Ovulation tests

[drivingsolidarity]

Hi everyone,

I’m currently trying for my first baby. I’m 30, for context and haven’t been on any hormonal contraception, ever (not sure if that affects my long-term fertility?!).

It’s my first cycle properly trying, and I bought the Easy@Home ovulation tests. I’ve been testing since cycle day 7, today is cycle day 13. My cycles are usually between 28-31 days. All my tests have come back with faint lines. The highest reading was 0.31 on day 8.

Last night and today I’ve started to notice changes to my CM, and keep thinking I’m starting to feel the “pinch” I sometimes experience with ovulation. I tested half a hour ago and the line was faint again. Should I test again later today? I’ve heard that the LH surge can be very sudden. Does waiting 2-4 hours without having anything to drink actually make a difference?

Honestly, I feel so out of my depth! I don’t know any women whom I can talk to about this in real life. Does anyone have any words of wisdom or advice? Should I rely on the physical changes happening to my body more than the tests? Help appreciated!

I would test twice a day. I do just before lunch and just after dinner usually. I’ve never had a surge that’s so quick it didnt catch on at least 3 tests that way personally but I’ve heard some peoples are quicker. I would expect you’d be unlucky to not catch it if you’re doing twice a day though. Either way day 13 would be fairly early for you to ovulate anyway I’d guess, my cycles are shorter and I ovulate later. I mean it’s fine if you do ovulate then, but if you aren’t I wouldn’t worry it’s still early. I’d just keep testing each day. If you ovulated cd 18 for example that would still give you a 10-13 day luteal phase which would be fine.

i wouldn’t ignore the physical signs though. The opks only tell you that you’re going to ovulate in the next 12-48 hours. But really that might be a bit late if you’re waiting until you get a positive.

Thank you - this advice is really helpful.

I’m tracking using the Premom app, and it predicts my ovulation day to be the 29th. If that prediction is accurate, would I most likely see a surge on the 28th?

I think I’d got it in my head that the ovulation tests should be showing darker by now, as I approach ovulation 🙈

Any experience with Premom vs the Flo app, in terms of which predicts ovulation better?

So for your first cycle I would test twice a day, increasing to three times when you get tests over 0.5. I rise and peak very fast and would miss it completely if I only tested once a day. I tested about 7am and 7pm. Your surge is around 24 hours before ovulation, so if you are getting ovulation signs that are accurate (it's very easy to inaccurately symptom spot) then you won't get a peak now as it's been and gone. However, I'd keep testing twice a day from now on to be sure it's not still on its way. For reference, I have a 29 day cycle but ovulate on day 19.

Thanks!

I will start testing 3 times tomorrow. I don’t think I’ve ovulated yet - based on my LH levels and tracking my CM. Trying to do the sperm meets egg method, which I started with DH from CD8, so hopefully that’s covered me if I have already ovulated!

I don’t want to walk into this naively, as I know it can take a few cycles for it to happen.

Yeah, most months mine gets a bit darker a few days before, but this month they were so faint in the morning and then suddenly I got a 1.9 in the evening.

I didn’t get on with flo personally. Found it a bit faffy. Premom is good for me, but do be aware that it recalculates ovulation based on the tests, so your predicted day may change

My experience is that even the tests the day before ovulation don’t always seem like they’re darkening enough, then all of a sudden you can have a really dark/positive test! For me I tested every day from once period was finished and looked for super watery CM.

I found the apps to be pretty pointless, but the ovulation sticks helpful.

I get rapid surges that I wouldn't catch unless I was doing 3 tests per day :) then poof gone