First time OPK

[EElse]

Hi everyone.

Sorry I haven't been around in a long while.

Just took my first ever opk this afternoon and although it wasn't positive, there was a line. My cycles are fairly long and I usually O around day 22/23 - today is day 22. When should I take another opk?

My thermometer's battery is flat so I haven't been taking my temps, unfortunately...

Any advice on when I should test again would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Flueky88]

I would test daily at least. I've heard other gals recommend testing multiple times a day near O as you can have a short surge.

 

[EElse]

Thanks, I will definitely test again tomorrow but to be on the safe side, we'll BD tonight. My test line was about half as dark as the control line (maybe a little darker). It wasn't faint though, clearly there. How long after a positive OPK do you have before it is too late for BD'ing? Is it 12 to 36 hours after the positive OPK?

Thanks for the reply!!

Good luck and to you!

 

[DobbyForever]

Good morning!

You definitely want to start daily opks much earlier than the expected day of ovulation. I think if you have a 27 day cycle you are recommended to start testing around day 8. You can O early or late, your surge cam be long or short. I test daily from cd 8 when I typically o from 12-15. I start testing 2 or 3x daily once I get my estrogen surge (usually cd 10 or 11). But I use the advanced opks.

Now, opks and hpts have different reading rules. The test line must be as dark or darker. You mentioned it was half as dark or nearly as dark. Those do not count as positive. It could be the tail end of a surge or you haven't surged. My up and ups read positive (lines equally dark) for about half my cycle. My true positive is when the line is darker. I'll post a pic. That was my hardest thing to picture so here's a picture sorry I deleted the originals so these are screen shots of screenshots. Those are this cycle and last cycle. The smiley face top sticks were the beginning/mid of my surge and the bottom was the peak (about 24 hours past my first positive up and up). The second were similar. All solid smiles with afternoon and following morning with my peak that afternoon. The first cycle, i Oed the day of my peak. This cycle, i Oed the day after.

My vote is keep bding! Can't hurt anything oh the jokes I could make haha

 

[Flueky88]

Once you have positive opk, you should ovulate within 12-36 hours. I don't temp so I can't confirm but that and an ultrasound are only way to confirm. As Dobby said I'd also test earlier in cycle and BD doesn't hurt. Thank you, to you too. I got my positive on CB advanced digital opk Monday a.m. with fmu. I didn't do my IC opk as I wasn't expecting a positive. I didn't get positive on it though Monday or Tuesday evening. So I apparently had short surge.

 

[JLM73]

I personally am a fan of twice daily testing.
They recommend you avoid FMU and test in the afternoon.
Since it's poss to have short surges, and/or you can go from a line that's lighter than control to a pos opk in literally hours on the same day, I find twice /day best.
If you can stock up like IC opks or $stores, then it helps test more to get your baseline for future months if needed.
I test btwn 11-2 and again before bed. You only need a cpl hours hold without taking in more fluids, but at least you hopefully catch the surge.
If you usually are a cd22 and have a light line, you may have missed the surge already, as it comes a day or 2 before the O, and some of us get pretty dark lines day after O as the LH decreases.
GL to you!

 

[PinkLuv24]

I finally had luck with OPKs when I started well ahead of my expected date of ovulation, and by doing them twice a day. Also, you can ovulate 12-48 hours after your + but 36 hours is average. So really anytime after the + is good for natural insemination and the earlier the better (I.e. 12 hours after as opposed to 48) better to be early and have sperm waiting for the egg than missing it! Good luck and here's hoping for a BFP for ya!

 

[JLM73]

I love this place- everyone is so helpful hehe
Not that you prob care, but as I am aiming for another boy, I need to BD as close to O as poss, so opks along with temping have def helped that. Were I going for either I would just BD the few days before O like with my daughter.
I tried the BD near O, orgasm before, and baking soda douche last time and bingo got my son. With my oldest son, many years ago (hes 23) I literally only BD once, the morning I expected O, and bingo got a son.
DD was BD like 2 days before O(well O was the 3rd day).
Anyhoo, just wanted to high five opks in assisting tracking O, but I def back that up with temps.
Dust all around!

 

[DobbyForever]

OT comment but JLM that chart looks incredible! When are you testing?

 

[PinkLuv24]

I've not had a lot of luck with temping bc I work all different hours and I always make sure to do it after 4 solid hours of sleep and still it doesn't seem to match up with ovulation timing. So does have to be at same time every day and after at least 4 hs? Thx