Please help me TTC!

[MrsDx]

Hi ladies thank you for taking the time to read this..I just need to better understand ovulation...I have regular periods every 25/6 days and have done for years. I have used clear blue OPK and it just told me I was fertile and never hit peak. I have been using internet strip tests this month and even though I started my period on 2nd December and stopped bleeding by 8th the strips aren't showing any surge or anything. If my period is regular shouldn't I be ovulating pretty soon? Could I have started ovulating while I was still bleeding? I just don't understand and have been TTC for a while now and don't want to be wrong about ovulation dates as all online predictions say it's this week and that I should have ovulated yesterday!

Thank you in advance x

@MrsDx i have been having the same problem! My periods are always regular 29days. I have only just this month started using opks and im finding it so hard to track!! I am thinking maybe i shouldnt use them because they are sending me mad by trying to track and control everything. I think im going to stop using them and see what happens!

If you started af on the 2nd and your cycles are around 25-26 days then you could reasonably expect to ovulate around the 15th Dec, at a rough guess, as that's halfway in your cycle. Of course, it could be earlier or later than that. So it may be that you just haven't ov'd yet.

Keep using the opks, test around 2pm to try and catch your surge. Some women have very short surges so they test twice a day, just make sure you're not doing it too early in the morning.

@SLR1906 My Mum has told me the exact same thing...just stop obsessing and testing and worrying about it! It's just so hard not to fixate and worry though isn't it 😢 xx

@SoozC thanks for replying, I assumed you were supposed to use FMU like with pregnancy tests so I've clearly been doing it wrong anyway 😂 it's so hard not knowing when you ovulate for definite but I need to remember women have been conceiving for years without any tests or OPKs! Xx

A few possibilities are that you are not actually ovulating, or that you are but it's later than you expect so you're not seeing the surge, are you testing through your cycle? If you'd your period on the 2nd, I wouldn't expect you to ovulate yet at all to be honest.

my dr says bin the strips as they just cause anxiety and stick watching. She says instead run a few cycles where you watch out for natural signs such as the egg white like discharge and sore boobs and monitor them. if your period happens exactly 14 days afterwards then you've nailed your ovulation signs.

There is no day 14 from period starting there is only day 14 working backwards from next period. You should always ovulate 14 days before your next period.

Apparently the anxiety caused by stick watching can actually prevent you ovulating as hormones are temperamental things according to my dr.

Hi,

I just wanted to offer a friendly correction to something that the pp said about always ovulating 14 days before your next period. This isn't true and luteal phases (time between ovulation and AF starting) vary between women. When tracking ovulation, my luteal phase was 10 or 11 days and never got to 14. This worried me immensely, as I thought it might hinder my chances of conceiving. However, I am 24 weeks pregnant as I type so it didn't!

Good luck with TTC, I know how hard it is to stay sane!

@MrsDx funny you should say that, my advice came from my mum too. She told me to let it happen and just enjoy your life as it is now! I know some people struggle so easier said than done !! Try not to obsess yet... obviously unless it is clear there is a problem. FX for you x :)

@bows85 weirdly my doctor told me in an appointment today that luteal periods are always 14 days too! But I pointed out that she was wrong and she said that's what she's been taught! Concerning as you're right - they vary woman to woman!

Really? Might need to see a different dr then lol

@Karigan1 @surreygirl1987
I have heard people say this about their GPs before. But it's definitely not the case that luteal phases are always 14 days. I think the major slight obsessing over TTC can make you become a bit of an expert 😂

I found Angus castus good for helping pregnancy when I had some issues with periods - have a read on the internet

@SLR1906 FX for you too it's such a lovely time of year for all the excitement but as we ALL know it's hard (impossible) to not obsess..

Thanks for the comments ladies. I had a really dark line twice yesterday at midday and again at about 7pm. Tested again at 9pm and it was practically nothing again! Could the surge come and go that quick? In theory does that mean I'm likely to ovulate today?

Xxx

Here's the test from 7pm. Darkest I've had x

MrsDx With the clearblue monitors they do tell you to use fmu. I was having the same issue as you. I was using clearblue monitor (advanced one that tells you Low, High and Peak) in the morning and cheapie opks in the afternoon (about4pm) but was never getting peak or pos on cheapies even although my cycles were pretty regular 29-31 days. But this cycle my clearblue sample didn't work on wed morning (think i drowned it lol) so used a cheapie opk mid morning and it was very nearly pos so i did it again yesterday (mid morning) and it was 100% pos, 1st time ever then i did another last night and it was not nearly so pos and this morning def not pos. (i've been getting just high on clearblue the whole time so kind of lost faith in it) So i think either i have a very short lh surge or for some reason it only gets picked up on sticks mid morning and not 1st thing or later in the afternoon. It's definitely possible you are just missing your surge. From yesterdays pos opk it's made me a bit more confident i am ovulating so next cycle i'm going to not use opks and try to just dtd lots from about cd 13 - 20. Fx i'll get my bfp this cycle and won't need to but i find the bfn's easier if i already have a 'next cycle plan'

That is pretty close to being positive! Also it depends how much you have drank, dilutes the sample.

Sorry for the numerous messages, yes i would count it as you're likely to ov today. Have you done an opk today?

@Merrz thanks for replying! Yes I tested this morning and pretty much no line at all! Does the line stay dark while you're ovulating or just for the surge before you ovulate?

I know what you mean about having a plan, helps you feel less depressed if you get a bfn xx

I'm not 100% sure to be honest, i think it's just the surge and then you will ovulate at some point 12-36 hours after you pos opk

@MrsDx. I’m pretty sure that is a positive OPK for you an that was your surge. And yes it can happen that quick & then disappear. Hence why if some women only test once a day you can miss it.

The positive OPK is confirmation your body has surged in hormones to tell your body to ovulate. Meaning you should ovulate within 12-36 hours after that positive test. It can vary for each women an between each cycle on how long it takes though so it’s just an average.

Safest bet is dtd tonight & tomorrow if you can to cover all bases 😊😊

I used these sticks every month an found them to be very reliable for me. Currently 32+5 weeks pregnant. Keep at it! Good luck xx

This is cycle 12 for me & DH & honestly it's taken over my entire year. This month the only thing I've tracked is AF. I haven't been cautious of what I eat or drink & made a vow to myself to enjoy Christmas because I was becoming consumed by symptom spotting, test strips & temping. I have to say I feel better for it already!

@Anna2006 thank you for your response, hopefully we did the right things then! Good luck with your pregnancy xx