Bamboozled by OPK's

[Incacola]

We have been ttc #2 for almost a year now and I decided, following a miscarriage in January this year, that i would start using opk's to try and help us get there a little sooner. I have used them for the last 2 cycles and haven't got a positive yet so I am a little concerned. I have only used them throughout the window that I think I am likely to be fertile (approx days 8-20 last cycle and day 8 ongoing this cycle - currently cd 16) so there is a possibility that I'm either ovulating late or very early. Has anyone ever found that they don't get positives with opk's? I am using a wee sample taken at lunchtime, having not been to the toilet since breakfast. Does that sound like the right time to use one?

I'm planning to start using the opk from about day 4 next cycle and continuing throughout until I either get a positive or AF arrives. If I don't get a positive that cycle then I will book in to see the GP. Does anyone have any advice?

Is there some reason why you're not using the breakfast wee, as it were? I thought that was supposed to be the 'best' one to test with.

I used them (this was a few years ago now) and it was a bit hit and miss, but it's worth noting that when I did get pregnant it was in a month when it must have happened late in my cycle. I came to the conclusion that whatever OPKs and other signs were telling me, I had some kind of fertility window that occurred (or lasted till) later in the month than I had thought.

Your right to not use FMU. It's best to test in the afternoon. Good luck!

I think you're doing everything right Inca in terms of testing. It might be that your hormones are still a bit up in the air after the mc in January and that you've had a couple of anovulatory cycles (I don't think I ov'd in my first cycle post mc), but seeing your GP if you don't get a positive this month sounds like a good idea.

Inca, I'm watching this thread with interest as I'm struggling with opks too...I thought I ovd cd19ish but never had a positive x

Hi there! I was using the clearblue opks and only testing once a day as they are pricey haha! Never got a positive so was a bit worried. I had ewcm and ov pains so always thought I was ovulating so this threw me off a bit! Anyway, ended up getting a cheaper load of opks from amazon (pack of 50) and so now test twice a day during my fertile window, 1pm and 7pm. Yesterday got my big fat positive :) just takes a bit of experimenting, some LH surges are so quick you can easily miss them by only testing once a day!

Sorry, by big fat positive I meant on the opk, not on hpt! I WISH haha!

Ah, OK, I thought it was supposed to be morning. Well, I've learned something today

Thanks for your responses and reassurance. Hanflan I used Sainsbury's ones for the first month but then bought some cheapy sticks from Amazon too. I might have a go at doing it more than once a day next month and see if that picks anything up, thanks for the tip.

No worries incacola hope it works and you get a nice clear +ve soon!

HI Incacola

I like you was very baffled by opks when i started using them. I also wasn't getting a positive and started to worry that I wasn't ovulating after years (8) of being on the pill or that the sticks didn't work. I had been testing around the time i thought i would be ovulating. I read on a forum that late morning/afternoon is the best time not early morning (which is when i had been testing). The next day I tested around 1.30pm and was shocked to see a positive.

I also read to test twice a day and started to test around every 12 hours as the surge vary's from 12-24 hours although i have read it can be as short as 10 hours but have only read that on one site theirs never been a mention of that on any other site or this forum. I test at 1.30pm and test again as late as possible before bed I am using a bundle of i.c's (internet cheapies) from Ebay. For extra reassurance next cycle i am going to get the digital opks and test with the ics then when i get positive from the i.cs also use the digital ones for confirmation.

Starting from cycle day 4 sounds good as its a very common misconception that all woman ovulate mid cycle. I looked this up and read a story about a woman who had been trying for 3 years without success to find that she actually ovulated on her period and not when she thought so had been missing her window each month.

I know for you there are other factors as well. I'm sorry to hear of your miscarriage, hugs to you and i really hope all happens soon. I'm sure with using the above and what others have said you will get a positive next cycle :)