Month 1 TTC - tracking with CB OPK and I have a question

[Bee4S]

Hi,
I'm new here but this is my first month TTC after tracking ov with CB digital tests (the ones that show circle when - and smiley when +) and wonder whether my experience is common?

Last month the test showed smiley on cd 16 and 17. This month cd 16 was yesterday and showed smiley but today just a circle so negative. DH and I have been BDing every other day since last weekend and also yesterday.

Other factors, I've been taking pregnacare conception for about 2 months and I've been on prescribed antibiotics since Wednesday.

Sorry for the long post, just wanted to know if it's common for the length of the LH surge to change or whether the antibiotics might have affected it? Also, does the LH surge drop again once the egg is fertilised?

Thanks in advance!

The LH surge happens when you're about to ovulate. It drops again pretty much straight away, it's nothing to do with the egg being fertilised. Sometimes my LH surge lasts two days of opk-testing, sometimes only one. I tend to take my first +opk as my surge day and look for a bbt hike in the next day or two.

You can also have a LH surge and fail to ov. That's why doing bbt as well is a way to confirm ov (as much as you can without actually having a blood test, that is!).

If your antibiotic contains tetracycline then it could also have an effect.

Tbh this is the first month of trying for me as well and I only ever got flashing smileys! Think LH surge can be missed, too low to detect or you haven’t ovulated that cycle.....

A lot of people like these OPKs but I’m not sure if I’ll carry on with them as I was getting stressed looking out for the static smiley each day!

Thanks for the input. I've heard of tracking by bbt but haven't really researched it much to fully understand the technique.

Looking out for the smiley was a bit of a stress the first month I really tracked ov because I started tracking at cd11 or 12 but this month I kind of knew what to expect. Just a bit surprised that I got a - result the very next day as I was expecting two days of smileys like before. But DH and I have been BDing every other day since last weekend and on the surge day and today so fingers crossed for a good outcome.

I’ve not tried bbt so can’t really comment on that. A couple of people have recommended it to me though.

I’m gonna try clearblue this month as got around 13 test sticks left. So will see what results I get. I just get worried that if I don’t see that static smiley then there is something wrong. Although it’s more likely I’ve missed it with only using fmu or the levels have been too low to detect (or perhaps I never ovulated that month!).

I am also bd’ing every other day in the hope it’s not missed!

Good luck and I hope you get that BFP soon! Fx 🙂

I have found it much easier to use OPK with telling. It's like a check and balance. You get the smiley one or two days from the OPK before ov and then see a rise in BBT after it.

@bubblybrit Thanks 😊 good luck to you too!

@HoldTight That makes sense, it tells you when to start looking out for the rise in temp. It's early days for me yet but I might read up on it to help in future cycles if we haven't got lucky this time round.

Yeah I think I might need to look into that also as I’m struggling to determine when (or if) I ovulate with purely OPKs so far!