When to test

[Kittycatmeow]

Hi everyone, this is my first ever post so please be patient if I don't know all the terms!

So I'm currently on day 28 of my cycle(7th May), I use two different apps to track my cycle and they both say different things, one says I'm due on the 11th May and the other says 15th May. My cycle used to last on average 31 days but the apps are now confused as I missed a period in January due to pregnancy, I had a long bleed in February due to the pregnancy being ectopic, then a 36 day cycle, then a 35 day cycle. So I honestly don't know what is going on!
My husband and I were trying regularly to conceive this month so fingers crossed but I just don't know when to test.

Any help would be greatly appreciated

How many dpo are you? I would say anything above 10 and you could test with a FRER

Hi, thanks for your reply.
Well one of my apps says 6dpo and the other says 11dpo. I did a 10mlU test this morning which was negative, but I don't know if it's just too early to test.

Hhmm, to quote another user not so long ago "apps are only as good as the info you input". So the apps are just estimating when you ovulate. You can see the problem in the difference between your two apps - that's almost an entire fertile window difference!!! I used an app to just log my periods and then tested for ovulation alongside, which I then also logged.

Do you track ovulation another way, for example OPK strip testing or temperature tracking? The first identifies the surge in LH, luteinising hormone, which happens just before ovulation. Temperature tracking shows the slight rise in basal body temperature that occurs after ovulation. It would be a good idea to do one of these in future cycles!

So, if you're only 6dpo then yes, way too early to test. If you're 11dpo then a 10miu strip might show something.

I would get a First Response Early Results test ("FRER") and test mid week, providing you haven't started your period by then.

@Kittycatmeow, hope you don’t mind me joining. I am so sorry to hear about your miscarriage. That is so devastating. I haven’t managed to fall pregnant yet and I have HCG test next month just to check. I hope knowing that you can fall pregnant gives you some hope at least. It’s really difficult.

I am so tempted to test at 9dpo and due on 12th but I have had so many disappointments in the past so I am just trying to wait it out.
I have no proper symptoms but I haven’t been sleeping well for the past 3 nights. I am a such a good sleeper and I can sleep through the night but woke at 4am this morning and not been able to get back to sleep. No discharge at all - completely dry. This feels a bit different to my pre-period symptoms.

I think if I get a couple more symptoms I will test then but part of me feel I should just wait until 12th May.
When are you going to test again?

@Regenbogen22 ha, you’ve cited me 😁😁.

@Kittycatmeow to echo Regenbogen the apps only estimate depending on what data you put in, so if you logged your recent cycles on one app but not the other, that’ll explain the difference, as it’ll be using the average of those. They only become really accurate when you input bbt and OPK data - i.e. when they know when you’ve ovulated.

Sorry for your loss. I had a early loss in March. It’s shit and so confusing trying to work out what’s going on post-MC.

As pp said apps in themselves aren't always the most accurate. They work out when you 'should' ovulate but that doesn't always mean it is when you will ovulate!! Can you buy cheap tests on amazon to keep checking?

I'd also recommend easy@home OPKs if this isn't your month. My actual ovulation was different by a few days to what my app was saying.

@Regenbogen22 I haven't been using any ovulation tracking methods, we have just been enjoying newlywed life every couple of days if you catch my drift 😉 haha! Perhaps I'll give it a try if I'm negative this month.
@BebeBelle it was really difficult. It's left me in a constant state of dread now, I'm desperate to fall pregnant again but so scared at how easily it can disappear.
I've been unbelievably tired the last few days so fingers crossed. Good luck to you, keep my posted on your result!
@curliegirlie so sorry for you too, it's truly awful. Have you had a period since? The wait was torture for me.
@Irishfarmer thanks, I'll look into that next time

@Regenbogen22 also, how is a FRER test different to a 10mlU? Genuine question as I don't know. Thanks

@Kittycatmeow FRERs have a sensitivity of something like 6.3miu/ml, they're crazy sensitive!

@Kittycatmeow yes, I had my second earlier this week. The cycle immediately following the mc was 30 days (although I started with OPKs late in the cycle, so no idea whether I ovulated), and this last one was hugely frustrating - 24 days with no positive OPKs! And we’re meant to be extra fertile following MC but my body seemingly can’t even be arsed to ovulate! 😡😭

@Regenbogen22 oh wow I didn't know you could get them that sensitive!

@curliegirlie ah that must be really frustrating, good luck for next month!

@Kittycatmeow aw Hope this time round it all works. It really is such a struggle this whole getting pregnant. Hope the tiredness is a good sign.
I’m still getting insomnia. Yesterday I had a bit of yellows discharge - very thick when I went to wipe but just once and it didn’t reappear. Today I then had a bit of spotting when I went to the toilet - again only once and didn’t come back again.
I normally spot before my period but I don’t have the other symptoms that come with it so praying this month is it for us. It’s been over 2 years and my irregular cycles have only become a bit more regular.
I also bough FRER test and so tempted to go for it tomorrow morning.

@curliegirlie so sorry to hear about your loss. Hope everything works out for you soon x

I just did the FMU test with FRER and a digital one. It’s BFN. Here is to hoping it changes but at least I can stop all the symptom spotting for now. Best wishes to you all.

@BebeBelle I was just about to ask you if you tested. Bummer that it's negative