OPKs

[ThreeBeanRap]

So after 7 months TTC our first and not getting anywhere, I have just bought Clearblue OPK. It has 10 tests in it. When should I start using them? AF arrived today so it's day 1.

Any other recommendations on OPKs if these ones aren't the best?

Thanks all…really hoping it's going to be my month this month.

Hi threebean,

from my personal experience I would recommend starting testing later in your fertile period as I found out I was ov'ing later than I thought. There is also a table thing in the instructions I think that suggests when you should start. If you have an idea of when you've typically seem EWCM in your cycle that should be a clue too.

I like the clearblue OPKs but they are eye-wateringly expensive! The things we do in pursuit of the bfp....

good luck - I really hope the OPKing works out for you. I've gone the opposite way and am trying to be all relaxed after OPK'ing for the first few months (control freak). It actually made me a bit stressed about making sure that we bonked in that fertile few days and if I was travelling or the husbandit was super tired I was not fun to be with.

Having said that I will probably start again (not least because I've got a load of internet cheapies in the draw!).

Thanks so much Lemon - I know, horribly expensive but I'm starting to get really stressed about it after starting off being all 'we'll be totally chilled and it will just happen when it happens!!' I think I'm going to be travelling in the 'good' week next month which is really annoying so FX for this month!

I always think I know with EWCM etc but with nothing happening it makes me think I've been getting it wrong.

I never had any luck with those CB tests, and they cost a fortune. I ended up charting my BBT and discovered I am ovulating, which was a relief. It's cheap and easy, you just need discipline to do it.

Alternatively, you can buy cheap OPK's from Ebay or Amazon, you get about 20 for a fiver.

As for your question, I would start around CD10 and don't stop until you get a peak. Although it depends on your cycle. How long is it normally? If it's short, maybe start from CD8?

Thanks Jelly. It's normally 28-30 days. With BBT, did you just buy a tester online? And do you have to test at the same time each day?

Yeah i just bought a thermometer from amazon (babymad it's called), it cost a fiver. You have to test roughly the same time each day, after at least 4 hours sleep. If you are a very restless sleeper or you sleep with your mouth open then it's maybe not for you (although I am a semi-restless sleeper and I managed to get a fairly decent chart last month).

I have an alarm that goes off at 5:00am each day, so it's early enough for me to go back to sleep for an hour or so. I record my temps on the Fertility Friend App, and it works out based on temps when you ovulated.

BBT doesn't tell you when you will ovulate like OPK's but it does tell you if you are ovulating, which was my big worry.

5am!

I might do that as well, thanks for the advice. Just want it to happen NOW! So frustrating.

Not sure about the clear blue opks as I'm using cheap one step tests, but I would say listen to your body to figure out when to test. The chart that comes with mine said to start testing on cd17 of my 35 day cycle. If I'd relied on that I would have completely missed my peak as last month it was on cd16! So I now start testing on cd12 which is also around the time my cm starts to change and becomes more eggwhitey.

Thanks Dizzy, I looked at the chart last night and it advised I test on day 9 I think, but I also feel it's a bit late to be 'safe' and will start on d7 this month to see how things go. I was so naive about how easy it would all be!