Do IC OPK's actually work..?

[butterflyFairy1]

Hi all,

So I had a miscarriage in October at 11 weeks. Me and my partner decided to start trying again in January - we bought OPK's from Amazon to save money and because some people I know recommended them.

But my question is, is do they actually work? I've been taking them religiously for four months now (this month being the fourth) and in all that time I've only got one half decent line, but it wasn't a positive because it was only half the colour of the control line. Did I get just a dodgy batch? I ordered 50 for around £9. Or is it possible that since my MC I've not been ovulating? Im scared to go to the doctor in case they say I'm not! I've recently had an internal scan because I had appendicitis and they originally thought it was an ovarian cyst, and apparently everything looks ok.

Can anyone make heads or tails of what's going on? Any advice would be very much appreciated as we're at our wits end!

This is my second month of using them, and I've not had a positive either. I've had fairly strong lines mid-cycle, but nothing positive, and then yesterday I got another line equally as strong, even though I calculate that I should be about 6-7 dpo at the moment. So who knows what's going on.

I have just come of contraceptive pills so I'm guessing that that might be suppressing ovulation in my case, but I have had other signs of fertility such as ew and watery cm mid-cycle. I'm going to start temping next cycle (assuming nothing happens this time round!) - maybe that would be worth a try for you too?

I feel your frustration and worry. I think that quite a few people find that OPKs don't give a positive, even when they have ovulated. If you look on Fertility Friend, there are quite a few charts that show women who have conceived even though they had negative OPKs that cycle. That gives me hope :)

Hi Sunbathing, thank you for replying :)

I have to say, I do restrict my water in take - I stop drinking about two hours before I test. I usually test around 2pm - and start on CD8 (3 days after my AF ends) right up until suspected AF... And she's always on time :(. The reason why I started testing in January was because my periods were so messed up after my MC - they were every two weeks, lasting for 4/5 days at a time! But I thought that seeing as my periods went back to normal after two months, so would my ovulating.

I have to confess, I don't test as often as you do. Once a day when the app on my phone tells me when I'm "not fertile", then twice a day when the app tells me I am. Maybe I'm missing my surge? I always think to myself "this one will be positive" and it never is :(.

I have used boots ovulation tests also for a month, which also showed no signs of a surge. Again, a line would be clearly visible but nowhere near a positive.

As I said, maybe I'm missing my surge. I've googled how to do OPK's properly for maximum results to death and nothing I do seems to work. Maybe I'll move onto CB ovulation tests or something that's a bit more branded... X

Lolipop, that makes me feel quite relieved! At least I'm not the only one that's struggling to get a line on IC OPK's. I don't even really get strong-ish lines - it's usually just blank and white!

If you're getting decent-ish line whilst you're in your TWW, maybe that could be a sign of pregnancy...?! Don't mean to plant a seed into your head, but I've heard OPK's can also pick up on HCG as well as LH..!

Coming off birth control only a few months ago could be the reason you're not getting a positive, as you said. I've been off birth control since April 2014, so a year now, and fell mid July. I suppose I expected this time to be just as quick... But I suppose I can't pin my hopes on that!

Temping definitely seems like a more fool proof way of checking ovulation than OPK's, from what I've read. I may take a leaf out of your book and try that also :)

Thank you for your advice!

Sunbathing, your answers have been a godsend! It's really helped to speak to someone that's got experience in using OPK's.

I can definitely understand the need you have to feel as though you're 'controlling' trying to get pregnant. I also like doing them so I know everything's ok and my body is working how it should - but at the moment I'm a bit worried and doubting my body is doing what it should! I'm currently on CD11, and have no sign of any line on my OPK's. I'll take a photo and show you what it looked like at 2pm this afternoon. I would've thought my ovulation had settled by now but maybe it's just taking me a bit more time than some to get over it... Even though it has been 6 months

I think I'm going to do what you said. Use the CB Dual Hormone OPK's alongside my IC's and see what joy I get from that. Thank you for your help. I attach my photo in the next comment. x

PS, I know CD11 is a bit early to get a surge - but is the lack of the second line normal..?

Butterfly the lack of a second line is totally normal. Some women get a fade in effect, where throughout the month the line gets dark and darker. Some women go from no line at all to a positive in just a day.

Also not all women will get positive opks in the way of a darker test line. For some women a halfway dark line would be considered their positive. It all depends on your bodies own make up. You might just not need such high levels of lh to ovulate and that's not unusual.