Confused? can you help explain Positive OPK 6DPO? Dull cramping,achy lower back

[Beeptime]

Please, experienced ttc'ers, any similar experiences? I'm SO confused. I am about 6dpo right now. NTNP. A couple dpo, I had some lightening bolt pains through my right bb on the side near my arm. Thought it was weird, but whatever. Now, for the past couple days I've had very dull cramping very low, centered, right above my pubic bone. Almost constant! Not painful, but just so uncomfortable. With my cramping I've had very annoying, constant lower back pain. Yesterday I was so perplexed, I ran to the store to get some Dollar tree OPKs thinking maybe I was wrong about my O. It came up almost positive. ALMOST as dark as the control line. Today, I did and $tree OPK and it was definitely positive, test line MUCH darker than the control. :/ But this definitely does not feel like O. I'm on CD 16, that would be a pretty late O for a 27 day cycle. Still getting these shooting pains in my right boob throughout the day. I'm SO annoyed. WHAT IS WRONG WITH MY HORMONES?! How exactly DO OPK surges work? Do they stay dark after O until AF? Why is it darker today than yesterday? There's no way I'm just now O'ing...right? And no, I don't temp... NTNP Thank you for any input. My hubs just thinks I'm always a hormonal nutcase I know you ladies are the only one's that really understand! Oh, huge detail... after ATTC for a year, we gave it up due to the heart break... we are at about 4 yrs TTC+NTNP. :/ We've both been checked and are both "fine".

 

[Dill]

I don't have much advice, except that no, your OPKs do not stay positive after ovulation through the arrival of AF. LH surges and then drops promptly afterward. A positive OPK well after ovulation can mean that you are pregnant, but not until after a HPT would show you are positive.

As for what's going on, no idea! It could be that you are ovulating late (CD16 isn't particularly late in a cycle), it could be that you are releasing a second egg, it could be that your first LH surge was unproductive and your body is trying again.

 

[Beeptime]

Thank you so much for you response. Good to know they don't generally stay positive after O through the rest of the cycle. I just took another OPK 10 mins ago, and another strong positive, much darker than the control. Wouldn't it be terrible if my body was in a constant state of trying to O without ever actually Oing?! What horror! Maybe that's why I'm so hormonally whacked. Oh well, I will continue to check day by day. Definitely interesting.

How long do OPKs usually stay positive (darker than control) after O?

 

[Dill]

They don't! You ovulate 12-36 hours after a positive OPK. They are typically only positive for the one day that you surge, though it is possible to have two days of positive OPKs if you catch the LH on the upward swing of the surge one day, and the downward fall the next.

 

[Beeptime]

I just re-read my OP and I said yesterday was CD 16 but it was actually 17. SO maybe I had the upward surge on 17 and now downward on cd18. ? Ha! what a joke. Trying to figure this stuff out with all the alternate paths our bodies can take is so INSANE. But again, thanks for your response. I will check again tomorrow- anticipating a neg OPK!

 

[Dill]

That could be a definite possibility! Cycle lengths can vary pretty widely. Your luteal phase should remain fairly constant (14 days is average), but ovulation dates can be tricky.

What brand of OPK are you using, and what cycle date did you start testing?

 

[Beeptime]

I'm using dollar tree OPKs and I began testing on CD 16. I'd say that test was about the same as the control. CD 17 was much darker than the control, and today (18) was darker than yesterdays. If I was using OPK for it's intended purpose, I should have started testing much earlier. The only reason I decided to test was because I was having such strange constant cramping and backache, I figured I must be having some weird hormone stuff going on. So I went out bought a few OPKs... honestly, I don't know why. What good is it doing except confirming, yep, I DO have weird hormone stuff going on. I just thought I had definitely already O'd because I had my normal super pinch in my right ovary. I usually always feel the pinch.

 

[Dill]

Did you save the tests? Sometimes, they can look pretty darn near positive until you compare them to an actual positive. (The countdowntopregnancy site has a gallery where you can upload pictures and get yes/no votes on your OPKs, which is handy if you're not used to reading them just yet!)

It's also possible that the tests are lousy. :-/ I use cheapie dip strips I bought off Amazon, but they've worked really well for me.

Have you been checking your CM? That can be another good way to determine whether you're in your fertile period or not.

 

[Beeptime]

I didn't keep the tests since you are only supposed to read them during the timeframe. But I did take pics. I'll try to post them.

Also, yes I do pay attention to my CM. I used to be obsessed! I used to even show my DH- LOOK AT THIS BEAUTIFUL EWCM! But, currently my cm is NOT fertile looking at all. More sticky snot-like.

 

[Beeptime]

The first is OPK cd17, and the second is OPK cd18. Both positive, no?

 

[Dill]

Wow, I'd definitely say so! So that either means you're ovulating late, or those tests are awful.

 

[Beeptime]

HAHAHA!!! Two great conclusions. I didn't even think of it, but I SHOULD have went out today and bought some decent ones to compare with. Maybe if I get another positive tomorrow, I will go get some other brand. It's interesting too because I've read some ladies never get positives on dollar tree OPKs. Twilight zone for sure.

 

[Dill]

Don't you just love being in limbo?

Hopefully tomorrow will bring a much-needed answer for you. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that you'll have a negative tomorrow so you know what's going on! (In the meantime, DTD!)

 

[Beeptime]

Oh my god... Ugh. I hate to say it, but ever since TTC I really don't like DTD as much. Really sad actually. I feel like i should go to therapy for decreased sex drive. :/

 

[Dill]

It definitely does take some of the spontaneity and fun out of it when you have to force it for timing purposes. I've found it makes for a good time to introduce new things to keep it interesting and spice it up a bit so you don't end up thinking, "Get it over with!"

 

[Kazy]

Hi there. I used dollar store opks for a bit last year. I thought opks were always so confusing but the cycle I conceived I actually had a positive test for 1-2 days after ff said I ovulated. It was probably only my 3rd month using opks but 6-7 month temping. I was really agitated. So I have found temping to be the most accurate. Interestingly
Enough when I had the weird opks is when I got a BFP and originally was expecting twins which they guessed were fraternal (lost one at 12 weeks). So it turns out inoculated twice that month. But when that happens it's
Generally close together and not possible (I don't think) a week apart. The other thing that happens is your body can hear up to O but not actually ovulate and then Try again a bit later and O then. But those tests for sure look positive to me. Could be a bad batch too like others said.

 

[Beeptime]

Wow Kazy, that's interesting about your opk experience. I definitely won't count on this being any kind of a sign though. Very sorry to hear about your loss, but also still very happy for your sticky bean I really need to start temping, but at the same time I REALLY don't want to get back into that 'trying' mind state- it totally consumes a person :/ I don't want to be an emotional wreck again. I Wonder if I did gear up to O but it didn't happen? The only thing is that pinch, that very very distinct O pinch... I'd swear that's when the egg burst through, but I guess I could be wrong. I'm at work right now, going to take and OPK when I get home. Fingers crossed for a neg I can figure out this hormonal nonsense. Lol. Will keep you guys posted.

 

[Kazy]

Incompletely understand. I am
Pretty sure we are done after this baby but I don't know if I'll ever temp again. It's so overwhelming and way more relaxing to just not do temping. After I got the confusion on my last cycle I had already decided I was done. My dr was talking about Clomid in a few months anyway so I was ready to put temping down.
Anyway, easier to say now because I got a BFP. Hope you get yours soon too! And that opk is neg so you don't have to keep wondering.

 

[Beeptime]

Un-fricken-fortunately, I took an OPK this afternoon and it was definitely the darkest positive yet. BAHHHHH. And I didn't go buy another brand to test against because I was sure it would be negative and I wouldn't need to worry about it. I guess I still don't technically need to worry about anything.

t think I must just be going through some crazy, wonky cycle. Another strange thing, I've been a steady 112/111 lb and just weighed in a few days ago at 106.4?! I've been checking since then and I've been between 106/108. No stress, nothing different. I feel like that must mean I'm just having some kind of crazy hormones or something.

Kazy, still so happy for your BFP and the relief of never having to temp again! You are so free! LOL. So you never had to do the clomid thing? Everyone always suggests it, my husband begged me to do it, but my Dr says I'm ovulating so I don't actually need it. Maybe the next time I give in and go try to sort out fertility stuff with docs, I'll bring it up and see what they think.

 

[Dill]

Wow! I was so sure it would be negative today. Time to go nab a different brand, methinks! :-/