OPKs: What’s true?

[CatLover210]

Hi Ladies.

Whenever I’ve googled my question I get mixed results and can’t seem to find a straight answer.

With OPKs, does the positive result indicate your ovulation is literally just about to happen any moment or does it indicate it will happen in the next day or two? I’ve read so many conflicting things about this!

I got a blaringly positive OPK on Tuesday night. Then another blaring positive (which I think was somehow a little darker but that could just be my eyes) on Wednesday morning. I tested again on Wednesday night about 12 hours after the morning test and it was significantly faded compared to the morning. I was extremely sick all day at work and then at the gym after work and had weird pains in my stomach so I know ovulation was at least in process on Wednesday afternoon.

My CM changed from very wet and clear to creamy by Thursday morning so I know I ovulated at some point on Wednesday afternoon.

Just want to understand the science behind OPKs more.

I highly doubt I could have conceived as last time I had sex was 5 days before my first positive OPK on the Tuesday. I had sex on Thursday the day after I ovulated.

It depends and can be 24-48 hrs after your first +. If you temp as well you will then know when you ov as your temp will shift the next morning.

I think it's 12-48 hours from when you get the blazing positive opk.

Also it is still possible to conceive by dtd after it.

I think it depends on when you take it too. I had a positive and then a negative just a few hours apart. Luckily we dtd within that time as I must have just caught it at exactly the right time (well, hopefully lol!) Now 6DPO so will let you know how that went, haha! 😂

I think it depends on when you take it too. I had a positive and then a negative just a few hours apart. Luckily we dtd within that time as I must have just caught it at exactly the right time (well, hopefully lol!) Now 5DPO so will let you know how that went, haha! 😂

@Michellebops, I’ve read that dtd after ovulation would only work within a 12-24 hour window after ovulation. Let’s say hypothetically I released my egg at 2pm on the Wednesday. I didn’t have sex until 5pmish the next day.

(I have no way of knowing for sure but the reason I think I ovulated sometime in the afternoon on Wednesday was because of the pains I was experiencing, and then by night time when I got home I did another OPK and it was quite a faded line). Am I correct in thinking faded line after positive OPK = ovulation is already over?

@Roo3125 That’s so lucky that you caught it and you and your partner were able to dtd then and there! Keep me informed on how it goes 😃.

I guess I’m 3-4DPO (Id say 3 as I believe I O’d on Weds). Except I’m 100% expecting my period in 8-10 days haha given I totally missed my fertile window 🤦🏻‍♀️ . I guess I can’t grumble too much because there’s a big event we’ve been looking forward to two weeks today and I’d be bored if I couldn’t drink😂!

@CatLover210 Yeah, we had just got home from work! 😂 luckily we'd also dtd for the three days leading too. Sperm can live for up to 5 days too! So here's hoping! 🤞

Oh, and I also knew I was ovulating on that day as I had nausea, stomach pains and ewcm! Luckily my body has decided to get back to normal after the pill! 💪

I think the fading means that the Lh hormone is no longer present to inditcate impending ovulation but doesn't mean ovulation has happened. Also ovulation can last up to 24 hours maybe more even if you only feel pains for a short while. So when people say they are 6dpo it might not be exactly true. It's all confusing x

@Roo3125 such good timing!!

Funny you should say that as I came off the pill in January. I was doing OPKs for my first cycle and nothing. Couldn’t even get a faint line!! For the second and third cycle I only did them when I assumed I would O (mid cycle) and still absolutely nothing.

Then this cycle I had a dream I was fertile the night before I got my first positive OPK (the dream inspired me to start testing again)😂😂. Weird though as I obviously was ovulating before this cycle as I was getting regular periods??

@CatLover210 Yeah, I think it's just luck when you test! 10am and 4pm are supposed to be the 'best' times for testing. Not always practical with work though!

@Michellebops Wow really? Where do you get your information from, it’s be good to have a reliable source of info! X

@CatLover210 I google - a lot!!

I've attached some searches