Not a single positive OPK result?

[Serendipity2023]

Hoping someone can shed some light on this, or has experienced it themselves.

I've been using OPKs most days this cycle, and the last, a mixture of strips and CB 4-day digital. But am yet to see a positive?

My period came in between, exactly when I expected, so is it possible that I'm not ovulating or that my LH surge is so short, that I missed it?

It's freaking me out tbh 😵‍💫

Hi @Serendipity2023

When in you Cycle did you start doing the sticks? I only ask because a friend had the same experience but she only started on CD13 and we assume she missed her surge. The surge occurs 24-48 hours before you ovulate- so if you ovulate early E.g. CD11 or 12 your surge could be as early as CD9 or CD10.

You need to be consistent too, mixing methods might have caused confusion. Before worrying too much I would get a large pack of ovulation sticks off the internet - a cheapie 50 pack and do one strip morning and afternoon from CD6 until a 10 days before your period (if you’re regular). Personally I would add in BBT tracking too as that’s actually the only way to confirm ovulation, not the surge. A thermometer is a few quid off Amazon and you can track it free in fertility friend or other apps. Good luck!

Thanks so much @CRbear

Both this month and last I started on CD6, currently on CD16.

I used to temp track but got out of the habit, and because I thought OPKs were more accurate. But tbh I hadn't thought about the consistency of using the same type of OPK - I was just trying not to spend £100s on the clear blue digitals.
I'm also only testing once a day, when I first wake up.

I'll dig out my thermometer and order a bag of strips 🤞🏼

Oh brilliant so you already know how to do all that too- did you used to see a thermal shift when you temped?

Yes I think so, from memory.

I only tracked on paper charts, and after falling pregnant (sadly had to have a TFMR), I threw the charts away.

So will make sure I record via an app this time round.

Ok so the vast likelyhood is you are ovulating you’re just not catching your peak- which I’ve heard is definitely an issue for some women! Everything crossed for you

I did OPKs every day of my cycle and never got a positive for ovulation, but I got pregnant so I clearly ovulated!! I don’t trust them at all just caused me a lot of stress.

@CRbear - that's good to know that I'm not alone. Thank you

@JanS17 - oh thanks for sharing, that's really reassuring. And YES with the stress - 100% agree 😵‍💫

OPKs will tell you when you’re likely to ovulate and BBT will confirm that ovulation has occurred. Sorry about your TFMR.

You do need to test more than once a day during your fertile period and it’s not recommended that you test in the morning as you usually get your LH surge in the morning which is then picked up later on. If I were you I’d test at 12 and 8 from CD 10 whilst temping and see how you get on. You should have a much clearer picture after the first month or two but fingers crossed you’re pregnant by then!

I also recommend bbt, it’s really useful to see the shift in temp. I used to take my temp consistently around 6am before getting out of bed or drinking water.

Also for the test strips, I recommend twice daily, once it was low for me at 11am and then a peak by 4pm. Those were the times I tested each day. It can also go low again by the next day.

Also you could have an odd cycle, my usual cycle I ovulated on cd19 for a 31 day cycle, on the one I conceived I ovulated on cd24! I’m usually consistent for cycle lengths. I was about to give up testing. My body even stopped the obvious cervical mucus by day 20 so I just thought I wouldn’t ovulate or somehow missed it. Good job I just kept testing way past when I usually ovulate.

@Serendipity2023 another advocate here for temp tracking. How many times a day are you doing OPKs? It's easy to miss the surge so need to be twice a day ideally. I've been tracking BBT for 6 months now and have always had a sustained temp rise indicating ovulation but not always caught my LH surge with OPKs. Obviously temp will only tell you AFTER you've ovulated so would be too late to conceive if you hadn't already DTD. But since temp tracking I now understand so much more about my fertility signs and can tell when ovulation is going to happen/happening

I've never had a positive ovulation either but I've been pregnant twice (both conceived a couple of days before my app told me I was ovulating, so try earlier than you think you need to is my advice)

I’d recommend the easy@home ovulation strips
from Amazon and the free app to go with it, PreMom. It’s possible you could have missed your peak if you’re not testing every day. I have been testing twice a day and only had one raised LH, so sometimes the peak comes and goes very very quickly. Best of luck

@Pollywoddles thanks for the advice and the condolences.

I'll start the twice a day OPK method, along with BBT tracking upon waking, on my next cycle (unless a miracle has happened in between 🌈)