TTC at 37 - questions about OPK

[pinkpirlie]

I'm TTC aged 37.

I never thought I wanted children. Then my partner when a little drunk last July and said he desperately wanted a baby. Then the next day he said he didn't know where it had come from and he wasn't ready. I was so disappointed and realised I really did want one.
We have spent the past 6 months discussing whether or not it is the right choice for us, and we decided over Christmas that now is the time.

I am currently on CD 13. I started doing daily OPKs at CD8 (I don't know my cycle length, I've never paid it much attention but it is fairly regular, 30 days give or take I would say), which I know was probably too early but I didn't have a clue so thought earlier is better than late.

On no test yet has there even been a hint of a second line. Is this something to be concerned about? Could I be doing something wrong? Or is it just too early.
Looking at posts of other people doing them, they seem to be showing lines from around CD12.

@TTCat39
Don't worry - I need to start responding in one post!

Yes I feel the same about worrying, and being older, and too fat (need to lose another 25kg, I've lost 10kg already but still a lot to go).
I also started too early, about CD 8. I have started doing twice a day tests since the apps say I should be in my fertile window now, but still nothing.
We had been DTD every 3 days last week. But this week will change to every other day until I get a positive and then will up the ante.

@Tina8800 that's really helpful. Thanks.
How long is your cycle?

I'm on CD 15/16 (period started with vengeance on the 11th, but there was a little spotting and discharge on the 10th so I'm not sure when to count from).
I average 30 day cycles. But I haven't been tracking before this month.

@pinkpirlie I am not sure I would feel like DTD if I ate too many sprouts, haha!
I am sure it could be done more cheaply than buying the Pregnacare ones (which I paid £8.50 for 30 days worth ) but I was on CD1 with AF just arrived and in a sad and desperate state of mind, so I just bought them! It's an emotional rollercoaster!

@pinkpirlie - R.E the spotting, I had wondered the same and found through my many many hours of google-fretting to count AF from your first day of a full red flow. I also have brown/pink spotting the day before, but I don't count that as CD1.

@pinkpirlie My average is 30 days. I usually have a day of spotting before my AF also, I do not count them in.
I only started to track it since November, I remember how confusing and annoying it was at first. The cheap strips and the app helps and also taking Boots conceive vitamins and using Conceive Plus fertility lubricant. (It is really good although very expensive).

@Tina8800 @TTCat39
In that case I'm on CD15 now then .
The line is still feint this afternoon but ever so slightly darker than yesterday. Perhaps my high will come tomorrow or Wednesday.
Fingers crossed.

On a slightly different topic (I hope you don't mind, OP) Do you have any experience in feeling around for your cervix position? My app suggests I note down whether it is high/low, open/closed, firm/soft at different points in my cycle. It always feels the same to me! Someone else on here suggested it feels hard like the tip of your nose, then softens for ovulation. I can't feel any difference!

@TTCat39 I haven't tried that test yet so haven't got anything advice sorry.

@TTCat39 finally got my positive this afternoon. CD16.
This morning it was dark but not as dark as the control, this afternoon they are the same colour. Here we go!! 😬 🤞

@pinkpirlie - Hurrah! That sort of correlates doesn't it - my CD11 of a 25 day cycle and your CD16 of a 30 day cycle - Both leave 14 days until the end of the cycle. So it's the TWW for us from here! Good luck and keep us updated with how you're getting on - I have been such a worrier for the first two months, hope I can talk myself around this time!
x

@TTCat39 Yes definitely aligns.
I'm expecting ovulation in the next couple of days now I've peaked.
Gotta get to BDing! Boyfriend has gone to the office today for the first time since March! so waiting for him to get home.

This is our first month so not expecting anything. Got all my fingers crossed for us!

How typical that he's had to go out on the day you get a smiley face! Ah well, he'll be looking forward to seeing you when he gets home!

@Tina8800
@TTCat39

As it was my first month tracking BBT I have no comparable data. Do you think I have ovulated now?

Note the CDs are out by 2, for some reason it starts on the 13th but my period came 11th but I'm not sure how to (or even if I can) change it.

@pinkpirlie I think the CDs are AF related so if your first day of flow wasn't on the 13th you need to untag the period and put it as starting on whatever day is correct.

Another few BBT pointers:

• your cd12 temp seems abnormally high and your upwards triangle means you took it later than usual. Either use a BBT adjuster on it (just google bbt temp adjuster) or mark it as discarded as it might otherwise mess with the algorithm to identify your ovulation day.
• FF will give you a crosshair for ovulation day once you've had three high temps, so perhaps tomorrow it'll show up
• As you're using cheapie opks, you should be logging them as just positive or negative. The "Mon" line is for advance opks that track both oestrogen and LH so you might be skewing the algorithm again by logging it incorrectly.

Looking at your chart so far I'd say you ovulated same day as your peak :)

@TTCat39 looking around for cervix position takes some getting used to! Keep going as the only way you'll figure it out is by comparing how it felt one day to the next (e.g. I only realised it was high because all of a sudden I couldn't reach it anymore whereas the day before I thought it was high but actually relatively it was only medium). I think the key is to check at the same time each though, as it can vary throughout the day otherwise.

Saying that - I have never been able to identify it as open! The most I can do is firmness and height lol

@Juno231
Thanks so much for your comprehensive reply.
I thought ovulation happened a day or so from the peak on the OPK? The day of the positive OPK it was faded in the morning, but darker by the afternoon, then faded again the next morning.
Until yesterday I had a faded line, now it has gone away completely.

Last night I struggled to sleep and have noticed histoeically that this often happens around mid month of my cycle. Do you think this signals anything?

First month TTC so a lot to get my head around! 🤯

@pinkpirlie it can be anywhere from 12-36 hours after a peak - mine often are the same day as the peak, which can be a bit frustrating as it doesn't leave much time to DTD if you haven't been doing it in the run up.

Temp wise it's confirmed if you have 3 high temps higher than the previous 6. So it can be CD14 or CD15 this time round - it will be a toss up between the two though as you potentially won't have enough pre O temps to be certain. Either way you're covered DTD wise!

Thank you, we definitely have gone for it 🤣
Now for the wait. 🤞

@Juno231 I also managed to update my period in the app. Had to delete it completely and then redo it. But got there.

@TTCat39
How are you doing?
Have you had any luck this month?

I'm feeling like AF is coming - am due in around a week (8dpo now).
I was feeling very low and emotional yesterday and my boobs started hurting so much, which is usually a sign my period is on its way. So I'm assuming we won't have been successful this month.

We will try again next month and keep things crossed. But we plan on taking March off as I don't want a baby around Christmas.

Hi @pinkpirlie
I think we have a very similar pattern in terms of mood and symptoms running up to AF! Sorry to hear you haven't been feeling great - I hope AF isn't on the way, but if it is, we just go again next month!

I am currently CD20, so I'm 8DPO too, with AF due next Tues on 9th Feb. I feel I know a lot more about my body after OPK, BBT and CM monitoring this month. Also first month taking supplements. Who knows if it will all have made a difference, but we can but try!

We DTD on CD10, got a positive OPK on CD11, so DTD on CD11, CD12 and CD13 to make sure, so I hope we caught it!

In any case, I am hoping that the vitamins have lengthened my cycle this month, as last month's 21 day cycle was an unwelcome surprise and I worried my luteal phase was too short for implantation. But not having confirmed if/when I ovulated prior to this month, who knows!

I keep cross-checking my symptoms from previous months, to see if I can work out any similarities / differences. But, today my overriding feeling is frustration, and that has nothing to do with TTC and everything to do with a client! Haha!

@TTCat39
Sorry to hear of your frustrations. I can imagine clients can be the worst. I have auditors on me atm.
My hormones aren't helping my patience.

As I don't know for sure my cycle length I'm going off 30 days, which means I'm due on the 10th.
My app put ovulation at CD16. My temperature has remained static and high every day since it peaked. Although I didn't take it today as my bf woke me at 6.30 and I went back to sleep until 9.30 which is an hour later than usual.
I guess I expect it will fall again closer to AF.

Fingers crossed for your longer cycle or a BFP!

@pinkpirlie Are you counting your ovulation day as the day after you got a peak on OPK? Am I right in that?

@TTCat39
My app predicted ovulation. So I'm going from that.

I really wanted to DTD on CD18 too but my bf had a really busy day at work and wasn't down for it.

@pinkpirlie Bless the OH's having to perform to demand! Ah well, they'll miss it when we're humongously pregnant and don't fancy it at all!

@TTCat39
He most definitely will miss it. The on demand definitely takes some of the romance away, but we are trying to keep it relaxed.

He's still feeling a little anxious about having a baby.
Not the principle of having baby, he really wants to have a family. But he is from Australia and me UK, and he is catastrophising the future worrying that we will break up at some point and he will have to live here forever (we plan on moving there in around 4 years). It is causing him quite a lot of anxiety and it tends to be worse when he's tired.