Clear blue digital ovulation test - advice pls

[MamaL86]

I'm a total newbie to charting but have started temping and using clear blue digital ovulation tests this month. On the instructions it says to test first thing in the morning, but I've read elsewhere that it's best to wait until later in the day. Just wondered when those with more experience have found the best time to get with cb opks?
Also, should I be concerned that on day 9 I've had no hint of a flashing smiley? Thanks all!

Sorry that should have said when the best time to test is

Hi @MamaL86 I always think you should do as the instructions say. One of the advantages of CB is that you can use first morning urine which is easier than trying to work out if you have held it in long enough.

I always got a result from CB. It is true however that some women have short surges so could miss it from testing once a day (or so I have heard on Mumsnet groups). You could test twice but that would be very pricey with CB.

I'd give it some time. Whether you should get a flashing smiley on day 9 will depend on your cycle length. But if you have a 28 day cycle with ov day on 14th (everyone is different) then you might not get one until tomorrow or later but each person varies anyway.

Good luck. Try not to drive yourself nuts with the charting! I did and it was a bit counter productive esp as it stressed out DP x

I’ve always done it on first morning urine. Usually get flashing smily for 3-4 days before peak, so usually from around day 10. You could test twice daily when you get close to ovulation (around day 12 onwards) just to be sure you don’t miss your surge.

Clearblue requires FMU but other tests, like internet cheapies work from lunchtime onwards.

Thanks so much for all the replies, really helpful. I'll continue testing first thing in the morning and maybe later in the day with Internet cheapies to make sure I don't miss a surge.

I'm already panicking that the fact I've not seen a flashing smiley face yet must mean I'm not ovulating - really need to get a grip and be patient! Ttc #2 is proving to be much more tricky than first time around!

I didn't get a flashing smiley until day 18 and solid smiley on day 24! Was ready to throw the box out the window by then. I'm glad I persisted as although I knew I ovulate late on my cycles are usually 31 or 32 days so I was not expecting ovulation to be anywhere near that late.

Is it the advanced ovulation test (measures oestrogen and LH) or just clearblue digital (measures LH)?

The first one has a flashing smiley for 'high' then a static smiley for 'peak'.

If it's the advanced test, absolutely stick with FMU until it shows high, and then you can be a bit more strategic about when you test for LH as this does tend to surge in the afternoon. If you look at the test instructions it actually says it's okay to test any time of day once you have high, and before you have peak.

If you're keen not to use too many sticks, you could use a cheap internet test in the mid-afternoon and when you see that start to darken, use the CB digi to test until you get peak?

Thanks for your replies, all really helpful. @ SchnitzelVonCrummsTum I'm using the advanced clear blue ovulation tests. Thanks for all the pointers. I've actually woken up to a flashing smiley this morning on cd11 (hurrah!) so might use a cheapie later in the day to make sure I don't miss a surge?

Good that you got your surge @MamaL86 if I were you I would keep using the digitals just in the morning but as you said, if you want to do extras do cheap ones. If you are lucky like me and testing once a day in the morning will catch your surge, it is an awful lot easier. So worth finding out if once a day will work for you. Good luck xxx

Hello @MamaL86 I used the advanced clear blue ovulation digital test and found it great. I used the test in the morning and found it very easy to read due to the smiley faces and had a positive experience with it - i'm now 5 weeks pregnant.

Good Luck!

Thanks both. I've still got the flashing smiley today, so fingers crossed it becomes the magical static face over the next few days. Confusingly I've been doing the cheap opks in the afternoon and only have a very very faint second line? Temperature also hasn't gone up yet :/

Is the clear blue ones worth the money? They are quiet expensive I am using boots ones at the min

Thanks all for your help. Just wanted to update and say that I got a static smiley last night. Cheap opk looked close to positive so hopefully I ovulate very soon. So relieved!
@canderella the CB ones gave me more warning. I had two and a half days of flashing smiley before getting the peak face, so helpful from that perspective. Agree though that they are very expensive, don't know if I'll use them for long but great to know what's going on with my cycle.