Help please :)

[sarah34]

Hi all,

So I have just taken my first ever ovulation test. I have very long irregular cycles since having my son in June 14. We are not ttc yet but would like to know when or if I am ovulating. I got this this morning around 11am, does this mean that because there is a line, albeit faint, that I either missed ovulation or am building up to it?

I know this is a negative ovulation test but I never know where I am in my cycle which is why I am doing them.

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Xx

 

[DobbyForever]

I have faint lines throughout my cycles. The only time my test is truly white/a line soooooo faint us when I have just had my period. So; unfortunately, a single negative lh test won't be able to tell you anything . Sorry! Just keep testing

 

[jessthemess]

Ditto to the above reply. Your LH levels fluctuate so much that a faint line doesn't indicate where you are at in your cycle unfortunately.

 

[sarah34]

Thank you both, I am going to keep doing them and maybe if I notice any change I'll post here for your views xxx

 

[sarah34]

Today's test was definitely lighter so I am guessing I missed ovulation? Xx

 

[jessthemess]

Not necessarily because while OPKs can have progression to positive and negative, your LH levels fluctuate so much much throughout your cycle that it isn't weird for the negative tests to be lighter and darker day to day.

 

[sarah34]

Not necessarily because while OPKs can have progression to positive and negative, your LH levels fluctuate so much much throughout your cycle that it isn't weird for the negative tests to be lighter and darker day to day.

Oh ok, I didn't know that! Thank you, I guess I will have to just keep testing and see if I get a positive xx

 

[DobbyForever]

Jess is totally right. I know it's aggravating but just keep testing. It's why I liked the digital ones. That way I knew when the fluxes meant something because I have the flashing smile to back it up. Otherwise I wouldn't get excited about it. But even though have let me down haha. Fxed you figure out your o soon

 

[lilmisscaviar]

If I'm going to have an anovulatory cycle in which my body gears up to O but doesn't, there won't be anything of a second line at all so anything of a line is a good thing. There is usually a faint line immediately following my period, then it goes stark white negative right before I get my surge.

 

[jessthemess]

If I'm going to have an anovulatory cycle in which my body gears up to O but doesn't, there won't be anything of a second line at all so anything of a line is a good thing. There is usually a faint line immediately following my period, then it goes stark white negative right before I get my surge.

I have gotten completely positive OPKs and not ovulated. I've also had cycles where I never got a true positive and I did ovulate.


And this is the unfortunate thing about OPKs. They really aren't that accurate. And the name is a trick. They don't actually tell you that you are ovulating. They tell you when your LH is surging, which most of the time leads to ovulation. However LH is ALWAYS present in your system unless you have a medical hormonal issue. LH fluctuates throughout your cycle, and the surge could last days or hours. It could surge and you might not ovulate and it could surge again and then you ovulate. Even in an anovulatory cycle you would still have LH in your system, and could possibly get positive OPKs or at the very least with most brands of OPKs still have that second line.

With all of that said, they are still a helpful tool. Just don't lean too heavily on them, ifykwim.

 

[sarah34]

Thank you for all your help ladies. I thought it was going to be easy using opks but I see now there is a lot more to it than I thought! I have a batch of 30 though so I will keep testing and if they tell me something then great, if not then oh well!

Today's test is a little darker I think but as some of you said I know this doesn't necessarily mean anything!

I am trying to tie up other symtoms with ovulation really, I have suffered with sciatica since the midwife delivering my son hit a nerve with a forcep (ouch!) and it seems to come and go throughout the month. Do any of you get sciatic pain when ovulating or due af? Xx

 

[sarah34]

So just did another opk and completely white, no line at all and I have ewcm. Could I have ovulated at some point today and missed it? Xx

 

[DobbyForever]

I doubt it, ewcm shows up at different points for different women. But from what I understand it could show up as much as a few days before o. If you didn't get a positive opk, I wouldn't say you o. Though I know women who say their hormones are off so they never get a positive opk. Do you test multiple times a day? Sometimes my surge starts in the afternoon (but I don't o until the next day). But if you truly have ewcm I would bd since it is fertile cm and the sperm can last longer in it. So I'd jump on it

 

[jessthemess]

So just did another opk and completely white, no line at all and I have ewcm. Could I have ovulated at some point today and missed it? Xx

Remind me again, how long are your cycles normally and what CD are you right now?

 

[sarah34]

So just did another opk and completely white, no line at all and I have ewcm. Could I have ovulated at some point today and missed it? Xx

Remind me again, how long are your cycles normally and what CD are you right now?

I have no idea. I only have around 5 or 6 periods a year. I haven't bled for about 8 weeks currently. I thought by doing opks I would be able to confirm whether or not I am ovulating or not.

I did another opk today and it was the same as previous ones so guessing the stark white one was cos my pee was a bit too diluted. I think I will just have to keep doing them every day and see if anything comes up. I worry that I'm not ovulating and worry that it will cause me problems when we ttc number 2 next year. I was very lucky to fall pregnant quickly with my son and had no bleeding between stopping the pill and getting my bfp. I'm worried that I won't be so lucky next time xx

 

[DobbyForever]

It just takes some time for your body to readjust. It will regulate. Hugs. I know it's frustrating waiting on it, but having a living child is a good indicator for the future when you go back to ttc

 

[jessthemess]

So just did another opk and completely white, no line at all and I have ewcm. Could I have ovulated at some point today and missed it? Xx

Remind me again, how long are your cycles normally and what CD are you right now?

I have no idea. I only have around 5 or 6 periods a year. I haven't bled for about 8 weeks currently. I thought by doing opks I would be able to confirm whether or not I am ovulating or not.

I did another opk today and it was the same as previous ones so guessing the stark white one was cos my pee was a bit too diluted. I think I will just have to keep doing them every day and see if anything comes up. I worry that I'm not ovulating and worry that it will cause me problems when we ttc number 2 next year. I was very lucky to fall pregnant quickly with my son and had no bleeding between stopping the pill and getting my bfp. I'm worried that I won't be so lucky next time xx

I'm sorry I so know exactly where you are coming from. For me, I don't use OPKs unless I'm taking Clomid because otherwise I have literally no idea when I will ovulate, because like you I have 6 or less cycles a year and so tracking with OPKs is difficult and can get expensive. If I were you, since you aren't TTC now, I'd make an appointment with your OB and they can help you figure out why you aren't having regular cycles. That way you'll be ready when you do TTC.

 

[jessthemess]

Also yes you could totally ovulate and miss on an OPK. Keep in mind though that the only accurate indication of ovulation that you can do at home is charting your BBT and it will only tell you after you have ovulated. OPKs, checking your cervix and watching your cervical mucus are all helpful but none are concrete indicators of ovulation and they become even trickier to use when you also have irregular cycles, because irregular cycles are typically due to a hormone imbalance and OPKs, cervical mucus, etc. are all based on hormone levels.

 

[sarah34]

So this mornings test is a lot darker than previous tests, does this look positive to anyone? Do you think I should take another this afternoon?

Also, (this may be tmi for some!) I suffer with vaginal fissures and have a Gynae appointment on Monday, I was thinking there could be a link between them and my cycle/hormones so if I have or am about to ovulate that kind of confirms it as I am suffering with vaginal cuts/irritation at the moment.

 

[jessthemess]

That test is much closer! Could totally be later today or tomorrow!


I'm glad you'll get a chance to ask a OB, that's awesome!