OPKs melting my brain!

[wellhelloitsme]

This month, I used:

https://uk.clearblue.com/ovulation-tests/digital

These ones show either a static empty circle or a static smiley face, and I got three days of static smiley faces on CD16,17 & 18.

I thought that this means they were still detecting the surge on CD18 meaning I likely ovulated as the surge was over on CD19 when it went back to a negative test.

But I've the instructions just now and feel stupid now as it says:

"If your result (smiley face) is you have detected your LH surge and have reached your most fertile time. Make love at any time during the next 48 hours to maximise your chance of becoming pregnant. There is no need to carry on testing during this cycle."

We DTD CD15,17 & 21.

Feel none the wiser now as to whether we've timed it all wrong again after all!

The instructions say your most fertile time is for 48 hours following a positive test; so the test and two following. But I got that result for three days, which would mean that the most fertile time is the test day, the next day, the next day and the two following that, which I know can't be right!

I promise I'm not stupid, just seem to be having trouble getting my head around the dates of everything,

As far as I’m aware it’s up to 48 hours from the first static smiley which is why it says stop testing after that. So ovulation likely to have been CD17. You timed it perfectly with CD15 and CD17 as it’s the few days before and ovulation day that are the most important. The day after can work too depending what time of the day you ovulated. If you ovulated in the morning the dtd the following night would likely not help as be too late.

I've just started using BC OPK this cycle. I feel like you, had to get my head around it! What I've learnt is the first test, should always show a negative (empty circle) as it needs to get a baseline reading. I've used it in conjunction with Flo app which said I would ovulate on 29th August.
I tested for baseline 25th August (empty circle) at 2pm.
I tested for second reading 25th August (flashing smiley) at 6pm (as Flo was telling me my fertile window had started).
Tested 26th August (flashing smiley). DTD.
Tested 27th August (flashing smiley). (wasn't able to DTD)
Tested 28th August (static smiley) this then told me I should ovulate in the next 48 Hours and the static smiley stayed on the display until 31 August. DTD.
29th August DTD.
Tested 31st August (empty circle) as expected.
Have being getting acupuncture which took my cycle to 25/26 days so my predicted AF day is 13th September. I hope I've caught the window this month. Just a waiting game now

Thanks so much to both of you, that really helps.

I shouldn't have relied on Flo like I did for so long!

It's mad isn't it, I was lucky enough to go to a brilliant school, have a degree and I work with data relatively often now.

But I'm still really struggling to get my head around ovulation dates and windows, and have realised in general how little we were taught about our bodies in school (in the 90s / 00s).

And I can't for the life of me get my head around temping so haven't tried that yet!

I'm going to give acupuncture a go too I think, I know a couple of people who fell pregnant the month or two after starting.

Perhaps just coincidence but keen to explore all possibilities now.

Yes, i regularly speak with friends about the lack of education. We are just told young 'don't get pregnant' and pump our bodies full of artificial hormones. A friend told me it could take at least a year and i thought no not me! Stopped the pill last August/Sept and nothing so far! I'd also had the contraception implant several times so between that and the pill i guess i now understand i need to let my body do it's natural thing now. I also was way out using Flo, it is only a guide so when it said i was ovulating i was DTD then when my AF came and i logged it on Flo it rejigged my cycle and i realised i was actually missing the fertile window, argh. So of the 11/12 months ive been off contraception there has really only been 6 months of DTD within the fertile window.

I am 39, no previous pregnancies. i am taking 'Ovum fertility formula', acupuncture, alot more mindful of caffeine and alcohol intake (although i still enjoy a drink). I exercise alot and still nothing. I have felt more in tune with my body and EWDC etc so thats been interesting. I decided to try BC OKP and will keep logging the data on Flo as the past 2 cycles its predicted my AF very well and i feel that this is down to acupuncture and logging discharge and emotions. i had very long cycles before acupuncture. Also have my DP on male conception vitamins. It's so hard to keep the faith but i keep thinking all this waiting is preparing me for so much joy when it happens!