2nd cycle after bcp and first time using opks....help?!?

[clacko]

Hi ladies, I am finally into my second cycle after stopping bcp. My first af was on cd 50, it was very light and only lasted 3 days. I am now on cd 10 and just ordered my first batch of cheap opks. I just wanted any information/advice on testing, when to test and what's positive and negative as this will be my first time using them. I don't think I will get them until Monday which will be cd 13 is this too late to start testing. As this is my second cycle after bcp Iv really no clue as to when or If I'm ovulating. Any help would be great, thanks x

 

[catielove]

In the mid afternoon (don't do it first thing in the am.), pee in a cup, and dip the OPK for however long the wrapper says. (usually 3-5 seconds)

Lay it flat and let it do it's thing, then read the result. With an OPK, the test line needs to be as dark or darker than the control line to be positive. If it isn't, even if you can see the test line, it's still negative.

As for when to start testing, it really depends on the person. It might take a couple cycles for you to know when you ovulate. But I would say it's not too late to start testing on CD13, since on a 28 day cycle you would ov on CD14. Just keep testing until you get a positive, or obviously if AF shows up you wouldn't test then. lol Charting your temperature for a few cycles will help you to know when you ovulate for sure.

 

[Scout]

For the first month, you might want to test twice a day. Some women, like myself, have very short surges (mine is 10-12 hours) and by tesing only once you can miss it. I guess read directions with your test, bc mine say you can use FMU and that's when I always get my positives. Remember that an OPK will only tell you that you are having an LH surge, but that doesn't mean you actually ovulated...to know if you did ovulate you'd need to chart.

I use the smiley face ones cos I don't like the trouble of trying to read those 2 lines ones, so I can't help you there (I was never too good at reading those). But I've seen ppl post pics of the OPK's for others to analyze.

Good luck