how to properly use OPK? confused by cycle.

[TwoTiels]

So I bought the digital OPK since my cycles since coming off of bc have been: Jan (28 days) Feb (31 days) March (35 days) April (33 days) May (28 days). Like what the hell. Anyway I am HOPING my cycles go back to 28 day cycles which they were my entire life. This is the first time it's taken so long to get back to "normal", and I have to have stopped and restarted BC like 5 times over the past few years..
Now if my cycle were to be 28, my most 'fertile' days were supposedly CD 12-17. I started using the OPK on CD 11 and have been getting negatives. But now I'm wondering if I am using it wrong. I was using my first morning urine. Today, google seemed to be of the consensus that it's better to test for the LH surge in the afternoon. I haven't yet gotten that smiley face.
We BD'd 3 days of my supposed 'fertile window.' Thurs/ tomororw/ CD 16 still a possibility, but I'm flying out to visit my family so unless we have a quickie before we head to the airport lol. Friday isn't happening.
Also have been temping, but not at the same time every morning (most mornings yes). I began towards the end of my last cycle so I have an idea of what the post- O temps are, currently in the 97.5-97.9 range.
I wish my ovaries would have cooperated with my trip plans. Blah.

 

[papillio]

OK well everything sounds like you're doing it right. I'm using first pee of the morning because I remember to do it then (lol!) and I get positives with the clearblue digital. If you say your cycle is between 28 and 35 days, then based on that you'll ovulate between day 14 and 21 so it could take a while to get a positive.

Don't forget, even if you get the smiley face you might not actually ovulate since the kits are detecting an LH surge which can happen more than once before you O. Back it up with your BBT temps to be sure.

Good luck!

 

[BeachyFeelin]

To be honest your cycle sounds like a normal cycle, I think it's pretty rare to have a cycle that it exactly 28 days every time. I'm guessing your O date changes every cycle so it would really be in your benefit to put more effort into temping at the same time every morning. It's the only way to confirm ovulation has happened.

OPK's don't tell you that you are ovulating, they only detect a serge (you can have a serge and not ovulate). Beyond that, you are using them at the wrong time of day, you should be testing around 2PM, some women test 3 times a day, so morning would be fine, but I think most OPK's say don't use FMU.

 

[TwoTiels]

To be honest your cycle sounds like a normal cycle, I think it's pretty rare to have a cycle that it exactly 28 days every time. I'm guessing your O date changes every cycle so it would really be in your benefit to put more effort into temping at the same time every morning. It's the only way to confirm ovulation has happened.

OPK's don't tell you that you are ovulating, they only detect a serge (you can have a serge and not ovulate). Beyond that, you are using them at the wrong time of day, you should be testing around 2PM, some women test 3 times a day, so morning would be fine, but I think most OPK's say don't use FMU.

Thanks for your input. My temping gets thrown off on the weekend when I sleep in :-/ I suppose I can set an alarm to aim for consistency. I'll try the afternoon urine to detect the surge next month.
I can understand that the above mentioned cycles can be normal for some, but my cycles have always been 28 days, no variation, ever. Even when I've come off of bf before, it was back to the 28 day pattern within two cycles. So for me to have a 31, el33, or 35 day cycle isn't normal. Hoping they're back to 28 soon.

 

[TwoTiels]

OK well everything sounds like you're doing it right. I'm using first pee of the morning because I remember to do it then (lol!) and I get positives with the clearblue digital. If you say your cycle is between 28 and 35 days, then based on that you'll ovulate between day 14 and 21 so it could take a while to get a positive.

Don't forget, even if you get the smiley face you might not actually ovulate since the kits are detecting an LH surge which can happen more than once before you O. Back it up with your BBT temps to be sure.

Good luck!

I guess I started too early this month, didn't realize it could take until CD 21. Thanks!

 

[BeachyFeelin]

Well, all I can really say is your cycles are normal until they are not. Just because in the past they were perfect 28 day cycles, does not mean it's going to happen that way now. Just be prepared to have non-perfect cycles.

As for temping on the weekends, sometimes I do. Sometimes I don't. I usually wake up at my normal time anyway (stupid body clock) and I'll temp then go back to sleep. Sometimes I'll skip the weekends all together (as long as it's not near ovulation).

 

[tuamora]

I have a 32 day period. This is my first time trying to conceive, so I really have no idea if I am doing anything right. What I was surprised at was that all of my signs show that I may ovulate a week after my AF. Had I waited until the middle of my cycle to test, I would have missed my LH surge. I began testing on CD6 of my cycle. I received my first + on CD 12. I bought a OPK kit from Target that has 20 test strips in it, so I didn't feel guilty using them all.