December Testing ~ Come on Christmas bfp's!!! (24 so far!)

[hopeandpray1]

How does that work? How does acupuncture help in getting pregnant?

 

[~Brandy~]

How does that work? How does acupuncture help in getting pregnant?

How acupuncture works

It's still not entirely clear how the technique works, but there is some evidence that it increases the production of endorphins, or brain chemicals that make you feel good and help reduce stress. It may also improve blood supply to the ovaries, which improves their function, and the uterus, which can make it easier to nourish a fetus and reduce the risk of miscarriage.

 

[MommaVee]

Two opk related questions:

1. Is it possible to ovulate and never get a test-line-darker-than-control-line positive?

2. Is there a difference between negatives (As in, if the negative on one test is darker than another do these tests mean different things or are they just flat negative?)

I'm new to this so any answers would be very helpful!

 

[elt1013]

Two opk related questions:

1. Is it possible to ovulate and never get a test-line-darker-than-control-line positive?

2. Is there a difference between negatives (As in, if the negative on one test is darker than another do these tests mean different things or are they just flat negative?)

I'm new to this so any answers would be very helpful!

It is possible to ovulate and never get a positive...I never got positives on any opks until I started using the 88cent walmart ones, and I ovulate every month! Some are more sensitive than others, so yes, one brand may be darker than others. I would go with the darker one as it is probably more sensitive. They say that the test line has to be equal to or darker than the control line, but I learned after a couple months with all negatives and confirming ovulation with bbt what my positive looked like on opks (even though it wasn't actually positive).

when did you start with them, today?

 

[MommaVee]

I started using them two days ago just for fun, really. I don't expect to get a positive this cycle since I'm using them so late. But since my chart hadn't confirmed an ovulation date I figured "Hey, why not." and decided to use them until AF shows.

Normally I would be doing this, since I know opks are best used starting a short time after AF leaves, but I didn't see the harm since I don't know whether I have ovulated or not.

So far the negatives I'm getting are different shades, so I was curious if one negative shade was equal to another. Then I was just curious if opks ALWAYS detect ovulation with a dark as/darker than the control line test line.

opks this month are more for sport than anything haha

 

[elt1013]

They should get darker as ovulation approaches, and if they get lighter, you know that your surge has passed.

 

[hopeandpray1]

I started using them two days ago just for fun, really. I don't expect to get a positive this cycle since I'm using them so late. But since my chart hadn't confirmed an ovulation date I figured "Hey, why not." and decided to use them until AF shows.

Normally I would be doing this, since I know opks are best used starting a short time after AF leaves, but I didn't see the harm since I don't know whether I have ovulated or not.

So far the negatives I'm getting are different shades, so I was curious if one negative shade was equal to another. Then I was just curious if opks ALWAYS detect ovulation with a dark as/darker than the control line test line.

opks this month are more for sport than anything haha

The tests normally tell you that unless the line is darker than the control line, it is negative. All the OPK's I use show me a darker line than the control line when I am ovulating. Though this may not happen to everyone, they would be more the exception than what is supposed to be happening. If it is not happening that way for some people, that usually means they don't have as much LH as what the test is supposed to detect. Regardless of what the reason is as to why it isn't darker for them, it is still the exception. I would get to know your cycle and see for yourself. After two cycles, you should be able to see if yours becomes darker than the control line or not. You can also have this confirmed with a progesterone check on CD21 or CD23 and they will let you know if you ovulated. This is what my RE told me. He is reputable Hope this helps.

 

[MommaVee]

I started using them two days ago just for fun, really. I don't expect to get a positive this cycle since I'm using them so late. But since my chart hadn't confirmed an ovulation date I figured "Hey, why not." and decided to use them until AF shows.

Normally I would be doing this, since I know opks are best used starting a short time after AF leaves, but I didn't see the harm since I don't know whether I have ovulated or not.

So far the negatives I'm getting are different shades, so I was curious if one negative shade was equal to another. Then I was just curious if opks ALWAYS detect ovulation with a dark as/darker than the control line test line.

opks this month are more for sport than anything haha

The tests normally tell you that unless the line is darker than the control line, it is negative. All the OPK's I use show me a darker line than the control line when I am ovulating. Though this may not happen to everyone, they would be more the exception than what is supposed to be happening. If it is not happening that way for some people, that usually means they don't have as much LH as what the test is supposed to detect. Regardless of what the reason is as to why it isn't darker for them, it is still the exception. I would get to know your cycle and see for yourself. After two cycles, you should be able to see if yours becomes darker than the control line or not. You can also have this confirmed with a progesterone check on CD21 or CD23 and they will let you know if you ovulated. This is what my RE told me. He is reputable Hope this helps.

Thanks! that was really helpful! I'm excited for next cycle to start regularly using opks and seeing how that turns out that is...if AF shows up

 

[hopeandpray1]

i started using them two days ago just for fun, really. I don't expect to get a positive this cycle since i'm using them so late. But since my chart hadn't confirmed an ovulation date i figured "hey, why not." and decided to use them until af shows.

Normally i would be doing this, since i know opks are best used starting a short time after af leaves, but i didn't see the harm since i don't know whether i have ovulated or not.

So far the negatives i'm getting are different shades, so i was curious if one negative shade was equal to another. Then i was just curious if opks always detect ovulation with a dark as/darker than the control line test line.

Opks this month are more for sport than anything haha

the tests normally tell you that unless the line is darker than the control line, it is negative. All the opk's i use show me a darker line than the control line when i am ovulating. Though this may not happen to everyone, they would be more the exception than what is supposed to be happening. If it is not happening that way for some people, that usually means they don't have as much lh as what the test is supposed to detect. Regardless of what the reason is as to why it isn't darker for them, it is still the exception. I would get to know your cycle and see for yourself. After two cycles, you should be able to see if yours becomes darker than the control line or not. You can also have this confirmed with a progesterone check on cd21 or cd23 and they will let you know if you ovulated. This is what my re told me. He is reputable hope this helps.

thanks! That was really helpful! I'm excited for next cycle to start regularly using opks and seeing how that turns out that is...if af shows up

no problem!!

 

[CaT1285]

I HATE trying to interpret OPKs. So much depends on what time of day you test, how concentrated your urine is, how sensitive the test is, etc etc... I hate those things and stopped using them after two cycles. Went with CM after that, started drinking more water to improve my CM so I could tell when I'm fertile, and I got preg. If I hadn't gotten preg, I probably would've gotten a fertility monitor.

 

[CaT1285]

And besides the fact that they're difficult to interpret, they tell you you're about to O in 12-36 hours, when it's better to BD 1-4 days before O day, rather than O day or later! It takes an average of 10 hours for sperm, once ejaculated, to undergo "capacitation" and be ready to fertilize the egg, and the egg only lives for 12-24 hours. So it's better to BD before you would probably even see a positive OPK. Just saying...

 

[minuet]

what is wrong with my body? Temp spike, and nothing after that inital spotting yesterday.
SO frustrated.

 

[hopeandpray1]

Mommavee, I would have to disagree with the above poster, with all due respect of course. Try out OPK's and see how you like them. I personally love them! As far as being hard to interpret, mine were pretty easy. When the line was darker than the control, it was positive. Period. Now, if that doesn't happen to everyone, which it doesn't, than I would confirm with a clearblue digital smiley. Even though my line is darker, I always confirm with the smiley. As far as it not being great timing, that is also incorrect. If you have been using OPK's religiously about twice a day, then u should catch your LH surge which even if you ovulate on the lower end of 12-36 hours, if it takes 10 hours for sperm to go through capacitation, they would still be there waiting for the eggy. This is a great fertile window to increase your chances. Don't just go by CM because that can also change many times throughout the month. For example, I get EWCM 7 days before I ovulate. If I were to base it on this and not use OPK's, I might miss my fertile window thinking I'm ovulating 7 days before when sperm only live up to 5 days, and some studies show an average of 2 days. Bottom line is try and see of OPK's work for you. It would be one more way to pinpoint fertilization in addition to CM, temping etc. If it wasn't for OPK's, many women would not be pregnant right now. It may not work perfectly for everyone, but remember they are the exception and not the rule Try them for yourself and if you get one that may look positive and you're unsure, confirm it with a digital smiley we're all here to help u

 

[CaT1285]

Yeah, I agree that you should try it. Many women find it works for them, although honestly I bet the majority are BDing before they get the positive. Otherwise, the timing is pretty tight. You have to BD as soon as you get the positive! And my OH and I just weren't into planned BD like that.

Just saying that if you find it frustrating, I've heard of many others being frustrated as well, including myself! Personally, I think a monitor would be much more helpful, giving you multiple days leading up to O that you are fertile. But they are expensive, so I just went with nothing and let my body tell me when I'm fertile.

 

[MommaVee]

This whole process is so crazy. I spent my life from my first period to last month AVOIDING pregnancy and have my share of "scares" to show for it. But when I actually get into trying, there is no BFP to be found. And all of these methods to perfectly pinpoint when I'm most fertile. UGH! I wish I were patient enough to just sit back, BD daily, and not worry or stress knowing that eventually it will happen. BLAH!

at least this way I will know whether or not I am ovulating instead of finding out after a year of trying that I'm not. I'm not to the level of buying an expensive fertility monitor just yet (since this is only month 2 of trying) but if I hit 6 months and still haven't fallen pregnant then I will definitely be investing in one.

 

[CaT1285]

I had the same rule, MommaVee - 6 months, then it's fertility monitor time. I hope it doesn't come to that!

I should also mention that I'm probably the WORST possible example when it comes to OPKs. I always got my first pos OPK the same day that I ovulated. Plus, I didn't want to buy a billion OPK strips and test twice a day. So I tested once a day, in the afternoon. So in the afternoon, I'd have my pos OPK, and the next morning, my temp was high. That's a tight window! Timing-wise, I just didn't think OPKs were helping me get preg at all. But if you have more time between surge and O and you're testing more often, I'm sure it works better. At the least, it might give you some assurance that you are O-ing, as you said.

 

[hopeandpray1]

Hang in there MommaVee!! we are all gonna get through this!!!

 

[MommaVee]

I'm on day two of elevated temp after a massive dip, do I'm feeling hopeful again! Haha

At least I have all of you lovely ladies to talk to when times get rough!

 

[lorojovanos]

MINUET- I hope that spotting picks up and you get a full blown AF.
I remember what its like to have a cycle that long, it blows and you just need to start all over.

 

[gemmy]

hi stargazer can you move me one day back to Fri 21st? that is the date ff gives me now. i will be 14dpo so might get a bit impatient and do one a day or two earlier. trying not to get my hopes up.... so hard. good luck everyone