Anyone had any success with OPKs?

[lumpasmelly]

Just wondered if anyone had used these and had success? I just took one yesterday and got the "smiley face" so does this mean I am about to ovulate, or that it could be as long as three days until it happens. Also, if you get a surge, how long does it last...i,e, could I be "surging" for a number of days? Sorry - i know I sound dense, but nthe instructions are a bit vague!

This means you will ovulate some time in the next 48 hrs. Best to BD the day you get a positive and then again the following two days. Some people advise to then skip a day and BD again just for good measure!

Ah - well thank goodness it's the weekend coming up so that DH and I will have more energy!!

I used OPKs for a while and then switched to Clearblue Fertility Monitor - found it much more useful. Am now 36 weeks pg.

I used OPKs - I was ttc through donor insemination (so pinpointing ovulation was really important), my ovulation was all over the place, and other bodily signs (like fertile mucus) weren't happening. I used to inseminate on the first day of the surge and then 48 hours later. It worked.

Only problem, other than the cost, was that sometimes I seemed to get a duff batch. I ended up using a Persona AND OPKs to double-check, which was REALLY expensive!

lumpasmelly
they say the most important time to have intercourse is during the two days before you get a smily face (positive) and on the day and the day after (though this is just an insurance day). DONT WAIT! this is because the egg may only last 6 hours and sperm lasts from 3 to 5 days so it is better to have sperm in there rather than waiting to get a smiley face. it can take many hours for the sperm to reach the egg if it does at all so in order to ensure insemination you should have intercourse every two days from about days 9 to 16ish and every 2 to 3 days throughout month in order to ensure healthy sperm. it may therefore seem pointless to do opk at all, but it is good to know if you are ovulating properly and have intercourse that extra time on the day. good luck!