13DPO - trying to hold off testing but feel different?!

[ProseccoPrincess25]

Hi ladies,

I’m pretty new to all of this TTC business so learning as I go! My husband and I have been doing ‘everything right’ for the last couple of months. I haven’t used ovulation tests religiously this cycle but am quite in tune with my body - I had EWCM for a few days and we made sure to BD lots that whole week/10 day period to try to cover all dates! I think I probably ovulated around 13 days ago.

I tested on Saturday morning which was ~11 DPO and got a BFN, but I feel so different in myself. My boobs have been really firm and full feeling, to the point my husband even commented without me having said anything about them, I’m exhausted, I’ve felt little crampy pulling feelings a couple of times, lots of discharge, really dry hands and lips (?!), crampy legs, headaches and also increased sex drive.

This has all been going on for a week now which would be much earlier than my usual PMS and much more severe too - I just don’t feel like myself! But I’m too scared to test again now before AF is due in a day or two and be disappointed with a BFN.. I guess after all of that I’m just looking for some company while I wait and any advice or opinions based on others’ experiences!xx

Hi your period will come 14 days after ovulation. You may have tested too early when you thought 11dpo. Equally you might be right with your dates. I would love to say wait and see but I would test.
I would recommend checking for ovulation every month just to give you an idea of when your period would be due
Fingers crossed for you.

Thank you for this - I half heartedly tried ovulation tests this month but think I was always too hydrated so the second line wasn’t as dark on the few I did but I might give them a proper go next cycle!

ovulation tests helped me, but I didn’t start them till I’d been ttc about a year. And to pp who said period comes 14 days after ovulation, that’s inaccurate. Maybe it does for you! Mine is 11 days. Sometimes ten. I have a short luteal phase. I do wish I’d done ovulation tests earlier bc I’d have known more accurately when to dtd!

my advice on using ovulation tests: buy in bulk, the cheap kind online, they work just as well. do them one a day a good few days into your cycle, when you start seeing them darken, do one in the morning, afternoon and evening, and continue till you get your peak and then it starts to decline. Mind you, my exacting method was informed by 4.5 years of trying and you’re just setting out! Likely enough you’ll be preggo v soon :) good luck!

Thank you so much for this, it’s so helpful. I started using a couple and just after my period but realised I was going to have to do them loads to see any change and just didn’t have it in me! When I did use them, the line started off very noticeable for a couple of days just after my period and then a couple of days later was much lighter - is that normal?

Thank you for your advice - I presume ovulations tests did the trick for you then?!

The line can fluctuate (you always have lh some in your body and it can rise and fall and urine concentration matters too) but what you’re looking for is a clear steady rise in strength to the point that the test line is as strong as or stronger than the control line. That’s your lh peak, and then ovulation will be (I think? Maybe check this) between 12 and 36 hours after). Sperm can live in you for a good few days (they say up to 5 but those will be the outliers!) so doing it before during and after peak is a good bet. Sperm have a little process to go through too before being ready to fertilise. And I think the egg lives something like 24 hours? But maybe check that too!

hah well for us, we struggled to get any positive at all, then started ivf, then had two spontaneous pregnancies that miscarried and I’m currently preggo after my 5th round of ivf. So let’s not make that your plan!! haha. You can see why I learned so much about ovulation strips! But the two spontaneous pregs were absolutely on cycles where I pinpointed my peak, and even learned my body had a little discomfort after ovulating (confirmed by scans) like annoying ovarian pain.

anyways, I used the easy@home bulk pack so you can test without it costing loads, and used their free app to track the darkness of the line.

That’s really good to know, thank you! What time of day did you find showed the best line and are you a big water drinker like me? 😂 I think I was always too hydrated to get a proper result but I’ll try to limit my water intake slightly next cycle!

oh my goodness you really have been through it all! I’m sorry to hear about your miscarriages, that must have been so difficult. Congratulations on your current pregnancy though - how exciting! How far along are you?

right you’ve inspired me to give these a proper go next month, thank you xxx

23 weeks now! It’s so fun being pregnant hehe. I waited so long I even enjoyed the nausea and aversions!

I AM a big water drinker! Don’t worry, when your surge comes it’s obvious (was for me anyway), like even if you’re well hydrated the strength of the test will climb. The very peak itself isn’t always obvious, like say it peaked while you were asleep, but you can see a steady clear rise and fall.

No particular time of day, it would just suddenly be darker than the test the day before after being fairly steady. And then if you continue to test that day you’d see it get darker even in a few hours if it’s your surge. (Again, this is how it worked for me). But anytime around surge time is baby making time! :)

Ahh how exciting! Do you know what you’re having or will it be a surprise?! I can imagine, you know what it’s taken to get there so you won’t take anything for granted!

honestly thank you so so much, it’s so reassuring and helpful just to hear someone else’s experience - it’s much easier to hear from you how best to use the tests than read the packet and try to decipher the best time etc 😂 xx