OPK and ovulation (Premom / ClearBlue)

[WithLoveLily]

Hi Ladies, I’m hoping someone may be able to share some advice or experience with me on OPK’s and ovulation…

I’ve started using the easy@home OPK’s and Premom app. I’m currently on CD20 and no positive result has shown yet, with the highest reading being 0.63. I’ve also been using the ClearBlue Advanced Digital Fertility Monitor once per day which identified a rise in Estrogen on CD16 but still no peak on there either. My cycle is usually 32 days long (on average).

Is it likely I haven’t ovulated this month?

I drink around 3 litres of water per day so I’m wondering if my urine has been too diluted to pick up a surge in LH. I haven’t been testing with the digital monitor at the same time every day which maybe I should have been. I have been tracking BBT but don’t really know what pattern I’m looking for!

I had EWCM on CD’s 13, 14, 15 & 16, and quite bad stomach pains including diarrhoea on CD18 (sorry for TMI!!) which I thought could be ovulation related.

It’s our first month TTC and I’m concerned I haven’t ovulated. Any shared experiences or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Photo’s of Premom tests attached for reference.

Thank you in advance Ladies!

I’m also using Premom, OPK strips and a CB digi. My peak was picked up today on CB (but only when I tested after forgetting to hydrate for 5 hours!) but strips (tested using the same sample) only showing at 0.55. A few hours later and I’m back down to 0.11! So I could have easily missed it, perhaps you’re in a similar boat?

From looking online it doesn’t seem that uncommon to not go above 1, or to have a sudden surge rather than a gradual one. Frustrating to not see my chart matching a typical one though.

are you tracking BBT as well?

@glasspaw thank you so much for your reply! It’s really interesting to see how the results differ when you are more / less hydrated and also depending on time of day. I’m glad to hear you got your peak with ClearBlue - I’m wondering if I should have been more consistent with the timings of my testing with the ClearBlue monitor as I haven’t consistently been testing at the same time each day.

It’s definitely frustrating!

Yes I am also tracking BBT. It dropped to 35.91c (96.6f) on CD14 but I didn’t notice a significant increase beyond my usual BBT after this. I’m not really sure how to interpret these readings to be honest. I’m just feeling a little disheartened :(

@WithLoveLily the BBT tracking feels like it’s not really working for me if I’m honest. I get really interrupted sleep (I have a 17 month old who still doesn’t sleep that well) and I’ve read some stuff that suggests this will make BBT less reliable as you should be well rested. The CB digis are definitely easier to interpret! I guess it gets easier with time though.

these boards are so helpful for wrapping your head around it all!

I can never seem to find my LH surge and have never had a 'positive' LH strip but I've had investigations at the Dr and confirmed I do ovulate. I track cervical position. It'll take a while to learn your own body but I know that when I'm ovulating my cervix is so high I can't find it, then the next day it's low and firm. High cervical position alongside EWCM, and it's go time! I use LH strips more to confirm that I'm roughly in my fertile stage as it creeps up slowly then suddenly surges.

This month I thought I'd missed my LH surge so gave up, then ovulated CD 15 so I did miss it this time.

@glasspaw that’s really interesting and understandable why BBT isn’t the best measure in your case. I’m naturally a very light sleeper and wake up multiple times a night so maybe that’s having an impact. You’re right, there’s so many helpful things on here… although sometimes it feels like a bit of a minefield.

@PineappleK thank you so much for your reply! That’s great to know you do ovulate even though you struggle to find your LH surge. Cervix position is something I really did notice when I had a lot of EWCM - it was very high and now it’s low again so maybe I have ovulated, I just haven’t picked it up on the tests. It’s disheartening when you don’t see a peak… I can’t help but think something is wrong. I’m so sorry to hear that you missed your surge this month!

@WithLoveLily I missed my surge but we BD on CD13, 14 and 15 so feeling positive. I was due to O on CD14 so told DH to have a rest on CD15, then saw loads of EWCM and couldn't find cervix so we went again 😂

Brilliant 🤣 it sounds like you’ve got a really good understanding of your body. Got my fingers crossed that you get your positive in a couple of weeks!! If you don’t mind me asking, how long have you been TTC and are you trying for your first baby?

@PineappleK sorry I forgot to tag you above - not sure if this makes a difference. I’m very new to this 😊

@WithLoveLily I read taking charge of your fertility and would highly recommend it! I've been loosely tracking my cycle for about 4 months but this is the first month of really tracking, 2nd cycle of TTC #1. Last month we were on holiday so my body was all over the place in terms of temp and I'm pretty sure I was dehydrated as CM was minimal. But this month I've been really focusing on my body. How about you? Do you have DC already?

@PineappleK thank you very much for the recommendation, I’ll have a look in to the book. Sometimes I think there’s too much information online and it can cause more stress with things like this when you feel your body or cycle isn’t doing the “normal” things.

Understandable that being on holiday could affect your temperature / CM etc… I hope this is your month!

I’ve been tracking my cycle for around 5 years now but never really understood when I ovulate etc. I was hoping that using OPK’s and tracking BBT would be a help but it’s made me panic that I’m not even ovulating based on the results I’ve got so far. We are also trying for our first - this is only cycle #1 so I definitely need to relax.

@WithLoveLily then I'd definitely recommend that book! It talks you through how to chart using BBT, CM and cervical position. You can either hand write and interpret the charts yourself or use the apps like I do, but I tend to ignore the O dates the app gives me as I know my body better. It gives me so much confidence. You will be able to identify anovulatory cycles and there's a chapter on how you can tackle minor infertility issues (if there are any!)

The information online is so contradictory, so I always refer to the book, written by a doctor who specialises in fertility, but she makes it so easy. I can't believe how I didn't know my body before I read the book. I got it second hand on eBay for about £5 as well!

That sounds great thank you so much! I will definitely go ahead and buy that - it sounds like just what I need to understand what’s going on with my body and stop panicking myself by googling everything!!

@PineappleK forgot to tag you again!