12/2013 16:01

i would definately go and see your GP, get a blood test or scan done so you can find out, you will go out of you mind with worry if you dont..

ladybunnikins · 20/12/2013 16:17

Three months does seem too long to be testing positive from the miscarriage. Could you have conceived in your last cycle and AF wasn't actually AF but an implantation bleed?
I agree, a visit to your GP or maybe a phone call to your EPU is needed.

Original poster
Hessy · 20/12/2013 18:10

Thank you both. I saw my GP today. He thinks what I thought was AF was probably a mc. I've got a referral to the Early Pregnancy Unit on Monday. Suddenly not feeling very festive anymore Hmm

OP posts:
ladybunnikins · 20/12/2013 19:00

I'm really sorry to hear that Hessy.

kittykatsforever · 20/12/2013 21:14

Hessy was last "af" heavy? I still don't think you can rule out an implantation bleed, I had one thought it was af and only found out I was pregnant as ovulation tests came up positive really early too
Have the ovulation test lines got stronger or fainter?

Original poster
Hessy · 20/12/2013 21:27

Kitty, it was four days of dark blood, medium heaviness, filling a towel over a few hours. Just like my usual period. Nothing like the mc I had at twelve weeks; no cramps, no clots.

What I've read about implantation bleeds is that they're lighter than AF, more like spotting?

The ovulation sticks have been getting darker....

I'm all over the place. This is going to be a long weekend's wait til the EPAU appointment. Dreading going back there.

OP posts:
barkingtreefrog · 20/12/2013 21:36

I'm so sorry, as I read through the thread I was really hopeful for you (I also mc in September and remember your name on thr mc boards) but that's too much for an implantation bleed Sad . When I got my bfp it was after 5 days of spotting that I'd assumed was AF. I hope you can get some answers soon Thanks .

Original poster
Hessy · 20/12/2013 22:00

Thank you Barking. I think I'm going to be in for a whole world of pain come Monday. One mc is unlucky but two..... I'd do anything not to sit in that awful waiting room again, with all those happy couples waiting for their scans.

Was your BFP positive since you mc? Congratulations if it was Thanks I bet it goes some way towards healing the pain xxx

OP posts:
kittykatsforever · 20/12/2013 22:14

Hessy that does sound heavy for implantation but some people have periods all the way through their pregnancys and stranger things have happened, I still feel that you can't just presume this will end badly, if it were me I'd take another pregnancy test of the same type as the one you did before and compare line strength first thing tomorrow if you can, if the line has got darker then it would indicate a progressing pregnancy, a fainter line obviously the worst but it definatly won't be from the mc 3 months ago as it's been far too long, big hugs to you it's a horrible position to be in, I've had 2 mc in sucsession but thankfully no 3 stuck and my little girls is fast asleep Now in her cot xx

LIG1979 · 20/12/2013 22:15

If it isn't pregnancy then it could be pcos. This would explain the irregular cycles and the hormone imbalance is causing high lh (which the ovulation sticks test for) hence the high readings. This will prevent ovulation causing the long cycles. High lh can also cause miscarriage too.

I hope it isn't pcos but if you do have it then at least you can get it under control to sort it. (I have/had pcos and whilst it was a horrible shock at least knowing meant that I could take the right action - low gi diet, acupuncture etc and I now have dd 16 months, clearer skin and 31 day cycles.)

LIG1979 · 20/12/2013 22:17

But fingers crossed it is pregnancy since ovulation sticks also detect hcg and so would go dark if pregnant.

Original poster
Hessy · 20/12/2013 22:39

Thank you both for your replies and advice. I had wondered about pcos in the past. I'll ask at the EPAU about it. I'll do a pregnancy test in the morning too. Fingers crossed.

Will update on Monday x

OP posts:
barkingtreefrog · 20/12/2013 22:54

I'll be thinking of you on Monday, fx for a happy ending. You do hear of women who bleed and go on to have a successful pg.

I've only ever had one bfp and that was the mc at the beginning of September. We've now hit two years of trying but I still haven't got my cycles back. After waiting 9 weeks I was given provera to bring on a withdrawal bleed, but no AF since.

kittykatsforever · 23/12/2013 07:13

Good luck today Hessy

barkingtreefrog · 23/12/2013 08:26

Thinking of you Thanks

LIG1979 · 23/12/2013 10:20

Yes - good luck. Hopefully, you see this before you go but if they do an internal scan ask them to check the ovaries to see if they are polycystic. (I got this done after a mc and it helped get me onto the route of fertility testing immediately not having to wait a year of TTC/3 mcs before they would do anything. My blood tests were also all fine and I didn't have typical PCOS symptoms so I imagine I would have been dismissed fairly quickly if i hadn't had a scan of the ovaries showing all the cysts. )

I know this sounds negative and I really hope that it is good news. (But thought if it isn't good news, if you can at least get something good out of it, in being a step nearer to a diagnosis that will help.)

Original poster
Hessy · 23/12/2013 12:09

It's an ectopic pregnancy. I'm going in for surgery. I'm in shock. I thought the worst case scenario would have been a confirmed mc.

OP posts:
toots123 · 23/12/2013 12:23

Oh no :( sorry to hear that.
Big hugs and Thanks for you x

kittykatsforever · 23/12/2013 12:29

So sorry to hear that Hmm Thanks

LIG1979 · 23/12/2013 15:08

Oh no! So sorry - that is horrible news but good that you got it checked out. Hope surgery goes well and you recover quickly.