Help please- Could I have missed my peak?

[MissEmily5]

Hello all,
I’m driving myself mad with all the googling and trying to find answers- so any help would be great- thank you! Also, I apologise for the long post- just want to give as much info as possible.

I use Clear Blue Advanced OPKs- I tried the strips and never was able to get on board with them. I’m not sure I have a generally low LH surge which is perhaps why I didn’t get on with the strips.

But I do know that I have ovulated in the past with confirmation of BBT (which I don’t do anymore as I find it stressful and I don’t get up at the same time/wake in the night a lot). I have also had a transvaginal scan last month (March 2024) and it showed that I did ovulate- which I felt on my left side at the time.

I’ve been using OPKs since October 2023 and I’ve been getting better at reading the signs of my body- not CM as I find I rarely have EWCM, it’s more creamy/sticky/watery, and for the past two months I have only had to test on one day as I have felt pains and they have come back as solid smileys (peak).

However, I did have a month (November 2023) where I did 24 tests (an obscene amount!) from CD8-CD24 (testing twice a day from CD14 and I never received a positive (I was using the clear blue digital- not the advanced so no flashing smiley here- it was after this month that I moved onto advanced).

My periods range from 25-31 days, with an average of 29 days. My ovulation differs each cycle as well- range from getting positives from CD12-CD16 (which I know is normal).

I’m now on CD17 and no peak whatsoever, just flashing smileys. I have been on holiday and just come back, and sorry for TMI but I had a bit of dodgy stomach problem on/off throughout the holiday and that made it tricky for me to pin point my ovulation. I also only had so many tests with me and I started testing on CD11 (tested twice AM & PM- both low fertility),
CD12 (only tested once AM- flashing smiley),
CD13 (tested twice AM & PM- flashing smileys),
CD14 (tested once PM- flashing smiley but was convinced when I went to bed that I was having ovulation pains and that I would my static the next day),
CD15 (tested once AM- flashing smiley)
CD16 (tested 3 times 🙈 AM, PM x2- still flashing smiley)- we got home that day so was able to get more tests
CD17 (today- tested this morning and still flashing smiley).

I’m wondering is it possible that you could have missed you peak (as I wasn’t testing twice a day), and continue to get flashing smileys?
I can’t tell you how convinced that I felt ovulation pains on the evening of CD14.

I just would like to know if I’ve ovulated. I’m getting myself in a tizzy stressing myself out. We’re only on cycle 8 of trying for baby number 1 but since going private for a couples fertility assessment a couple of months ago; I’ve been told that I have a thinner endometrial lining than normal and my husband has low sperm count- not impossible to get pregnant they said but trickier than the average couple.

We have had repeat tests and there is an improvement for both of us but still not ‘normal’. I just really need to know that
my body can bloody ovulate without making difficult situation a more difficult one! I’ve never had a hint of a positive pregnancy test before, which definitely makes me worry.

Sorry for the rant and thank you to anyone who had made it this far- TTC is such a challenging and often lonely journey and this community helps so much with taking the edge of it all. Baby dust to you all ✨

Bump- please any help would be very much appreciated!

Hi! Sorry I’m not really able to help, but I had the same situation last month! Just constant flashing smilies!! I was panicking thinking I hadn’t ovulated (which I’m still not sure whether I did). However, I did managed to find some other people on here who experienced the whole flashing smilies (and no static ones) and got pregnant!

This month I am tracking BBT (Apple Watch) and using the easy@home OPKs alongside Pre Mom. I just wanted some more clarify as found CB left me confused and needing more info!

Just thought I’d share my experience in case it helps x

I am also very confused about whether I’ve ovulated. My opk have been getting dark and then suddenly light again, without seeing a peak. The day it got super dark I only did one test so I’m not sure if I missed it. I thought BBT was confirming ovulation bc I had 2 consecutive temps that were above my cover line, but then the third one today was back below the cover line. I’ve had strong ovulation symptoms, so no idea really.

I suppose will keep taking BBT and having sex, but it’s annoying bc I want to know my body is actually ovulating so this stress to baby dance isn’t for nothing.

@TTC1990 thanks for your comment- it’s nice to know I’m not the only one with these things- sometimes it’s easy to feel consumed and overwhelmed when TTC. I hope I’ve just missed it because I didn’t get to test twice a day some days as I didn’t have enough tests with me.
I’ve read on another post from a couple
of years ago that if you miss your peak when testing then your CB stick just keeps on with the flashing smiley face as the oestrogen which is what it’s detecting stays elevated once you’ve ovulated until your period. If we’re not lucky this month then I think I’ll start back up with BBT just to confirm ovulation and not have this doubt! Good luck with everything and thank you again x

@Plumchumm i’m sorry that you’re going through this too! It’s exhausting isn’t it- it’s up and down the emotions of it all isn’t it? I don’t know about you, both the first half of my cycle I’m worried about not ovulating, then I ovulate and I’m thrilled and then it’s the TWW and I’m all worried again.
All I would say is to keep going with your BBT and you might get the confirmation you need soon, when I BBT I had two days and then a dip, and then I got confirmation afterwards.
me and my husband feel exactly the same though, you BD hoping that it’ll all help and then you’re not sure if you’ve ovulated and it can’t help but feel a little bit like a waste..