Ovulation sticks

[lucyrp]

Hi girls I've just ordered the clear blue digital ovulation sticks (10 pack) and I am so confused. Has anyone used these and what are your thoughts etc ??

Hi,
I know a lot of people rate this and they are reliable. However, I did find them a bit hit and miss, the first month using them it showed low fertility the whole time, second month i had 7 days of flashing smileys before peak and the third month (just got my bfp) I got low fertility that went straight to high fertility. My advice would be to make sure you start testing on the right cd so it knows your hormone levels, you may need more then 10 sticks though. Hope this helps x

@blossomberry my problem is my period was 20 days late last month and had all of the symptoms enlarged breasts, lower back pain, nausea etc and I did home tests and got 3 faint positives two on blue dye and one pink dye so booked into the midwife after three weeks of no sign of period. Two days after my booking appointment I started bleeding and turns out it was my period. Midwife said that something had started to happen but for whatever reason it didn't happen which had caused the positives and delay in my period. I'm trying to figure out when il be ovulating. My period started on Sunday and should finish today so I was going to start testing from now on. It does say somewhere thag the first test is always a low was that the case for you ? I also looked at the test when it wasn't in the older but I presume you shouldn't do that as it was a low on the digital tester but when checked on an app it said high ? Sorry for the essay 🙈

It does sound like you had a chemical pregnancy or a miscarriage if your period was 20 days late. I had a miscarriage last August so I know how awful it is. How long is your usual cycle, it should say on the leaflet what day to start testing. The first two days for me were low fertility, I think needs to have a base level for your hormones so I can detect a rise for high. In my experience it always showed two lines on the insert so I don’t think they are reliable I always went by the smiley faces.

Yeah I'm sure something happened, I've got a little boy who's 5 so I know what happens in pregnancy and it felt like how it did with him and then nothing was so sad. Would you go by my normal cycle or the change of my cycle ? It's normally from 22nd to 22nd every month so roughly 30 days I would guess that my ovulation window will be bang smack in the middle as they say it will be 14 days before your next period don't they ?

Yes I would go by your normal cycle, if you start testing now I would have thought you might run out of tests if your cycle is 30 days?

My predicted date of ovulation from my new period start date is around the 23rd so I think I'm going start next week as that would be fertile window from 18th-24th ish. I'm happy to order some more sticks but didn't know whag to expect when I first ordered them

Would you bother using the cheaper strips too or not ?

I would start a couple of days before fw so it can detect oestrogen rise and then your LH surge. I’ve only ever used the clear blue, my understanding is with the cheaper strips is you have to test a few times a day to catch the surge?

I've tried several brands of urine OPK's and never get a positive- despite the fact I do actually ovulate. I bought a re-usable, saliva type which I've had for years, and is the only thing I get accurate results with. Mine is called 'maybe baby' but there are other brands online. Its like a tiny microscope, and you look at the shapes made by dried saliva. A peak looks like little fern shapes, whereas non-fertile looks like shapeless blobs.

So really I should consider testing from now until I get my non flashing smiley face which should be around 24th ish ?

For a 30 day cycle it says to start testing on cd 10 so I depends what cd you are on.

I’ve used both CB and strips. I’ve moved to using the strips more due to cost. I always used the basic pink CB tests (no flashing smiley just static). They’re good as they take the guesswork out of the tests. In the past I’ve usually ovulated day 13 so I start using tests from day 8 or 9. By day 10 or 11 I’ll be testing twice daily. Try not to use the lines inside the CB tests as a sign of anything, they’re not designed to be read like that as they will generally always show 2 lines to some degree.

@lucyrp I'm just about to start using CB digital ovulation sticks & my cycles are normally 28-30 days so going by instructions I should start CD8. First time using it it needs to get basically a base line of your hormones so only normal your gonna get a ⭕ for the first few days, I would definitely advise testing on the date recommended on the instructions (that's why I bought a 20 pack) especially if your like me & have no clue when u ovulate. They definitely work so u have to persevere with them really. Also apps always seem to be off with most peoples predicted day, I'm predicted to ovulate always on CD14 but for all I know I might ovulate before then or after. Definitely go by the instructions on your CD day to start cause they work different by detecting 2 hormones, I dont think it will work if u wait until your expected FW week as it looks for oestrogen first.

I think I'm around the same as you on a 28-30 day cycle so if I started on the 10th of this month my CD8 will be this Saturday so will start then but I think you're right I may need to order some more as I was a little unrealistic ordering 10 but having never used them before didn't really know what I was doing! I've been pregnant twice before and never struggled but I guess I wasn't probably thinking about it as much where as this baby is very much wanted and thought after so probably why its taking longer to happen! I've seen many people become pregnant after using these for between 1 and 3 months so fingers crossed for us both! I'm also going to try having intercourse every other day as soon as this period is finished so there is some regularity

@lucyrp Yeah defo start CD8 & order more tests (just make sure to use the other test strips you've bought in the same holder your using from now) I'm the same as u I have a 5 year old & had 3 other pregnancies & have never tried for any, this is only our second month TTC but cause were trying I'm getting impatient 🤷🏼‍♀️ I've never really though about ovulation so that's why I thought better buy some so I know. Definitely need more test sticks cause might get quite a few days or blank circle, before flashing then smiley. It really depends on when u ovulate or u might be really lucky & only have a few before your smiles! I know some who have had only 3 blank circles then others who have had 10 so definitely be persistent with it 🤞🏻 we will both be basically doing it at the same time I start from Monday! Can help each other through 😂

@KRK05 yeah Il probably order a 20 pack now just to be on the safe side! We sound like we're in pretty much the same boat as like you I've never even thought about ovulation before but we've been trying since Christmas time or what I thought was "trying" but we're now "trying trying" 😂 I am very impatient already I can't imagine how it must feel years into it ☹️I am expecting a few days of blank circles to start with and didn't realise how few 10 sticks actually would be, rooky mistake! Yes definitely nice to find someone who's in a pretty similar situation to myself🤍

@lucyrp Same as us, we took the laid back approach last cycle but now I'm full force doing everything this one 😂 cant imagine either what it feels like after years of trying, must be heartbreaking! 10 might still be enough u never know but I just ordered 20 to be safe, wasnt much more expensive than 10 so thought why not. I'm also doing my BBT, & cheapy ovulation sticks alongside my CB 🤞🏻 doing SMEP too, so going all out 🙈 hopefully it's our month 💛

Omg were so similar I'm exactly the same! My other half is rolling his eyes at me ordering all these things but he wants one just as much as me! I'm doing BBT and SMEP aswell as my CB too 😂😂 I didn't know whether to get cheap strips aswell or not. sending baby dust your way and il have my fingers crossed for you! Keep in touch🤍

@lucyrp Wow that's crazy, so so similar! My OH keeps laughing when I tell him everything I'm doing defo thinks I've turned full blown crazy 🤷🏼‍♀️😂 I ordered the cheap strips to do alongside so I could have them in a chart on my apps, also to get the hang of it cause if it does take us a few months once I get to learn my cycles can just use them instead (hopefully not though 🤞🏻)

Our poor partners😂 which apps do you use ? I've got Flo and the fermometer app and also I use the health app on my iPhone. That's a good idea actually I may order some cheap ones to use on the fermometer app! I'm hoping it won't take too long as I know i will get too stressed if it does and then it definitely won't happen!☹️

@lucyrp I use Flo, Femometer & Premom (that's my fav one) so bought the Easy@Home OPKs to log into Premom & like Femometer for my BBT. Yeah same here trying not to get too stressed out 🙈

Hi, I used the cheapie amazon opk sticks and they seemed to work for me. I have regular cycles but quite short so I never knew when I ovulated, as it turned out I ovulate early but they worked for me. I also used flo as well

@KRK05 il have to look at that one I haven't seen it! Worst thing to do is stress!🙈

@DeeDee9898 okay thank you il have a look. At the moment looks like flo is predicting completely the wrong fw for me but will keep looking

I started using these this month too. I'm on CD 14 and day 7 of a flashing smiley face. I started testing on day 7 as per instructions as my cycle is usually 25/26 days. I had 1 day of low fertility and then flashing smileys since, and i've been testing twice a day. I'm ready to throw the whole lot in the bin to be honest, I'm so disheartened. This is cycle 11 TTC #1 and I have just about had enough. I'm going to do 2 more days of tests and then stop if I get 9 days of flashing smileys as the instructions suggest you're unlikely to see a peak if this happens, but we'll continuing DTD most days just in case. Then hopefully I'll get into a better frame of mind for next month! Hoping the rest of you have more luck 🤞