Help with OPKs

[Charm23]

(FYI, I have an average 28 day cycle but can sometimes +/- by a few days. Never miss a period, no spotting or pain.)

Can someone please help me with OPKs?

I've been using them for 3 cycles now. Cycle 1 was twice a day with cheapy strips that never gave me more than a vvfl, nothing close to a positive. I tested for 10 days.

Cycles 2 (I tested for 10 days) was with Clearblue digitals and have given me highs but no peaks.

I'm now on cycle 3, again with Clearblue digitals, and have been currently testing for 14 days with no peak. I'm on CD 21 - should I have got it by now??

If you were in my position and not getting peak readings, how many days do you keep testing with OPKs before you stop and just wait for AF?

I'm just wondering whether the reason I'm not getting peaks is because I'm not continuing to test right up to AF? Am I missing something?

Anyone else in the same boat?

The Clearblue instructions say to see a doctor after 3 consecutive cycles of no peak... so I plan to use up my last 5 OPKs which will take me to CD26 and make an appointment.

Any advice or tales from experience will be much appreciated!

 

[CheshireDucky]

When I first started OPKs I went with cheapies since I didn't know my body well enough added on to that I was coming off of years and years of taking birth control.

I tested every day for two cycles (minus my period) and when I saw the line getting darker I would test two times a day to catch the surge. It took me about 3-4 months to know when to start testing to catch my positive. I decided on cheapies since, well, they were cheap so I could get a lot of them and not worry about testing so much and because they were the ones that preferred afternoon testing over FMU which worked better for me.

You shouldn't be peaking through AF, although there are some people who do O close to/right after their period. The peak comes when you're within 12-26 hours of ovulation. There's a chance the pee is too diluted or, for some reason, you're just not catching ovulation.

Do you temp as well? Temping is a great tool to pinpoint ovulation that the OPK might miss. You can also try calling your doctor with your concerns and see if they'll run a blood test for you. Not really sure how it works in the UK, though, but I know in the US most doctors make you wait a year of failed trying before doing anything.

 

[Charm23]

When I first started OPKs I went with cheapies since I didn't know my body well enough added on to that I was coming off of years and years of taking birth control.

I tested every day for two cycles (minus my period) and when I saw the line getting darker I would test two times a day to catch the surge. It took me about 3-4 months to know when to start testing to catch my positive. I decided on cheapies since, well, they were cheap so I could get a lot of them and not worry about testing so much and because they were the ones that preferred afternoon testing over FMU which worked better for me.

You shouldn't be peaking through AF, although there are some people who do O close to/right after their period. The peak comes when you're within 12-26 hours of ovulation. There's a chance the pee is too diluted or, for some reason, you're just not catching ovulation.

Do you temp as well? Temping is a great tool to pinpoint ovulation that the OPK might miss. You can also try calling your doctor with your concerns and see if they'll run a blood test for you. Not really sure how it works in the UK, though, but I know in the US most doctors make you wait a year of failed trying before doing anything.

Thanks for replying.

I don't temp. I tried for a couple of weeks back in cycle 1 but it was stressing me out.

In cycle 1 and 2 I tested for 10 after AF finished - should I have kept going?

With this cycle I've been testing for 2 weeks already with no peak and have 5 left to use.

 

[Charm23]

Thanks mermaiddance for your help.

I'm not tracking CM or BBT etc. as I find this stuff stresses me out.

My goal with doing OPKs was originally just to confirm that I am ovulating but I haven't managed to do that.

I've been on a clinical trial for cycles 2 and 3, so I have been following instructions of the organiser and have to stick to this.

Still no peak and to be honest, at CD22 I would expect to have ovulated by now, right? It doesn't look good so I'm probably going to see a doctor if I don't get a peak in the next few days. I want to get a blood test done for something else anyway so maybe they can do both at the same time.

Please answer me this: Do you think I've been OPK testing for enough days?

I tested for 10 days after AF on cycles 1 and 2 (so up to CD17), and I've been testing for 15 days on cycle 3 (now on CD22)

 

[Pne1985]

When I first started OPKs I went with cheapies since I didn't know my body well enough added on to that I was coming off of years and years of taking birth control.

I tested every day for two cycles (minus my period) and when I saw the line getting darker I would test two times a day to catch the surge. It took me about 3-4 months to know when to start testing to catch my positive. I decided on cheapies since, well, they were cheap so I could get a lot of them and not worry about testing so much and because they were the ones that preferred afternoon testing over FMU which worked better for me.

You shouldn't be peaking through AF, although there are some people who do O close to/right after their period. The peak comes when you're within 12-26 hours of ovulation. There's a chance the pee is too diluted or, for some reason, you're just not catching ovulation.

Do you temp as well? Temping is a great tool to pinpoint ovulation that the OPK might miss. You can also try calling your doctor with your concerns and see if they'll run a blood test for you. Not really sure how it works in the UK, though, but I know in the US most doctors make you wait a year of failed trying before doing anything.

I got pregnant with our daughter on cd7. My period then lasted 3/4 days so test towards the end of your period also. Maybe you’re starting to test too late in your cycle like she said. My bbt says I o’d on cd8 this time but my opk was peaked on cd10 or 11 so I’m not sure what that’s about. It can get confusing and stressful but I actually look forward to taking my temp now to try to get to know my cycles!

 

[CheshireDucky]

When I first started OPKs I went with cheapies since I didn't know my body well enough added on to that I was coming off of years and years of taking birth control.

I tested every day for two cycles (minus my period) and when I saw the line getting darker I would test two times a day to catch the surge. It took me about 3-4 months to know when to start testing to catch my positive. I decided on cheapies since, well, they were cheap so I could get a lot of them and not worry about testing so much and because they were the ones that preferred afternoon testing over FMU which worked better for me.

You shouldn't be peaking through AF, although there are some people who do O close to/right after their period. The peak comes when you're within 12-26 hours of ovulation. There's a chance the pee is too diluted or, for some reason, you're just not catching ovulation.

Do you temp as well? Temping is a great tool to pinpoint ovulation that the OPK might miss. You can also try calling your doctor with your concerns and see if they'll run a blood test for you. Not really sure how it works in the UK, though, but I know in the US most doctors make you wait a year of failed trying before doing anything.

Thanks for replying.

I don't temp. I tried for a couple of weeks back in cycle 1 but it was stressing me out.

In cycle 1 and 2 I tested for 10 after AF finished - should I have kept going?

With this cycle I've been testing for 2 weeks already with no peak and have 5 left to use.

I would have kept going until I got a positive. If you only have five tests left you may want to look back into cheapies, especially if it's the only way you're tracking O.

 

[Bordeaux]

Thanks mermaiddance for your help.

I'm not tracking CM or BBT etc. as I find this stuff stresses me out.

My goal with doing OPKs was originally just to confirm that I am ovulating but I haven't managed to do that.

I've been on a clinical trial for cycles 2 and 3, so I have been following instructions of the organiser and have to stick to this.

Still no peak and to be honest, at CD22 I would expect to have ovulated by now, right? It doesn't look good so I'm probably going to see a doctor if I don't get a peak in the next few days. I want to get a blood test done for something else anyway so maybe they can do both at the same time.

Please answer me this: Do you think I've been OPK testing for enough days?

I tested for 10 days after AF on cycles 1 and 2 (so up to CD17), and I've been testing for 15 days on cycle 3 (now on CD22)

hey there.

as i wrote, there is a ton in my blog posts that i think would help

but - you asked a specific Q and i am happy to answer

Please answer me this: Do you think I've been OPK testing for enough days?
my answer:
YES and NO

here's what i'd do.
(the "NO". meaning you are starting testing for no reason.you need a reason better than AF finished)
i would start, not right after AF, it is too soon.
i would start only when i see fertile CF - - why?
because fertile CF is produced by high estrogen. estrogen amps up before the LH surge and from what i understood even causes the LH to surge.
so, that physiological sign (fertile CF) must come prior to LH surge. i would test only after i see that CF> otherwise, really unlikely your LH will surge at all.

if you are not seeing fertile CF, that would likely indicate a hormonal imbalance that needs more addressing. not just to get LH to fire right but to ovulate at all, AND to keep sperm alive in vaginal tract. without fertile CF sperm is likely to die inside vagina

the YES answer is this:

YES> meaning, keep testing until you get a positive, (once you start). you need to know if you ovulate and when.

if it is after CD16, you are not in optimal fertility.

yes, get cheaper ones (those wondfo strips are on amazon in big packs, cheap)
so that you can test every 6 hours (from first sign of fertilie CF) until you get a positive.

if you are not getting positives most months.
i'd get an ND to order a full hormone panel saliva testing.
you can do it at home, daily for like 10-14 days. (or more, ? i forget that piece exactly) but you will see EXACTLy what the hormones are doing each day of your cycle, long enough to evaluate how you need to support your body to get hormones balanced.

hope that helps (all that info helped me now passing it on...

all the best!

Could you please share your blog. I couldn't find the clear blue lh test