Ovulation tests not getting consistently darker

[Jmarie123]

Hi, sorry if this is stupid. I’m tracking my ovulation for the first time and I really expected to ovulate either cd14 or 15which is today and tomorrow. I’ve used a cycle app for ages before I was even trying and have really regular cycles. I know there’s still plenty of time but they seem to be getting lighter even taking a few tests a day. Are they suppose to be getting darker towards ovulation? I don’t think it’s already happened and I’m just confused. I’ve put a few in the premom app to show you. Any advice or thoughts?

Hi,

You might get more replies in Conception but sure people here have experience too.
I used these myself and I would advise trying to do one test a day at middayish until you suspect its peaking as that will give you consistency to compare day to day.
I would also ignore the app Low/ High ratings and just do it by eye- I had most success sellotaping the sticks into a notepad (sorry gross!) so I could compare the line day to day.
From what I can see from your photos the CD12 line looks darkest- and reasonably dark. If I got that line on CD 12 with lighter ones before and after I'd read that as ovulation.

Hope some of that is helpful or that others can shed some light x

Are you testing in the morning? I only got positive ovulations tests when I started testing in the afternoon. LH peaks in the morning, but will take 4-5 hours before it's detectable in your urine.

Did you only start testing on CD12? It's possible that was your ovulation or even slightly earlier. I have a shorter cycle and almost always ovulated between day 10 and 13.

As said above, try testing at the same time every day until you see the tests darkening, and then add in another test or two per day until you get your peak. For me I got the best results testing late morning between 11 and 12 every day, and then when I was close to my peak I also tested at about 4pm and 9pm.

Thank you so much for replying
, if it keeps getting lighter I’ll just count that as ovulation then, think I’m just worrying too much about it.

I started testing from straight after my period and the day 12 is the darkest I’ve got. I’ll start testing in the evening as well. Thank you very much. Maybe the day 12 was it but it just worries me that it wasn’t the typical positive.

I tested at 2pm and 10pm and always caught a +. Usually at 10 pm.

@Jmarie123 No problem. My 'positive' looked like your D12 the month I conceived so I'd try not to overthink it :)

If it helps, when I get a test like you did on cd12 I test again a few hours later, again next morning and usually catch my peak.

The pic is mine last month

Test 2 times a day until u catch it x then you'll know around which day it is every month

@Jmarie123 I've started to track mine from yesterday which was CD9.
Since I've had my covid jabs my cycles have shortened by 2 days. The guide advised for a 26 day cycle to start testing on CD 10 but I was too eager when they arrived yesterday 😂
This is all brand new to me tracking ovulation so I'm just taking it easy and learning as I go along.
Don't be too hard on yourself 💚xx

I've added mine to show you and I've waited around 5-7minutes to take the photo on the app.

Both times I conceived whilst doing these strips I didn't get a peak - think my peak must be very brief - but we had timed it right and the darkest lines were my ovulation day even though they were never darker than the control line. Maybe you're the same?

Thank you so much everyone for replying. On day 16 now with no positive but also read that on reviews that the strips I use can be not as sensitive. Hoping that first peak was my positive . You’ve all reassured me a lot, I was getting stressed that I’m not ovulating. Fingers crossed..

@Jmarie123

Thank you so much everyone for replying. On day 16 now with no positive but also read that on reviews that the strips I use can be not as sensitive. Hoping that first peak was my positive . You’ve all reassured me a lot, I was getting stressed that I’m not ovulating. Fingers crossed..

I was stressing about the same thing too. Purchase the easy@home ovulating tests, I got the box with the pregnancy strips too because I decided to be all about the positive thoughts this year lol I hope you you're ok ☺️💚xx

@GingerbreadTM I’ve ordered the same! Much better reviews on those. Serves me right just getting the cheapest I could find this month 😂 thinking that I’ve already missed ovulation this month but at least they’ll come in next cycle if we need them.

I never got a peek for ovulation. We only tried for 3 months, used strips for two. Then got pregnant. We had sex every 2-3 days around expected ovulation time.

Last month I kept using the testing strips incase I hadn't ovulated (as the tests never showed a peak) I then got a peak a week later but in fact the test was picking up I was pregnant.

@Spottybutterfly wonderful news 🥰 wishing you a healthy pregnancy xx

@Jmarie123 how are you getting on? I'm 3DPO a few twinges now and again. Think the metallic taste and my uncontrollable hunger is all in my head though 🤣🤣🤣 no diet started her for the new year 🙈🤣🤣xx

@Spottybutterfly congratulations! Well I was just going to post on here as I counted around the cd13 as ovulation if I assumed it was that darkest reading, but like you I’ve kept testing everyday and today it’s suddenly got darker... wondering if maybe the same is going on as I had some interesting cramps and a few waves of nausea yesterday..
I’ll keep you updated! Wish you the best in your pregnancy and thanks everyone again for the replies🙂

Thanks for the congrats.

Fingers crossed you're pregnant op.

I was on this thread yesterday and I just wanted to pop back on to offer hope here for any mums looking for an answer when their ovulation test lines suddenly go very light when they should be getting to peak ovulation.

This happened to me. My lines were getting darker for a week and should have been getting to peak and then yesterday, I tested twice (noon and evening) and both times the lines were so faint they were barely visible. I was extremely disappointed and frustrated because I'd been diligently testing for the past week to ensure I didn't miss the peak (ovulation). Then today, I tested at noon and the line was the darkest it's been all month (CD 16 with a 30 day cycle) so I am clearly ovulating today/tomorrow despite yesterday's tests being apparently negative.

So, if you get a faint line just before you're supposed to ovulate, just check again the next day at the normal times and you will likely have your dark line!