Ovulation tests/ LH not rising and now even more to worry about

[Floralsandsmiles]

Hi ladies! I'm hoping someone can help or give me advice. I'm really getting very upset and stressed.
I'm tracking my ovulation with easy at home tests. My cycle is 28 days with period being normally 4-5 days. However this month and last was 9 days! I don't understand why! The premom app is saying that it thinks my fertile window is Saturday (CD12) for 3 days with ovulation on Tuesday (CD15). However doing my ovulation tests today, it's not been going up at all, it's still 0.08 or 0.09!! Surely it should be going up??

Theb to add to all this, I had bloods checked with doctor, just because of worrying about chlorestrl and needed to check for piece of mind and all bloods come back as fine (normal chlorestrl is 5 and I'm 3.5, so they aren't concerned). However the tests did show low iron...
I've added this to my list of supplements that I'm now taking and doctor was happy with that.. but she said she wants to book a smear to check there is no problems as I had abnormal cells about 4 years ago and since discharged.

Should I be concerned?? I'm now worrying about my LH level not rising and assuming it should be far higher if coming into peak? And then the fact she wants me to do a smear because of low iron!

Sorry for the long post, needed some advice! I don't get what's going on and really really upset and worried now 😕 xxxxx

For context, this is the readings on the tests... xxx

Hi @Floralsandsmiles I am in a very similar boat in that I’ve been tracking using OPks for the first time this month since CD9 using the clear blue advanced in the morning and then the strips in the evening. I’ve had a flashing smiley since CD11 but my strip tests were all really pale- similar readings to yours. Finally this morning I got a static smiley! So I’m wondering if it’s a dodgy batch of strips.

I have historically tracked my cycles via Clue and then I had a chemical pregnancy in December and from that point I’ve used Premom and Clue- they had vastly different estimates for my ovulation this month. Premom thought CD9 and Clue thought CD14- given I’m now on CD17 and just got the static smiley it definitely seems like neither are very accurate this month!

So anyway- to cut to the chase- I think our bodies just are liable to fluctuations this month and you can’t predict anything 100%. I would keep using the strips as it at least gives you an idea but just try and have sex every other day and you should be covered. The longer periods could have thrown your cycle off a bit and you might find you get your peak in the next day or two. People often say it can come very quickly quickly. I’ll attach my tests so you can see and as I mention, I had a solid smiley for the first time this morning.

It sounds like all your initial GP tests came back fine so I would really try not to stress and just trust in your body. It is a total
rollercoaster but I think it’s really easy to get obsessed/fixated with the testing and the predictions when it really isn’t 100% accurate. Hope you feel better!

@NWnature thank you so much for your reply! I appreciate it more than you know and could cry from the relief that you are also similar to me and I'm not alone. As I'm feeling like that alot at the moment. My poor DH is the only one I can talk to and he tried bless him, but doesn't know what to say alot of the time.. 🙈

So I tried the last x2 mornings doing a CB advance ovulation test and the easy at home strip ones together, as was worried maybe there was a bad batch or something with the strips. The CB also did a low fertility, so at least I know the strips work..

Can the levels rise from really low (below 0.10) to the peak of over 1 in a few days? I'm so confused with it all!

Thank you for sharing your results though as they do look similar. The strips look low and then you say you got a static smiley? That's such a large difference? Xxx

Oh I’m so sorry you are feeling so down. It’s really hard and I am totally uneducated in this area compared to others on this board so I am sure you will get some other advice soon.

I am as confused as you to be honest as yes, my strips are showing ultra low and yet this morning finally a static smile after a week of flashing. I think maybe it takes a while to get to grips with it all, so maybe next month things will be cleared. But honestly, if the testing is giving you loads of worry I would stop it entirely and just have sex every other day throughout your cycle if you can to take the pressure off.

Hopefully someone with more experience and a more scientific outlook will comment for you soon but don’t feel alone x

I wouldn't worry too much some people get a very quick rise. I've attached mine for last cycle. Mine stay low then one evening they will have risen a bit next morning is normally my peak then by the afternoon it's dropped again next day back to low.

Thank you @NWnature , I will keep doing both tests then incase there is a problem with strips etc..hopefully it will rise quickly and will just keep on top of it.
I am seeing everyone ovulation days are further in the month.. mine is predicted as CD15 but yours are all CD18? So maybe mine will be closer to that and that's why I'm so low right now too..

Thank you! Xxx

Thank you for this @bringmearainbow , this really helps as I can see how quick it is and how low leading up to it is..
Also as I said to @NWnature , alot of you are ovulating CD18, so I think mine maybe later too and therefore at only being CD11, of course it probably low right now? Xxx

@Floralsandsmiles yes I would expect with a 28 day cycle you should ovulate around CD13/14/15/16 it all depends on how long your LP normally is. Keep testing and when you see a hint of something a bit higher than normal test every 4/5 hours if you can Obv not through the night though 😂 and when you see your peak do a few more after to check it's dropping. Some people have a peak that lasts 2 days it really is a individual thing. Once you've got a peak it should happen 24-48 hours after the first peak test. once youve done them for a while you'll work out what pattern you have. I mean hopefully you won't have to do them for a while because you'll conceive🤞🏼 my cycle ranges from 26-33 days so that one was quite a late ovulation for me so I always begin testing on CD8 incase I'm going to get an early one. It sucks to continually see the low readings but it will happen just make sure you test enough because peak can be easily missed

@Floralsandsmiles also good luck 🍀

@Floralsandsmiles sorry also just had a look at your test times I would now start doing them in the evening too as lh rise seems to happen in the evening for a lot of people xxx

It can rise very quickly. This month mine went from basically nothing one day to peak the next morning, then lower again by the following day. I went through the same stress as you with it not seeming to rise!

I tired to use ovulating strips and period/ovulation tracker apps when I was TTC. Never once did they show that I had high LH. Either during the time the app said I should be ovulating or any other time. I was starting to worry that I just wasn't ovulating at all. I found out I was pregnant after 6 months of trying, ironically using an ovulating strip.

Thank you @bringmearainbow . At least I know I'm on the right track! Maybe because I'm in the right area tomorrow for being the fertile period CD12 and ovulation being CD15, I should start testing x2 times a day from tomorrow?
When would you suggest to do it? (Like times?) I normally try to keep it to 10am or just after. But that's with strips and I know with CB they are supposed to be FMU..
Maybe 10am and 5pm with strips? And when it rises include the CB on the morning too? So confused and don't want to miss it! Lol xxx

@Floralsandsmiles yes start tomorrow. Are you checking CM too? That can be a good indication. In the normal way I would test anytime between 6pm and 8pm and then I use FMU because I don't have any other time to test. Last cycle was a bit different as we were away so had a bit more flexibility in when I could test. I gave up with the cb tests because I kept getting about 10 days of flashing smilers before peak and it was driving me nuts looking at the mocking little flashing smiley face 😂 stick to your 10am and then do 5/6 then if you see it rising you can do another before bed

Thanks @bringmearainbow , I will do that. How do I check CM? There are points that I know are more visual than other times, and that's no happened yet. But is there a way to check that too?
I am tracking bbt too, but useless too.

The CB mocking you, that made me laugh lol xxxx

Thank you! Will ensure I do both! Xx

Thank you @Apat10 for sharing! Good to know I'm not the only one! Xx

Thank you @birdywillow that is odd isn't it! Thank you for sharing! And funny it was ironically on an ovulation strip too! Haha xx

@Floralsandsmiles so with cm I don't see very much of mine in my underwear but I check by choosing a time I don't actually need to go to the toilet. Wash your hands then just insert a finger a little I kind of just give the first bit inside a little sweep and see what comes out. Mine starts to go watery a few days before and then ewcm a day before peak. Bbt is great but not in the lead up to ovulation only helpful after 🙈

Haha he was little bastard 😂 xxx

Aww OK, this is helpful! I would say it's a little watery now but definitely on the way. So would be around the right time for ovulation for next Tuesday (if ovulation is on time of course).

And haha xxx

I wouldn’t worry about opk not showing a rise yet. Mine didn’t start going up until the day before my peak and that was only slightly. I had 2 highs and my peak all in the same day, and I ovulated the next day, that was my first cycle using them and got my BFP.

Also the best time to take them is between 10am and 8pm. Dont use fmu and try to take them around the same time each day. I did extras on the day mine rose as I got so excited something was finally happening. 😂

I had the exact same with those strips, was very panicked! Switched to the CB and got a BFP within 2 cycles. Everything on the CB digitals lined up with the CM I was seeing

If you're doctors tests were fine I wouldn't worry yet

Hiya I haven’t read all the replies but just wanted to say that my LH rises rapidly and I go from negative to positive within 6 hours sometimes!
This cycle I had a static smiley AM, flashing smiley PM and a static smiley 4 hours later.
Prior to the flashing smiley my LH was 0.9 on the strips and I was worrying it wasn’t rising yet I had loads of signs of upcoming ovulation (EWCM, sore nipples, emotional)
So you may be like me and just have a rapid rise, try not to worry too much and just keep testing xx

*that was meant to say empty circle AM not static smiley AM 🙈😂