OPK advice please

[JeffV]

Hi all!

Thanks for reading

This is the first month we have used OPKs we have been trying for quite a while so I thought I'd give them ago. I'm looking for some advice on how to read them. I have been doing them in the morning and when I get in from work to see if I can catch the peak. Its not possible for me to do one in the day because of my job.

However compared to examples I've seen online I don't seem to have a peak? Is that normal? I wanted to try SMEP after an early miscarriage but I feel like im getting confused about when the 3 days in a row should be? Any comment on the photo or advice would be much appreciated.

I'm sorry for your loss. It's better to use these opks in the afternoon / early evening. Its difficult to say with your picture, could be that you have a longer surge. Mine is short, literally a few hours, so I'll only catch it if I test 3 times, so 2, 6, 10pm. If you're doing smep you'll be definitely over your ovulation day - I did it last year and it worked, but I miscarried.

How long are your cycles?

I wouldn’t say any of those are positive to be honest. I’d definitely continue testing to see if you can catch when it rises.

Is there any way at all you can do one at work? I think the ideal testing time is early afternoon if you can. Equally though you should catch it at some point if you’re still testing twice daily.

Hi @VenusStarr

Thanks for the reply. I'm so sorry to hear about your miscarriage. Sending and in your direction.

Thanks for the advice - I could definitely add in a late evening test. Which would give me 7am, 5.30/6 pm and then a late one? Logistics of doing one a work in the afternoon might be a bit hard? My cycle has been changing in length - another reason I started the OPKs. Last month was 31 days but I've had 25, 28 and 29 days since the miscarriage.

2pm and 10 pm got me catching my +opk.
Quick wee break at work surely would be OK? Take a small tub.. Once I used a deodorant lid and binned it!!

There is an app you can get to take photos of your opk strips and it tracks the lines and your pattern. We used it, but it was a few years ago and I can’t remember what it was called sorry 🙁🙁🙁

As others have said though it might help to test later in the day, although you look to peak around CD12

Thanks @Lemondropsandgumdrops. I will definitely keep testing. It will be easier at the weekend to do the afternoon one as you recommend

I'd say keep going and not to worry as statistically CD16 is the most common day for ovulation.

I'd strongly recommend an app like femometer to track your OPKs with, they also help you interpret them and can be a life saver at times. Helps you look back as well to see if you've missed anything.

Very inventive @Feralkidsatthecampsite I think I will have to try and work out a way to ninja test at work.

Thanks @Awkwarddough I will try and Google that app. I though I had peaked on cd 12 as well but then the cd13 pm looks very similar. Clearer in real life than the photo unfortunately - very confusing!

Ive just tried to look back through my App Store downloads and it looks as though it might have been ‘Fertility Friend’ or ‘Glow’ :)

@Feralkidsatthecampsite

2pm and 10 pm got me catching my +opk. Quick wee break at work surely would be OK? Take a small tub.. Once I used a deodorant lid and binned it!!

This is so gross to even admit but TTC desperation led me to it...

I used the ‘one step’ brand OPK, that come in the little foil packet? I’d take one to the toilet with me at work (up my sleeve if I didn’t want anyone to see!), open the packet once I was in the cubicle. Take out the OPK and dispose of the little gel bag thing inside, then use the foil packet to pee into to use to dip the OPK 🤦🏻‍♀️ I mean it’s not the easiest task and if you miss and pee all over your hands you’ll have a problem, but it actually worked okay for me and I never got covered in pee so that was a win! It was the only way I could do them at work and it did help me pinpoint my peak which led to my pregnancy with my daughter

Imo it's all practice for the bodily fluids that will cover us in parenthood...

@Feralkidsatthecampsite

Imo it's all practice for the bodily fluids that will cover us in parenthood...

This is very true I’ve had much worse since from my daughter, a bit of my own pee is the least of my worries now

@Awkwarddough

There is an app you can get to take photos of your opk strips and it tracks the lines and your pattern. We used it, but it was a few years ago and I can’t remember what it was called sorry 🙁🙁🙁

As others have said though it might help to test later in the day, although you look to peak around CD12

Fermometer?