Any OPK experts who could lend a hand (or more accurately an eye!)?

[beautyisfoundwithin]

I've been TTC #1 for 17 months with no success so far. Started using Clearblue OPKs a while back for a few months but never got a single smiley face. For the past 2 cycles I've used cheapie OPKs instead to save a bit of money. Problem is I'm really not sure if I'm getting any useful results with these ones either!

Hoping there's someone around with more experience with OPKs that wouldn't mind please helping me out?

Everything I've read says you're supposed to get a test line that is as dark or darker than the control line or it isn't a positive, but that doesn't seem to be happening and I'm unsure as to what that means??

For the past 2 cycles the results have been pretty much the same, the closest I get to a positive (CD15) doesn't actually look positive to me, then from the very next day no hint of a positive again. So does it count as a positive after all? (Photo attached if that helps)

Thanks in advance if anyone sees this and has any advice!

Are you just testing once a day? Looks like day 15 is on its way to positive but you may have missed it by waiting til the next day to test.

Actually I'm testing twice a day for that reason, I just took some sticks out for the photo as I wasn't sure if I'd crossed the line into completely obsessive 😂

The 2nd test from CD15 was fainter than the first so not very helpful.

I never ever got lines quite as dark as the control line on those cheapie LH strips. I would count cd15 as a positive, and then observe cervical mucus to confirm a shift from fertile to infertile stage of the cycle. You can buy these strips in different sensitivities, might be worth trying a more sensitive test.

Some one told me about checking your basal body temperature instead. Apparently that’s the only way of really confirming whether you have ovulated because the OPK’s only test for the hormone peak.
Most people get the surge of hormone but some people might not actually release an egg.
I’ve just started doing it so if you want any info then just ask.

Have you seen a doctor for testing since you’ve been trying for so long. X

Thanks for the advice, I'll have to look at more sensitive tests next time I need to buy some more. And maybe I should look into temping as well if it's supposed to be more accurate.

I haven't been to a doctor as yet, it's a bit more complicated as we live overseas and although we've learned enough of the language to get by on a daily basis, I don't feel I'm fluent enough for fertility related matters!! I am starting to think as it's been quite a while now that I'll have to think more seriously about getting tested though. (Also part of me is trying to convince myself that it hasn't been that long really, even though I know it has 😔)

You don’t need more sensitive OPK’s. Those ones are fine. That’s what most people on mumsnet use. I use them too and they work perfectly for me and detect ovulation.
I just think that because it’s taking so long for you to conceive, you need to try temping as that’s the only way to actually confirm ovulation.
It’s such a shame you haven’t felt confident enough to address the issue yet. 17 months is a long time, definitely try and get some help looking into it.
I wish you all the best x x x