Ovulation question

[Dlah]

I've been using clearblue opk for 3 days, all 3 each morning have been negative, but my cm has been changing and today it was edging on egg white and just now I'm getting what I feel are ovulation pains but I've not even had a high flashing smiley, is there a chance I could just ovulate out of no where?

I'm TTC cycle #1 so have no idea what I'm doing, but I had the egg white a week ago now on CD11, now I'm on CD 18 and getting the flashing smiley but with no CM. So similarly feeling confused!

Morning both!

How often are you using the OPK and have you ever tracked ovulation another way?
I ask as some LH surges are difficult to track and you can miss them quite quickly.
Surges can be shorter from person to person, so if you aren’t doing OPKs a couple of times a day in your fertile week, you could miss it!
There are also anovulatory cycles where your body gears up for ovulation and for one reason or another, you just don’t release an egg. Try not to worry about this; it’s normal and won’t be like it every month!

Also, it’s a myth that you ovulate on day 14 of your cycle. Ovulation can change cycle to cycle, but what doesn’t ever change is your luteal phase (the part of your cycle after you’ve ovulated, until your next cycle).

For example, if you O’d on CD15 and get your period on CD28, you’d have a luteal phase of 13 days - if your cycles are regular, this can help you pinpoint ovulation for future cycles.

A lot of ladies use OPKs in conjunction with BBT and checking CM as you are, as they can be really tricky to catch!

I think the most likely thing in your scenarios is that ovulation isn’t taking place on the CD you expected, so keep gathering as much info as you can!

Thanks for the info, I monitored via opk once a day since CD6 now on CD21 with nothing. Had clear blue flashing smileys for 4 1/2 days now ( been taking 2 a day) but feel I maybe missed my day earlier in the month.

Hmm that’s a tough one! I’d maybe track another couple of cycles and potentially order some really sensitive OPKs from Amazon.
Clearblue aren’t that sensitive in picking up LH so whatever your body’s upper LH limit is might be too low to push Clearblue to the solid smiley.
There’s nothing wrong with that, by the way! Everyone has different levels.
That way you can test multiple times with the cheaper strips (about £12 for 100) and get a better view?

Hope this helps!!

I use the ClearBlue Advanced in the mornings as they are meant to be used with FMU and then use a One Step cheapy strip from Amazon (in the afternoon and then maybe another in the evening). Last cycle the strips were almost positive on the Thursday (CD15, after only starting to get lines on CD13) but I had a low reading from ClearBlue - Friday morning I had a solid smiley meaning peak.

This cycle, CD11 yesterday and my cheapies are still very faint but my ClearBlue has started.

Ok so to update, I got the most crappy ovulation pain last night (3rd day of flashing smiley) like intense ovary pain, this morning got my still smiley and lots of ewcm.

On the basis my ovulation started last night really by feel of it, how long do you really get? Ie we didn't dtd last night as just too knackered, but is tonight too late realistically? Have we lost the window?

@dlah sounds like you’re gearing up to O so I would DTD every night from now.
You usually get EWCM a day or two before O itself, so definitely not missed it!!

Ah let's hope so, Sod's law my oh had a bit of a performance issue other night, he gets it here and there and I don't like to put pressure on I'm just hoping he can finish tonight, just to know we're at least in with a chance rather than missed

From the ClearBlue site

Clear circle – Low Fertility

It is unlikely, but not impossible, that intercourse at this time will result in pregnancy. The user should test again the following day. This result is displayed for 8 minutes.

Flashing smiley – High Fertility

If the user has intercourse today she will increase her chance of getting pregnant, but she must also test again the following day. The result will be displayed for 8 minutes.

Smiley face – Peak Fertility

This is the user’s most fertile time and the result will be displayed for 2 days. If the user has intercourse today she will maximise her chance of getting pregnant. The user should stop testing after the first day that Peak Fertility is displayed (3 error symbols will be displayed simultaneously if she continues to test)

@dlah, you’ve definitely not missed it especially when you consider the EWCM, and the definitions from @tisonlymeagain.

The things we put ourselves and OH through!!

I totally get why guys have performance issues though...the pressure we put on ourselves as a couple for something that should be fun and exciting!!??
I basically tell DH when we need to do it, and he’s great and really supportive but it totally doesn’t match our usual ‘drives’.

@dlah @ELW85 I have purposely not told DP when I am ovulating so he doesn't feel any pressure. We DTD 4-5 times in a regular week normally anyhow though so it's not unusual for him!

@tisonlymeagain it’s great that you’ve got a way around it!
We definitely don’t DTD as often as that so my DH would be massively suspicious 😂

Thats my problem too! Currently we average 2-3 times a month 🤣 he'd definitely know if I tried that often lol

@Dlah we’re once a week, but definitely couldn’t sneak that increase in 😂
I’ve just text him to tell him we need to DTD as got solid smiley today and he’s SO supportive, bless him.

I've been trying not to outright say it but as I got my solid smiley this morning too I text him this morning and said we need to try, I got back 'no pressure lol' 😂

Haha! Bless them. They would have dreamt of this as teenagers 😂