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Conception

When's the best time to get pregnant? Use our interactive ovulation calculator to work out when you're most fertile and most likely to conceive.

Original poster

Ovulation tests

17 replies

HannahLouD · 09/01/2023 08:17

Hi all!

I'm so sorry for yet another ovulation test post...
Me and my partner have only been ttc since I came off the pill last month... I started testing with clear blue digital tests on day 9 (as my cycles before going on the pill were 27-28 days long) I got 2 blank circles, 6 flashing smileys and this morning I've finally got my static smiley! However, I've also been testing with some cheap strips over the past few days as I was getting frustrated with the flashing smileys haha. Anyway... They have shown as basically completely negative the whole time and still are this morning. So I was just wondering, has anyone had the same thing? Do I believe the clear blue digital test or the test strips?

Thank you so much in advance! x

(I know they say not to look at the lines on the digital test, but that's the clearest they have been 😅)

Ovulation tests
OP posts:
lucya66 · 09/01/2023 09:29

did you take both as your first urine of the day? They say the digital can be taken in first urine, but the little sticks should be afternoon and evening? Not sure why.

but if there’s a flashing smiley on the digital, it’s obviously picked up something - I would dtd :)

ive been testing with both from CD7 -CD15 and not had any surges/smileys yet :( assuming I will ovulate in coming days.

Original poster
HannahLouD · 09/01/2023 09:55

Hey! Thanks for the reply :)

I took them all this morning after getting up (about 7am)
I've done 9 clear blue digital ones (all first thing in the morning) and after 2 negatives and 6 flashing smileys I've finally got my static! I've done about the same amount of the cheap strips (at different times of the day each time to check aha.) But they've never shown as positive and barely ever even a faint line.
We've been dtd since the first flashing smileys and will obviously continue for the next few days now... I guess like everyone else, we will just have to wait and see!

Fingers crossed you get a positive result soon! x

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Original poster
HannahLouD · 09/01/2023 11:10

Sorry for tmi but I also have absolutely no ewcm and haven't had so far at all... I've read that that's one of the main signs you are ovulating or about to ovulate and that it's really important you have that for sperm mobility...
I am so tempted to go out and buy more clear blue tests to make sure it's saying the same thing, but I realise that's crazy and a waste of money and I need to not let thinking about this take over my life 😅 I don't know how people do this for months on end when I'm only on my first month and already losing it aha

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lucya66 · 09/01/2023 12:25

Haha I know what you mean! It’s so all consuming because it’s a daily / weekly/ cycle. You have to be so tuned into it and yet the days drag on and turn into months.

fingers crossed for you too! :)

I am testing with both easy at home strips and clear blue digital tests too, as I’d read on reviews that the accuracy of both has been doubted. I am not sure yet which I trust, as I’ve had no smileys yet or dark lines. I am really hoping I ovulate soon and that I didn’t miss ovulation before I tested (maybe cd6?)

regarding cm, I have not yet started learning / tracking that. I felt it might need to be a last resort as it all seems the same to me! Also, I thought cm might be impacted by all the sperm! Lol sorry, that is probs tmi but how do I know what is ewcm and what is semen??! Haha it’s difficult to say if cm is ew or not, so last resort

I’m on ttc month 3 but only began testing this cycle. I was off contraception for a year and thought it might happen - but it didn’t although I was avoiding cd14.

fingers crossed you get a bfp soon!

allgoodthings84 · 09/01/2023 12:44

I’ve not used the CB digital ones but the easy@home ones are bang on for me confirmed with blood tests and 3 pregnancies.

Original poster
HannahLouD · 09/01/2023 13:39

lucya66 · 09/01/2023 12:25

Haha I know what you mean! It’s so all consuming because it’s a daily / weekly/ cycle. You have to be so tuned into it and yet the days drag on and turn into months.

fingers crossed for you too! :)

I am testing with both easy at home strips and clear blue digital tests too, as I’d read on reviews that the accuracy of both has been doubted. I am not sure yet which I trust, as I’ve had no smileys yet or dark lines. I am really hoping I ovulate soon and that I didn’t miss ovulation before I tested (maybe cd6?)

regarding cm, I have not yet started learning / tracking that. I felt it might need to be a last resort as it all seems the same to me! Also, I thought cm might be impacted by all the sperm! Lol sorry, that is probs tmi but how do I know what is ewcm and what is semen??! Haha it’s difficult to say if cm is ew or not, so last resort

I’m on ttc month 3 but only began testing this cycle. I was off contraception for a year and thought it might happen - but it didn’t although I was avoiding cd14.

fingers crossed you get a bfp soon!

It's literally taking over my life already... I need to just calm down about it all! I feel like I spend all my spare time reading up on every little thing and comparing myself which is ridiculous I know 🙈
I have a nearly 5yo with a previous partner and I got pregnant with her by accident, but you just never know if it'll happen again.

Ah thanks for the advice re. the other test strips... I think I'll wait until af inevitably turns up and then I'll get some of them then! I've ordered another pack of the cb digital ones already as i only had 10 and have used 9 so assumed I'd end up needing more this month.
I just popped to the shops on my lunch break as I needed a few bits and picked up some cheap Sainsbury's sticks 🙈 just did one and it didn't even show a faint line next to the control one... I just need to stop I think 😅 I'll believe the cb smiley for now and see aha.

I hope you didn't miss it! Cd6 would be pretty early to get peak though I think!? I'm sure yours will come soon 🤞I'm now cd16 so assuming I'll ovulate around day 17 which is later than I'd thought it would be. Who knows!

Oh gosh I know what you mean re. ewcm and the other thing... How are you really supposed to tell if you're dtd every day?! 😂😂

Anyway... Thank you for your replies and your advice!

Sending lots of luck your way! x

OP posts:
Original poster
HannahLouD · 09/01/2023 13:43

allgoodthings84 · 09/01/2023 12:44

I’ve not used the CB digital ones but the easy@home ones are bang on for me confirmed with blood tests and 3 pregnancies.

Thank you for the advice!
If I don't get my bfp this month, I'll defo get some of those for next month! 😊
I've tried 2 different cheap ones (supermarket brands) and neither of them have shown positive when my CB digital has...
To be fair though, I read reviews online of the supermarket ones and they seem very unreliable 😅

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PeopleAreToads · 09/01/2023 13:54

Worth remembering the CB also test for estrogen levels as well as LH

I found I never got positives with easy@home, but CB get fairly consistent results month after month which line up with the signs I see like EWCM

Feel like a walking advert for the CB tests on here, but I've found they are the only ones that work for me. But think my peka LH may be lower than average

Original poster
HannahLouD · 09/01/2023 14:07

PeopleAreToads · 09/01/2023 13:54

Worth remembering the CB also test for estrogen levels as well as LH

I found I never got positives with easy@home, but CB get fairly consistent results month after month which line up with the signs I see like EWCM

Feel like a walking advert for the CB tests on here, but I've found they are the only ones that work for me. But think my peka LH may be lower than average

Thanks for the reply! 😊
It seems CB digital tests seem to be more reliable than most of the cheaper strip tests (which you'd hope as they are so expensive 😶)... I guess I'll just keep on dtd for a few more days this month seeing as I have my static smiley and wait and see...
I don't have any ewcm though, which is throwing me off thinking maybe I'm not due to ovulate/ovulating? Seems like most people get that...
That's also a good point... Maybe my peak is low, hence not showing on other tests... Hmm...

OP posts:
Original poster
HannahLouD · 09/01/2023 15:01

I also just realised that the cheaper tests I've been using have a sensitivity of 25mlu whereas clear blue digital ones have 40mlu... Guess that might also be why the cheap ones aren't showing...

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allgoodthings84 · 09/01/2023 16:44

@HannahLouD the lower the number the better the sensitivity is so the darker the line should be so the cheapies should show sooner than CB if those numbers are correct.

Original poster
HannahLouD · 09/01/2023 16:45

allgoodthings84 · 09/01/2023 16:44

@HannahLouD the lower the number the better the sensitivity is so the darker the line should be so the cheapies should show sooner than CB if those numbers are correct.

Oh 🤦🏻‍♀️ I'm so clueless! Haha. I don't know then 😅 Im just gonna give up testing this month and hope the CB one is right.. thank you!

OP posts:
allgoodthings84 · 09/01/2023 16:47

I would go by CB if you’re not sure but afterwards dtd every 2-3 days for an extra week or so to be sure you don’t miss it

Original poster
HannahLouD · 09/01/2023 16:49

allgoodthings84 · 09/01/2023 16:47

I would go by CB if you’re not sure but afterwards dtd every 2-3 days for an extra week or so to be sure you don’t miss it

Will do! 😅 Thank you for the advice!!

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allgoodthings84 · 09/01/2023 16:53

no problem @HannahLouD. I used to get annoyed with opk’s but got used to them after a few cycles.

Buttercup2023 · 09/01/2023 17:05

I never got a positive on the cheapy ones (used them for a few months), so switched to the clear blue and got pregnant the 2nd month using the CB 😊

Original poster
HannahLouD · 09/01/2023 17:23

Buttercup2023 · 09/01/2023 17:05

I never got a positive on the cheapy ones (used them for a few months), so switched to the clear blue and got pregnant the 2nd month using the CB 😊

Ah that's promising to know! Thank you so much for sharing and congratulations!! 😁

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