Can someone talk to me about OPKs?

[GiraffeAHolic]

Have got some ovulation testing dipsticks and have been testing more or less daily.

I'm getting two lines but sometimes the test line is only vaguely visible when held to the light, but today the line is easily noticable but nowhere near as dark as the control line.

I know this means it's not positive but is the line supposed to keep getting darker until I get a positive (fingers crossed) or is it random?

I have PCOS and am TTC#2 and am not sure if I'm ovulatng as cycles are varying wildly (37 days last cycle)

I would guess it could be the beginning of your surge. I don't think the amount of LH would be random, I think its fairly steady and then suddenly goes up prior to ovulation.
I have only used digital OPKs which I guess are more expensive, but there is no room for interpretation, its just a Yes or a No, which I like.

Thanks, I thought it might be the beginning of the surge but I've never used them before and wasn't sure if that's how it works.

I think digi OPKs would bankrupt me with the amount I've already used this month

These are extra senstive ebay cheapies don't know if that makes a difference

Giraffe

OPK's are actually of no benefit or use whatsoever if you have PCOS.

These kits read LH levels; with PCOS there is often an excess of this hormone to start with so the kit will be reading that excess level.

I would refrain from using OPK's as of now and have blood tests done by your GP to see what your hormone levels (particularly LH to FSH) are like now. It may be that you will need some medical help from a gynae in order to conceive.

Verity's website may be useful to you as wellwww.verity-pcos.org.uk

I've just this minute ordered 20 more from Ebay

But surely if they read the elevated level then I would be getting constant positives (especially as these are ultra sensitive ones)?

I've been using them for about a week and no positive yet.

I haven't been tested since having dd 15months ago to see how severe the PCOS is now. Is it possible that it's subsided slightly?

Don't really want to go down the route of bloods and gynae, did this first time round and took 2 years to concieve. It was very stressful and we have agreed that this time we will just try naturally.