To all OPK experts out there......

[feedmenow]

Can anyone who knows what they are talking about please give me some info.
Got some OPK's this mont - first time! Pee'd on CD11 and not a sausage, CD12 and not a sausage. Have then been away for long weekend so no peeing on sticks til today, CD18. Now, the piccie on the packet (and stuff I've read on here)indicates that you can get a fainter line but that OV is when 2nd line is as dark as, or darker than, control line. Now to me this kind of indicates that you would have a faint line before and/or after OV. Is this right, and how long do all these lines last! I mean, packet says that equal or stronger line indicates ov in 24-48 hours. So if I didn't get a line (not even a faint one) on Wednesday (CD12)and I'm only getting a faint line today (CD18) and I have a 30 day cycle, would you assume that I ov'd some time before today and, if so, how long ago that I would get a faint line today? Or is todays faint line saying that I'm still coming up to OV?

Feedmenow - I am not an expert on OPKs at all - just wanted to say that I think that it will be impossible to tell anything from them without testing every day at about the same time each day.

IMO - A faint line does indicate that there is some of the hormone present - but that could equally be the beginning of the build up or the tail end of the build up. So you could have just missed your strong line or could be just about to get your strong line. The only way to know would be to keep testing... if the line keeps getting fainter you'll know you missed the +

As you have a 30 day cycle it is entirely possible to ovulate as late as CD20 and still leave you with a LP of 10 days which is fine.

I realise I have been NO help whatsoever - OPKs are a cause of stress for lots of people, even when used a couple of times a day, every day - having a break mid test phase will add to the confusion.

Good luck

Thanks Ready. I know that they cause loads of people grief so I'm not banking on them or anything. Its just I got them free with BBT thermometer so thought "what the hell!". The tests I have done have all been about the same time each day I've done them, so I got it part right! I might test tomorrow and see what it says....you never know, it might be darker so I might have been getting my timing wrong all these months!

Agree with Ready. You need to test every day within your possible fertile period to accurately assess the results of OPKs. Everyone always has aLH present, so the faint line could just be your basline amount of LH showing up, or could be a fade in/fade out pattern.

I'm sure its not a baseline amount cos I had nothing at all when I tested last week. However I realise, as Ready said, that it could be other OV on its way in or out. I'm just doing that stupid (and pretty pointless) thing where I am trying to analyse every little thing to try and give me a better idea if I might have, or might not have and therefore could be pg!! Will, no doubt, have sore boobs and nausea before you know it

Feedmenow - It's not stupid, chick! It's perfectly natural to over anaylse!! And it's totally understandable that you want to give yourself the best possible chance of conceiving. I'd say only use the OPKs when you know you can use them every day until you get that +ve! Just keep going with the bedroom action and then if you haven't already ovulated then you will still be covering all the bases.

Fingers crossed.

PS. If you are temping, we'd love to have you back on the temp buddies thread - your visit was fleeting

Ready, I'm sooo crap at remembering to take my temp in the morning!!! Will start trying to remember again as of tomorrow, so slap my wrists if I don't make an appearance!
Also, I had some EWCM this morning. Now I know that it is an indicator of OV but is it likely to appear at other times? Rather intrigued cos of faint line on OP stick yesterday and EWCM this morning, maybe I do actually OV later than I suspected!!
Dp was in a foul mood again yesterday so I might suggest a nice evening for the 2 of us tonight and then go for the shag (I'm getting to thinking he prefers it when it is for fun as opposed to being for ttc!!)

Feedmenow - It is very possible that you ovulate later than you thought.
It is possible to have EWCM at other times (according to some websites) - I personally only get it around ovulation.
Keep doing the OPKs and see what happens. Try not to worry about getting the positive this month though, cos of the gap in testing.
Sorry to hear that DO was not a happy chappy yesterday, but the offer of not ttc sex should improve the mood