How soon can I test?

[DollyRose102]

Being really silly probably but how soon after unprotected sex can you get an accurate result from a test?

Also which one is the best for accuracy?

Think the general rule is two weeks hence the term 2ww (2 week wait) The Pink first response rests claim to give the earliest positives and can do up to 5 days before period. Good luck!

Use a pink dye test once your period is late

Or not good luck if the case may be!

It depends when you had the unprotected sex compared to when you ovulated. The best thing to do is wait until your period is late.

Thanks all. Really irregular periods due to pco. Would be unplanned pregnancy. Am so late in my cycle now (day 49) 🙄 so hard to tell. Will just wait and see what happens, this is just a very long cycle for me.

As a fellow PCOSer, do you keep track of your cycle and accompanying symptoms? I found once I started logging things like CM and cervical position, I realised that while the day in my cycle that ovulation occurred varied wildly, my luteal phase was usually about 15/16 days. When we weren't TTC, it was just useful to work out when the f AF would turn up. Now it's useful cos I have four years of data on my body and I realised I'm pretty in tune with it. If you don't do it, I'd recommend giving a go (and if you do, sorry for teaching you to suck eggs!!)

@flyingplum I do keep track of my cycles but not really my symptoms. Would be a great idea actually! I don't know when I ovulate (if at all) and have read so much stuff it confuses me so any tips would be helpful! I do know about ewcm during ovulation but not much else 🤔 can you still have a period even if you don't ovulate?

So, I'm just starting to get my head around all this, so others please jump in if I'm wrong. But what I understand is, the EWCM is an indication that your body is gearing up for ovulation, but not in itself 'proof' that you ovulate. With PCOS, sometimes there is no ovulation, but you still have a period and might not realise. I think the only reliable way is to track temps (OPKs get confusing because our LH is all over the place anyway). Haven't started temp tracking, partly cos I'm a bit scared what it will say, and I'm having a period of actually quite regular cycles of 31-35 days at the mo.

For me, I usually have four or five cycles of ovulation and period, and then one really messed up one, related to my endometrioma that doesn't map into sensible pattern of symptoms (like a really long lead into the period, of a week of spotting for example) and can be accompanied by a rupture (always fun...especially when your flight is delayed and you're trapped in the airport, throwing up in the bin....)

@flyingplum thank-you. Will definitely start looking into the symptoms more. I did try and get my head round it all once before when TTC. Thanks for your help!
Are you TTC atm?

Oh, should say, I track all the CM, not just EW, but I realised the connection between EW and my period about three years ago, without realising it was a 'thing'. I also track cervical position, which took a while to get the hang of, and my digestive cycle (constip/urgency and bloating).

What I've realised with the TTC is that I have to trust myself. I KNEW from my body that I wasn't pregnant this month - low cervix, familiar digestive symptoms) but I didn't listen and let myself get my hopes up. I'm going to try to be stricter this month, and listen to what i already know about myself.

@DollyRose102 - yeah, AF started today, so onto cycle 3 now. Early days. It's funny, but I'd always assumed we'd struggle, and was prepared to just be relaxed and expect a long wait, but now we've really started trying, I find myself front anxious it hasn't happened as 'proof' there's something wrong. Which is so stupid.

@flyingplum thank you for your help!
Good luck with your TTC, I tried for over a year with my DS2, eventually conceived on Clomid as struggled to work out if I was ovulating. It's a difficult time but you sound like you know what your body is doing. Wishing you the best for your next cycle ☺️