Checking ovulation with home tests

[BlueSilver23]

Hi everyone. Hoping for some advice about at home ovulation testing. I got a clear blue ovulation test to try and check when I’m ovulating (out of interest as I’m about to start another stim cycle) and so I tested and it came back negative I.e an empty circle. However I do really feel like I’m ovulating. Everything points to it despite the negative ovulation result.

But when I took the strip out to throw away it had two lines on it, the second being fainter than the other. How sensitive is the ‘reader’ that generates the positive smiley faces with this test? I have no idea how these tests work but was surprised to see two lines on the strip. Are those two lines completely irrelevant?? Never used these before so not quite sure how they work! Any advice appreciated

The two lines are relevant- one is the control line and one registers LH hormone in your urine which indicates ovulation. If there is a faint line then it is picking up LH but not enough to be stronger than the control line and therefore not the surge to mean you are ovulating within 24-48 hrs.

Did you test every day? It seems likely to mean you've got some LH in your urine but you're testing either slightly too late or slightly too early imo

Thanks @Rosiestraws

This was actually the first time I’d ever used an ovulation test! So thinking I might test every morning to see if there is a change. Are mornings the best time? That’s the advice on the test but have heard differing opinions on this.

It just felt very much like I was ovulating but sounds like it could just be the very beginnings of a potential surge. I’m quite early in my likely ovulation window.

I wasn’t sure if ovulation tests worked a little like pregnancy tests in that you can have very faint lines that may indicate the slight presence of hormones or whether it was just a straight it’s there or it’s not. Will keep my eye on the strips a little even if I don’t get a smiley face. Thank you!

I should point out I’ve got one of those digital tests with the smiley face system rather than the old style ones

@BlueSilver23 No need to test in the early mornings. Basically you can test daily around noon or afternoon. The colour of the line progresses gradually and when the test line is the same colour or darker than the control line that's when the LH surge happens and ovulation folllows around 12-24 hours, or even 36. You can have intercourse every other day during the fertile period, the day of the surge and the day after. Then, if you can, you can test your prigesterone DPO+7 to make sure you've ovulated.
P.S. I've only used old style LH sticks

Keep testing and you'll hopefully pick up the surge (unless you've missed it for this month and the faint line is it on its way out) and yes I'd keep an eye on the sticks you eject too and see it changing too probably.

To get around this I use both cheapie strips and digital. II use the cheapies 2 - 3 x a day a few days before think anywhere near ovulation. I can then watch the lines get darker on the cheapies and when they're getting decently dark, start using digitals also. For me when digitals show positive, the cheapies are super dark/darker than control at same time! I know its expensive but I'd suggest over-testing with both types (many times a day) next cycle to figure out why you are missing on the digital.

That’s a good idea, was surprised how expensive the digital tests were!